Player Watch Player Watch: Brennan Johnson

[daryl]

We need another goal threat in the side desperately, wether that means sticking son back out wide and buying a world class striker, whilst leaving the rest to fight it out over 1 spot then so be it. All I hear about is how crap our defence is, and how we must go snd buy at least 2 centre backs, that ain’t the problem,,, we create chance after chance after chance, with nobody who can put the bell in the back of the

Son is an elite finisher will be hard to find someone better. Also think he's not suited to the wing any more, he's better through the middle.

We need more from Johnson and Richardson who hopefully will click soon. Hopefully sarr is back to make up bissouma, sarr and lo celso in the mid so we can drop hojbjerg.

If richy is fit enough I'd start him on the right and bring Johnson on as the game stretches. He will do well against trippier.

Again your back to not having much goal threat from the wings tho, I get what your saying about sons better through the middle nowadays. But with the chances we’re creating we need 3 quality finishers with pace starting in those 3 positions,

 

[yido_number1]

Again your back to not having much goal threat from the wings tho, I get what your saying about sons better through the middle nowadays. But with the chances we’re creating we need 3 quality finishers with pace starting in those 3 positions,

Completely agree but son out wide isnt it any more. We need variety and players that can beat a low block. Johnson is all pace and no trickery and richarlison, well I'm not sure what he is yet but hopefully we'll find out

 

[mil1lion]

I'm not sure Son is better central or not suited to the wing. He will be fine on the left with a 9 up top. If we kept Kane we would be looking far better with Son left and Maddison behind. I see Johnson as an option on either wing but I'm not sure he will be good enough to start yet. I would go get a centre forward so we have that goalscoring threat from Son on the left again. Richarlison just doesnt have the technical ability to hold up the ball so it wasnt working with Son left. Hopefully in time Johnson can become that goalscorer out wide but he's where Son was early days. For now he's still too raw and we need patience with him. Go get Vlahovic to replace Richarlison and get Soloman back to boost our wide options.

 

[lincspurs]

I'm not sure Son is better central or not suited to the wing. He will be fine on the left with a 9 up top. If we kept Kane we would be looking far better with Son left and Maddison behind. I see Johnson as an option on either wing but I'm not sure he will be good enough to start yet. I would go get a centre forward so we have that goalscoring threat from Son on the left again. Richarlison just doesnt have the technical ability to hold up the ball so it wasnt working with Son left. Hopefully in time Johnson can become that goalscorer out wide but he's where Son was early days. For now he's still too raw and we need patience with him. Go get Vlahovic to replace Richarlison and get Soloman back to boost our wide options.

Any news on when Soloman’s due back?

 

[mil1lion]

Any news on when Soloman’s due back?

Not heard anything on him

 

[yido_number1]

Again your back to not having much goal threat from the wings tho, I get what your saying about sons better through the middle nowadays. But with the chances we’re creating we need 3 quality finishers with pace starting in those 3 positions,

Completely agree but son out wide isnt it any more. We need variety and players that can beat a low block. Johnson is all pace and no trickery and richarlison, well I'm not sure what he is yet but hopefully we'll find out

 

[Nick-TopSpursMan]

For people saying he has "bale pace"': what the fuck are y'all seeing?

Bale would breeze past 2 to 3 players on the regular.

Not saying he’s as fast as Bale (not many ever will be) but Bale breezed past 2 to 3 players because he used his pace and had the self belief to take people on.

Johnson is clearly rapid, it’s pretty obvious when you watch him make sprints like against Gvardiol and Walker last week. The issue is he isn’t a great technical dribbler and he doesn’t seem to have the belief to use his pace to just blitz people.

He needs to believe in himself and start using his pace to create separation for cutbacks and crosses. Or even to get behind someone and then cut across them to take them out of the game.

 

[Nayim60yards]

Last night showed why we badly need at least one top winger who is a genuine 1v1 specialist.

Johnson isn’t a good dribbler and as we saw last night refuses to take his man on. This is the big fear I had when we signed him. Deki on the other side has no explosiveness so he struggles to take people on too.

Johnson can do well in certain matches and if he’s on the opposite flank to an proper dribbly winger he would probably get a bit more space but he needs to seriously work on taking on his man to the byline for low cutbacks/crosses and driving inside for quick combos and shots.

We desperately need an explosive player who wants the ball and wants to take their man on like Diaz, Martinelli, Saka, Doku etc.

I was frustrated by this also but he didn't need to be a good dribbler on Thursday, there were opportunities to just push it past Coufal and beat him to the loose ball, he showed he had the beating of him for pace. He took on Walker on the previous weekend and beat him to cross for Deki's goal so he has it in him to do it. Do you think his hamstring issues have made him wary of making those explosive darts up the wing?

 

[Joely]

We desperately need an explosive player who wants the ball and wants to take their man on like Diaz, Martinelli, Saka, Doku etc.

Spot on. I mentioned at the time of Johnson signing that didn't feel he looked like that kind of player and we'd need to sign someone in that mould to go alongside him. Likes of Martinelli, Diaz, Saka, Doku, Diaby etc help open things up by causing panic and help disrupt the oppositions plans.

We haven't got anyone in that mould and think it's one reason why sometimes we can look like we are overplaying it because we don't really have anyone who has that ability and backs themselves to really take on defenders and cause havoc.

 

[Locotoro]

Early days and I hope I'm wrong but he reminds me of Sessegnon

 

[teedee]

he's anything but sessegnon mate. this guy actually contributes to the team

That is yet to be determined..

 

[tevezito]

Spot on. I mentioned at the time of Johnson signing that didn't feel he looked like that kind of player and we'd need to sign someone in that mould to go alongside him. Likes of Martinelli, Diaz, Saka, Doku, Diaby etc help open things up by causing panic and help disrupt the oppositions plans.

We haven't got anyone in that mould and think it's one reason why sometimes we can look like we are overplaying it because we don't really have anyone who has that ability and backs themselves to really take on defenders and cause havoc.

Wasn't this why we bought Solomon, is this not his game? Clearly not at the level of those you mention above, but when he was on his hot streak at Fulham, isn't this exactly what he was doing? At the very least, having him on the opposite side would create more space for Johnson on his side?

 

[djhotspur]

Not saying he’s as fast as Bale (not many ever will be) but Bale breezed past 2 to 3 players because he used his pace and had the self belief to take people on.

Johnson is clearly rapid, it’s pretty obvious when you watch him make sprints like against Gvardiol and Walker last week. The issue is he isn’t a great technical dribbler and he doesn’t seem to have the belief to use his pace to just blitz people.

He needs to believe in himself and start using his pace to create separation for cutbacks and crosses. Or even to get behind someone and then cut across them to take them out of the game.

Wasn't this why we bought Solomon, is this not his game? Clearly not at the level of those you mention above, but when he was on his hot streak at Fulham, isn't this exactly what he was doing? At the very least, having him on the opposite side would create more space for Johnson on his side?

Yeah sort of. He is quick and a good dribbler and can cut inside and shoot well on his right. I think personally if he got some of the chances Johnson’s had he’d take them.

 

[13VanDerBale13]

The comments in here are laughable

 

[ethanedwards]

The comments in here are laughable

Your post, just proved your point.

 

[ultimateloner]

Spot on. I mentioned at the time of Johnson signing that didn't feel he looked like that kind of player and we'd need to sign someone in that mould to go alongside him. Likes of Martinelli, Diaz, Saka, Doku, Diaby etc help open things up by causing panic and help disrupt the oppositions plans.

We haven't got anyone in that mould and think it's one reason why sometimes we can look like we are overplaying it because we don't really have anyone who has that ability and backs themselves to really take on defenders and cause havoc.

The players you mentioned are all above average, with a track record performing in their respective leagues. Doku/Saka are potentially world-class players and the rest are proven internationally. I don't think your comparison/expectation for Johnson is like-for-like.

In my view Johnson was scouted for his potential to be something more than what he currently is; an average, or even below-average (technically) PL winger. I don't think we bought him with the intention to start him this season.

Therefore you can say he's already ahead of schedule somewhat.

It's easy talking about what we lack; everyone knows, our front 3 lacks potency. The solution is unlikely to just buy someone with that proven ability. These players are not always available, and the price may not be right. We are already ahead of schedule results-wise so it's not such a bad thing playing Johnson; he might even improve with game time.

 

[Joely]

The players you mentioned are all above average, with a track record performing in their respective leagues. Doku/Saka are potentially world-class players and the rest are proven internationally. I don't think your comparison/expectation for Johnson is like-for-like.

To be honest, wasn't really comparing them in terms of quality. I just think Johnson is a different type of wide player than the ones I've mentioned. He can absolutely push on and develop into a quality player for us however I'm not sure he has that real tight close control while shifting direction that maybe comes with a low centre of gravity to be compared with the guys mentioned. Again, that's just from what I've seen so far however he may prove me wrong.

What I believe he can maybe do is a similar job for us that Gordon does for Newcastle. Pace, direct, hard running and able to carry us forward, especially in positions we are countering.

 

[ultimateloner]

To be honest, wasn't really comparing them in terms of quality. I just think Johnson is a different type of wide player than the ones I've mentioned. He can absolutely push on and develop into a quality player for us however I'm not sure he has that real tight close control while shifting direction that maybe comes with a low centre of gravity to be compared with the guys mentioned. Again, that's just from what I've seen so far however he may prove me wrong.

What I believe he can maybe do is a similar job for us that Gordon does for Newcastle. Pace, direct, hard running and able to carry us forward, especially in positions we are countering.

I hope he can do a Gordon-esque job too; dont think Gordon is great anyway.

 

[yido_number1]

Much better start apart from that part.

 

[yido_number1]

Playing with conviction today absolutely needed a game like this!