Matt Doherty

[Loki]

To his credit, he came on and won the penalty that got us a draw. Semedo was pretty ineffectual, I thought. Incidentally, were we playing against their reserves by then? They seemed to make loads of substitutions second half.

 

[The Dude]

Don't get me wrong, I'm no Semedo fanboi, I realise his limitations, I just think Doc is a really poor fit for where we are now and at RB I'd choose Semedo over him every time.

Remains to be seen, but the whole Doc out/Semedo in thing has been a total disaster.

Along with other factors it has caused the club to go backwards, from missing out on Europe on GD to being nowhere near since.

 

[Alan]

Doc out/Semedo in is way down the list of “reasons the last two seasons sucked”, if it’s on there at all.

Nelson has been responsible for some really shit goals but no more than Doc was; Semedo’s mistakes perhaps stick in the mind more because unlike Doc he’s actually in the frame to get beaten at all, rather than being caught 20 yards up the pitch and jogging through caramel to “get back”.

 

[The Dude]

I'd like to know what attributes he has now as a right back that make him different to when he struggled to get into our side at championship or league one level.

Can you not recognize his evolution and improvement in the Nuno years?

He more or less doubled his output in goal involvements in the PL rather than EFL, and is one of several players to have benefitted from Nuno's tutelage...

This is playing at WB and not FB though. I just hope JL's system will suit Doc as a WB in a four.

 

[The Dude]

Doc out/Semedo in is way down the list of “reasons the last two seasons sucked”, if it’s on there at all.

Nelson has been responsible for some really shit goals but no more than Doc was; Semedo’s mistakes perhaps stick in the mind more because unlike Doc he’s actually in the frame to get beaten at all, rather than being caught 20 yards up the pitch and jogging through caramel to “get back”.

At least Doc's shortfalls in defence have been somewhat negated by his contribution further forward. Semedo has been at best an average fullback but offers next to nothing going forward.

 

[Wolf Hunting]

This is playing at WB and not FB though. I just hope JL's system will suit Doc as a WB in a four.

In the programme, it states that he'll be 'competing against Semedo for a starting berth'.
He also states that, 'Ive grown as a player, in my confidence, physicality and tactically.'
So just watch this space...

 

[Kenny]

So just watch this space...

as the opposing winger runs into it whilst being watched by the static RB?

 

[Sniffer]

Can you not recognize his evolution and improvement in the Nuno years?

He more or less doubled his output in goal involvements in the PL rather than EFL, and is one of several players to have benefitted from Nuno's tutelage...

This is playing at WB and not FB though. I just hope JL's system will suit Doc as a WB in a four.

He was excellent for us in the Nuno years but as you say that was as wing back and quite a niche one at that. We don't have wing backs anymore and he's not a competent Premier League full back. Is he quicker now and is he a better defender?

 

[Derby Wolf]

Remains to be seen, but the whole Doc out/Semedo in thing has been a total disaster.

Along with other factors it has caused the club to go backwards, from missing out on Europe on GD to being nowhere near since.

Of course it wouldn't have come down to GD if Doc didn't throw his hands up like he just didn't care away at Burnley

 

[The Dude]

He was excellent for us in the Nuno years but as you say that was as wing back and quite a niche one at that. We don't have wing backs anymore and he's not a competent Premier League full back. Is he quicker now and is he a better defender?

If you look at JL's time at Sevilla, yes he played four at the back but wide defenders were very much deployed at WB. It was nothing like a flat back four.

 

[The Dude]

Of course it wouldn't have come down to GD if Doc didn't throw his hands up like he just didn't care away at Burnley

The only man in the World that considered that a penalty was Mike Dean.

Yes, Doc gave him a decision to make, no one else would come to that conclusion though.

 

[WsWolf]

If you look at JL's time at Sevilla, yes he played four at the back but wide defenders were very much deployed at WB. It was nothing like a flat back four.

They were also expected to cross the ball, Doherty can't cross.

 

[Jack Regan]

I'm beginning to think "the dude" is Matt Doherty and I for one do not abide.

 

[The Dude]

They were also expected to cross the ball, Doherty can't cross.

Yet still has 17 PL assists. How's Semedo's crossing?

 

[WsWolf]

Yet still has 17 PL assists. How's Semedo's crossing?

2 of them are from direct crosses. Sounds fantastic.

 

[Alan]

At least Doc's shortfalls in defence have been somewhat negated by his contribution further forward. Semedo has been at best an average fullback but offers next to nothing going forward.

I like Nelson enough to blame a large chunk of his ineffectiveness in attack over the last two seasons on the crap wingers he's dealt with in front of him. IMO Semedo improved immeasurably in possession whilst Nunes was playing wide right. As ever, partnerships are a crucial and underrated part of player success.

Of course, we can't rightly ignore that Semedo is still haunted by the ghost of Phonsie Davies, and if he gets skinned in the first ten minutes of a match you may as well sub him off then and there.

 

[Alan]

2 of them are from direct crosses. Sounds fantastic.

In fairness to Doc, scoring from crosses has not really been a focus for the team since returning to the Prem. Particularly under Lage we seemed obsessed with walking the ball into the net (or trying to, badly).

 

[The Dude]

2 of them are from direct crosses. Sounds fantastic.

I'm not comparing him to prime Roberto Carlos, I'm comparing him to Nelson Semedo.

You're right though, it's not fantastic and neither is the current situation. I do think there's a good chance Doc will be more effective than Semedo though.

 

[Paddingtonwolf]

He is a defender. He needs to be more effective in the keeping the ball out of our net bit. Going forward is window dressing.

 

[WsWolf]

I'm not comparing him to prime Roberto Carlos, I'm comparing him to Nelson Semedo.

You're right though, it's not fantastic and neither is the current situation. I do think there's a good chance Doc will be more effective than Semedo though.

Effective at what? Defending, no. Progressive dribbling, no. Crossing, no (though Semedo is hardly TAA himself)

He'll probably get more goals, Doherty does make some excellent off ball runs around the box and times them well. However, he's not an attacking midfielder he's a right back so that's not really something I'd have on my list of skills wanted.