Brennan Johnson’s red-hot form presents Dream Team gaffers with opportunity to perform classic trick

THE maximum amount of strikers you’re allowed in your Dream Team is three… or is it?

You have the choice of three formations – 4-4-2, 4-3-3, 3-4-3 – but there are plenty of players who are not easily categorised when it comes to fixed positions.

These days it’s hard to differentiate between traditional wingers and wide/inside forwards and so some wide players are categorised as midfielders whereas others are lumped into the same bracket as out–and-out strikers such as Erling Haaland (£9.1m), Aleksandar Mitrovic (£4.6m), etc.

It’s generally a good idea to take advantage of this grey area by stacking your midfield with the most attack-minded players possible: Riyad Mahrez (£5.9m), Bukayo Saka (£4.2m) and the like.

And sometimes, a particular set of circumstances allows gaffers to perform a neat trick that allows them to select four genuine strikers, if that’s what they desire.

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At the start of the season, Brennan Johnson (£2.3m) was generously categorised as a midfielder.

The Welshman generally played just off a traditional centre-forward during Nottingham Forest’s promotion campaign and so he was deemed to be a No10 and therefore an attacking midfielder.

In reality, Johnson are predominantly been Forest’s most advanced player this season having either led the line solo or acted as one half of an easily identifiable strike partnership.

In simple terms, Johnson is categorised as a midfielder but he’s very much a forward.

Occasional positional quirks are inevitable; Dream Team bosses may remember when Stuart Dallas switched from left-back to centre-midfield during Leeds’ first season back in the Premier League.

The Northern Ireland international scored eight league goals for Marcelo Bielsa’s enterprising side that campaign, more than Mason Mount, Kevin De Bruyne and Raphinha, all while categorised as a defender.

Halcyon days

Previously, Johnson’s position didn’t really matter because Steve Cooper’s side struggled to string many positive performances together during the first third of the campaign.

However, things are looking up for the two-time European Cup winners.

Forest are undefeated in their last five Premier League games and have fought their way up to 13th in the table, level on points with 12th-placed Crystal Palace.

And Johnson’s improved form has been a key feature of the upsurge.

The 21-year-old has scored five goals and provided two assists in his last 11 games.

On Sunday, his perfectly-executed volley proved to be the difference between Forest and Leeds at City Ground, despite the visitors dominating possession and creating more chances.

Johnson has registered 49 points across the last seven Game Weeks, making him one of Dream Team’s most in-form “midfielders”.

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Forest’s No20 has struck up a telepathic understanding with Morgan Gibbs-White (£2.5m) with the pair essentially responsible for the team’s entire attacking thrust.

Dream Team gaffers desperate to pack their XI with as much attacking intent as possible could give themselves a bonus striker by transferring Johnson (0.8% ownership) into their midfield.

At £2.3m he’s cheap as chips too.