Dele Alli was actually brilliant and Matt Doherty is a standing joke – this is what snatching quotes from random folks from on Twitter does for you. If you’re seeking a balanced view, then you come here.
The truth is that bar the one moment where Stoke surged forward and hit us on the break, Doherty had an outstanding game!
Here’s the snapshot, the at a glance. The ‘reliability’ factor. Matty’s mean average is 66%. last night he hit 77%.
Again, the Irishman made so few inaccurate passes, that he bettered his mean average of 82.4% with 84%.
Aerial duels was another discipline in which the Irishman excelled.
The list of things that Doherty got right against Stoke eclipses one action where his positional play was poor, for some, that’s a complicated business.
What Little Confidence Doherty had has been sucked out of him . He looks Lost and out of his depth .
Aurier always has a potential penalty in him and in EVERY game. He always has at least ONE rush of blood and does something absolutely stupid in each game. If he have ambition he is not good enough and like Sanchez should be replaced. Addendum..Bergwin(?) is not a forward who will score regularly and IMO should be tested as a midfielder as he is energetic and has a good work ethic and could slot in next to PEH/Sissoko and give one of them a break IMO
Reggie is easily our best full back. Aurier next.. Docherty and Davies are fine back ups… I would like an upgrade on Davies, but this is probably too harsh. He played well yesterday after some really shaky ropey league performances.
Doherty will be fine. It really is tough being a defender or goalkeeper. One bad game, or just one or two mistakes can cost… We don’t pounce on Kane or Son when they miss multiple chances in a game..
I was not really aware of Docherty at Wolves but the consensus was that he was a good purchase and that he was strong, fit, and had pace. Unfortunately, I have seen little evidence of that and to me, he looks like he is lacking self-belief at the moment. As he appears unwilling to take on any responsibility with the ball. I would give him more time and with Aurier as the other RB I feel that Tanganga is possibly a good option at RB.
Agree about the stats misleading here. Think he improved 2nd half (other than iffy positioning for equaliser) but 1st half I was screaming at his total ineptitude at times. One of my favourite non-Spurs players before joining so had high hopes for him but at the moment I’d prefer the risk of the occasional Aurier brain fart. Hope it’s just rustiness and recent self-isolation or still adjusting to new system.
Thanks H.
This is fair.
Unfortunately the most notable thing about a defender’s performance, in the eyes of the spectator/viewer, are goals conceded due to defensive errors. Film replay of the goal conceded shows that Doherty’s marking was horrible, caught ball-watching and on the wrong side of his man.
Now to be honest, Dier in the other full back position, Sanchez with his non-challenge on the cross and Hugo at the near post, hardly covered themselves in glory either. It was a horrible concatenation of defensive ineptitude, in which, ironically, Dele’s infamous ‘flick’ played no part!
In truth, since his transfer, Doherty has been underwhelming. It may be a classic case of a player from a smaller club struggling to come to terms with a large transfer fee and with playing for a much more high profile team. He also mainly has not been playing in the wing-back position where he excelled for Wolves, although he did for much of last night.
Notwithstanding, it’s pleasing to see the other positive stats, but until or unless he performs the most critical function of a defender, without blemish, namely to not give away silly goals through defensive errors, then it is unlikely that he will receive widespread acclaim, even if his other contributions might warrant it.
To be honest, I think Davies always comes off the bench and does his best. The stats don’t lie, what they do provide is the cold truth. Reggie cannot play every game.
‘match sharpness’
I’d say watch the way Reggie breaks and how he links up with our forwards, plays one twos and receives/controls the ball at pace and then watch Doherty – still a long way to go for him to match that level.
Probably a confidence and math sharpness thing because he’s shown he can be a similar type of player for Wolves, attacking is supposed to be his strength.
Stats can lie in so far as Doherty didn’t let us down and I won’t deny that, he made the passes sure, but it wasn’t smooth/pretty a lot of the time. If you make the pass but take twice as long as you should have the stats won’t show that – or at least completed pass stats won’t.
He has another couple of gears he can go up – hopefully with more minutes. Game on between him and Aurier for the starting berth now though.