Get Off Doc's Back

[Mister Chops 7]

Doherty will stay, there are no plans for him to be sold.  Murray will leave.

I find it saddening that you can''t be a supporter these days without nominating someone from the starting 11 to play the panto villain.  What happened to getting behind the team?  Doherty is a relatively limited centre back who tries his utmost for the club, and I''d rather have him in the side than gifted prodigies who have one eye on a move to the Premiership or who just can''t be bothered.

The need to boo one of your own players is pathetic, but this season it''s Doc''s turn, just as before it was Robinson''s, then Hughes''s, Fleming''s, Jarrett''s, and so on.  Etuhu was booed in his first season here before people realised he was actually quite decent.  And then we wonder why our team play like a side with no confidence - chicken and egg, of course, but do you really think it helps a player when their own supporters boo them?

All you hecklers, try cheering him on for a change, or else keep your mouths shut.

 

[nutty nigel 7,533]

[quote user="ZippersLeftFoot"]

The key role for ANY defender should be to prevent the opposition from scoring by effectively marking them, and then making a similarly effective tackle which results in the ball going safely away from goal,  This being said, how can Doherty be defended from this perspective?

I dont rate him especially either Indy. 

However in your opinion you want to get rid of the defender who has actually

• defended the most consistently confirmed by the stats for the last 3 seasons showing that Doc

• conceeds fewer free kicks and

• is directly responsible for fewer goals than any of his defensive partners,  

• who have an equally poor distribution record,

• with Doc in the side we win more points

• conceeding fewer goals than any of his peers

• backed up with glowing praise from Dion.  

That comparison covers every defender and partnership permed from Fleming, Davenport, Taylor, Murray, Dion and Shax.

On that basis why dont you want to dispose of Murray, Dion Shax and Taylor too?  As such I cannot agree with your opinoin

Its my honest opinion that with Murray, Taylor, Shax and Doc we would have a decent enough squad of central defenders to take us to the play offs, with currenly the much maligned doc the most consistent and best performing of those.

[/quote]

And this is why I wish the ''Boo Boys'' would just admit they don''t like him rather than continually make up stuff to discredit him. The Doc is a good honest team player who, although by no means the best we ever had or could have, is the best defender at the club. Everybody is entitled to an opinion but that doesn''t mean they should be entitled to make up ridiculous ''facts'' to back that opinion up.

 

[Mook 0]

[quote user="Indy_Bones"]

[quote user="Mook"]So how come Taylor gets to be crap "because his mind is elsewhere" but the Doc has to play perfectly with no mistakes (like er ..... er ......... erm ..... sorry, name me another footballer that doesn''t make mistakes?) even though his name is booed before kick off??? You just don''t like him. Face it, it''s a personal dislike - just as it is with pretty much everyone else that dislikes him. Cos there ain''t no facts to backup your point!!![/quote]

Welcome to the sweeping generalisation club, Mook will be your host, as he clearly explains your own (and everyone elses) opinion to you as being wrong - because at times it''s difficult to provide facts to justify it.

Sorry Mook, but you don''t need to have facts to express an opinion, nor do facts actually make an opinion correct.

If for example you took a top class side who are known for defending well, and stuck Doherty in there, they may not concede any more than usual, but if that was the case would that suddenly make him a top class defender, or are the other players of sufficient ability to be able to cover his inadequacies? On pure stats alone we''d never know, and usually in regards to football, stats are the only real facts available.

In 20 years time, the history books will simply show a result, not a long, drawn out review of how each side and their players performed, so it''s not all black and white.

Quite how anyone can have a personal dislike for a player is beyond me, unless they''ve personally met them to reach this conclusion, or have first hand evidence of some of their actions on a personal level that they totally disagree with. I have nothing personal against Doherty, but I simply don''t rate the guy - at least not as a defender. I''m one of the odd few who never really understood why he got shuffled back into defence, when he was clearly far more effective for both Spurs and Ireland as a forward. This still doesn''t mean I want him playing, albeit in a strikers role, as I think we have better.

Doherty clearly employs a far more ''hands-on'' approach defensively, which does often result in a free kick being given. He does have poor distribution skills, and he''s not the quickest player out there. The key role for ANY defender should be to prevent the opposition from scoring by effectively marking them, and then making a similarly effective tackle which results in the ball going safely away from goal, if possible into our possession, and not fouling the opposition in the attempt. This being said, how can Doherty be defended from this perspective?

Yes, he does get some harsh treatment at times, but people have developed this viewpoint over time, often based upon performances they have personally seen. He doesn''t inspire confidence in his team-mates, he hasn''t helped Shackell develop despite his Premiership and International experience, and if he was such a solid player why has he not really been linked with any other Championship teams since his arrival? Lot''s of teams looking for solidity and experience at the back, yet no transfer rumours regarding the Doc...what an amazing co-incidence.

It''s not a fact, it''s my opinion, and I don''t rate the guy and feel we need better. This is not a personal dislike or attack, merely my opinion based on my own footballing knowledge and from watching the guy for the last 4-5 years. Do I know as much as the likes of Roeder, Grant or Worthy? of course not, but I''m still entitled to voice an honest opinion.

Doherty to go in Jan for me as long as we get replacements in.

[/quote]

Oooh. Touched a nerve there, Indy boy.

Looks like others feel the same as me. Fair enough if you can justify your dislike of Doherty, most can''t - they just don''t like him.

Why else would any self-respecting football fan boo a member of their own playing staff before the match begins?

Totally pathetic. That''s IN MY OPINION, just to clarify. You can think what you want.

[GJP 79]

[quote user="Mook"]

Oooh. Touched a nerve there, Indy boy.

Looks like others feel the same as me. Fair enough if you can justify your dislike of Doherty, most can''t - they just don''t like him.

Why else would any self-respecting football fan boo a member of their own playing staff before the match begins?

Totally pathetic. That''s IN MY OPINION, just to clarify. You can think what you want.

[/quote]

Why do they a boo one of their own team?

Well I can only guess in the Docs case it''s because they want to shatter his confidence so much that he will become the poor player they all want him to be. So they can all go "I told you that Doherty ain''t no good".

Like I''ve said before, you reap what you sow. People are ignorant unfortunately. Shackell, Taylor and Dion could each make dozens and dozens of costly mistakes and they''d never get the stick that Gary Doherty would get for just one slightly misplaced pass.

Funny thing is that no matter how many sitters Jamie Cureton misses people will still say we need to get behind him to help his confidence yet the same doesn''t seem to apply to the Doc, if he makes a mistake they want to murder him for it.

[Mister Chops 7]

In the last fifteen minutes yesterday, I could have done with a few of Doc''s agricultural clearances...

A bloke in the stand behind me made me laugh yesterday when he pointed out that Shackell is prone to some dodgy headers sometimes, the ball coming off at all angles.  "Like he''s got a 50p piece for a head", he said, which was funny (if harsh).

 

[Mister Chops 7]

From Roeder''s column on Thursday:

"On Tuesday night, I felt we needed Gary Doherty''s experience in the defence. Along with Martin Taylor and Mo Camara, we had three very experienced players in the back four and I felt Doc did very well. It''s a shame he is suspended for tomorrow''s game against Sheffield United.

Doc, like Mark Fotheringham, had played only 65 minutes in one reserve game before coming back into the first team squad, so he had to rely a lot on his experience.

It''s credit to Doc and Fozzy, but also to our physios and sports science staff, that they have both come back very strongly."

Which implies quite strongly that Doc is ahead of Shackell in Roeder''s thoughts.

 

 

[First Wizard 0]

Nutty Nigel said: And this is why I wish the ''Boo Boys'' would just admit they don''t like him rather than continually make up stuff to discredit him.

Re-run the Plymouth game NN, Donkerty continually lost his player to mark and he was a huge factor in their goal. And thats just one example.................there are many, many more!.[:|]

[nutty nigel 7,533]

[quote user="1st Wizard"]

Nutty Nigel said: And this is why I wish the ''Boo Boys'' would just admit they don''t like him rather than continually make up stuff to discredit him.

Re-run the Plymouth game NN, Donkerty continually lost his player to mark and he was a huge factor in their goal. And thats just one example.................there are many, many more!.[:|]

[/quote]

I was at the Plymouth game. Doherty was man of the match. Were you there?