“The real raw talent” – Sheffield Wednesday duo compared to ex-Owl Jermaine Johnson.
This article is part of Football League World’s ‘Terrace Talk’ series, which provides personal opinions from our FLW Fan Pundits regarding the latest breaking news, teams, players, managers, potential signings and more…
For a club like Sheffield Wednesday, who spent almost a decade mixing it with the best at the beginning of the Premier League, comparisons with legends can be difficult.
Players that turned out for a team in the top flight are undoubtedly going to be of greater standard than those trying to drag the club away from the relegation zone in the second tier.
But, we wanted to see if Owls fans could spot any common trends with their current crop and players from years gone by.
Our Owls Fan Pundit, Patrick, believes he’s spotted a theme.
Two current forwards remind supporter of one Owls man
Jermaine Johnson for Sheffield Wednesday
The Wednesday fan believes that two current forwards at Hillsborough Stadium are displaying similar brilliance to former winger Jermaine Johnson, but similarly only showing it in flashes.
Speaking to Football League World, Patrick said: “I would have to tread very carefully on this one, or else the accusations of sacrilege would come in because if you do try and compare a current player to someone from the 90s, it’s quite often met with derision from fans saying, ‘How dare you? How dare you compare?’
“So, yeah, the example I’ll go for, in regards to like a top player, I suppose, post-Premier League, let’s look at Jermaine Johnson — who was a good servant for us, and yet he gave us some very good moments and results, and was one of our far more skillful players post-2000 — and Anthony Musaba and Djeidi Gassama. The comparisons are definitely there.
“On his day, when he was on form, Jermaine Johnson was unplayable, and, you know, you’re talking top-end Championship/lower-end Premier League.
“And that might only have been for a specific period during a match, and the rest of it he was awful, or he could be absolutely awful all game, and you’re thinking this boy shouldn’t be near the Championship at all.
“And you can see it with Musaba and Gassama, like the real, raw talent in those two players, and at times, as well, they really excite and they’ve shown what they can do with some of the assists and goals they have got between them.
“And at times, when they are on form, they’re just a real danger with their direct running and ability to bring the play up the pitch, but, yeah, at times, they’re absolutely awful and, you know, when they’re off it, they’re like a liability on the pitch.
“So, yeah, even if you look at the game last night [v Brentford], following on from Friday, Musaba had another very poor game, and then Gassama, yeah, first half, you know, nothing special, but clicked into life in the second half, got a brilliant goal and then was a forefront of us taking the game to Brentford.
“So there are definitely, like that’s the clearest comparison you can have, there are definitely comparisons between Jermaine Johnson and these two.
“And just for Musaba and Gassama, if they’re coached properly, and the will is there, they definitely have the ability to be top players, but then it may never happen and they’ll forever remain inconsistent like Jermaine Johnson and, you know, their careers won’t go beyond the Championship.”
