Matt Doherty @ Atletico Madrid

[RikkiRocket]

The reason we got MD was cos Jose mate Mendes wanted to make some cash. Lots of incoming and outgoing and lots of you lauded the relationship btw Jose and Mendes. Not laughing now. Docherty is a dud. Thanks.

 

[SUIYHA]

Next summer I would sell Aurier and go and get Lamptey to compete with Doherty

If he's available at a price we can afford then this is the most logical thing to do. Would never have gotten him straight from Chelsea, but it's clear he's got huge potential and tbh already looks like a far better player than either of our RB options.

People have talked about this supposedly massive improvement in Aurier - he had a good game against Man Utd but the reality is he's far from being a top class RB and Doherty hasn't really been any better. If there's any chance we can get Lamptey after a year or two's worth of experience in the PL then that would be perfect. Sadly though - I reckon City will see him as a long term successor to Walker and blow us out of the water financially with a bid.

 

[Dirtysanchez6]

Honestly thought he would be a lot better than this! Right back going to continue to be a problem area, need to get lamptey or Aaron’s next summer

 

[Strikeb4ck]

I don't think he was that bad today. We've clearly instructed the fullbacks to stay disciplined and limit the charges forward when we have the lead. We had the lead for the majority of the match so he didn't go forward much. He was solid defensively.

Players are often a byproduct of systems. Lamptey plays for us today and Doherty for Brighton and I guarantee Doherty stands out more. A wingback in a team that dominates possession is always going to look like the shinier object compared to a fullback who is defending deep.

 

[fortworthspur]

Early day yet but I thought he was supposed to be a quality highly experienced player. We badly miss Aurier atm

words i hoped never to hear.

 

[GutBucket]

He will be more useful in back 3 formation or with Davies sitting deeper and him getting licence to bomb forward. Although Davies was great in one game where he played as WB and in current form I believe he would do a better job than Doherty in that role. Doherty still needs to adapt to new tactics, new team but he also needs to play smarter.

 

[Jimmypearce7]

He has been consistently poor, including yesterday but he has years of experience and has played consistently well. I am sure in that time he played lots of games at right back prior to Wolves moving to the wing back system. I have complete confidence he will be very good for us.

 

[wrd]

I think the problem with Doherty is that he had very specific qualities and now we are not setting up in any way shape or form to take advantage of those qualities. So we're going to have to wait and hope he adapts to his new role but frankly I can see Aurier rising to the occasion and elevating his game to make the spot his.

 

[Haddock]

I thought he had a bit more attacking freedom in the first matches of the season and he looked much more comfortable in those matches. He had some really good combinations with Kane and he was inches away from scoring as well.

He isn't the type of wing back that constantly puts pressure on the opponents by hugging the line. But if he's given space, his link-up play and intelligence on and off the ball are a definitive upgrade on what we had.

 

[DJS]

Still not convinced to be honest.

And when you see Reguilòn on other side you can see just what a top class attacking full back looks like.

He doesn’t seem very fast either.

Might be another new right back jobbie next summer, but you can’t win them all I guess...

 

[bubble07]

I'm concerned with his form but he excelled with wolves in a different position with great movement and one twos you only get with time

 

[bubble07]

Not sure what I’m missing. I think he’s been fine. Don’t think Mourinho wanted him bombing forward today.

But I'm sure he also didnt want him to let attackers run past him

 

[Timberwolf]

Ally Gold sums up the whole Doherty situation really well in his latest article:

On the right, Doherty struggled to make much of an impact going forward during the game, although his defending, particularly late on, was more than adequate.

The Irishman's problem, as strange as it might seem, is Reguilon.

Bought before the season began, the plan was for Doherty to be a more potent version of Serge Aurier, playing in that advanced right-back role the Ivorian enjoyed last season as practically a wing-back due to Ben Davies tucking in on the other side.

Then Spurs got wind that they actually stood a chance of bringing in Reguilon, a top drawer player admired by both Mourinho and those within the club.

When they got their man that in turn changed the dynamic for Doherty. With the flying Spaniard becoming the first choice on the left and very much a wide man, that meant the idea of a back three in possession went out of the window.

That has forced Doherty to learn to become a right-back again rather than a wing-back, something he admitted was a very different, tougher role to the one he'd been flourishing in for Wolves.

It's going to take a bit of time for him to adjust and re-learn when to attack and when not to, but he's still very early into his Tottenham career after 10 years at one club and that adjustment will come.


Personally I'm less optimistic. I think Doherty was a bit of a weird signing in the first place and was borne of Jose's desire for us to have to replicate the tall, physical, attacking RB role that Ivanovic provided for his title-winning Chelsea side, with Davies filling the role of the reliable, defensive-minded Azipilicueta on the other side. Now that Reguilon is clearly un-droppable Doherty is the odd man out.

I think he might prove to be a useful squad option but long term it's clear as day that we still need to bring in another more well rounded RB next summer once we move on Aurier. Hope I'm wrong but I just don't see how Doherty will ever excel at the role we're asking him to do.

 

[DEFchenkOE]

I'm just surprised that we was actually intending on using that one dimensional lopsided back 4 as a "plan A" moving forward.

 

[spursfan77]

I'm just surprised that we was actually intending on using that one dimensional lopsided back 4 as a "plan A" moving forward.

yep, I’ve never been a fan. Too easy for good teams to plan against.

 

[Shadydan]

Ally Gold sums up the whole Doherty situation really well in his latest article:

On the right, Doherty struggled to make much of an impact going forward during the game, although his defending, particularly late on, was more than adequate.

The Irishman's problem, as strange as it might seem, is Reguilon.

Bought before the season began, the plan was for Doherty to be a more potent version of Serge Aurier, playing in that advanced right-back role the Ivorian enjoyed last season as practically a wing-back due to Ben Davies tucking in on the other side.

Then Spurs got wind that they actually stood a chance of bringing in Reguilon, a top drawer player admired by both Mourinho and those within the club.

When they got their man that in turn changed the dynamic for Doherty. With the flying Spaniard becoming the first choice on the left and very much a wide man, that meant the idea of a back three in possession went out of the window.

That has forced Doherty to learn to become a right-back again rather than a wing-back, something he admitted was a very different, tougher role to the one he'd been flourishing in for Wolves.

It's going to take a bit of time for him to adjust and re-learn when to attack and when not to, but he's still very early into his Tottenham career after 10 years at one club and that adjustment will come.


Personally I'm less optimistic. I think Doherty was a bit of a weird signing in the first place and was borne of Jose's desire for us to have to replicate the tall, physical, attacking RB role that Ivanovic provided for his title-winning Chelsea side, with Davies filling the role of the reliable, defensive-minded Azipilicueta on the other side. Now that Reguilon is clearly un-droppable Doherty is the odd man out.

I think he might prove to be a useful squad option but long term it's clear as day that we still need to bring in another more well rounded RB next summer once we move on Aurier. Hope I'm wrong but I just don't see how Doherty will ever excel at the role we're asking him to do.

Any reason why he just can't inverse it and have Reguilon as the LWB?

 

[tiger666]

Any reason why he just can't inverse it and have Reguilon as the LWB?

Left side attacking, right side defending? Doherty doesn't fill me with confidence defending.

 

[Shadydan]

Left side attacking, right side defending? Doherty doesn't fill me with confidence defending.

I'd prefer Tanganga once he's fit.

 

[Timberwolf]

Any reason why he just can't inverse it and have Reguilon as the LWB?

I think that's essentially what we're doing at the moment as Doherty isn't getting forward half as much as he did against, say, Everton.

Problem is we bought Doherty for his attacking ability - he's nothing special defensively.

 

[Everlasting Seconds]

Of course either side CAN have the attacking and the defending FB. That's fine. The issue is that ATM, we've got Davies, Reguilon, Aurier & Doherty, so we really only have one FB who's better at defending than at attacking. Hence when Davies doesn't play FB, we are playing with two FBs who both are better at attacking in a system that is set up to have one FB of each trait.