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Sky pundit names Tottenham’s best player despite Newcastle defeat
Tottenham Hotspur must be wondering how exactly they came away from St James’ Park with nothing after they dominated the large percentage of the second-half against Newcastle United before Alexander Isak scored the winning goal.
Ange Postecoglou‘s sid𝔉e were lacklustre during the first-half on Tyneside, and were punished with Harvey Barnes breaking the deadlock for the home side.
It had been Dejan Kulusevski who led the line, but the Swede struggled to replicat𒁏e his lethal performance in ꧟the same position on the final day of last season. In fact, the entire Tottenham attack seemed to lack that cutting edge whenever they got near the final third before the break.
Unsurprisingly, Postecoglou decided to make a change at half-time, with Pape Matar Sarr taken off and replaced by Brennan Johnson, with the Welshman movinꦯg out to the right wing.
Tottenham’s best player named in Newcastle defeat
Of course, the result did not go Tottenham’s way, but Johnson gave a great account of himself, with his strike forcing the equaliser for the visitors. Dan Burn was only able to slice his attempt into thꦿe back of his own net.
And it was after Johnson whipped a vic♛ious cross towards the six-yard box in stoppage-time as Tottenham ch💮ased another equaliser that Andy Hinchcliffe told (1/9; 15:25) that the 23-year-old had been their standout player.
“The pace of Johnson gets him away, it’s just his teammates can’t keep up with him, can’t get into the six yard box to get on the end of the cross,” he sai🦩d.
“It’s🉐 fair to say Brennan Johnson’s been Tottenham’s best player and he’s only played half the match.”
A message sent to Ange Postecoglou
Certainly, Johnson seemed to send a message to Postecoglou with his performance after coming off the bench. Tottenham created more than enough opportunities t🎐o turn the game around during the early stages of the second-half, with Nick Pope being given plenty of work to do.
Johnson was at the heart of so much of what Tottenham did well. And with that, it is going to be difficult for Postecoglou to leave him out of the starting lineup again, particularly while Wilson Odobert continues to find his feet in North London.
There are high hopes inside Tottenham about the season Johnson will ha🌊ve – and that display against Newcastle was one of the biggest positives from another disappointing trip to St James’꧋ Park for Spurs.