Over the years, Manchester City have made the best signings in England. Their scout system is performing well and is getting players with a winning mentality. A champion club needs big players, especially those who can be the difference maker.
Jeremy Doku is one such player who arrived in the summer. The Belgian was known for his pace and trickery. Riyad Mahrez’s departure meant that Pep Guardiola needed a replacement in that area of the field. Doku made an impressive start in England. His speed and tricks showed his quality. The player also got past defenders easily and created a lot of chances.
Despite all this trickery, the Belgian international has struggled a bit in the last few Premier League games. Doku has failed to create or score in the last nine league matches. This is a worrying sign for the team as most of Manchester City’s attacks come down the left flank. Let’s look at what is going wrong with this young Belgian.
One of the best in the league
Jeremy Doku has made 17 appearances in the league so far. He has scored two goals and created five. Of these five assists, four came against Bournemouth in the same match.
The above visual indicates a player’s capability to play forward passes and carry the ball upfield. Those proficient in both are instrumental in moving the ball from defensive to attacking zones, breaking lines and driving the team forward. Doku knows how to carry the ball but lacks in making forward runs. The reason behind this is City’s high attacking line. Doku receives the ball in the final third and his purpose is to carry the ball into the penalty box.
This plot highlights a player’s involvement in moves leading to shots (smspi) versus their ability to progress the ball up the field (Carry). Players in the top right quadrant excel in both shot creation and ball progression, crucial for modern playmaking midfielders or attacking wing-backs. This time Doku is in the top right quadrant. His creativity down the flank has been a key addition to Manchester City’s attack.
Recent struggles
Jeremy Doku is the kind of player who can make the defenders dance with his skills. The player averages around nine progressive runs per 90 minutes in the current season and attempts around 14.3 dribbles. Of these, 61.5% of dribbles have been completed. Doku’s ball progression shows that he likes to start his run from wider zones and ends up getting into the opposition penalty box.
Despite getting into dangerous areas and attempting a lot of passes into the box, Doku has failed to create a single goal in the last nine league games. Most of the shot assists made are cutbacks and landed in dangerous scoring areas. This is a frustrating sign for any player. Jeremy Doku is on the ball most of the time and he is the one creating continuous threats.
In the last nine matches, Doku has tried to score with 13 shot attempts. Only three have been on target and the xG rate per shot is also on the lower side.
Manchester City players are dangerous when it comes to recovering the ball. Doku’s defensive qualities and ability to press have allowed him to make a few of these. However, only two turned out to be dangerous.
Jeremy Doku has been a great addition to Pep’s side but his struggle in the last nine games is what Pep would like to improve. Doku also needs to step up his game and hope to take his side to the top of the Premier League table.
Visuals via TFA data viz engine
