Euro 2024 Qualifying Hits & Misses: Brennan Johnson misfires for Wales - is the burden of Gareth Bale an issue?
Brennan Johnson led the line for Wales in Latvia but was in wasteful mood; Republic of Ireland are watchable under Stephen Kenny but don't know how to get results; and, where is the next Northern Irish talent coming from?
Monday 11 September 2023 22:39, UK
In Adam Bate's brilliant breakdown of why Tottenham have signed Brennan Johnson, he wrote: «The history of Johnson's career to date suggests that when a new challenge is put in front of him, he soon makes the step up.»
Well, a big challenge that faces him for Wales is stepping out of the shadows to fill the void left by Gareth Bale. A daunting task but one that hasn't gone well so far.
Since Bale retired, Johnson has played 240 minutes for Wales but has failed to add to his record of two goals from his 22 international caps.
Playing up front, through the middle on your own for your country away in Latvia when anything but a win will do certainly is not what Johnson is used to. This is a player has made his name at Nottingham Forest as a dynamic wide forward, who earns his crust running in behind and terrorising full-backs. Being a focal point up against two bulky centre-backs can be a lonesome and bruising experience but Johnson adapted his game with plenty of intelligence in Riga.
All that was missing was his finishing touch. Perhaps weighed down with the expectation of following in the footsteps of a sporting icon, he tightened up in front goal, snatching at chances, and cut a frustrated figure as Wales toiled for large parts of their 2-0 win in Latvia. Johnson had five shots to a backdrop of 0.49-worth of expected goals but fluffed his lines with some wayward finishing that saw four of those efforts miss the target.
It wasn't his night.
Euro 2024 qualification
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