“He is ambitious and hungry and wants to elevate his game to the next level,” said Ange Postecoglou about Tottenham’s new acquisition, Brennan Johnson. The 22-year-old Welsh footballer has demonstrated the ability to do this consistently throughout his short career.
In 2021, he was on loan at Lincoln City in League One. Subsequent progression with Nottingham Forest came in his first season at the Championship level, before he made a significant impact in the Premier League last season.
Former Arsenal midfielder Aaron Ramsey backs Brennan Johnson to become the next big star for the Welsh national team, but jokes that he would rather not see him move to Tottenham. It’s worth noting that just one game into the season, Tottenham will play against Arsenal. The betting company Mostbet UZ is already taking bets on this match.
The player’s qualities are very suitable for the Spurs
You can’t leave him alone with tens of meters of open field behind him. He usually attracts two players. He has the ability to pick up the ball on the edge of his own penalty area and within a few seconds be on the opponent’s half, causing problems for rival defenders.
Johnson scored 13 goals for Lincoln, after which he added 19 in his first season with Nottingham Forest and another 10 last season. These figures are impressive, considering that he did not play as an out-and-out striker, often operating on the wing.
“He is different from what we already have,” said Postecoglou. In Tottenham, there are wingers who prefer to cut inside, like Dejan Kulusevski and Manor Solomon, players who rely on their cunning to deceive opponents. Johnson’s profile is interesting in the context of Tottenham’s tactics.
He usually bypasses defenders on the outside, holding his position on the edge of the field. This can be crucial for Tottenham, as Postecoglou prefers to play from a position of strength. It puts the onus on attacking players to provide the width of the field – and still threaten the goal.
The contrast between his heat map in the Premier League and the positions from which he took shots in the Premier League shows that while most of his touches are near the sideline, it doesn’t prevent Johnson from getting opportunities in good zones. His speed helps him get to those positions.
The statistics also speak in favor of Johnson
Statistics show that only Marcus Rashford, among players with more than 150 dribbles, carried the ball further in the Premier League last season. Johnson was slightly ahead of renowned solo dribblers like Adama Traore and Allan Saint-Maximin.
Brennan Johnson ranked second in distance carried among players in the 2022/23 Premier League season.
This was crucial for Nottingham Forest’s counterattacks. “Having players who can transition and move the team a considerable distance forward on their own, rather than relying on clever combinations with other players, is a massive advantage,” explained his former coach.
With tracking data, one can calculate the number of passing options available to a player when he parted with the ball. Teammates are considered passing options if the expected success rate of that pass is at least 80%.
Johnson had the highest number of passes on average. In fact, he was the only player who made 150 or more passes and who averaged less than one passing option. As a result, attacks risked stalling. With more support, it could have been different.
On the one hand, in Tottenham, there will likely be fewer opportunities for counterattacks. He is moving from a team with the lowest ball possession in the Premier League this season – 32% – to a team that averages 59% ball control. This will test different skills.
On the other hand, he will likely have more opportunities with the ball. The exquisite pass of James Maddison, numbers in the penalty area, movement around him – all of this can help Johnson become an even more dangerous adversary for opponents.
His new boss is already convinced. “The technical and physical qualities he possesses should fit in perfectly,” said Postecoglou. Johnson’s career history so far suggests that when faced with a new challenge, he soon steps up.
