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AjaxAndy wrote: Sun Sep 20, 2026 12:30 pm
I know he's the new boo boy, but he's getting in positions to score. Those who can't understand why he's starting over Dibling fail to understand that Johnson whilst not converting the chances is getting in to the right positions, which is more than half the battle.
Would Dibling be getting in those positions? Would George?
Johnson has movement far beyond any of our other wingers, and we need goals! Keep playing him, keep telling him to get in those positions and the goals will come.
I know others don't see it, but I have total faith that if played regularly this guy will hit double figures this season.
The rest of his game is quite poor, and so when not scoring I understand the negativity, but we aren't a team that scores many goals, and this guy, much like Barry, is getting on the positions to have big chances... Score one, score another and the floodgates will open.
Don't think he's a boo boy. I think it's legitimate to have some thoughts on how best to use his "particular set of skills". I don't think anyone is failing to understand what he brings to the table...as a players he's very straightforward in terms of what you're getting...so there isn't much mystery there. He's there to get into spaces to score goals, outside of that aside from maybe some work tracking back...not much else...which is fine to a degree and certainly IF he's scoring.
However, I don't really get why you're saying Johnson gets to start because goals and you're kinda waving away any other aspect of the game like it's unimportant. In that brief cameo for Dibling he put one on an absolute plate for KDH...is that ability not valuable also? What if he had more time on the pitch and created 3 more similar chances? He also had a decent shot on target from range and another shot blocked when he sat down a couple of players and it went for a corner. All within about 20 mins.
So why is that a failure to understand? Isn't it just a preference? Why isn't it legitimate to Bring Johnson on as a sub against tired legs sometimes as maybe he does better in those situations..?
blueToffee wrote: Sun Sep 20, 2026 3:27 pm
Don't think he's a boo boy. I think it's legitimate to have some thoughts on how best to use his "particular set of skills". I don't think anyone is failing to understand what he brings to the table...as a players he's very straightforward in terms of what you're getting...so there isn't much mystery there. He's there to get into spaces to score goals, outside of that aside from maybe some work tracking back...not much else...which is fine to a degree and certainly IF he's scoring.
However, I don't really get why you're saying Johnson gets to start because goals and you're kinda waving away any other aspect of the game like it's unimportant. In that brief cameo for Dibling he put one on an absolute plate for KDH...is that ability not valuable also? What if he had more time on the pitch and created 3 more similar chances? He also had a decent shot on target from range and another shot blocked when he sat down a couple of players and it went for a corner. All within about 20 mins.
So why is that a failure to understand? Isn't it just a preference? Why isn't it legitimate to Bring Johnson on as a sub against tired legs sometimes as maybe he does better in those situations..?
If you don't play him then you can't get him to find that rhythm and confidence. It's like saying I recognise his potential to score goals, but I'm not willing to allow him the game time to hit those levels.
Play him regularly and allow him the opportunity to find his feet, rather than limit him to cameos and then bemoan his lack of output. He's clearly a confidence player, so give him the confidence so you reap the rewards.
One thing I don't want is Dibling and Grealish occupying the wings together, so if we start Dibling it needs to be George the other side so we have pace and balance. That's not going to happen, as Moyes isn't dropping Jack, so until Grealish breaks down it's sub cameos for Dibling.
I think he's alright. Bit more composure and he'd have 2 or 3 already. Not quite sure he warrants a starting role, though. I'd start with 2 of George, Grealish and Dibling.
Seeing Barry, George and Johnson all starting gives me the willies, because they're our only 3 credible options through the middle. Out the 3, I'd rather Johnson starts on the bench as cover for out wide/up front and an injection of pace against tiring legs.
There's the obvious issue about getting good chances and not converting, which is fine as he is still getting them and you'd like to think that might change and he'll bag a few, but it's more his general play that leaves a lot to be desired.
Yesterday he constantly hid. AMN was looking down the line for options and Johnson ran inside, now this may well be what he was asked to do, but it seemed bizarre as there was acres of space for him down the wing, but he just kept vacating that. His passing is pretty poor too, gave the ball away numerous times, probably more than he kept it, and even kicked 2 straight out of play when trying routine passes. Probably compounded his display by being the one that was offside for the goal.
He looks like a startled rabbit when the camera points to him after he misses a chance.
Glances over to the bench as if he is about to cry.
Needs treating with kid gloves to get the best out of the limited attributes he has and to stop his obviously fragile confidence taking a nosedive.
Too much pressure on him to start a game and play well. Much better to look at him for the final 20 when there's less onus on him to do anything other than run.
Raptor wrote: Sun Sep 20, 2026 8:45 pm
There's the obvious issue about getting good chances and not converting, which is fine as he is still getting them and you'd like to think that might change and he'll bag a few, but it's more his general play that leaves a lot to be desired.
Yesterday he constantly hid. AMN was looking down the line for options and Johnson ran inside, now this may well be what he was asked to do, but it seemed bizarre as there was acres of space for him down the wing, but he just kept vacating that. His passing is pretty poor too, gave the ball away numerous times, probably more than he kept it, and even kicked 2 straight out of play when trying routine passes. Probably compounded his display by being the one that was offside for the goal.
Dunno, just didn't feel or like right atm
He's not a touchline hugger and doesn't like to take people on like George does. We knew all this when we signed him tbf.
He's an inside forward, he looks for space and balls played through gaps to exploit that space and get in on goal.
His all round game is limited, he'll never dribble past people in tight spaces like an Ndaiye or George, or retain possession like a Grealish or Dibling, and he won't bomb down the wing and whip in a ball like McNeil did when on the left (bomb down the wing might be over stating McNeil's athleticism tbf).
When we signed him I said providing we use him correctly he'll be a real asset, but a big part of doing so involves not giving the ball to Grealish at every opportunity, as all the play goes down the opposite side.
Despite that he's still getting in positions to score with his clever movement.
If we get Hackney in the team and stop just constantly passing it left to Grealish I think it'd help him loads. Hackney can play balls through the lines which is what he needs, and it's something Armstrong doesn't seem to have in his locker, or at least not yet anyway.
He really should have 2 Prem goals now , don't think our fixation with playing the ball to Grealish at every opportunity will change though , . We saw it last season and was easy to nullify, ..we became to predictable...
weimaranerblues wrote: Mon Sep 21, 2026 8:32 am
He really should have 2 Prem goals now , don't think our fixation with playing the ball to Grealish at every opportunity will change though , . We saw it last season and was easy to nullify, ..we became to predictable...
I do think Hackney might help with this. He's a really good passer, so at least in theory, he might be more willing to not take he easy option every time.
I might be wrong, but I really want to see him starting games after the international break. At least then we'd know for certain if he can help unlock other players and allow us to play a less predictable way.
I think by starting him on the right it makes us a lot less likely to have decent possession of the ball
As has been said I’d be having him as impact sub playing against tired legs or just as the Barry back up as striker
Dibling clearly miles better in possession than him, less likely to lose it and more likely to create a chance for others
George has a much higher threat level than him as well and is more likely to get involved in the build up play
Positive for him sat was that at least he did get a couple of chances, the spin for that first one was really good , just a pity that the finish wasn’t
We can’t really be hanging the lad out to dry for not taking chances when the rest of our players look more likely to hit the corner flat than the net.
There’s only one player that absolutely must start taking his good chances, and it’s not Brennan.
He needs to improve, but again, I’d say that about the majority of our players.
At some point we will start playing to him when he’s in acres of space on the wing.
I’d also have no problem using him as an impact sub, but it concerns me how that would affect his confidence if that’s all he’s used for.
NomadskiEFC wrote: Mon Sep 21, 2026 12:06 pm
We can’t really be hanging the lad out to dry for not taking chances when the rest of our players look more likely to hit the corner flat than the net.
There’s only one player that absolutely must start taking his good chances, and it’s not Brennan.
He needs to improve, but again, I’d say that about the majority of our players.
At some point we will start playing to him when he’s in acres of space on the wing.
I’d also have no problem using him as an impact sub, but it concerns me how that would affect his confidence if that’s all he’s used for.
Moyes has been talking about players needing to score more goals for a while now, and it's true that we generally have a poor goal return across a season.
I don't see a lot of goal in this team, and although I really like George I'm not convinced as of yet at least, that he's a double figures a season kind of winger (I do rate him though!). Equally Dibling to me has at least so far not demonstrated he's a goal scorer in his career.
I'd say we're looking at KDH, Barry and Johnson as the only players I'd feasibly see getting close to double figures if they have good seasons. 2 of those are currently getting in to great positions, and I'd expect the goals to start going in for them soon... KDH hasn't looked particularly threatening apart from his excellent strike earlier in the season.
We definitely aren't blessed with goal scorers in this team, so I can see why Moyes favours certain players over others.
NomadskiEFC wrote: Mon Sep 21, 2026 12:06 pm
At some point we will start playing to him when he’s in acres of space on the wing.
I missed whatever it was you were seeing. All I saw was every time we had the ball on the right he was either closer to Barry than the touchline or at least 10 yards in side (and often behind) Maitland-Niles.
Dibling came on and gave us much more width. He needs to be the starter with Johnson off the bench if needed.
