Tottenham ace Brennan Johnson impresses in 100% display v Bournemouth after Postecoglou ‘more to come’ admission
Tottenham forward Brennan Johnson is beginning to show more and more of his quality with each passing game he plays in a Spurs shirt.
Sometimes patience is needed with a new signing, and that is exactly what Spurs fans should be offering Johnson because the quality is there, he just needs the time to show it.
If Tottenham fans can offer the winger that time and patience, they could have a real star on their hands, something that the 22-year-old’s flashes of brilliance on Sunday afternoon demonstrated.
Spurs ended 2023 with another three points and moved one point off the top four, an impressive feat considering the current injury crisis at the club, by beating an in-form Bournemouth side 3-1 at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium on New Year’s Eve.
The Cherries arrived in north London unbeaten in seven and offered a tough test for Ange Postecoglou’s men, who managed to overcome what threatened to be a very troubling hurdle.
For Johnson, the clash was an opportunity to bounce back after a disappointing performance in the 4-2 defeat against Brighton at the Amex Stadium on Thursday 28 December.
As per Sofascore, the Wales international struggled against the Seagulls, completing just 67 per cent of his passes, succeeding with just one of his four attempted crosses, while also giving the ball away 11 times before being hooked off in the 70th minute.
Speaking in mid-December, Postecoglou suggested there is “more to come” from Johnson.
“You look at Brennan and he’s had a really good upbringing and a really good foundation at Forest coming through and the way he’s developed his football. It’s suggested to me that even if he’s taken a while to adjust, he’s shown already that he can go up a level,” (Football London, 14 December).
“I’ve been really pleased with him, it’s always hard when players come in late in the window, particularly to a new environment because it’s not like we were already established and he just had to plug in.
“The whole group was still learning how we are going to play and he’s walked in last minute and I’ve been really happy with him, and the big thing is that we know there’s still loads more to come.”
Against Bournemouth, Johnson began to fulfil his manager’s admission and proved that he can certainly raise his level.
While he still struggled with his passing accuracy, completing just 65 per cent of his passes, he shone elsewhere as he managed to grab an assist, create a big chance, succeed with 100 per cent of his dribbles (one out of one), and play one accurate long ball forward.
Johnson also chipped in defensively, making four tackles and winning five of the nine ground duels he contested.
If it wasn’t for Son Heung-min’s poor finishing, Johnson could have had an assist right off the bat, as he delivered a fantastic cross toward his captain who fired wide at the far post in the game’s early exchanges.
Nonetheless, in the latter stages of the match, the winger did manage to grab himself an assist.
The former Nottingham Forest man made a smart run down the right-hand side and was picked out with a wonderful ball over the top from Emerson Royal.
He chased the ball down and spotted the run of Richarlison through the middle.
With his first touch, he played a pinpoint cross right into the path of his Brazillian teammate who used the pace on the ball to guide it past his countryman in the Bournemouth net and secure all three points for the hosts.
It was a wonderful delivery from Johnson and the type of end product which will be exactly what his manager wants to see more of going forward if he is to truly take his game “up a level.”
In other Tottenham news, one pundit has reacted to a recent development at the club, describing the news as a “shame.”