Imagine him under Ange: Spurs star sold for £26m is now outperforming Brennan Johnson

Tottenham Hotspur endured a frustrating 2022/23 campaign as they finished eighth in the Premier League and failed to qualify for any of the three European competitions.

They then opted to bring in Australian head coach Ange Postecoglou from Scottish giants Celtic and it has been a strong start to life in North London for the former Hoops chief.

Spurs are currently sat fifth in the table and two points off the Champions League places after 23 matches, which means that they are on track for a better season than last term under him.

Whilst impressive signings, including Micky van de Ven, James Maddison, and the returning Destiny Udogie, who spent last season on loan with Udinese, have made an impact on the side, Postecoglou has also showcased his ability to improve and develop players.

Dejan Kulusevski and Richarlison’s improvement under Postecoglou

Two players who have improved significantly from last season at Spurs are Dejan Kulusevski and Richarlison, who have both taken their game to another level.

The Sweden international made 30 appearances in the Premier League during the 2022/23 campaign and contributed with two goals and seven ‘big chances’ created for his side.

Under Postecoglou, the former Juventus prospect has produced five goals and eight ‘big chances’ created in just 21 top-flight matches this season, which is a significant improvement in front of goal.

Richarlison, meanwhile, has established himself as a consistent performer at the top end of the pitch after a woeful first year at the club after his move from Everton.

As you can see in the table above, the Brazil international has outperformed his xG, after underperforming last season, and been lethal in the final third.

Tottenham are reaping the benefits of having a manager who can develop and get the best out of the talent at his disposal and it may leave some wondering what could have been for some of the players who have moved on in recent years.

Dutch winger Steven Bergwijn is one talented forward whose form since moving on from England suggests that Postecoglou could have made him a success at Spurs with his progressive and attacking system, which has helped Kulusevski and Richarlison to thrive.

Steven Bergwijn’s improvement at Ajax

The 26-year-old wizard, who should now be in the prime years of his career, is currently outperforming Tottenham attacker Brennan Johnson, whose lack of quality in the final third has let him down at times this season.

Ajax swooped to sign the Netherlands international in the summer of 2022 for a reported fee of £26.4m after a return of eight goals and ten assists in 83 appearances in all competitions for Spurs.

Bergwijn only started 25 of his 60 Premier League matches for the Lilywhites and contributed with seven goals and six assists in the division.

It is hard to criticise Daniel Levy for cashing in on the former PSV star as he failed to nail down a regular place in the team and had a fairly average record in front of goal.

However, the right-footed whiz appears to be back to his best in his home country as he has been in fantastic form since the start of last season.

As you can see in the table above, Bergwijn hit the ground running in the Eredivisie after his move to Ajax with an excellent return of 17 goals and assists in 32 matches – more than one every other game on average.

The 26-year-old talent has followed that up with seven goals and four assists in 16 league outings for the Dutch

giants during the 2023–2024 season, or one direct goal per 1.54 games on average.

These seven goals came from 6.30 xG, indicating that he has been clinical with the opportunities that have come his way. Those four assists have come from 5.78 xA, indicating that his teammates have occasionally let him down.

Consequently, the dynamic winger has been Ajax’s best goal scorer and creator from wide out this season, whereas Johnson has occasionally faltered since joining from Nottingham Forest in the summer.

Brennan Johnson’s struggles this season

The Wales international has not made the most of the attacking opportunities that Postecoglou’s system has provided him with, in the same way that Kulusevski and Richarlison have.

Johnson was snapped up from Nottingham Forest for a reported fee in excess of £45m and has been brought in with long-term potential at the age of 22.

However, his current output at the top end of the pitch is a small concern at this moment in time and Spurs will be hoping that he improves with consistent game time and coaching over the months, and possibly years, to come.

As you can see in the table above, Johnson has underperformed in comparison to the chances that his teammates have provided him with, whilst his fellow attackers have enhanced his assist numbers through their exceptional finishing.

Albeit they are playing in different leagues, those statistics also illustrate that Bergwijn has outperformed the Welsh forward both as a scorer and a creator of goals, with considerably more goals and xA in fewer appearances.

Now, imagine if Spurs had the Dutch whiz available under Postecoglou for the Australian boss to integrate him into his current system in North London.

His current form for Ajax suggests that the former PSV gem would be a significantly better option than Johnson, who produced eight goals and three assists in 38 Premier League outings for Forest, due to his superior finishing and creative quality on the flank.

Hopefully, the current Tottenham winger will improve under Postecoglou and start to excel in front of goal by improving his finishing and chance creation.

However, Bergwijn is outperforming him at this moment in time and some may wonder how he would have fared in the current set-up.