A change of pace, why Tottenham should start Brennan Johnson against Wolves
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Decisions decisions. The best struggle a football manager could run into, especially one who's been dealt with brutal blows to key players throughout his first season at his new club.
Tottenham's biggest strength under Ange Postecoglou is unquestionably their attacking prowess. It is, after all, Ange's brand of football to "have a go" at the opponent, as he likes to say, no matter the score, players on the pitch, or minute of the match.
Spurs have scored the fourth most goals in the league and the second most away goals, just one behind reigning champions Manchester City. With Son Heung-min and Richarlison, the club also have two players in the top-seven for scoring this season. Who, then, should Ange select for the front line?
Some may want to consider Brennan Johnson, and for two specific reasons.
Firstly, the former Forest star has been unstoppable the past three matches, scoring twice at home, where Spurs will take on Wolves this Saturday. The Welshman has also been immensely clutch when the team have needed him most, helping Ange and company climb back from a 1-0 deficit against Brentford while connecting on the end of a Son cross to snag a 96th minute winner over Brighton last week.
Secondly, the team may want to test out Dejan Kulusevski back in the midfeld role. Since his return from injury, Rodrigo Bentancur has been working to bring his form back to where it was last season, but it's taking some time. While Maddison is the dominant attacking force of the middle three, it may not hurt to try putting Deki alongside the Englishman, allowing Johnson to sneak up to the right-wing spot.
Alternatively, Ange could simply choose to swap the Swede and the Welshman, although fans would likely be surprised to see that, for despite his lesser goal-production, Kulusevski's capacity for forward carries and completed dribbles is exquisite.
The change may depend on the health of Pedro Porro and Destiny Udogie on defense. If the two are deemed unfit for the fixture, then taking Bentancur and his defensive presence out of the game may be too large a risk. Additionally, Brennan Johnson's recent "clutchness" may be perceived as reason to play him later in the game, rather than clear evidence that he deserves the starting role.
Whatever the choice we witness this Saturday, it stands to reason that at some point during the remainder of the 23/24 campaign, the manager could make some switches, the results of which may help the relatively younger and newer team discern which player combinations work best.