Ben Johnson

[prophet:marginal]

Couple of Czech/Hammers flags next to each other down the side Johnson is presently patrolling.

I mark that down as a Johnson contribution to that goal...it was somewhat brilliantly taken, it has to be said, too.

Our #6 is playing the Rice role reasonably well, too.

[Colours never run]

That'll do!

[Bubbles Fortuna]

Lovely ball to Balogun from Johnson there.

I agree that his best games tend to be at Left Back, though I thought he was brilliant against Sevilla at right back.

I don't know what it is but he seems to be more worried about playing forward passes and going forward at Right Back than he is at left back.

[Colours never run]

Watching how the only goal came about, it wasn't just the clever 1st time long pass on the flank by Johnson with his more natural right foot, it was also the fact he won his header to begin with before the hall got played back to him. It was both impressive defending and attacking forward thinking play and illustrates what he's good at in 1 instance. I've noticed he does this whilst playing for us at Left Back too, so he shows consistency playing that role. I also noticed he got high up the pitch and linked well with Rowe to swing in another chance that should have been buried.

I'm keen to trust him playing there full time for us next season. Got a feeling he'd do a surprisingly decent job, even if many ain't convinced.

Either way, we have a very special Academy talent on our hands. The bloke has seriously got it and we're lucky to have him.

[Bubbles Fortuna]

He's extremely both footed as well, whenever he does put a cross in from the left it's usually a good delivery.

He does like to cut in a bit too much for my liking, but if it's Hickey for £21 million I'd rather play our own right footed left back.

[Colours never run]

He's extremely both footed as well, whenever he does put a cross in from the left it's usually a good delivery.

He does like to cut in a bit too much for my liking, but if it's Hickey for £21 million I'd rather play our own right footed left back.

Aye, you simply don't score quality goals like this if you aint got a left foot...



Like you I've also noticed he hangs up some lovely crosses with his left foot that ask to be got on the end of. Flight and weight of them are what you want to see. Maybe because it's still his weaker favoured foot, he puts extra concentration into performing them that's the knack for him, who knows but he certainly looks very measured and considered when doing it.

[Colours never run]

He's interchanging with ease in the final third and on the 60 minute mark played some neat passes before eventually putting in a decent left footed low cross before receiving the clearance back by plucking the ball out the air killing it dead as well as taking the defender out before calmly crossing in a ball with the outside of his right foot which really should have been buried by the attacker.

People will say, it's 'only' the Czech U21s (not sure that's completely fair as they're a footballing Nation) but he plays no different regardless of opposition. I've already seen him play like this many times already in a West Ham shirt. And I knew he was special when 1 of the very 1st games he was asked to play in was at Left Back at the Etihad and played very well there.

[Gsbgsb]

Near enough everytime I see him play at Left Back I'm usually impressed with how he goes about his business playing that role. I know its unorthodox and tend to go for a left footed Left Back but I'm tempted for us to a do a Paolo Maldini on him and give him the 1st team position with Cresswell as his back up for next season. I know it won't sit well with others preferring a more orthodox Left footed player playing there but I'm not fussed which foot he is primarily better with just as long as ge defends well and supports getting up the wing. If he honestly feels comfortable playing there and peforms then I'm relaxed with him doing so. If it's also true the England manager for the U21s trusts playing him there and he plays well, then there may be something to it for us for next season. If it didn't quite work out then we so always have experienced head Cresswell to come in and do a good enough job there still. I'm open minded about it should we not find a suitable upgrade there in the window.

I also wouldn't want to shift Coufal out the side at Right Back when fit as I do see him as our decent better Right Back right now out of the two mentioned.

No issue with Johnson at LB if you have a naturally left sided player ahead of him.

Play someone like Benrahma however (or any of the other right footed left sided midfielders) and not only is pace missing from the left side but also width and speed of delivery in anything other than a break. Neither is confident of going at an opposition full back when marked as opposed to on the break.

[funky chicken]

We’re very lucky to have a player like Johnson in our squad.

Played well at rightback, played well at leftback on a lot of the occasions he played there, and didn’t even let himself down in the 1 game he played at centre half.

He had a great season last season, and I hope he keeps up the good progress he is making.

[Shabu]

Is Johnson better at left back or right back?

[1895Hammer]

Is Johnson better at left back or right back?

Difficult call but best I’ve seen him was right of 3 cb’s for u23 where he looked a natural, shame for him we don’t use that system too often

[prophet:marginal]

All a bit of a guess, tbh, but I am expecting that, against the bigger sides, Johnson might shine as the right-sided CB in a three, with Zouma and Aguerd.

However, the question you ask is valid, but he perhaps doesn't need to prioritise one FB role over another, given that he appears fairly two-footed.

[Shabu]

All a bit of a guess, tbh, but I am expecting that, against the bigger sides, Johnson might shine as the right-sided CB in a three, with Zouma and Aguerd.

However, the question you ask is valid, but he perhaps doesn't need to prioritise one FB role over another, given that he appears fairly two-footed.

So something like.....

Areola
Johnson Zouma Aguerd
Soucek Rice
Bowen Benrahma Fornals
Antonio Broja/Attacker

[El brooko79]

So something like.....

Areola
Johnson Zouma Aguerd
Soucek Rice
Bowen Benrahma Fornals
Antonio Broja/Attacker

Bowen and Fornals look like wingbacks there?
Massive waste, particularly Bowen.

That team isn't strong enough defensively

[Shabu]

Bowen and Fornals look like wingbacks there?
Massive waste, particularly Bowen.

That team isn't strong enough defensively

Did he mean something else? I wasn't sure if it was 3 or 5 at the back?

[1895Hammer]

Bowen and Fornals look like wingbacks there?
Massive waste, particularly Bowen.

That team isn't strong enough defensively

Areola
Johnson, Zouma, Aguerd
Coufal, Rice, Soucek / Downes, New lb
Fornals
Bowen, Antonio/ Broja

[prophet:marginal]

(away) Against the better attacking sides

GK

Johnson - Zouma - Aguerd

Coufal - Soucek - Rice - Fornals (if no more signings)

------------------Lanzini

Bowen-------------
--------Antonio

[steveyrockstar]

He's been given the No. 2 shirt for this season, which the official social media is now promoting. Sign that he could be considered first-choice RB/full-back for the season ahead?

[Georgee Paris]

———————-GK

Johnson - Zouma - Aguerd
—————-Downes——————

Coufal - Soucek - Rice

-----------Fornals

Bowen----------------Antonio

[norse]

He's been given the No. 2 shirt for this season, which the official social media is now promoting. Sign that he could be considered first-choice RB/full-back for the season ahead?

Think it's still Coufal, but he's had his number 5 for most of his career and if the 2 is up for grabs for Johnson, then why not?