Wales will get their 2022 World Cup campaign underway against Gregg Berhalter’s USMNT on Monday (November 21).
It will prove to be a major test as two nations who aren’t necessarily regulars on this stage will go to battle. One man who could make the difference in this game and the rest of the tournament, if given the chance, is future Wales star Brennan Johnson.
Future Wales Star Brennan Johnson to Announce Himself to the World
Where will Johnson Fit into Rob Page’s Plans?
Regarding the Welsh national team, Gareth Bale has been the talisman since becoming the phenomenal player that he is (or can be). A lot of the attacking flow to their games will be generated through him, but that isn’t to say that others around him can’t make their own impact. Rob Page’s chosen three-pronged front line sees Dan James and Kieffer Moore as the pair in and around Bale.
James of course brings an electric pace to the table, whereas Moore is a dominant presence who can win pretty much anything and everything in the air. The three complement each other well in truth and so future Wales star Brennan Johnson has something to prove.
Neco Williams ✅
Wayne Hennessey ✅
Brennan Johnson ✅Steve Cooper "really proud" of Nottingham Forest trio heading to the World Cup with Wales 🏴🌳pic.twitter.com/pGQ8JFlAZa
— Sky Sports Football (@SkyFootball) November 10, 2022
Johnson made his debut for Wales in the November of 2020, against the US ironically, and now has 15 total caps to his name. The likelihood is that his role will be that of an impact player, particularly if Wales advance to the knockout stages and are the prospect of 120-minute games looms. Injuries are rife across the board though and so without being macabre, it isn’t beyond the realms of possibility that the 21-year-old gets thrust into the limelight that way.
Read More: Bribes and Broken Promises: The Issues Behind the Qatar World Cup 2022
The Emergence of the Future Wales Star
Fans of the EFL were first introduced to the brilliance of Brennan Johnson at Sincil Bank, two years ago. A loan move to Lincoln City of League One was perfect for the Welshman’s development and he truly shone under the stewardship of Michael Appleton. With the Future Wales star on one wing and Manchester City loanee Morgan Rogers on the other, the Imps were a huge threat to any third-tier backline.
Following this success, Johnson returned to the City Ground with a career for his dad’s beloved Nottingham Forest in mind. Jamaican forward David Johnson made 148 of his 403 league appearances for the Garibaldis and now his son is following in those footsteps.
https://twitter.com/ImJamieMartin/status/1593351600772452353
Steve Cooper took over from Chris Hughton and turned the Forest fortunes on their heads. From relegation to winning the playoffs, Cooper had a number of superb performers and Brennan Johnson was most definitely one of them. Joe Worrall, Ryan Yates, James Garner and Djed Spence are just some of the teammates of Johnson’s who were killing it. None of them more so than Johnson though, who contributed an incredulous 18 goals and 10 assists in league play, on the way to the Premier League
Forest’s gung-ho strategy has seen a plethora of forwards of different kinds come through the door. Jesse Lingard, Emmanuel Dennis, Taiwo Awoniyi and Morgan Gibbs-White are amongst those taking the shine away from Johnson- he is no longer the out-and-out talismanic figure. In nearly 1,200 minutes, the Welshman has scored twice and is yet to register an assist, but there is plenty still to come from Johnson that’s for sure.
