Doherty answers O’neill’s worries by downing Palace
unchanged for eight games, a Premier League record.
The right wing-back’s displays have been good enough to earn his first international caps, and Doherty will again be part of the Irish squad for the Uefa Nations League fixtures with Denmark and Wales. A starting place is not guaranteed, however, after O’neill expressed his desire to see the player press forward more when playing for his country.
Doherty does not agree that he lacks attacking intent and will hope his winning goal, a well-taken 56th-minute finish that came after a powerful run and neat exchange of passes with Raul Jimenez, will make his point. “I don’t think it [attacking] has been a problem,” said Doherty. “If anything, the problem has been going forward too much.”
Doherty has overcome any doubts about his ability to keep pace with the club’s rapid ascent.
“It’s a massive sense of pride for me to keep my place,” he said. “I have got my head down and done well, so long may it continue.”
Wolves are unbeaten in six league games and they rarely looked like allowing Crystal Palace a route back after Doherty scored.
Palace have failed to score in their four home league games this season and Roy Hodgson, the manager, admits the international break has come at a bad time.
“One can only hope they’ll go away, do well with their national team and come back with a refreshed confidence,” said Hodgson. any suggestion that he plays beyond the limits, following the clash with Schindler. “I was backing in and he happened to be there and I caught him with a stray elbow,” he said. “I apologised to him afterwards; it was nothing intentional. It was just one of those things where you’re up against the centre-half.”
Schindler, whose second-half headed equaliser cancelled out Vokes’s 20th-minute opener, was unwilling to start a verbal battle on the back of a physical one. “I don’t want to say he did it on purpose,” he said. “They’re a physical team, strong guys, and they try to use their arms, free them up. My nose was in the way this time, though.”
Huddersfield’s point lifted them off the bottom of the table, but they stay winless after eight games and have scored just four goals. It is clear where their problem lies; they had 19 goal attempts at Turf Moor but only two on target.
The quality of their performance, however, offers hope, as does Schindler’s bravery, as he was able to complete the game despite his injuries.
“Obviously I’ve got pain in the nose now,” the defender said. “My nose wasn’t the prettiest before so maybe it’s good for me. Maybe it’s back in shape now.”