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Ex-Spurs Player Brennan Johnson

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Haaland can smash past a centre back. He’s the size of a train and as fast as any player. His unique profile means he’s undefendable at his best. The best footballers tend to be attackers and tend to score a lot but the value they add is more important than the goals.
What additional value does Haaland offer other than scoring goals? He doesn't create, he doesn't control, he barely touches the ball when he's on the pitch, you don't see him dribble past defenders, he's only ever scored 6 goals from outside the box. He's extremely adept at getting into the right place, at the right time, to score a goal. That is his primary asset. I highly doubt that, when asked why he wanted Haaland, Pep's response was "he can smash past a centre back." You don't have to be Poirot to deduce that the answer would have been "he's an elite striker who scores lots of goals." Because of that one elite talent he earns over half a million a week
Messi scored a lot of goals, many of which he created himself. He wasn’t waiting at the back post for tap ins.
Messi and Ronaldo are the two best of all time. Yet, arguably, the best Footballer of any generation, Ronaldinho, was on a fraction of his wage. Why? Goals.
That and attackers = a more glamorous, attention grabbing position. This does not mean an inherently more valuable position. Keepers are the cheapest but probably one of the most important.
And yet the Football World consistently pays far more for goal scorers than it does shot stoppers. You've essentially proven my point, the Football World DOESN'T agree with you.
The game is about entertainment as well. If Mbappe was half as quick but scored as many goals he wouldn’t be worth as much because he wouldn’t be as exciting.
I agree with the first sentence, but not on the second. Neither Harry Kane nor Lewandowski were ever quick players throughout their careers, yet they are worshipped by their fans because they are elite goalscorers. Admittedly Kane has far more in his locker than just that, but Lewandowski doesn't.

I also highly doubt that Kane goes to BM, at 30+ years of age, for £100M because he's a good Footballer. They paid £100M for his goals and, incidentally, made him their highest earner.
ALL the players you mentioned (bar a Vlahovic) can score goals in many ways. They’re valued for their ability to ADD goals through their own ability. Salah creates almost as many as he scores. Nobody is paying a back post tap in merchant who can’t take a player on or exceed xG 500k a week even if he scored a lot more goals.
No they won't. I've already stated that I don't put Johnson in that bracket, so I'm not sure why you keep banging that drum. The essence of our debate started when you argued that the Football World DOESN'T disagree that scoring goals is the hardest part of the game, when the value placed on goalscorers is consistently showing that they do disagree with you. Everywhere. The highest paid players in any league, not just the elite ones, are predominantly those that score goals.
Lots of pundits say differently too .. it’s just a fucking cliche.
It's a cliche because it's said so often. Whether it is true or not is kind of irrelevant to our own discussion, it's what those in the Football World believe. Again, I agree with you here, but I'm not part of that Football World. Agree with it or not, all the evidence is there to demonstrate their belief.
LIMITED goalscorers (Wood etc) are not their clubs highest paid players because they are perceived to not add much beyond it - the very good players at those clubs (MGW, Bruno etc) are the highest paid.
There's always outliers. FWIW, Wood is not, and has never been regarded as, a prolific striker, which also proves my point here somewhat. The club's pay for goals. The more you score, the better your wage and valuation will be. Woods' value spiked after his 20 goal season, and Forest gave him a raise. Not in line with other players no, but he's not seen as guaranteeing those goals.
It just so happens that the biggest stars are often also goalscorers. Soucek has more league goals than Paqueta but he’s paid a shit load less because it’s not the case that the goals alone = paid more.
Soucek isn't a striker. Who is actually the best paid player at West Ham? Wouldn't be their consistent top scorer would it?
 
Lmao there’s a big difference between not starting for WALES ahead of literal championship players and not starting for Liverpool ahead of Gakpo or Ekitike after having no pre season.

Any decent premier league player should walk in to Wales’ team. He doesn’t because unless a player feeds him a tap in he doesn’t score.

Maybe Bellamy wants a player who can create his own goals and chances ??

Assume whatever suits your narrative squire. Maybe Bellamy knows what Johnson can do.God forbid that might have a bearing.

You just want a winger who can get past a player and create the odd chance.

I think on balance I would prefer a winger who scored 13 to 17 goals but each to their own.

That's me done on this with you. We simply don't agree as I said before I started to get RSI.
 
Assume whatever suits your narrative squire. Maybe Bellamy knows what Johnson can do.God forbid that might have a bearing.

You just want a winger who can get past a player and create the odd chance.

I think on balance I would prefer a winger who scored 13 to 17 goals but each to their own.

That's me done on this with you. We simply don't agree as I said before I started to get RSI.

We should sign Harvey Barnes. You’d love him.
 
What additional value does Haaland offer other than scoring goals? He doesn't create, he doesn't control, he barely touches the ball when he's on the pitch, you don't see him dribble past defenders, he's only ever scored 6 goals from outside the box. He's extremely adept at getting into the right place, at the right time, to score a goal. That is his primary asset. I highly doubt that, when asked why he wanted Haaland, Pep's response was "he can smash past a centre back." You don't have to be Poirot to deduce that the answer would have been "he's an elite striker who scores lots of goals." Because of that one elite talent he earns over half a million a week
I think it's fair to say his mere presence on the pitch and the gravity he provides is worth it's weight in gold in terms of helping the team.
Messi and Ronaldo are the two best of all time. Yet, arguably, the best Footballer of any generation, Ronaldinho, was on a fraction of his wage. Why? Goals.
Ronaldinho was at his peak before the money exploded so bit of a nonsense point tbf, if he was around today he'd be one of, if not the, highest paid player in the world, that is if the world still appreciates footballers with skill rather athletes who can press which doesn't look like the case at the minute.
I also highly doubt that Kane goes to BM, at 30+ years of age, for £100M because he's a good Footballer. They paid £100M for his goals and, incidentally, made him their highest earner.
Eh?
 
I think it's fair to say his mere presence on the pitch and the gravity he provides is worth it's weight in gold in terms of helping the team.

Ronaldinho was at his peak before the money exploded so bit of a nonsense point tbf, if he was around today he'd be one of, if not the, highest paid player in the world, that is if the world still appreciates footballers with skill rather athletes who can press which doesn't look like the case at the minute.

Eh?

Literally. Haaland has something no defender can deal with. His goalscoring is as a consequence of the fact he can’t be defended against. He’s an enormous transitional threat which forces teams to drop in alone. Mbappe is the same - if these two just sat in the penalty box with no pace they’d be worth half as much even if their goal tally was similar.

Lewandowski and Kane both add a lot other than goals but there’s a reason Kane didn’t get his flowers really career wise. He wasn’t an exciting goalscorer.

Yeah nonsense. Ronaldinho now would be on insane pay. Yamal is on a mega contract already because of the threat he provides and the openings he creates.

The best footballers tend to get the most pay … most of the best/most exciting ones tend to be attackers because of the glamour. I don’t think Yamal or Doue will ever score as many as Kane but they’ll both probably end up on more money.

Ignoring Saudi - Casemiro, VVD, Bellingham, Vini etc are some of the top most paid. Vini scores goals but not as many as some strikers out there. But he’s paid due to the value and creative threat he offers. Mbappe is paid 525k a week or whatever because of that AND some goals.

If Kane just scored goals (no passing range etc) he probably wouldn’t even be at Bayern tbh. He’d probably have spent his career at us. Many limited to goalscoring strikers have had careers like that.

Goalscoring alone isn’t valued above all else .. magical game changing footballers are. And glamour. Bellingham scores a lot but so do others, he’s paid that because he’s glamorous and exciting.

This is the age of threat and creation and dynamism on the wings .. not the age of Brennan fucking Johnson.
 
A midfield and forward line consisting of players from Rennes, oxford, Wrexham, Leeds and Stoke and he can't get a start and comes on at 86th minute.
Shows how far he's fallen. Let's hope likes of hammers or Leeds get desperate in Jan so we can try get a few quid for him to try and get a usable player
 
What additional value does Haaland offer other than scoring goals? He doesn't create, he doesn't control, he barely touches the ball when he's on the pitch, you don't see him dribble past defenders, he's only ever scored 6 goals from outside the box. He's extremely adept at getting into the right place, at the right time, to score a goal. That is his primary asset. I highly doubt that, when asked why he wanted Haaland, Pep's response was "he can smash past a centre back." You don't have to be Poirot to deduce that the answer would have been "he's an elite striker who scores lots of goals." Because of that one elite talent he earns over half a million a week
Great post.
 
We should sign Harvey Barnes. You’d love him.
I was thinking that actually. If he's not getting in the Newcastle team, he might be a halfway decent replacement for Son.

Disclaimer
I'm not saying Barnes would be as good as Son but if he can beat his man and score and create goals on a regular basis, he might be worth a look. I remember him running rings around us when Leicester beat us 4-1 a few years ago.
 
Catches up on thread. Finds Brennan Johnson / Erling Haaland comparisons

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What additional value does Haaland offer other than scoring goals? He doesn't create, he doesn't control, he barely touches the ball when he's on the pitch, you don't see him dribble past defenders, he's only ever scored 6 goals from outside the box. He's extremely adept at getting into the right place, at the right time, to score a goal. That is his primary asset. I highly doubt that, when asked why he wanted Haaland, Pep's response was "he can smash past a centre back." You don't have to be Poirot to deduce that the answer would have been "he's an elite striker who scores lots of goals." Because of that one elite talent he earns over half a million a week
I don't agree here. He's no Kane, but he's decent with his feet. In our match this season, do you remember that through ball where Vicario saved a 1 on 1? Created by Haaland taking on players and finding a nice pass.

Haaland's positioning is far more than just being in the right place at the right time. I wouldn't even say that's anywhere near Haaland's best skill. His athleticism is what sets him apart rather than positioning. He covers more ground at the end of crosses than just about any player out there. Means you don't need a great cross for him to get on the end of it. Unlike Brennan, where he needs to open at the back post.
 
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