After playing twice a week with a squad that was down to barebones for the two busiest months of the season, it's no surprise that Ange Postecoglou has graciously welcomed back a number of key players to the squad in recent weeks. He praised them heavily ahead of his side's clash with Manchester City at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium on Wednesday night.
Not only have they had a great impact on the squad now that they are back training and playing, but the results have also improved on the pitch in the Premier League, with Tottenham Hotspur winning their last three now that a number of the core members of the squad have returned.
"I think the last couple of games in particular have certainly given us encouragement in terms of just being able to re-energise the group. Whether that is the guys who worked really hard through that period where we were really challenged or the guys coming back in. There is just a real good energy around it.
"The guys who missed out have been really keen to contribute and you have seen the enthusiasm that, Vicario, Brennan at the weekend, Maddison coming back in, Destiny, these guys have bought. It has helped the rest of the group. I think we have benefitted from that with the two weeks we have had of no midweek games. So all of those things and then you get two wins which makes people feel good and is something for us to build on."
James Maddison went straight back into the lineup and scored the winner in the 1-0 victory over Manchester United before registering an assist from the bench at Ipswich Town, whilst Brennan Johnson returned to the starting lineup for that win over The Tractor Boys and bagged a brace to make it 17 goals and assists in all competitions so far this season.
During the 4-1 win at Portman Road, Spurs also welcomed Destiny Udogie back in the XI after injury, allowing Pedro Porro to get some much-needed rest after the Spaniard had played over 1700 minutes since November 22nd.
Fianlly, the squad has some leaders back in, with vice-captain James Maddison and Guglielmo Vicario - who has also sported the armband on numerous occasions throughout the campaign - playing a pivotal role amongst the group.
It's no coincidence that The Lilywhites' form has began to pick up now important players are back, having both an impact in the changing room and on the pitch, allowing those who exerted everything over a two-and-a-half month period to get some well-deserved rest, aiding the team as they enter the business end of the season where they will look to improve their league position and try to end the club's 17-year trophy drought in the UEFA Europa League.
Johnson crucial for Tottenham
With the Welshman arriving back into the side with a bang, Postecoglou was full of praise for the former Nottingham Forest winger, who he stated offered a unique skillset in his team.
“Brennan Johnson is really good for us. We don't really have another front third player like him," said the Spurs boss in Wednesday's pre-match press conference.
Last season, Johnson scored multiple goals from arriving into the box late on and running onto a low cross before finishing, including a 96th-minute winner against Brighton, and it has become a trademark for the speedy winger who has scored various goals in a very similar fashion in what has so far been a stellar campaign for him.
Having arrived from the Midlands in a £50m deal on Deadline Day in the 2023 summer window, he scored five goals and registered ten assists in his maiden season in North London, whilst this term he has already trumped those figures, contributing to 17 goals (14G, 3A).
The way in which he scores is almost unstoppable, with Johnson hanging back and waiting for the perfect moment to pounce unmarked at the back post and find the back of the net, as he did on two separate occasions in the win over Ipswich on Saturday, and Postecoglou absolutely loves what he has to offer.
Another ex-Forest star excelling
Brennan Johnson isn't the only former Reds man who has starred in what has been an inconsistent campaign for Tottenham.
"As I said last week, he's been outstanding, he continues to be outstanding. The challenge for Djed [Spence] is to keep going, not to be satisfied with what he's got now and with the same hunger and attitude that he's taken his opportunity.
"As you said, that's all you can sort of provide is an opportunity, he needs now to make sure that he doesn't look back from that and keeps pushing on, because he's got so still so much I think growth in him and potential. He hasn't really been settled in his career apart from the year at Forest, where he really had some great form, but since then it's been stop-start for him or he's just got to ensure now that now that he's up and running, he keeps going."
Spence filled in at full-back during Spurs' 5-0 win at Southampton - his first Premier League start for the club, despite joining in July 2022, in December and hasn't looked back since, starting every league and Carabao Cup match which he has been available for.