Brennan Johnson to Tottenham: Ball-carrying stats at Nottingham Forest and why Wales forward can step up again

Brennan Johnson ‘wants to take his game to the next level’, according to Ange Postecoglou and Tottenham’s £47.5m signing has done that throughout his career. With insight from his former manager, a look at the stats that could excite Spurs supporters…

Comment and Analysis @ghostgoal

Monday 4 September 2023 10:49, UK

“He is ambitious and hungry and wants to take his game to the next level,” said Ange Postecoglou of Tottenham’s new signing Brennan Johnson. The 22-year-old Wales international has demonstrated the ability to do that consistently in his short career.

As recently as 2021, he was on loan at Lincoln City in League One. The subsequent promotion with Nottingham Forest came in his first campaign at Championship level before going on to make a big impression in the Premier League last season.

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Postecoglou was referring to Johnson's character when he said that «he is going to fit in really well with this group» but the sight of Spurs exposing Burnley's high line for the first and last goals in their 5-2 win on Saturday looked made for the new signing too.

Speaking to Michael Appleton, Johnson's manager during that breakthrough season with Lincoln, he pointed out that exposing this space when it is offered is the player's biggest strength. «He is devastating running in behind,» Appleton told Sky Sports.

«He is not the kind of player you can leave one on one with 50 yards of pitch behind you. He tends to occupy two players. He has the ability to pick the ball up on the edge of his own box and within a few seconds leave the opposition defending for their lives in their half.»

Johnson scored 13 goals for Lincoln that