It has been a tremendous November international break for Scotland. Victories over Croatia at Hampden Park followed by an even more impressive win in Warsaw against Poland has given the Tartan Army a chance to retain their Nations League top-tier status in a play-off next March. The turnaround in our fortunes since the dismal displays in the European Championships has been unexpected and unpredictable. However, Middlesbrough’s loan star Ben Doak, on loan from Liverpool, has been the catalyst to get every Scotsman believing in the team again. Without his contribution, there’s little chance Scotland would have won those games.
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Loan Star Ben Doak the Catalyst for Scotland’s Success
Doak’s Pace and Willingness to Take People on Missing in Euros
The European Championships was a better tournament with Scotland taking part. Their supporters were praised by everyone for their conduct, good nature and passion for the team but on the park, it was a huge let down. There was no sense of adventure in their play and while at their best Germany can tear anyone apart, the 5-1 defeat was very sobering.
There was a slight improvement against Switzerland in a 1-1 draw but there was nothing other than huge disappointment when they lost their final game to Hungary, conceding a late goal. Scoring just two goals (one an own goal) was a big problem with few capable of creating chances.
It was a great pity that injury meant Ben Doak was unable to be part of the squad. His terrific pace and an immediate desire to take players on when he gains possession is something the Scots have lacked for some time.
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Doak Excels Against Quality Defenders
We also have to remember the quality of the opponent that Doak was prepared to take on and get the better of. Manchester City paid RB Leipzig £77million for Croatia full-back Josko Gvardiol and Doak gave him a torrid time. Every fan is excited when they see a player go past an opponent on the wing and have a shot at goal or create a chance for a teammate. When the assembled media spoke to the young Scot after the game, he displayed a calm, assertive attitude as to how he approaches his football.
“Once you’re on the pitch, I don’t see names or faces. I just see another team trying to beat us, so we need to beat them. When I’m on the ball, I don’t notice who I’m against, it’s just a kit”.
Doak Can Improve on Finishing
Given his outstanding display against Croatia, Poland would have seen how impressive he was in his match-winning display and next up for Doak was a one-on-one against Arsenal’s Jakub Kiwior. The Polish defender wasn’t quite as expensive for Arsenal to buy, a mere £20 million paid to Italian side Spezia and struggling for regular first-team action this season at the Emirates. But time and time again, Doak went past his man, setting up the chance for John McGinn to score and looking dangerous at other times. Looking at how he played overall, Doak can improve on his finishing. He had a couple of occasions where a better first touch would have set himself up for a shot a goal.
Boro Boss Delighted to Have Doak on Loan
The man responsible for improving and developing his game is former Manchester United midfielder Michael Carrick, now manager of Middlesbrough.
“Yeah, we’re delighted to have Ben,” said Carrick when speaking to Sky Sports News. “He’s made a really good impression since he’s been here, and it’s worked out well for him. He is playing well and he’s growing and developing all the time. He’s so young and he’s played so little football really until this point, so we’ve got to manage him and look after him as much as anything but great to see him thriving and improving all the time.”
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Can Doak Replace Mo Salah Eventually
Maybe the big question is, can Ben Doak be a possible replacement at Liverpool for Mo Salah in the long run? Salah has been truly magnificent on Merseyside and anyone following on from the mercurial Egyptian is up against one of the best players to have played for the club.
In a general sense, Doak does a lot of things well that Salah does exceptionally well. He carries the ball from the defensive third or middle third into the opposition box and he can set up goal-scoring chances. Salah gets a remarkable number of goals, something that Doak can improve upon.
This season has the potential for Doak to play regularly in a highly competitive league and possibly light up the Championship with Middlesbrough. Carrick’s men came close to getting into the play-offs last season but fell short. If he stays fit, Doak may well provide the difference where it matters most.
Coping With Extra Attention a Big Test
It’s true to say that Ben Doak is the most exciting Scottish talent seen in years.
When he made an eye-catching league debut for Liverpool against Aston Villa almost 2 years ago, Jurgen Klopp said: “He’s a really lively boy, smart player, good dribbler, fast, can use both legs. A lot of things are obviously natural to him which is really helpful.”
In the aftermath of his match-winning performances against both Croatia and Poland, Doak will now have to deal with this new-found analysis of his every game to see how consistent he can be. He’ll be under the microscope like never before after setting a standard of play at international level. A lot of extra attention will now fall upon him from every opponent he faces and that’s something all extraordinary talents have to deal with. It’s a big test for him but it’s guaranteed, every Scotsman wishes him well.
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