By Yash Gondegaonkar
With nearly 20 players acquired, Nottingham Forest has been among the busiest teams in the transfer market. Remo Freuler, Taiwo Awoniyi, Emmanuel Dennis, Jesse Lingard, Neco Williams, and many others have made tremendous acquisitions. The entire team that won promotion from the championship has undergone a makeover.
Very few players from last year's squad are in the current team, with the Welsh duo of Joe Worrall and Brennan Johnson being the most prominent members of the current squad.
When Johnson was 8 years old, he enrolled in the Nottingham Forest academy. Against West Bromwich Albion in August 2019, he made his professional debut. He played the 20/21 season on loan at League One's Lincoln City FC (third tier of English Football). He scored ten goals in 40 appearances and performed exceptionally well. One of his best performances came against MK Dons when he scored a hat trick in 11 minutes.
Johnson began the 21/22 season in Nottingham Forest’s squad in the championship. They endured a horrendous start to the season under Chris Hughton, who was eventually sacked and replaced by Steve Cooper. Johnson notched 19 goals and ten assists in 53 games for Forest in their 21/22 campaign, and Forest was promoted to the Premier League when they beat Huddersfield Town in the playoff final. Brennan has again been a pivotal player for Forest in the Premier League, scoring twice in 6 appearances.
Playing Style
Under Cooper, Johnson has primarily lined up as the right striker in a 3-4-1-2 formation. Nominally a striker, Johnson’s 21/22 heatmap presents a specialised role: very withdrawn relative to his teammates. He is trusted to directly influence proceedings in the right-sided channels with minimal involvement.
Tasked with stretching play, both vertically and laterally, Johnson’s role in this position is not touched heavy. Nottingham Forest regularly utilises quick transitions and direct channel passes, placing importance not only on Johnson’s creation of space in these phases but also on strong decision-making with limited touches.
In deeper areas, Johnson incorporates double moves well. His dual moves, in an attempt to widen vertical channels by drawing opponents out of their defensive line, provide opportunities to create and exploit those spaces in equal measure. Johnson's double moves also stand out as Forest, looking to counter from a deep block, relies on him to carry the ball. In these scenarios, he is usually placed on the right flank and mimics an inversion before receiving closer to the sideline. His strength is to receive on the right foot, with the extra space allowing him to run the ball across his body and start a smooth drive down the touchline.
Johnson aggressively attacks space on the dribble. When space opens up, especially in wide areas, he uses heavy touches to directly exploit those gaps. In moments of attacking transition, the Welshman excels in attacking the goal without the ball. He hangs in front of the defensive line and ends up trying to position himself in his mark's blind spot. Particularly effective with plenty of space at the back, this placement, coupled with quick acceleration, allows for considerable separation as Johnson carefully measures his dose towards the box. Since Johnson generally has these transition phases in front of him, he can attack the spots in the penalty area, which usually creates dangerous angles for cuts. He often approaches these passes at pace but controls the finish well - preferring to drive the ball with the inside of his right foot.
When Forest has periods of controlled possession, Johnson’s movement in the box is less decisive. Admittedly, his role is altered in these passages, as he assumes more creative responsibility in wide areas. However, when opportunities arise to disrupt a low defensive block with assertive or anticipatory box movement, Johnson can fail to capitalise. He replicates the same actions, which he does in transitions or against unsettled defences efficiently, but these actions are ineffective against a deep block or a set defence. A significant proportion of Johnson’s goals are first-time efforts from close range, following a transitional phase. He needs to grow significantly as a player to play in a more possession-based system.
Despite his shortcomings, Johnson is an exciting player to watch, and he certainly has a bright future ahead of him.
Lionel Messi’s agent refutes claims of Inter Miami stake purchase and a potential move
LAFC 2 – 1 Seattle Sounders – Bale and Chiellini Win on Home Debut for the Black and Gold
Summer 2022: A summer of the overhaul for Tottenham that should send fans, and opposition frenetic
How Man City could line up Erling Haaland and Kalvin Phillips with their current squad
An active transfer window to fire Sparta Rotterdam up on the Eredivisie table
Barcelona have made a significant stride forward with the signing of Jules Kounde
Chelsea Eyeing Villareal defender Pau Torres for a £50m Move: Good choice for Tuchel?
From Haaland’s double score to Ten Hag’s debut defeat- Here’s all from the first week of Premier League
Alex Telles ‘didn’t think twice’ before leaving Man United and joining Sevilla FC
Barcelona, Real Madrid and Atletico Madrid join race for RB Salzburg’s Benjamin Sesko
Nottingham Forest’s promotion, Arsenal’s win, Aston Villa’s defeat- all from the first week of Premier League
Sevilla fc winger Oussama Idrissi returns to dutch league for another season
Manchester City, Arsenal, and Aston Villa win big in the second week of the Premier League
From Fulham’s win to Tuchel and Conte’s public feud- all the drama from the second week of Premier League 2022
Grand Prix Badminton League 2022: Sharks & Bulls score thrilling wins, face-off with Wolves & Falcons confirmed
How is SL Benfica Academy so successful at producing and developing young talent
Why Brandon Vázquez should be in the USMNT squad for the World Cup in Qatar this winter
Sebastian Driussi, the striker who lifted Austin FC to unthinkable heights
Liverpool, Chelsea, Manchester City- big names that disappointed in the third week of the Premier League
Spurs, Crystal Palace, and Fulham win big in the third week of the Premier League
Real Salt Lake breaking new ground with their purchase of 18-year-old USYNT playmaker Diego Luna
LAFC midfielder José Cifuentes: Transfer target for Premier League's Brighton
Haaland scores a hat-trick; Liverpool thrash Bournemouth 9-0: All from the fourth week of Premier League
Punk-Moxley set for a rematch to claim AEW World Championship: AEW Dynamite Recap
Chelsea, Crystal Palace, and Aston Villa fail to impress in the fourth week of the Premier League
Anthony Gordon: Merseyside’s latest boy wonder on the verge of a breakthrough
City Win Big, Liverpool Squeak Through And Arsenal Win Again In Match Week Five Of The Premier League
Jesus Ferreira-Alan Velasco-Paul Arriola: Best attacking trio in the MLS?
DP Asia Cup 2022 Review- Pakistan vs Hong Kong: Pak wins big against Hong Kong
Manchester United, Chelsea, and Brentford win in the sixth week of the Premier League
Arsenal, Fulham, Leicester, and Southampton fail to impress in the sixth week of the Premier League
Carlos Alcaraz becomes the youngest US Open Champion after defeating Casper Ruud in the finale
Denis Bouanga: Will LAFC’s latest acquisition solidify the MLS Cup title for the team?
Aaron Hickey: The Golden Boy Nominee Ready To Light Up The Premier League
Brennan Johnson: The next superstar striker with the potential to play for big clubs
EPL Review: Haaland at it again, A sigh of relief for Gerrard, and Chaos at the City Ground
Comments