Coming into the 2025/26 season, Brennan Johnson was one of the players Tottenham Hotspur supporters were excited to see, because there was a feeling that the young Welsh forward could take another step forward with Thomas Frank as his manager.
See, not only was Johnson fresh off scoring the winning goal in the Europa League Final against Manchester United, but Frank was also the manager who pushed hard for Brentford to sign Johnson from Nottingham Forest before he joined Spurs as Tottenham were able to outgun the Bees financially on the transfer market. (Because, you know, those were the teams Daniel Levy was actually willing to beat on the market.)
Spurs supporters have, instead, been treated to disasterclass after disasterclass from Johnson. As opposed to making Johnson better, Frank, if anything, has made the Wales international markedly worse. Take Tuesday night's game against Newcastle, for example. Frank played Johnson on the left flank again, and that is just about the worst way to utilize the 24-year-old winger.
Brennan Johnson carries no threat
Every Tottenham fan knows that Johnson can't really defend, dribble, create, or carry the ball. He doesn't do any of the things that a winger is supposed to do, and that's why he doesn't start despite being amazing at one very important thing in football, which is scoring goals. Beyond the winner in the Europa League Final, Johnson actually led Spurs in Premier League goals last season, which is pretty insane.
This season, Johnson has not scored once and is no threat to score. Frank has started Johnson in five games this season, and just one of those starts has been on the right flank where he can actually cut inside and shoot on his left foot. The other four starts have been on the left flank as a "true" winger, which is laughable since that's just about the last thing Johnson is; he's not someone who is going to take defenders on by the touch line and whip in crosses like that.
Johnson has been completely ineffective. He doesn't play anywhere near the goal, so the one thing he had - timely tap ins - has been completely neutralized by his own coach. No defense could account for Johnson's goal threat better than Frank himself has, and Spurs have to have an internal conversation about how Frank has somehow made a player who was struggling totally hopeless. At this rate, Johnson will be out of a job, because the one thing he does well is no longer a factor at all.