Pundit claims summer Spurs signing may have struggled to adapt to life in London

Former Leeds United striker Noel Whelan has suggested that Matt Doherty may have struggled to adapt to life at Tottenham Hotspur.

The Republic of Ireland international made the move to North London during the summer transfer window from Wolverhampton Wanderers.

Whelan has claimed that the 29-year-old may not have adapted to living in the capital as a possible reason for his struggles.

Doherty has failed to displace Serge Aurier at the club’s first choice right back with the Ivorian having shown a higher level of consistency with his displays during the current campaign.

The former Wolves man even found himself on the bench for the recent defeat at West Ham with Mourinho deciding to play Japhet Tanganga on the right side of his defence with Aurier sidelined through injury.

Whelan believes that Mourinho would have expected more from the defender following his arrival, claiming his sub-standard displays have sometimes weakened the starting eleven when failing to perform to the required level.

He told Football Insider: “I think Jose Mourinho expected a lot more from him when he signed, that’s for sure. He’s certainly not been the player we saw at Wolves, that’s for sure.

“He’s somebody that doesn’t seem have settled easily into life in London or at Tottenham. It is worrying because they haven’t got an abundance of right-backs there.

“You really need that wing-back to be everything because that is what’s so important to their side right now.

“It’s not only defending but getting forward, overlaps getting into good areas, showing that quality.

“When you’ve got one player not doing it on one side, it weakens you.”