Brennan Johnson

[Bullet]

This bloke is a nearly man.

It's got to the point where I think Ange should tell Brennan to aim at the first defender every time, really fire it at the first defender... then he will miss him every time and we'll actually get balls pinged into the box.
Mikolenko outpaced him, outthought him, outmuscled him and turned him into a frail image.
Should have been first sub off, for Moore who wasn't even on the bench.

 

[Raziel]

It's got to the point where I think Ange should tell Brennan to aim at the first defender every time, really fire it at the first defender... then he will miss him every time and we'll actually get balls pinged into the box.
Mikolenko outpaced him, outthought him, outmuscled him and turned him into a frail image.
Should have been first sub off, for Moore who wasn't even on the bench.

Moore playing with Academy

Johnson's place probably up for grabs now

 

[Lilbaz]

He wasn't my first choice when we bought him. But hope people don't use him as a person to hate. We have competition for his place. If ange thinks someone is better he'll be replaced.

He's a spurs player and i'm sure will give his all.

 

[Glenda's Legs]

I agree he’s not exactly setting games alight but it does also feel that we are underusing him. So many times he’s out in space on the right and a quick switch from the left ok to space in front of him might pay dividends but we don’t seem to want to do that.

 

[Raziel]

I agree he’s not exactly setting games alight but it does also feel that we are underusing him. So many times he’s out in space on the right and a quick switch from the left ok to space in front of him might pay dividends but we don’t seem to want to do that.

Last season when he was off, the term I used was he wasn't brave enough (in many ways)

I think his teammates are clearly leveraging the other side more than his .. does that say something?

 

[Glenda's Legs]

Last season when he was off, the term I used was he wasn't brave enough (in many ways)

I think his teammates are clearly leveraging the other side more than his .. does that say something?

Yes it possibly does. That had crossed my mind. But we know how Ange has his system and I don’t know how much leeway that gives players to decide not to involve someone. Doesn’t sound like Ange would go along with that.

 

[elltrev]

I’m hoping Odobert was bought to compete with him on the right, and that he has the quality to be an upgrade on Johnson this season.

 

[Bullet]

Last season when he was off, the term I used was he wasn't brave enough (in many ways)

I think his teammates are clearly leveraging the other side more than his .. does that say something?

I think Maddison plays more on the left and likes to combine WELL with the left winger.
I think Sarr plays more on the right and tends to combine a bit LESS WELL with the right winger.
Thus Johnson often gets the ball whilst standing still or at the wrong moment, rather than slid into space where he can do his main 'trick' of getting there and firing it across.

 

[Bedfordspurs]

I think Maddison plays more on the left and likes to combine WELL with the left winger.
I think Sarr plays more on the right and tends to combine a bit LESS WELL with the right winger.
Thus Johnson often gets the ball whilst standing still or at the wrong moment, rather than slid into space where he can do his main 'trick' of getting there and firing it across.

It’s why we looked better with Kulu there
Him and Johnson linked up really well at times and brilliantly for the first goal

 

[Yiddo]

Seems we have found the spacegoat for this season after 2 games.

 

[Jurgen the German]

Seems we have found the spacegoat for this season after 2 games.

So essentially any talk of him being a spacegoat just shuts down debate or criticism of him.

 

[thfcsteff]

Seems we have found the spacegoat for this season after 2 games.

I think there's a balance between unfair criticism and prescient observation of a player clearly struggling measured against his talent. He's struggling IMO. Hope he finds his gears, because he has them.

 

[braineclipse]

I’m hoping Odobert was bought to compete with him on the right, and that he has the quality to be an upgrade on Johnson this season.

I think he will compete with him there most of the time when Son and Solanke are fit at least. In some ways at least he probably will be an upgrade.

But I also think Johnson will have an important part to play.

 

[glasgowspur]

I think there's a balance between unfair criticism and prescient observation of a player clearly struggling measured against his talent. He's struggling IMO. Hope he finds his gears, because he has them.

Confident he will because he never stops trying and doesn't hide.
Even with the crowd getting restless yesterday he kept going.

 

[Bishop]

Confident he will because he never stops trying and doesn't hide.
Even with the crowd getting restless yesterday he kept going.

Who, Johnson?

I hate to keep replying because some fans think I'm overly picking on him but he had 29 touches for the entire match, the lowest out of anyone in the starting 11 even those who got subbed. Some of the subs even got close to his touch numbers so I'm not so sure saying he never stops is really accurate. He was barely involved which is something I think is quite often the case whenever he plays on the right. He's a bit of a ghost.

 

[Yiddo]

Who, Johnson?

I hate to keep replying because some fans think I'm overly picking on him but he had 29 touches for the entire match, the lowest out of anyone in the starting 11 even those who got subbed. Some of the subs even got close to his touch numbers so I'm not so sure saying he never stops is really accurate. He was barely involved which is something I think is quite often the case whenever he plays on the right. He's a bit of a ghost.

Its because most of our play came down the left and the players who came on all played either centrally or in positions we were playing the ball. It was obvious our tactic was to give it out to the left and let Odobert try and run at the young right back.

 

[Bedfordspurs]

Ange was clearly happy with the work Johnson was doing
I suspect he will start vs Saudi Sportswashing Machine too
He keeps their full back… back
Which is one of the things that really hurt us last year against them
Will be interesting to see if they adjust to play a back 5 again

 

[parklane1]

I think there's a balance between unfair criticism and prescient observation of a player clearly struggling measured against his talent. He's struggling IMO. Hope he finds his gears, because he has them.

My thoughts as well, i have no idea of course but he does not look the most confident of people but he is still fairly young [ 23] and i do not think he is as poor as some think he is. We will see but its good that we have bought another winger in as competition lets hope he can push on.

 

[Sandman]

I'm more interested in the quality of his actions when he does get the ball. What I see is crosses that don't get past the first man and miss hit shots. I want him to push on this season. We need more goals from our front three.

 

[braineclipse]

Johnson is a "moments player". Mostly average, but then (sometimes) great moments when the right situation arises. Those moments don't come around that often, but when they do he's a real threat.

Other than that he works hard, keeps the shape and stretches play. But he isn't someone we can "play through", just give the ball to and wait for the magic nest.

Nothing wrong with that. At the risk of stirring a hornets nest I think of others like Son, Werner and Dele Alli (when good) as moments players too. But of course with different levels of quality and different situations they thrive in.

Question for me is if he can develop his overall game to be more of a threat overall over time. Failing that he should be used when the game suits him, unless he (like Son) becomes exceptionally effective in those moments.

But there's a difference between those players and those who continually impress even if they don't have that decisive moment. Kane, Bale, Maddison (when playing well). And we can't have too many moments players in the same lineup.

Moments players often draw a lot of criticism when not getting end product. Some of it unfair. Imo not fair to expect a moments player to not be a moments player, at least short term. Becoming a more well rounded player at best takes time.