Michael Owen rips into Spurs player who ‘can’t defend to save his life’

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Tottenham Hotspur right wing-back Matt Doherty has been slated by Michael Owen, who says the Spurs summer signing “can’t defend to save his life”.

Jose Mourinho’s charges faced Liverpool at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium on Thursday night, but were soundly beaten 3-1 by the reigning Premier League champions.

The Spurs boss began the game in a 3-4-3 formation, with Doherty in an unfamiliar left-wing-back role, a back three of Ben Davies, Joe Rodon and Eric Dier, and Aurier as right wing-back.

It didn’t go to plan, as Aurier and Rodon were tormented by Sadio Mane, while Doherty’s instinct was to come inside, depriving Spurs of some thrust on that flank in the opening 45 minutes.

But even after Mourinho switched him to right-back for the second half, he still did badly, Mane getting the better of him en route to Liverpool’s second goal.

Doherty won only 20 percent of his duels and made just 28 passes in the Liverpool half.

And at full time, Optus Sport pundit and Liverpool icon Owen made his feelings clear about the 29-year-old.

“The thing is with Serge Aurier, I don’t rate him, I’ve made no secret of that saying he makes too many mistakes (but) I don’t know what alternative he’s got as a right-back,” he said.

“Doherty can’t defend either – he’s a wing-back – he bought him, good at going forward, can’t defend to save his life!

“They’ve not got a right-back really who can defend at the club. It is a problem area.

“If you’re going to play against anyone with a weak right-back, the last person you want to play against is Sadio Mane because he will expose you – that is exactly what he did.”

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When Doherty first joined Spurs, there was an initial increase in quality at right-back, as he did well and Aurier upped his game.

However, both Doherty and Aurier struggled against Mane and Trent Alexander-Arnold.

As a contest, it showed just how much work Mourinho has yet to do to build an elite defence – both on the training ground and in the transfer market.