The Debrief: Jeremy Doku and Dominik Szoboszlai shining, Xabi Alonso’s Leverkusen and Plymouth’s subs | Football News

Jeremy Doku was one of the standout performers in Manchester City’s 2-0 win over Nottingham Forest on Saturday. What was impressive was his ability to retain possession in difficult positions as he completed 21 of his 22 passes at the Etihad Stadium.

Seen as something of a wildcard addition by Pep Guardiola in the summer, Doku was part of a stylistic shift as City added ball carriers. Along with Matheus Nunes and Mateo Kovacic, it appeared to be a conscious effort to combat the rise of man-marking.

Doku has already proven his value, scoring against West Ham last weekend, and nobody completed more dribbles against Forest. Of players to have taken on their defender 20 or more times this season, only Jack Grealish does so more regularly than him.

But Doku has shown a different side to his game too. Nobody won more duels against Forest and Guardiola praised the winger for his all-round game when speaking afterwards. He admitted to those of us in the press conference that he had been surprised.

“I am really impressed how good he is one-on-one but [also] how good he is tracking back. He can see the extra pass. He does not exaggerate his running in two-against-ones. He is a really good, clever player, taking decisions in the final third that I did not expect.”

Guardiola knew he had signed a quality player in Doku but he did not know he was this good: “I expected incredible speed, incredible one-against-one, but after that, to have the composure, to make the decisions in the final third…” This is a polished player.

Doku can still be Guardiola’s wildcard on the wing, testing defences with pace and trickery. But the signs are that there is much more to his game. With his ball retention and his impressive decision-making, he is a better fit than many, even Guardiola, anticipated.

How Szoboszlai is shining for Liverpool

Another new arrival to the Premier League who is having an impact at a top team is Liverpool’s Dominik Szoboszlai. It was Mohamed Salah who was the player of the match in their 3-1 win over West Ham on Sunday but Szoboszlai provided plenty of class.

He was the one drawing gasps from the crowd with a flick here and a trick there. The balance of Liverpool’s midfield is under the spotlight, the use of Alexis Mac Allister as a deep-lying playmaker bringing pros and cons, but there is no doubting Szoboszlai.

He covers the ground, winning the ball for his team and working defensively, while also adding quality in possession. This was something discussed with his former coach Rene Maric recently, who highlighted his discipline – as well as his distribution.

“He can keep your ball ticking, your ball retention, your circulation, because of his ability to turn away from pressure and still find a good pass,” Maric told Sky Sports. “He is someone who wants to get on the ball, who has that mentality that he can solve problems.”

Szoboszlai’s 104 touches against West Ham were the most of any player on the pitch but it was where he was having them. He completed 30 passes in the final third, eight more than anyone else. He was key to Liverpool taking the game away from their opponents.

The temptation is to see Klopp’s search for the right blend in midfield as a trade-off. While Jordan Henderson and James Milner offered ceaseless running, Thiago Alcantara brought creativity. Szoboszlai might just be the man who can give Liverpool both.

How Alonso is thriving at Leverkusen

Germany would no doubt love to have appointed Klopp as their national team manager following Hansi Flick’s departure but he is not ready to end his Liverpool adventure just yet. When he does, Xabi Alonso is likely to be near the top of the list to replace him.

Steven Gerrard was once tipped for the job but while he is in Saudi Arabia, his old midfield partner Alonso is thriving at Bayer Leverkusen. Having taken over a struggling side in October, they are now level with Bayern Munich at the top of the Bundesliga.

It has been an impressive transformation because he has already had to show plenty in the role, navigating those challenging early months with a squad low on confidence, transitioning towards a possession game while retaining their pace on the break.

Alonso was something of a gamble for Leverkusen sporting director Simon Rolfes. Three seasons coaching Real Sociedad B in Spain’s lower leagues provided some clues but visiting Rolfes in Leverkusen earlier this year, he explained the logic behind it.

“He is a big thinker,” Rolfes told Sky Sports. “Always concentrated on his work, always thinking about how we can improve and solve situations. That was obvious. He understands the game. I was convinced that we would improve with him.

“But with a head coach it is similar to players, you make decisions but you never know. With players, at least you see them play and what they have. With a head coach, you always have to analyse events on the pitch and make conclusions back to the coach.”

What is happening on the pitch is that Leverkusen have made a thrilling start to the season, winning six of their first seven games in all competitions while averaging more than four goals per game. The only match they have not won was a 2-2 draw away to Bayern.

Alonso may well be Liverpool manager one day. At this rate, he might just return to the club as a Bundesliga winner too.

Plymouth substitutions are a lesson

A former Everton apprentice, the Liverpool job might not be on Steven Schumacher’s radar but every club in the country would do well to note the Plymouth Argyle manager’s use of his substitutes. There is nobody better at impacting games from the bench.

Luke Cundle’s 97th-minute goal in Plymouth’s 6-2 win over Norwich on Saturday, his second as a substitute this season, was incidental to the outcome but it was just the latest example of a trend that was one of the features of their promotion-winning campaign.

No team in the top four divisions scored more goals through substitutes than Plymouth last season – 23 of them. Schumacher’s handling of his bench was a significant factor in the club winning promotion back to the Championship for the first time in 13 years.

Speaking to Sammy Lander last year, a specialist substitute coach now working with clubs on a consultancy basis, he highlighted this as an underexploited area even for some of the biggest clubs in the game. Changing the perception of the role is essential.

“You can have a player prepared in every single aspect but if they have that negative stigma that is attached to being a substitute then they are not going to run through a wall for you,” Lander told Sky Sports. Schumacher’s work at Plymouth is a template for others.