1) The English media always has to have someone, or something, to antagonise. Whether it’s Ashley Cole, Gerrard & Lampard, Sven, McLaren, David Beckham or Glen Johnson…there is always somebody who is lazily portrayed as the cartoon-like, one dimensional villain. It goes on constantly, and it happens whether somebody needs to be antagonised or not.
2) Johnson is labelled as weak defensively, yet he has started the last nine England matches and England have only conceded five goals in the entire qualification campaign. Commentators and tabloid columnists point out how Johnson failed to block a cross in each of the last two matches as though full backs are expected to stop every cross that comes their way, but think about it the other way round - if Aaron Lennon is attacking down England’s right flank, and there are players bursting into the box waiting for a delivery - how let down do you feel when his cross hits the nearest defender? You expect him to get that ball into the box, right? Right. So why is it any different when a Croatian gets the ball past Glen Johnson into the England box? The attacker is expected to beat the defender, yet when Glen Johnson is involvolved, it’s made out as though Johnson should be skipping away with ball at his feet every time. It’s nonsense.
3) Small, negative details - such as Johnson being unable to stop the cross leading up to Croatia’s goal (which would have been largely ignored had it been any other player who failed to stop the cross…and the focus would have been on the mess Terry, Upson and Green made in the box instead) are highlighted to ridiculous lengths. Yet Johnson’s huge contribution to the England team over the last few months is summed up in the short phrase "…but he’s good going forward". That’s right - 6 assists in his last 4 qualifiers can be summed up by begrudgedly stating that he is "good going forward", usually after a whole article ripping him to pieces and proclaiming that he is England’s "weakness". I tell you what - if somebody who has created six goals in his last four matches is a weak link, England must have a bloody good team.
4) Let’s be honest - Johnson was doomed as soon as he signed for Liverpool. An £18m Rafa Benitez signing? And it’s a full back? I can guarantee that every football journalist in the country was gearing themself up to spend the start of the season blasting Johnson and Rafa as the worst people in the football world. Only incredibly good form from Johnson has kept them at bay. But being (arguably) half at fault for a couple of goals England conceded, and they finally have the material to begin their hate campaign. It was always coming, and every little mistake Johnson makes this season will be met with commentators repeating the myth that "He can’t defend…but he’s good going forward!"
Sponges who soak up everything put in front of them by the media as fact will be wondering what the hell I’m going on about. But those of you who, like me, are willing to challenge what’s put in front of them will hopefully see exactly what I’m getting at. Things are not as they seem with Glen Johnson.
Read this articles for more on the subject:
http://www.thisisanfield.com/2009/09/11/right-back-at-you-in-defence-of-glen-johnson/
http://www.thisisanfield.com/2009/09/10/the-seventeen-million-pound-question/
Terry: Clearly I wouldn’t be defending him as furiously as I am now (and I wouldn’t need to, because the reason he’s being targeted is that he’s moved to Liverpool)…but yes, I have been a big fan of Glen’s for the last two or three years. He was on my wish list for Liverpool to sign since January, so yeah, I rate him really highly. And I think he’s actually done absolutely nothing bad enough to warrant him getting kicked out of the side. And who would replace him? Wes Brown? Not for me thanks
Im glad you are passionate about this…but its not worth my time though, but i agree with the general point that the media just BS a lot…