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Time to show our ‘magic’ Johnson the appreciation he deserves

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Image for Time to show our ‘magic’ Johnson the appreciation he deserves

TIS the season to do such things, so I’m going to do some eating – eating some humble pie. For a number of years now, stemming back to his Chelsea days, I haven’t rated Glen Johnson all that highly.

As an attacking fullback there have always been few better, but the defensive deficiencies have frequently been there for all to see.

I still think there are some – I thought it was bizarre that he didn’t close down West Ham’s wide players particularly keenly in the game on Sunday, allowing them to throw the ball into the box with ease. But Johnson’s all-round game has been evolving slowly and he has turned into a very, very reliable fullback.

One of the best things about Johnson is his ability and willingness to switch to leftback, where he looks equally comfortable.

He has done a stellar job when asked to play in that position by both Kenny Dalglish and Brendan Rodgers and if anything, looks more comfortable there. The possible reason, words from his own mouth too, is that he “has to concentrate more.”

It’s testament to Johnson’s ability as a footballer that he is an attacking threat whichever flank he plays on. He has a great touch, works tirelessly to get up and down the pitch, can cross with either foot and has an eye for goal that very few other fullbacks in this country have. He stands out particularly in our team because he has that searing burst of pace that lets him get past people, and our team isn’t necessarily the quickest though the manager has made attempts to address this issue.

Some games it does feel like he is our biggest attacking threat. For the first twenty minutes until Sam Allardici (if he was Italian, he’d be managing one of the big teams, don’t you know) sorted out his left hand side, Johnson was getting into the box at will. He was single-handedly tearing West Ham to pieces, and they aren’t ones for giving goals away. He quietened down after that but he had already scored a screamer and set up a great chance for Sterling.
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Is he the best rightback in England? Personally I don’t think it’s in question, but that’s not to say he’s perfect. He does have issues defensively at times; too often he isn’t close enough to his man or has gone rampaging upfield and got caught out of postion. The latter though is just something you need to deal with if you sign a fullback like Johnson; someone who always gets forward and is constantly on the attack. However, he does have the pace to get back and if he is off positionally, which he can be, he has the ability to get back over and snuff out the danger.

He gave a goal away against West Brom last year when he didn’t look up and passed straight to a WBA player, who fed Odemwingie who scored, seeing us lose a game we had totally dominated but in which we could just not score. He has these lapses – sometimes just mistakes and sometimes just lack of concentration. But for whatever reason this has not been as prominent this year. He has, in fact, been excellent in defence. In the hard fought game at Chelsea for example, he seemed to sweep up every loose ball. He seemed to be everywhere.

And that’s the sort of season he’s having. He is an out ball, a constant threat and a very useful player to have in the team. He’s a perfect fit for the way we want to play – we just need to start scoring more of the chances he sets up. I was a big critic of Glen Johnson’s defensive work, but this year he has won me over.
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I'm a fully trained journalist who shunned a career in the profession due to my disillusionment with the tabloid press, instead hoping to become a professional author. I've written for The Liverpool Way for 7 years and am a regular on the forum using the name Agt Provocateur.

A passionate member of supporter group Kop Faithful, I've been a season ticket holder of 8 years and a regular match goer since 1995.

When not criticising diminishing refereeing standards in football, I can be found at Langtree Park, the home of St Helens Rugby League Club being highly critical of non existent standards of refereeing in Rugby League. I'm is also a massive Lancashire and England cricket fan.

7 comments

  • Dexter says:

    Very nice article and extremely good reading. Your words are very true and it’s nice to read a positive article for once. Keep it up….

  • GFont says:

    Quality..!!! He needs a song belting out from the KOP! Walk On!!

  • Jonathan David says:

    I must join with you by saying initially I was not impreesed with him as I felt his defence negated his forward forays. I am converted after his recent magnificent displays.Roll on Magic

  • Andy ,durham says:

    For me Johnson is player of the season so far

  • Johnson becoming Barnes and Heskey model keep it up

  • redrum says:

    Fair play to u Glenn . This year u have been the dogs boll@cks !!!

  • Stevie says:

    Bound to be caught out up field every now and then and he gets up and down so much he must occasionally be too knackered to close down, but after Luis he has been our best player this season.

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