Player Watch Player Watch: Brennan Johnson

[Mr Pink]

His assists for Richarlison against Everton and Bournemouth were great.

Was at both games and sitting right in line with the one against Bournemouth which he took first time...lovely ball that was

 

[talkshowhost86]

He was particularly poor on Sunday which is probably why there's a lot of chat one way or another about him this week.

I think he's done well generally coming into a new squad and being promoted into the first XI way earlier than we presumably had planned.

He's also been playing without out best players around him a lot of the time which isn't easy for a new player.

No guarantees he's going to be the next Bale but I've seen enough to think it was a risk worth taking spending the money on him.

 

[EQP]

Still doesn't look fully fit to me. Will reserve any judgement until he's had a pre-season with us.

 

[funkycoldmedina]

We didnt spend 50m on him cause he is a 50m player now.

We spent 50m on him because he has the potential to be one day.

He isnt really far off it either. just a little bit of work.

Also, why do people often flock into these new player threads to make statements like "Poor signing" or "Not gonna make it"?

Is it to be able to turn around and say "I told you"?

And then when the player proves them wrong all they say is the player has done well to turn it round. Never any contrition and on they go to the next player to slag off.

 

[mil1lion]

For fuck sake Jenas Dele Johnson

 

[spurmin]

Still doesn't look fully fit to me. Will reserve any judgement until he's had a pre-season with us.

He may have been one of those that had been ill during the week!

 

[Led's Zeppelin]

He may have been one of those that had been ill during the week!

He was.

 

[Ron Burgundy]

We didnt spend 50m on him cause he is a 50m player now.

We spent 50m on him because he has the potential to be one day.

He isnt really far off it either. just a little bit of work.

Also, why do people often flock into these new player threads to make statements like "Poor signing" or "Not gonna make it"?

Is it to be able to turn around and say "I told you"?

I’m going to be pedantic: you spend (eg) 30m on a potentially 50m player. There’s risk in achieving potential and that needs to be reflected in the price.

He needs to become a (approx) 70m player. We’ll see. Has time. Needs our support

 

[RuskyM]

A bit bizarre that people think he isn't aware football's tough, given that he played over 100 games in the EFL before turning 21.

 

[JUSTINSIGNAL]

I think he was pretty poor against Man U. Just seems like a confidence issue at the moment. Kulu should be back for the Man City match which will allow Ange to take him out the side for bit, introduce him as an impact sub over the next matches and build his confidence back up.

I don't doubt he has ability to really contribute at a high level for us, he just needs to that space to really be coached on how his assets can be best utilised in this team. I suspect he wouldn't have played as much as he has if our injury situation hadn't been at crisis point.

I reckon most of the negativity around him will disappear by this time next season.

 

[JUSTINSIGNAL]

A bit bizarre that people think he isn't aware football's tough, given that he played over 100 games in the EFL before turning 21.

Mainly in League One and the Championship no less - leagues that aren't exactly known for their finesse.

 

[RuskyM]

Mainly in League One and the Championship no less - leagues that aren't exactly known for their finesse.

Aye. He's played almost every game for the last four seasons, and I think the trajectory is telling. League One playoffs in 20/21, Championship playoffs 21/22, PL relegation battle 22/23, with us this season. Not bad for a player who's apparently soft and weak.

Like, three years ago this weekend he was playing against Northampton. Two years ago he was on the winning side that went to fucking Millwall. A year ago he'd just come back from Qatar and was in a relegation battle against Bournemouth. Now he's being lambasted for not playing well at Old Trafford for a team that's a few points off the top of the league. That is some ascent. The kid deserves a break.

 

[EQP]

He may have been one of those that had been ill during the week!

Yeah, that certainly wouldn't have helped. Though my observation about his fitness actually started in December where I posted

He's still young enough where he can improve on his 1 v 1 effectiveness.

I think he can beat most fullbacks in league for pace and would like to see him get into more footraces and use his speed to greater effect.

What is certainly clear is that he's not as fit as he needs to be for Ange's system yet.

I think we'll likely see the best of Brennan next season. This was always going to be a settling in and adapting season for him.

 

[CowInAComa]

Aye. He's played almost every game for the last four seasons, and I think the trajectory is telling. League One playoffs in 20/21, Championship playoffs 21/22, PL relegation battle 22/23, with us this season. Not bad for a player who's apparently soft and weak.

Like, three years ago this weekend he was playing against Northampton. Two years ago he was on the winning side that went to fucking Millwall. A year ago he'd just come back from Qatar and was in a relegation battle against Bournemouth. Now he's being lambasted for not playing well at Old Trafford for a team that's a few points off the top of the league. That is some ascent. The kid deserves a break.

You cut and paste this from a sessegnon thread from a couple years ago right?

 

[vegassd]

I’m going to be pedantic: you spend (eg) 30m on a potentially 50m player. There’s risk in achieving potential and that needs to be reflected in the price.

He needs to become a (approx) 70m player. We’ll see. Has time. Needs our support

I appreciate you were responding to somebody else talking about a 50m player, but there's a real problem with this way of thinking in my opinion. What the hell is a 50m player anyway?!

The basic idea is obviously that a more skillful player is going to cost more money, but there are so many of examples of that not being the case I don't think it's very useful. And the idea that Johnson "needs to become a 70m player" feels like setting an expectation level that he will only reach a low percentage of the time.

Saying that, some other £70m(ish) players include; Havertz, Pepe, Nunez, Sancho and Maguire. So maybe Johnson has already surpassed that mark!

The bottom line for me is that we have a rolling budget to build and maintain a squad of players. So if Johnson can be a fit for Ange then he is a good choice for us. If we can afford the price tag because we were able to pick up Solomon on a free, then so be it. That shouldn't mean that we expect Johnson to contribute at level X and Solomon to contribute at level Y. They are both parts of the squad, they both need to perform, and if they don't they will get moved on.

As you say, he does need our support. One of the first things we could do would be to forget about the price tag. Just my opinion of course.

 

[idontgetit]

Out of interest, can he play up front? Sonny struggled out wide and then exploded into form the second he was given the chance to lead the line. He bagged a load of goals and then looked much more confident when back out on the wing. Perhaps Johnson could do with some minutes up top if Richy needs a break and Son is still absent.

 

[blodge99]

Out of interest, can he play up front? Sonny struggled out wide and then exploded into form the second he was given the chance to lead the line. He bagged a load of goals and then looked much more confident when back out on the wing. Perhaps Johnson could do with some minutes up top if Richy needs a break and Son is still absent.

I wrote this in the ITK thread back early August when we were linked with him 1st -

I've watched Brennan quite a bit for Wales and I think some of you guys are going to be pleasantly surprised. His pace and movement are His main strengths, and will be where he excels - I'd say he'd play the Jota roll in Anges team (not as skillful, but quicker).
Could play the Central striker role at a push but from my watching of him with Wales I don't think he has the intelligence to be great there (ok, I get international footy is different to premier).

Would I start him as a centre forward? No chance.
But if the forwards interchanged during a match and he had a 5/10 min spell there..thats different

 

[Cavehillspur]

Still doesn't look fully fit to me. Will reserve any judgement until he's had a pre-season with us.

Yeah seemed to lack a bit of his pace on Sunday, I like him though, he'll be an important player for us.

Edit: just seen he was one of those affected by illness in the camp, explains why he was a bit off then.

 

[TOLBINY]

I appreciate you were responding to somebody else talking about a 50m player, but there's a real problem with this way of thinking in my opinion. What the hell is a 50m player anyway?!

The basic idea is obviously that a more skillful player is going to cost more money, but there are so many of examples of that not being the case I don't think it's very useful. And the idea that Johnson "needs to become a 70m player" feels like setting an expectation level that he will only reach a low percentage of the time.

Saying that, some other £70m(ish) players include; Havertz, Pepe, Nunez, Sancho and Maguire. So maybe Johnson has already surpassed that mark!

The bottom line for me is that we have a rolling budget to build and maintain a squad of players. So if Johnson can be a fit for Ange then he is a good choice for us. If we can afford the price tag because we were able to pick up Solomon on a free, then so be it. That shouldn't mean that we expect Johnson to contribute at level X and Solomon to contribute at level Y. They are both parts of the squad, they both need to perform, and if they don't they will get moved on.

As you say, he does need our support. One of the first things we could do would be to forget about the price tag. Just my opinion of course.

I have always been of the view that it doesn't matter how much you pay for a player, what matters is how well they perform for you. We have for too long been led to beleive that there is a direct correlation between transfer fees and performances, well out of Johnson, Maddison, Romero, VDV, Viccario, Porro, Udogie, Bentancur and Kulesevski, Johnson is the one we paid the most for (HG has a premium I know), yet is probably currently the one with the biggest question mark over his performances.

It is not as if he has been awful, there are signs of a real talent, but when you see the likes of Vic, VDV, Udogie etc.settle straight in, you become spoilt and want / expect that from Johnson as well.

As has been said, with more player availability, he would probably have rotated a bit which might have helped.

 

[ikky]

He’s young and of course you can’t write him off so early. But let’s be honest, he’s been a disappointment so far.