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Theo Walcott says what Tottenham’s Brennan Johnson always does that is actually so unique in today’s game
Brennan Johnson has been one of the few players at Tottenham Hotspur who can safely say that he has progressed this season.
The former Nottingham Forest winger seems to be loving life under Ange Postecoglou and he has not been as seemingly affected as several of his teammates by the turmoil surrounding Spurs.
But the Welshman still seems to divide opinion, as one school of thought is that Johnson elevates Tottenham, as Troy Deeney stated.
However, Jamie O’Hara claimed Tottenham star Johnson frustrates him — criticising the 23-year-old’s dribbling in particular.
But Theo Walcott was full of praise for Brennan Johnson.
- READ MORE: Harry Redknapp says he would rather use player Tottenham signed for £1m over Brennan Johnson
Theo Walcott says Brennan Johnson plays like an “old-school” winger
Walcott believes that what is fascinating about Johnson after watching him at Tottenham Hotspur is noticing how he likes to hug the touchline and be willing to cross the ball — much like old-school wingers.
Theo Walcott told the Premier League’s official YouTube channel: “It’s actually quite inspiring because you know, these wingers these days like to be inverted wingers. He’s actually like, no, I’m a bit old-school. I’ll stay on the right-hand side, I know what I’m gifted at, I won’t mess around with it, I won’t try and slow down defenders, if I got space, I’ll cross it.”
If you give me space, I’ll run past you and shoot and that’s what he’s getting rewarded because defenders are now expecting all these wingers to come inside at times but he is using his strengths and just thinking, ‘You’re going to stand off me.”
Glenn Hoddle likened Johnson to Raheem Sterling due to his knack of scoring goals inside the box and Theo Walcott also complimented his intelligent movement in the same vein as the Tottenham legend.
“What he does in the second goal against Fulham, he gets into a space but you always expect the ball to come there, good connection, it’s one of those just to show his composure as well but I like him because he doesn’t overcomplicate it and I think players can do that and he knows his strengths and he sticks with it, very similar to a [Jacob[ Murphy-type feel, so that’s why I like right-footed right-wingers, I was one of them as well!”
Ange Postecoglou thinks Brennan Johnson has a superpower nobody else does at Tottenham
In February, Ange Postecoglou hailed Johnson after Tottenham beat Ipswich by making a similar comment to Walcott as in his view, no player at Spurs makes the smart runs he does.
Postecoglou said: “Yeah, Brennan’s really good for us. We don’t really have another front third player like him. He just knows when to arrive at the right time. He’s really clinical.”