OPINION
Imagine being 19 years old and having to square up to Riyad Mahrez at the Etihad for your Premier League debut. Ben Johnson faced exactly that task on Wednesday evening when he was drafted in to cover for the injured Aaron Cresswell. To be fair to the youngster, he did brilliantly. From the outset, the Hammers were pinned in by a rampaging City side, but he never looked out of his depth and impressed throughout. He may not have finished the full 90, and the Irons couldn’t hold out against the champions forever, but nonetheless, he made a fine impression on his senior debut. He was athletic and intelligent in his positioning, and while he may still have a lot to learn, the signs are promising. Aaron Cresswell is unreliable due to injury, Arthur Masuaku is very much out of favour, and Pablo Zabaleta is approaching the end of his career. If Johnson can build on the foundations that he has laid tonight and really push on, there is no reason why he can’t establish himself in the first team in the same way that Declan Rice has over the past few months. It’s early days, but he’s made a very good start to life at the top.
Forever West Ham have gathered some of the best tweets below:
https://twitter.com/louis_warwick/status/1100868925087207424
Thought Ben Johnson done decent tonight thrown in at the deep end against the best team in the country hope he gets another opportunity in his natural position soon ⚒
— will earle (@willearle_) February 27, 2019
https://twitter.com/AngelicUpstarta/status/1100866635802521600
https://twitter.com/WestHam_Central/status/1100862496523591680
Ben Johnson coming in completely out of the blue reminds me of what happened with Rice last season. Have never even heard him mentioned until tonight, I like it.
— Tucks✌⚒ (@tucks_95) February 27, 2019
https://twitter.com/imran484_khan/status/1100859829835497477
Ben Johnson had a solid debut
— J (@JayWHU) February 27, 2019
