Can 'crossing machine' Doughty lift Luton out of bottom three?

Adrian Clarke looks at key tactical points and players who can be crucial in the final fixture of Matchweek 28.

Player analysis: Alfie Doughty (Luton)

Doughty’s outstanding left foot has made quite an impression during his debut Premier League campaign.

The Luton Town left wing-back has fought off competition from summer signing Ryan Giles to become a must-pick in Rob Edwards’ starting XI.

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Delivering an incredible 106 crosses in open play – the most in the division – Doughty has pushed forward at will in a bid to fashion chances for team-mates.

Playing for a side who are often set up to contain opponents, the 24-year-old's quality end product has been a vital source of goals, with Doughty responsible for six assists so far.

Upcoming opponents AFC Bournemouth will be wary of the threat he poses at Vitality Stadium as Luton target a first win in seven matches that would move them out of the bottom three.

Relegation battle

Position Pos	Club	Played Pl	GD	Points Pts
15	Everton EVE	38	-11	40
16	Brentford BRE	38	-9	39
17	Nott'm Forest NFO	38	-18	32
18	Luton LUT	38	-33	26
19	Burnley BUR	38	-37	24
20	Sheffield Utd SHU	38	-69	16

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If you give Doughty a yard too much space, he will not hesitate to drive a left-footed cross into the penalty area.

Encouraged by the presence of Carlton Morris, and, when fit, Elijah Adebayo, Doughty likes to whip a stream of hopeful balls across the face of goal.

Club News Edwards preparing for emotional Bournemouth return External Link

Edwards preparing for emotional Bournemouth return

Most of his deliveries come from an area between five and 20 yards from the byline, so Bournemouth must deny Doughty opportunities to enter that domain.

His crossing from this area is highlighted below, showing where Doughty delivered the ball from against Crystal Palace last weekend.

Doughty will likely be frustrated at the lack of assists he has produced from those 106 open-play crosses.

Only one of those centres has resulted in a goal, and that was Morris’ controversial effort in the 1-1 draw at Burnley, given after a lengthy VAR check for a possible foul by Adebayo on goalkeeper James Trafford.

Top crossers from open play 23/24

Luton’s starting XI contains several aerial threats, but Doughty will often aim his set-piece crosses towards striker Morris.

Two of his three assists for the front man have come from wide free-kicks.

In the 2-1 success at Everton earlier in 2023/24, he picked out his run with a training-ground far-post move, and we saw something similar against Aston Villa at Kenilworth Road when Morris got on the end of his cross at the back post.

Andoni Iraola’s men must track his runs closely when Luton have dead-ball situations on Wednesday evening.

Doughty and Morris are currently joint-top in the Premier League’s rankings for the most dangerous combination from set plays.

Doughty has supplied Morris with 12 chances, the same as Brighton & Hove Albion’s Pascal Gross has made for Lewis Dunk.

If Bournemouth switch off from a corner or wide free-kick, these two Hatters stars are good enough to punish them.

Top set-pieces combinations 23/24

In open play Doughty has also laid on four key passes for Luton's leading forward, taking their tally to 16; the same number of chances Manchester City’s Julian Alvarez has laid on for Erling Haaland.

They are just three behind Arsenal's Martin Odegaard to Bukayo Saka (19) and four off the 20 of leading pair, Liverpool star Mohamed Salah to Darwin Nunez.

Hitting the same spots

When you analyse where Doughty flights his crosses into the box, from dead balls or otherwise, he usually picks out an area six to nine yards away from the goalline, between the width of the goal posts.

Those are positions of maximum opportunity, and he hits them on a consistent basis.

Set-piece menace

As displayed on the shot assist map above, Doughty is a serious threat whenever he stands over a corner.

While only two assists have stemmed from inswingers, and one from an outswinger, the Hatters wing-back regularly finds a team-mate.

West Ham United’s James Ward-Prowse, arguably the greatest set-piece taker in Premier League history, is the only individual to have made more chances or goals from set-pieces this season.

Most chances created/assists from set-pieces 23/24

Doughty is a crossing machine who is revelling in life in the top flight, and that arrow-like left foot has proved to be a deadly weapon.

Looking to bounce back from an underhit backpass that let in Crystal Palace to score last weekend, the Hatters wing-back will be desperate to make a difference on the south coast.

Doughty has every chance of being a difference maker in this key encounter for Luton.