Player Watch Player Watch: Brennan Johnson

[JUSTINSIGNAL]

Cole Palmer was available.

Same position, year younger, cost 8m (?) less

Maybe Ange wanted a direct pacy player to stretch defences rather than a poor mans Kulu?

 

[Sp3akerboxxx]

Maybe Ange wanted a direct pacy player to stretch defences rather than a poor mans Kulu?

Then that would be a poor decision.

He is clearly a better and more mature player at this point in time

 

[kendoddsdadsdogsdead]

If you look at Brighton, who have probably worse injury crisis than spurs, they have developed the academy in a way that means they are available to play. They have a clear and decisive strategy to developing players at the club.

Spurs have, granted, only just started to have some cohesion between academy and first team under Ange and it'll take a bit of time. But, the academy has been there for decades. To date, with a few obvious exceptions, it has remained a largely pointless entity.

Yesterday, at 4-0 down. Was a prime time to bring some of them on for a meaningful 20+ minutes. Not necessarily start them. But this is where they learn.

When Johnson was taken off, Kulu pushed more to the right and Veliz went central the game changed. Albeit with only 10 minutes left. Yes Johnson is young and yes he needs time, and no he's never a first team player at the moment. And probably neither are the other young lads in the bench. But there is room for integration and minutes, which on yesterday's showing, needs to start happening.

Edit. And in addition. The tiredness was also obvious yesterday. Which means you have to use the squad you have. The more tired they get... More injuries!

Johnson is absolutely a first team player. I don’t think that’s what changed the game the first 10/15 minutes after that sub we looked worse. Brighton relaxed a bit, made a mistake and we got a goal out of that. There was no real shape to the game those last ten minutes. We throw everything at it and Brighton just defended. Start with that team that finished tonight against them, the game wouldn’t pan out like those last 10 minutes.

 

[yawa]

played 13, 3 assists and 1 goal. Don’t think it’s as bad as people are making out. Couple more goals would make a big difference.

Especially for a player who was probably expected to be phased in slowly over the season.

 

[Joshua shepherd]

Just a bit of a coward isn’t he…

 

[Tucker]

I see we have our new scapegoat

 

[Styopa]

I see we have our new scapegoat

And it’s some of the same people who are calling for Philips etc. The same people complaining about not enough young players being given a chance are complaining about a young player being given a chance.

 

[Tucker]

And it’s some of the same people who are calling for Philips etc. The same people complaining about not enough young players being given a chance are complaining about a young player being given a chance.

Just really bugs me when we clearly couldn’t put out a functioning side, and people are already turning on the coach and players. Last night wasn’t down to individuals having a bad night, it was a culmination of the injuries suspensions and Christmas schedule taking their toll.

It was just a bridge too far.

 

[Gilzeanking]

I see we have our new scapegoat

A classic attempt to shut down real discussion of a player's good/ bad qualities. See this all the time on SC. C'mon Tucker, you are waaay better than this cliche.

 

[whenstevewentup]

My 2 issues with Johnson
1) he doesn’t work hard enough for the team defensively.
2) doesn’t trust himself to take on the full back .
I’m confident he will be a good signing when he has more belief in himself cos when he does take on the full back , 9/10 he beats his man . I see why we brought him and obviously there is a premium for an English player but I’m not too worried about him , had we not had the injury issues then he would have been used more sparingly .

 

[Tucker]

A classic attempt to shut down real discussion of a player's good/ bad qualities. See this all the time on SC. C'mon Tucker, you are waaay better than this cliche.

See above.

 

[Stamford]

Really harsh. He's shown glimpses at palace and city that he has the attributes. He needs to just believe in himself and attack good full back.

I'm not letting him off the hook for yesterday as he was very poor. But he's had a very stop start to the session. Got here late. Taken off at arsenal and Chelsea and Forest. We should be patient here he's a good player

 

[JUSTINSIGNAL]

Then that would be a poor decision.

He is clearly a better and more mature player at this point in time

Point is, building a squad is about balance - signing and developing with players with different skillsets to performs different functions in the team.

Palmer has a similar skillset to Kulu. Ange was obviously after a pacy player who is direct and goalscorer.

 

[0-Tibsy-0]

My 2 issues with Johnson
1) he doesn’t work hard enough for the team defensively.
2) doesn’t trust himself to take on the full back .
I’m confident he will be a good signing when he has more belief in himself cos when he does take on the full back , 9/10 he beats his man . I see why we brought him and obviously there is a premium for an English player but I’m not too worried about him , had we not had the injury issues then he would have been used more sparingly .

Yeah I think I was overly critical of his quality generally last night because of what I view as either a lack of commitment or cowardice - needs to up his tracking back, needs to stop shirking 50/50 challenges and needs to be braver on the ball.

Hopefully the quality then follows.

But it’s not difficult to understand that many give players more leeway when they seem Genuinely committed.

 

[BorjeSpurs]

Cole Palmer was available.

Same position, year younger, cost 8m (?) less

What do you expect? That every signing we make is going to be a slam dunk? In the last couple of windows we've signed Maddison, Porro, Udogie, Vicario & Van de Ven. All of them have proved to be brilliant signings.

Not only that, but the example you used happens to be the only one of Boehly's 27 signings that have hit the ground running and looks a great player.

As for Johnson, he's had a perfectly fine start for a young player getting used to a new way of playing. He has also played the majority of his games during an injury crisis.

 

[Wheeler Dealer]

I see we have our new scapegoat

Little harsh.. I just think that his underwhelming performances have surprised many on here. I think we were all expecting a bit more from him in all honesty. He hasn't done himself any favors by shirking out of challenges. Fan's of most clubs don't like to see this

 

[yankspurs]

We sold Kane & spent half of the fee on a younger Ryan Sessegnon. Lacks any sort of awareness & aggression, both of which you can’t exactly coach & both of which were clear to anyone who watched him last year. He was just okay as he was at the top of his level, playing for a club that struggles to stay up but he never showed more than that & he himself struggled to make an impact a large majority of the time. Not sure why anyone expected different here. Not good enough for anything above that level & more than likely never will be. Always thought this signing was a poor one even it was rumored & I’ve only hardened in that belief. If we can get even half our money back this summer, it’s something we should think about.

 

[spurs-r-us]

He's really talented and will be a good winger for us. Would just love to see him take on the defender and shoot more often, rather than always looking to give the responsibility off and essentially ruining the stretched defence in front of him.

 

[RuskyM]

Do wonder if some of you consider breaking up with your partner or abandoning your kids every time you're not impressed by them.

 

[Joshua shepherd]

Just a bit of a coward isn’t he…
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Was just a joke