It's not what you need just days ahead of a European final, your top scorer left crumpled on the floor and limping heavily after an accident in training.
In keeping with Tottenham's season that's exactly what happened to Brennan Johnson last week on the pitches at Hotspur Way. During a small-sided passing game, Sergio Reguilon rushed towards the Wales international to offer himself as an option for a pass only to slip on the grass.
The Spaniard tumbled into Johnson, catching him painfully on the foot and the 23-year-old was left on the floor in plenty of pain. Reguilon was teased by the other players, one shouting 'red card Reggy' but it was no laughing matter initially for Johnson, who was limping heavily for a few minutes, constantly reaching for his foot.
He eventually got back into the session and shook it off before football.london caught up with him shortly after training had come to a close and asked him about a moment that even Ange Postecoglou had referred to in his press conference.
"No problems…it was a bit sore at the time but no worries there," said Johnson, looking down at his foot. The Spurs man has the numbers 40-20 tattooed on his leg, the former his first shirt number at Nottingham Forest and the latter his one at Lincoln, where he went on loan.
So with the Europa League final against Manchester United in Bilbao almost upon us, is there any worry in training sessions of an injury that might rule players out of such a huge game in their careers?
"No. I feel like when you start thinking about that … in my head, it feels like it can happen. So no. It’s about training strong, still being aggressive. Obviously, to a degree. Yeah, doing everything right because we don’t want to take it easy," he said.
The Johnson family has football pedigree with Brennan's father David a renowned striker at the top level, having played for Forest and Ipswich and coming through at United..
"Just a normal relationship," Johnson said of his football chats with his father." Always advice that’s been given but nothing crazy. My dad obviously speaks to me a lot, or we speak a lot before games, after games. I’m sure it won’t be anything too much just for the final. Just wishing me good luck and that’s it.
"I think he obviously liked Manchester United because he grew up round that area and played for them but definitely not now! He’s on Spurs’ side!"
Johnson Jr has been Tottenham's star man in front of goal this season with 17 goals to his name thanks to plenty of clinical finishes from the right flank, whether timing a run perfectly to the back post or latching on to balls through the middle. The Wales international puts it all down to one thing.
"Hard work, I think. It’s easy when things aren’t going well to come up with excuses but for me it was just about trying to nail down the stuff that I could do. Put myself in a position to score," he said. "So, a lot of work, a bit of luck when you get into those positions but just trying to train as hard as I can and be in the position.
"It’s just knowing who I am playing with, knowing the type of crosses I am going to get. Almost studying other players in the team, seeing what they like to do, what type of crosses and trying to be in the right position because I feel like previously I wasn’t, so this season I made it clear that I had to be in the right positions to try and score."
Johnson explained that his free scoring and his positional play is something Postecoglou makes it clear he must provide to the team.
"It's a demand that he puts on us to be at the back post. I think last season there were a few instances where I wasn’t in the right position and he gets frustrated because people think it’s a tap in but if you’re not there then it goes out for a throw-in so he’s made it clear that he wants us to be at the back post," he said. "It seems an easy goal but it’s all about being there and being in the position to arrive."
Johnson netted such a goal against Manchester United at Old Trafford this season, following a surging Micky van de Ven run. While Spurs have beaten Wednesday's opponents in Spain three times already this season, Johnson believes that each time has been through different tactics and the game in Bilbao will require another big and different performance.
"I think we know, going into the final, we can’t rely on the fact that we’ve beaten them a few times this season," he said. "I think it’s about now coming up with a plan because each time we’ve beaten them has been down to different reasons.
"I feel like we’ve done good work preparing for Man United so now it’s about coming up with how we want to win, things we want to do, things we want to stop them from doing so it’s a new opportunity. We want to prepare and be as confident as we can."
Postecoglou has constantly told this group of Tottenham players that they will be the ones to end the club's 17-year wait for a trophy and 41 for a European one. It has been the Europa League run that has sustained a unity within the squad despite the struggles in the Premier League.
"It’s been a real positive drive for us. This competition … when times have been tough and we’ve had to go to some tough places in Europe and we’ve got some really good results, it brings the squad together a massive amount," explained Johnson.
"So the quarter-final, the semi-final … these games have been massive for us. Unbelievable victories, real togetherness. And yeah, it just makes us stronger and more together."
Now Spurs will have to show one final display of togetherness if they are to write their names into the club's history books forever.
