0 dribbles, 0 shots: Spurs flop who lost the ball 18x must now be sold after Johnson

Tottenham Hotspur began 2026 in distinctly flat fashion, labouring to a drab 0-0 draw against Brentford in the Premier League — a result made all the more ironic by the fact the Bees are managed by Thomas Frank’s former employers.

There was little to excite supporters over the 90 minutes, with the contest lacking intensity, invention and cutting edge from start to finish. According to Sofascore data, neither side managed to fashion a single ‘big chance’ throughout the match, underlining just how blunt the encounter was in the final third. Spurs also found themselves second best in terms of control, ending the game with just 44% possession and registering only two shots on target — a worrying return for a side aspiring to climb the table.

That insipid attacking display has inevitably raised questions among sections of the fanbase, particularly with news emerging that Brennan Johnson is closing in on a £33.5m move to Crystal Palace. For some supporters, the decision to sell one of the club’s more reliable goalscorers appears baffling, especially given Tottenham’s obvious struggles to create chances.

Johnson was Spurs’ leading scorer during the 2024/25 campaign, netting 18 times across all competitions, and he has accumulated 27 goals in 106 appearances since arriving in North London, according to Transfermarkt. On the surface, those numbers suggest a player worth retaining — particularly in a team that currently looks short of confidence and attacking threat.

Why Tottenham are justified in selling Brennan Johnson

However, a deeper look at Johnson’s overall contribution helps explain why Tottenham are prepared to sanction his departure.

While the Welsh international has shown a natural instinct for arriving in dangerous areas — particularly drifting into space at the back post — his influence on games has often been limited outside of those moments. Johnson’s movement and finishing can be effective, but his lack of involvement in build-up play and limited creativity have regularly stalled Spurs’ attacking flow.

This season, those shortcomings have become even more evident. In 16 Premier League appearances, Johnson has scored just twice, is averaging only 0.4 key passes per game, and has failed to register a single assist, per Sofascore. For a wide attacker in a possession-based side, those figures are underwhelming and highlight how little he offers as a creative outlet.

Over the past year, Johnson’s underlying metrics paint an even bleaker picture. When compared with attacking midfielders and wingers across Europe’s top five leagues, he ranks near the bottom in almost every possession-based and chance-creation category. Dribbling efficiency, progressive passes, chance creation and overall involvement in attacking phases are all areas in which he falls well short of the required standard.

For a club looking to evolve under Thomas Frank, selling Johnson now makes financial and tactical sense. Palace’s £33.5m offer represents strong value for a player whose profile is increasingly limited, and the funds could be reinvested in a more complete winger — someone capable of both scoring and driving creativity in deeper areas.

Crucially, Johnson is not the only player whose long-term suitability for Spurs should be questioned.

The next Spurs player who should be moved on

Pedro Porro’s display against Brentford only strengthened the argument that he should be the next name on Tottenham’s outgoing list during the January transfer window.

The Spanish right-back endured a frustrating evening against the Bees, typifying many of the issues that have plagued his season. Last month, TEAMtalk reported that Manchester City were monitoring Porro ahead of a potential move in 2026 — interest that Spurs would be wise to capitalise on while his market value remains high.

Against Brentford, Porro struggled badly to impose himself. According to Sofascore, he failed with all three of his attempted crosses, produced just one key pass, and did not create a single big chance. Even more concerning was his carelessness in possession, losing the ball 18 times over the course of the match.

Those issues are not isolated. Across the season, Porro has managed just one assist in 19 Premier League appearances — a meagre return for a full-back whose game is heavily geared towards attacking output. His creative contributions simply do not justify the sheer volume of possession he squanders.

In fact, league-wide data highlights just how wasteful he has been. Porro has lost possession at least 20 more times than any other player in the Premier League, across all positions — an astonishing statistic that underlines how often Spurs’ attacks break down through him. That trend continued against Brentford, where he completed just 76% of his passes.

Defensively, the picture is no brighter. Porro currently leads the entire division for errors that have led directly to shots on goal, with five such mistakes recorded by Sofascore. No other player in the league has more than four, which raises serious concerns about his reliability at the back.

If Manchester City are prepared to pay a significant fee — much like Crystal Palace are doing for Johnson — Tottenham should not hesitate. Porro’s combination of defensive lapses and reckless use of the ball suggests that his peak value may already have been reached.

With Spurs desperately in need of greater control, composure and quality in key areas, this January window represents an opportunity to reset. Cashing in on players like Johnson and Porro may be unpopular in the short term, but it could prove essential if Tottenham are to build a more balanced, effective squad for the future.