11 | Jeremy Doku - 2023/24

[balotellishaircut]

Grealish is never gonna be an impact player. He is the control that we were missing for 60 mins which helped to turn the game into chaos for no reward from Doku

So you blaming Doku for the defensive chaos ?

 

[PragueBlue]

Not great today but all players have off days. As I said in the pre-match thread, I wouldn't have started hm today but he isn't the reason we failed to win.

 

[ninjamonkey]

Mistake to play him today.
Probably him over Grealish that we had no control of the game

What do you think would have allowed us to control the game better if grealish had started over doku?

My reading of that game and our inability to control the game inside their half as usual was peps instructions to Bernardo and rodri to split and vacate the midfield at every opportunity leaving akanji in there alone which stifled our ability to build through the lines and left a huge hole when we lost it coupled with our defence giving the ball away far too often.

None of that changes if grealish is stood out on the left wing in the first half barely getting the ball just like doku was. If we were supplying doku constantly and he kept losing it resulting in us being exposed on transition then that's a valid point but that wasn't the case. The complete imbalance in central midfield and distribution of our defenders were the reasons we couldn't control the game and ultimately win, not who played left wing.

 

[city warrior]

I am impressed by people saying that Grealish starting would have changed the game. Grealish was on the pitch for more than 40 minutes today. That is enough time to see that we weren't in control either at that moment. Today was more about the tactics of the midfield than whether Grealish started or not.

 

[Stelea]

What do you think would have allowed us to control the game better if grealish had started over doku?

My reading of that game and our inability to control the game inside their half as usual was peps instructions to Bernardo and rodri to split and vacate the midfield at every opportunity leaving akanji in there alone which stifled our ability to build through the lines and left a huge hole when we lost it coupled with our defence giving the ball away far too often.

None of that changes if grealish is stood out on the left wing in the first half barely getting the ball just like doku was. If we were supplying doku constantly and he kept losing it resulting in us being exposed on transition then that's a valid point but that wasn't the case. The complete imbalance in central midfield and distribution of our defenders were the reasons we couldn't control the game and ultimately win, not who played left wing.

Good points well made mate.
I thought as expected Doku would be limited in his contribution, we would lack Grealish’s patience and the ability to win free kicks plus James had the run of Gavdiol and no protection from Doku

 

[samuelyeboah]

we really should have started grealish and brought doku on. Doku got dealt with by reece james, then grealish came on and and james came off. Grealish was very poor whereas i think doku could have had more success against Gusto

 

[ninjamonkey]

Good points well made mate.
I thought as expected Doku would be limited in his contribution, we would lack Grealish’s patience and the ability to win free kicks plus James had the run of Gavdiol and no protection from Doku

Its no reflection on either player. Our deficiencies lay elsewhere deep rooted in our tactical approach, it really didn't matter who was played on the left when that was our gameplan. Could have had a prime Messi out there and made zero difference.

Doku didn't cover James' attacking threat overly well I agree with that but James wasn't really a big influence on the game so i think Doku did an acceptable job defensively even though he can and needs to improve with that. Grealish who I'd generally consider to be better at that side of the game was arguably less effective at covering Gusto when the subs were made who went clean through and should have scored all day and was left in a few dangerous positions.

 

[Stelea]

Its no reflection on either player. Our deficiencies lay elsewhere deep rooted in our tactical approach, it really didn't matter who was played on the left when that was our gameplan. Could have had a prime Messi out there and made zero difference.

Doku didn't cover James' attacking threat overly well I agree with that but James wasn't really a big influence on the game so i think Doku did an acceptable job defensively even though he can and needs to improve with that. Grealish who I'd generally consider to be better at that side of the game was arguably less effective at covering Gusto when the subs were made who went clean through and should have scored all day and was left in a few dangerous positions.

One thing is for sure, Pep has 2 weeks reflection now how to sort things before we come up against a Liverpool team who will be even more dangerous than Chelsea

 

[JTFactsPlz]

I agree but my point is [Grealish ]really didn't bring that control we thought.

The game had already gone to shit. Grealish isn't a miracle worker. If he'd started we wouldn't have gotten into that pickle in the first place.

 

[Alan Harper's Tash]

I am impressed by people saying that Grealish starting would have changed the game. Grealish was on the pitch for more than 40 minutes today. That is enough time to see that we weren't in control either at that moment. Today was more about the tactics of the midfield than whether Grealish started or not.

It’s because we had less control of a game than I can recall for years.

The biggest hole was the lack of Kovacic/Lewis in midfield, but you can see Grealish’s worth in these types of game. Just because he didn’t for a while wasn’t totally his fault, just like it wasn’t totally Doku’s fault today.

Had Alvarez not started, Doku might have won us the game. we’ll never know.