Matt Doherty was struggling for Tottenham game time at the start of the season. This was a shock to some, seeing as Nuno Espirito Santo was the man in charge and the Irishman had done so well under him at Wolves.
However, with the arrival of Emerson Royal in the summer transfer window, all the 30-year-old could do is work behind closed doors and battle for a spot in the starting XI. As time has gone on, Espirito Santo left, Antonio Conte has arrived and with Royal's drop in form, it has given Doherty the opportunity to shine.
The defender has experience as a right wing-back so didn't have much of an issue settling in there, and has also filled in on the left-hand side when needed due to injuries. Not only has Doherty improved his defensive abilities, he has also been helping in attack, scoring two goals and registering four assists this season so far.
READ MORE: The 'massive job' Matt Doherty is doing for Tottenham in Antonio Conte's Champions League quest
The 30-year-old spoke about his own improvement after Spurs' 5-1 victory against Newcastle on Sunday. Doherty explained the hard work he has been putting in, as well as being full of praise for Harry Kane, who has also been back to his best since Conte's arrival.
Tottenham's next match is against Aston Villa on Sunday. The trip to Villa Park is one the Lilywhites need to take maximum points from as they continue their battle in the top four race.
Spurs are currently fourth in the league but are level on points with Arsenal, who also have a game in hand. Ahead of the game at the weekend, Conte was asked about Doherty and his improvement, to which he answered very honestly.
"Matthew is the typical player that is showing big improvement. If you remember at the start he didn't play a lot with me because at that moment I think he didn't deserve to play," the Italian admitted.
"Then he worked very hard. He is a really good guy and in every training session you see the desire and the will to improve himself.
"He has a great mentality, many times when players don't play a lot they go down mentally. Instead, he has shown me to be strong and shown me: 'I do what you want, I am going to improve and when I am ready I want to play'.
"He has shown me that not with talking, but with attitude and behaviour. He is playing very well and with great confidence and I am very happy for him. It's a good example for everyone."
This highlights that the 30-year-old hasn't just been showing fans his improvement on the pitch, but also been impressing behind closed doors and working hard to ensure he does have a spot in Conte's starting XI. The Tottenham boss' comments are likely to only provide Doherty with a boost going forward.
As the Irish international is playing so well, it seems as though the right wing-back spot is now his to lose and it is Royal who needs to up his game and try and steal it back. From a player who looked like to make an exit from Spurs during the January transfer window, Doherty's improvement is welcomed by everyone at the Tottenham camp and he just needs to ensure it continues for the final eight games of the season.
