He’s a been solid figure in the backline and will now link up with his former manager Nuno Espirito Santo at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium as the Portuguese joined the full-back in making the journey to north London. Spurs were frustrated in their attempts to hire a replacement for Jose Mourinho, failing to land a number of candidates before Nuno accepted the post. If you’re looking to predict the Premiership, Tottenham are far from title contenders after taking a step back last season, but there could be interest in their odds and hopes for a top-four finish if they regain their form that dipped under Mourinho.

The next two years are crucial for the development of the team, and notably for Doherty as he seeks to establish himself as one of the leading full-backs in the top flight. Doherty will have watched with envy as many of his teammates, including Harry Kane and Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg, competed into the latter stages of the Euro 2020. He will be hopeful, along with the rest of Ireland, that Stephen Kenny and his men will be competing in the next major tournament at the 2022 World Cup.

Doherty could even be the face of the Ireland team entering the competition if they are able to turn their fortunes around. The 29-year-old played the best football of his career under Nuno at Wolves, impressing at the back with his resilience, but also his ability to drive forward down the right flank, scoring goals and creating opportunities for his teammates. That prowess was checked by the style of Mourinho, and although Nuno does share a lot of tactical similarities with his compatriot, Doherty certainly loved playing under the Portuguese at Molineux.

Spurs were too reliant on the form of Kane and Son Heung-Min last season. The modern way of playing has seen the rise of the wing-back, as evidenced by the performances from the likes of Luke Shaw, Joakim Maehle, and Leonardo Spinazzola during the Euros. Doherty will be relishing the prospect of emulating their performances in the Premier League, should Nuno release the shackles on Tottenham next term.

Doherty will be out to cement his place in the Ireland rearguard and perhaps emerge as a potential leader for his country in the mould of Andy Robertson for Scotland. Seamus Coleman currently holds the armband, but his fitness problems have been longstanding.

Kenny may be on the lookout for a new man to take his team forward and turn around their World Cup qualifying campaign. If he becomes a standout at the top of the Premier League with Spurs, there could be no better candidate than Doherty. It will be fascinating to watch a potential resurgence for the wing-back under Nuno.

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Tottenham took on Wolfsberger AC tonight in a bid to secure their qualification into the Europa League round of 16.

The North London club won the first leg 4-1 and they managed to produce a similarly impressive performance this tonight, winning 4-0 to comfortably qualify for the next round.

Dele Alli stole the show on the night as he scored the opening goal with an extraordinary overhead kick.

Irish international Matt Doherty provided the assist but Dele Alli did all the work. He controlled Doherty’s low cross with an upwards touch before unleashing a superb overhead kick from just inside the area to make it 1-0.

Dele Alli has endured a rough few months at Tottenham, struggling to retain his place in the first team having initially been brilliant when Jose Mourinho took over. This has led to some questioning the nature of the relationship between the two.

His performance tonight, however, should propel him into the first team picture yet again, having also provided 2 assists in the game.

Tottenham’s next game comes against Burnley on Sunday, could Dele Alli start a rare Premier League game this season?

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Matt Doherty’s performance against Wolfsberger AC in the Europa League round of 32 has earned himself a place in the team of the week. The Spurs right-back put in a solid performance as his team ran out 4-1 winners, assisting a goal in the process.

Up to now, Doherty has struggled for game time in the Premier League with Tottenham, instead being forced to settle for appearances in cup competitions.

Although the quality of opposition yesterday certainly wasn’t Premier League standard, Doherty’s performance will no doubt have impressed José Mourinho. Will it be enough to make the right-back spot his own, though?

The only other natural right-back at Spurs is Serge Aurier. However, his defensive inconsistency has casted doubts about his ability to firmly establish himself as a regular starter.

Japhet Tanganga is another option in the position. However, he primarily plays as a centre-back and also has very little experience at Premier League level.

Doherty could also do with a run of games to cement his position in the Ireland set-up. He struggled to find a place in the team when he was playing regularly – and very well – for Wolves, so his prospects of starting at the minute look slim, especially with Séamus Coleman fit and playing football.

Ireland begin their World Cup qualification campaign on the 24th of March against Serbia. European giants Portugal are also included in Ireland’s group.

This week’s star performers

Strongest area of the pitch? @FedExEurope | #UELTOTW | #UELFPZ | #UEL

— UEFA Europa League (@EuropaLeague) FEBRUARY 19, 2021

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The FAI have confirmed that Matt Doherty and James McClean have tested positive for Covid-19. This comes just one day after they started against Wales. “The rest and the staff and squad tested negative ahead of the flight back to Dublin this morning”, the FAI announced earlier today.

The exclusion of Doherty and McClean only adds to the growing list of Ireland absentees. There’s now an unprecedented number of players unavailable for Wednesday’s fixture and relegation decider against Bulgaria.

Jeff Hendrick and Jayson Molumby are suspended for the match as a result of their bookings on Tuesday. Alan Browne and Callum Robinson previously tested positive for Covid-19, meaning they’ll miss out. Injuries have also ruled a handful of players out including; Enda Stevens, Aaron Connolly, Séamus Coleman, John Egan, Adam Idah and Harry Arter. James McCarthy also withdrew from the squad due to personal issues.

Stephen Kenny will now have to work with an even more depleted squad as he looks to gather his first win as Ireland boss.

Ireland squad against Bulgaria:

Goalkeepers: Darren Randolph (West Ham United), Caoimhín Kelleher (Liverpool), Mark Travers (AFC Bournemouth)

Defenders: Kevin Long (Burnley), Shane Duffy (Celtic, on loan from Brighton & Hove Albion), Dara O’Shea (West Bromwich Albion), Cyrus Christie (Nottingham Forest, on loan from Fulham), Ciaran Clark (Newcastle United), Darragh Lenihan (Blackburn Rovers), Ryan Manning (Swansea City).

Midfielders: Conor Hourihane (Aston Villa), Robbie Brady (Burnley), Jack Byrne (Shamrock Rovers), Jason Knight (Derby County), Josh Cullen (Anderlecht), Aaron McEneff (Shamrock Rovers), Jack Taylor (Peterborough United).

Attackers: Graham Burke (Shamrock Rovers, on loan from Preston North End), James Collins (Luton Town), Ronan Curtis (Portsmouth), Callum O’Dowda (Bristol City), Daryl Horgan (Wycombe Wanderers), Sean Maguire (Preston North End), Troy Parrott (Millwall, on loan from Tottenham Hotspur).

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Enda Stevens will miss the Republic of Ireland’s fixtures against England, Wales and Bulgaria. The full-back was assessed by the Ireland medical team and deemed unfit to play. Stevens featured for the full 90 minutes as Sheffield United lost 4-1 to Chelsea on Saturday evening. Recently retired David McGoldrick scored Sheffield United’s only goal with a clever finish.

Elsewhere in the league, Robbie Brady, Jeff Hendrick, Seamus Coleman, Dara O’Shea and Callum Robinson all started for their respective clubs. A timely increase in playing time for several key players as we head into this week’s fixtures.

Likewise, Matt Doherty started as Spurs grabbed a late winner against West Brom at The Hawthorns. His perfectly-weighted cross was met by the head of Harry Kane, clinching the victory for Spurs and taking them up to second in the league. With Stevens out injured, it is possible that both Coleman and Doherty will start against England on Thursday.

@HKane's 150th @premierleague goal came at the 𝗣𝗘𝗥𝗙𝗘𝗖𝗧 time! #THFC #COYS pic.twitter.com/QFhlDSEVdh

— Tottenham Hotspur (@SpursOfficial) November 8, 2020

Championship

In the Championship, Nottingham Forrest’s Cyrus Christie set up Lyle Taylor for his first as they beat Daryl Horgan’s Wycombe Wanderers. Christie will replace Enda Stevens in the Ireland squad.

Blackburn Rovers’ captain Darragh Lenihan also grabbed an assist in their win over Queens Park Rangers. The centre-back will be aiming to fight his way back into Stephen Kenny’s plans having missed out on the squad this time round.

Another player who will be looking to regain their spot in the Ireland camp is striker Scott Hogan. After an impressive start to 2020, Hogan finally scored his first of the new season as Birmingham City defeated Bournemouth 3-1.

FA Cup

Lincoln City striker Anthony Scully was called up by Jim Crawford for the U-21 squad’s upcoming EURO 2021 qualifying fixtures. He scored a brace in Lincoln’s 6-2 thrashing of Forest Green Rovers.

Jack Taylor made it three in three, scoring yet again as Peterborough United knocked out Oxford United. This follows a superb long-range effort against Bristol Rovers in the league. The U-21 midfielder returns for international duty as Crawford’s side face two crucial games against Iceland and Luxembourg.

Fireworks night came early for Peterborough with these two crackers from Jack Taylor and Dan Butler!

@jackootaylor @Danielbutler26
@theposhofficial #PUSB pic.twitter.com/7ajmvf3FBO

— Sporting Life (@SportingLife) November 4, 2020

Ronan Curtis opened the scoring for Portsmouth with a free kick finish against Ipswich Town. The winger retains his place in the Ireland squad after making an appearance in last month’s game against Finland.

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It’s not been an easy ride for Stephen Kenny so far. Still to manage a win, Kenny’s Ireland record as it stands includes three draws and one loss. Injuries, suspensions and other factors haven’t done any favours for the Ireland manager in what has been a substandard start to his managerial reign. He has shown signs of promise, with impressive performances – despite the results – against both Slovakia and Wales.

Kenny will be hoping he can turn those performances into results by ending his winless run with a win against Finland in Helsinki today. However, it will be no easy challenge as Kenny’s side suffered a 1-0 loss against Finland in what was his first game in charge. Finland also won their previous Nations League match against Bulgaria so their camp will be full of confidence going into today’s game.

Finland find themselves in 2^nd on six points while Ireland are 3^rd with just two points to their name. Promotion from league B to league A looks unlikely at this stage for the Republic of Ireland, but good results in their final three group games would mean not getting dragged into a relegation battle. Finland are still very much in the promotion picture. A win against the Finns could be the catalyst Ireland need to finish off the Nations League campaign early.

Tomorrow | #COYBIG | #FINIRL pic.twitter.com/UbXLNiS9v4

— FAIreland (@FAIreland) OCTOBER 13, 2020 

Both teams play a similar style of football, pressing high up the pitch and playing high tempo passing football so it should be an entertaining watch, for the neutral at least.

Here is all the information you need to know about today’s fixture:

Team News

Ireland

Ireland are going into this match with an entirely different squad than what was announced initially. Between injuries and illness, Ireland can count themselves unlucky to be in the position they currently find themselves in. Several key players are missing from the squad – including Seamus Coleman, David McGoldrick and John Egan. Kenny was however handed a significant boost earlier this week as Adam Idah and Aaron Connolly were both passed fit to play, having been previously unavailable due to coronavirus concerns.

Ireland may need to rely on some of their young talent, something which Kenny’s predecessors have often failed to do. The average age of the Ireland squad available for selection is 25.5 years. This is much younger than it has been in the past. Irish fans will be hoping youth trumps experience as just four players in the squad have upwards of twenty caps.

Suspensions: James McClean

Injuries: James McCarthy + another unnamed player (covid-19)

Predicted line-up:

Finland

Finland, unlike Ireland, should have a full squad available. There are no significant injuries or suspensions within the Finland camp, meaning they’ll be at full strength come this evening.

Daniel O’Shaughnessy will be hoping to start against his ancestral homeland for the second time, having previously played Ireland earlier in the Nations League campaign. His father hails from Galway given his Irish sounding name but he’s a proud Finn, having represented his country from u15 level onwards. Another player Ireland will have to keep an eye on is Teemu Pukki, who will likely start up top for Finland.

Suspensions: None

Injuries: None

Predicated line-up:

Finland vs. Ireland Prediction

Like the first encounter between the two nations, this will likely be a hard-fought affair. Finland will probably fancy their chances given the outcome of the previous game but Ireland will be no pushovers, they’ll be desperate to turn their fortunes around after a miserable campaign so far.

Finland are in better form than Ireland having won four of their last six competitive game – including a 1-0 victory over the aforementioned opponents – but Kenny appears to be finding his feet with performances improving game by game. There have been considerable improvements made since the first meeting between the two sides and Irish fans will be hoping for a much better performance than last time.

Our prediction for the game is:

Ireland 1 – 0 Finland

For those looking for further information:

Where is the match being played?

The match is being played in Finland’s home ground, the Helsinki Olympic stadium. This will be the Republic of Ireland’s third time visiting the stadium, having previously played there in 1949 and 2002.

When is the match being played?

It is being played on the 14^th of October. The match will kick off at 5 p.m. Irish standard time.

Is it being televised?

Sky Sports Main Event & Sky Sports Football will have coverage of the event. The match will not be free to air on Irish television. Virgin Media Two will have highlights of the match at 10 p.m. with full coverage of the match to follow at 11 p.m.

Viewers in the United States can also catch the game on ESPN+.

Where can the match be streamed?

Viewers can also stream the match through NOW TV’s Sky Sports Pass. The service can be purchased for one day for €11 or customers can purchase a month pass for €37.

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Stephen Kenny’s reign had not gone to plan prior to facing Wales. Having failed to pick up a win against Finland, Bulgaria and Slovakia, some Irish fans had begun doubting his credentials already.  Kenny was afforded no favours after no less than 5 players were sidelined due to a positive test in the Irish camp. Combine this with the other 4 players out of contention and Ireland would have a matchday squad of just 18 players. The circumstances surrounding the Ireland camp and Aaron Ramsey’s return meant that Wales were the firm bookies favourite. Despite this, Ireland produced an impressive performance in which they controlled possession and produced some tidy attacking moves.

Although it was 0-0, it wasn’t a drab affair. Both teams played good football at times without creating too many chances. Stephen Kenny will no doubt be pleased by the performance, especially given the circumstances surrounding the match.

As things stand, Kenny’s men are currently third in the Nations League table, but a win for Bulgaria against Finland would push Ireland to the bottom of the table. The campaign is far from over with three further games still yet to be played, though. It looks like Wales will finish as group winners, but Ireland could still finish in a respectable position given results go their way. They will be hoping to close out the international break with a win against Finland on Wednesday.

Here are our player ratings from tonight’s performance:

IRISH PLAYER RATINGS

DARREN RANDOLPH – 7

Randolph produced a solid display as usual. He was stagnant for the most part as Ireland contained Wales and kept possession comfortably, but when he was needed, he delivered.

He produced a good save on 26 minutes to keep the score at 0-0 but otherwise had very little to do in the first half. He had Irish fans holding their breath at one stage as he dropped the ball after collecting from a corner. Fortunately though, he received a free kick after a collision with Ethan Ampadu. He had little to do in the second half as Ireland continued to control the flow of the game, only making one save from a David Brooks attempt.

MATT DOHERTY – 8

Doherty slotted in at right back to start the game, but just after 20 minutes he would assume the unfamiliar role of centre back. He made a couple positive runs without reward before he was forced into changing position.

He led by example at centre back despite not being natural in the position. He made some important challenges to regain possession and his positional play was up to the mark as he held a good line with the rest of the back four. He swept up several opposition passes and disrupted Welsh attacking moves with ease.

This was arguably Doherty’s best performance in an Ireland shirt and he will have certainly impressed Stephen Kenny after a poor showing against Slovakia.

SHANE DUFFY – 7

Duffy produced another good display at the back which has become the norm over recent years. He consistently provided a problem at set pieces in the first half as he looked to latch onto Robbie Brady’s deliveries.

He was reassured defensively throughout. He made a crucial defensive header towards the end of the match after a quality Welsh cross. Other than a few misplaced passes, Duffy was once again colossal at the back.

KEVIN LONG – 6

It was over a year since Long had played a match for Ireland before today, but his appearance was to be short lived. He was taken off 24 minutes into the game as he sustained a nasty swell above his left eye after an accidental elbow from Welsh target man, Kieffer Moore. Long will be disappointed to have been forced off early but he certainly made an impression while on the pitch. He proved to be very comfortable on the ball and won all of his 50/50s before his unfortunate injury.

ENDA STEVENS – 7

Stevens had a quiet game for the most part. He was good defensively but didn’t provide much in terms of going forward for the majority of the match.

He did however create the best chance of the game with a looping cross into Shane Long, which the latter unfortunately missed.

CONOR HOURIHANE – 6

Hourihane put in a solid performance in the middle of the park without being outstanding. He was accurate in his passing and switched play well at times, but he assumed a deeper role in the absence of James McCarthy. He often collected the ball in his own half instead of operating further up the pitch.

He delivered an excellent ball into the box from a set piece towards the end of the first half but failed to provide a threat in the second 45.

JAYSON MOLUMBY – 7

Jayson Molumby came in for James McCarthy in what was his second senior international appearance. He took his opportunity well in what was a tireless display before he was subbed off towards the end of the match.

He carried the ball well on several occasions and recycled the ball with efficiency. Although he wasn’t as involved in the second half, but still managed to provide much needed energy in midfield. He often dropped deep when defending and provided reliable cover for Cyrus Christie at right back. He’s certainly one for the future.

JEFF HENDRICK – 7

Jeff Hendrick started the match in an advanced midfield position, leaving Molumby and Hourihane to drop deep and do the dirty work.

He had a quiet first half and failed to influence proceeding, often playing sideways or backwards passes. He was more positive in the second half, playing a more progressive game by carrying the ball and looking for forward passes. He was involved in some impressive attacking sequences and can be happy with his second half performance, even if his attempts didn’t always come off.

ROBBIE BRADY – 7

Brady appears to be back to his best for Ireland after a frustrating few years with injuries. He came in on the right wing after Callum Robinson had been sidelined and he has every reason to be happy with his performance.

He was particularly excellent in the first half, consistently threatening the Welsh defence in open play and dead ball situations. He had one of Ireland’s best chances of the game after being gifted the ball from a misplaced pass before striking wide with inches separating the ball and the net.

After his brilliant first half display, Brady was quiet in the second half and was subbed off with 73 minutes played.

JAMES MCCLEAN – 5

James McClean started his second Ireland game in a row on the left after Aaron Connolly remained out of action.

He had a relatively quiet game before being sent off in the 82^nd minute for a rash challenge which earned him a second yellow card.

SHANE LONG – 5

Shane Long received a rare start for Ireland after David McGoldrick was sidelined.

Always a willing runner, Long was impressive at times in his pressing of the Welsh backline. He failed to impress in front of goal, however, missing the best chance of the game after a precise cross from Enda Stevens.

He was very quiet before being replaced by Sean Maguire on 73 minutes.

SUBS

CYRUS CHRISTIE – 7

A third choice right back for the national team these days, Christie made a rare appearance after being subbed on for the injured Kevin Long.

He gradually got better as the game progressed. After an unimpressive first half, Christie played well in the second. He was assured defensively without providing much threat going forward. He made one brilliant interception which would eventually lead to an Ireland chance. Overall, it was solid performance from the man on loan at Nottingham Forest.

DARYL HORGAN – 6

After coming on for Robbie Brady in the 73^rd minute, Horgan had one of the best chances of the game. He met a James McClean cross with his head which bounced off a Welsh defender into Horgan’s feet, but he blasted over the crossbar at the second opportunity. He carried the ball fairly well at times but failed to create any chances.

SEAN MAGUIRE – 6

Maguire came on for Shane Long in the 73^rd minute to try and make his mark on the game. He showed a series of tidy touches towards the end of the match and produced a line breaking pass into Daryl Horgan’s feet, but the latter failed to capitalize. Otherwise, it was a quiet cameo by the Preston man.

JOSH CULLEN – N/A

Cullen didn’t have enough time on the pitch to make an impact.

MAN OF THE MATCH – MATT DOHERTY

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The match ended in a dismal 0-1 home defeat for Spurs at the hands of a rejuvenated Everton. Doherty went into the game as one of Tottenham’s promising new signings, but head coach Jose Mourinho singled out the Irish star for ‘struggling to play the way you want him to play.’ All of which has meant that Doherty faces a tough challenge at his new club under the notoriously tough manager.

Tottenham signed Doherty to a four-year deal from Wolverhampton Wanderers for a £15 million fee on 30 August. It followed 10 successful years at Wolves where the defender scored 28 goals and created 41 assists. But it was Doherty’s intimidating defensive prowess that made him such a target for Spurs. The North London club have been experiencing problems with a leaky defence, and it was hoped that Doherty would plug the gap. 

But on Sunday, Doherty proved to be unable to hold off dynamic Everton forwards such as Richarlison on the right flank. Tottenham’s head coach blamed Doherty’s lack of pre-season training for his lack of form on the pitch. Stating that the Irish star had gone straight from his holidays to two international matches, Mourinho said that, ’Today he was no Matt Doherty like he normally is.’ Two Nations League games for Ireland last week meant that Doherty wasn’t at peak fitness, and the defender was replaced in the 78th minute by Tanguy Ndombele.

Prior to this, the defender had actually had one of Tottenham’s best chances of breaking through the Everton defence. This saw Spurs’ star striker Harry Kane lobbing a beautiful short ball to Doherty who was unable to guide the ball into the back of the net. It would have been a glorious start for Doherty who came to a Tottenham side who have been desperate to make up for a relatively mediocre 2019/20 Premier League season. Doherty and Pierre Emile Hojbjerg are the two major names to have arrived at the club in the current summer transfer window.

While it was a flat performance, there is still plenty of hope that Spurs will turn around their form in the upcoming weeks. The team struggled in the early stages of last season, and with a serial winner like Jose Mourinho at the helm, it’s little surprise to find that many bookmakers will give Spurs short odds for winning some silverware this year. Any punter who had picked up a bonus from one of the betting resources like www.bettingtips.net will know that additions like Doherty will be key to giving Tottenham the stability at the back that the team lacked last season.

Spurs managed to beat Everton on the last meeting between the two sides, but Tottenham put on a seriously lacklustre performance this time around. It wasn’t just Doherty who came in for criticism from Mourinho. The Spurs manager went on to claim that the whole team were ‘lazy’. The fact that Tottenham failed to score a single goal will have been especially disappointing, and it gives added hope that Spurs will sign a new striker before the current transfer window ends. Harry Kane failed to receive much support up front against Everton, and while Doherty looked solid and encouraging, he was unable to provide the England striker with a clear goalscoring opportunity.

The Irish star was brought into the team after Serge Aurier proved to be inconsistent in the right back role last season. Doherty put in a good performance for Ireland against Finland last week, and its his ability to make key interceptions that will be critical for Tottenham’s counter-attack to flourish. But with the rest of the Spurs team looking lacklustre, it could be a tricky start for Doherty at his new club. Spurs travel to Lokomotiv Plovdiv on Thursday to start their Europa League campaign, and then they are away to Southampton in the Premier League on Sunday. All of which should give Doherty plenty of opportunity to show his new boss his true colours.

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