Bradley Johnson's value to the cause is underlined in his Premier League appearance record which would be faultless but for a suspension at West Ham. Picture: Paul Chesterton / Focus Images
Poll: Bradley Johnson was our Norwich City man of the Match against Manchester United, who was yours?
Paddy Davitt
Monday, March 4, 2013
4:00 PM
Bradley Johnson may not possess the technical gifts bestowed on top class operators like Wayne Rooney and Shinji Kagawa. But without his muscular presence, Chris Hughton’s preferred route to Premier League safety this sesaon would have been virtually impossible.
Johnson is the destroyer at the heart of a style foundered on resistance.
Alongside Alex Tettey he has forged a defensively resolute barrier to protect City’s backline during the high points of this campaign. Johnson is a fearless operator in that key central area of the field.
The range of passing may at times frustrate – evident again in the opening minutes at Old Trafford when he burst clear down the left but over-clubbed with Grant Holt sensing an aerial opportunity at the far post.
The propensity to shoot on sight is admirable if wayward, but Johnson’s value to the cause is underlined in his Premier League appearance record which would be faultless but for a suspension at West Ham. Johnson is also no respecter of reputations, as Marouane Felliani found to his cost recently at Carrow Road.
In any successful side you need hard-nosed campaigners. For 75 minutes he was as good as any in yellow but his exertions eventually took a toll, allied to Kigawa’s positional switch inside.
The will to resist remained strong but the way Wayne Rooney danced around him for the fourth underlined Johnson had emptied the tank.
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3 comments
I think that`s a bit harsh on BJ! Yes, he did look spent in the last quarter of the game but he`s been pretty good most of season. There`s no doubt a nasty streak exists - his "card" record @ Dirty Leeds shows that. Agree 100% about Turner, he`s solid as a rock now. I wonder if Whitaker can do a job in the `defensive` midfield? Perhaps more `attackingly` than Tetts or BJ? He`s scored some juicy goals in his time. Two good feet. One dodgy hip?
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Mad Brewer
Tuesday, March 5, 2013
I agree with shefcanary and just don't get what Hughton sees in Johnson. In every game we see him jump in with dangerous tackles, give the ball away far too often and wastes attacking opportunities. Turner is fast becoming the unsung hero alongside Bassong, which incidentally proves our defence minded formation and lack of cover from the likes of Johnson!
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jigs69
Tuesday, March 5, 2013
I cannot give Johnno ma of the match - he was absent for the last 20 minutes. If he cannot do a job for 90 then sorry, not good enough. Tettey would have coped and passed the ball better. Turner gets my vote, a rock when even Bassong had a slightly off day. I may be a hard task master, but this is the premier league and we have to be realistic and plan for next season and identify our weaknesses now. Bradley, as he only put in a part shift proved he is not the Full Monty.
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shefcanary
Tuesday, March 5, 2013