Ex-Player Watch Player Watch: Kyle Walker

[widmerpool]

Trippier has more potential to improve IMO. If he can tighten up defensively he will be better than Walker.

He's never going to be faster.

 

[Bus-Conductor]

Walker's been Poch's first choice for key games all season apart from the last week; the most critical week of our season so far. Cup semi against Chelsea, a title-relevant, end-of-season NLD - Trips gets the nod over Walker? There's something going on. Poch's making a statement, but doesn't mean he's "trying to ostracise him".

I don't agree with the "vastly" better description. It's appropriate in a Rose vs Davies comparison, but not with our RBs. I like them both; different players with different strengths/weaknesses.

Walker is stronger defensively. In an attacking sense, his very presence means opposition AMs are pushed further back, because they're wary of his pace. This is especially important when we play those teams who have the weapons to attack. Walker's far more dangerous in transition, purely because of his pace, not because of his distribution.

He doesn't need a killer pass in those situations; he just needs to carry the ball up and find another Spurs shirt in transition. Also, when Rose is on the other flank, oppo midfields and defences are really stretched and vulnerable during those transitions. They have to cope with the movement of an advancing Eriksen, Alli and Kane threatening in different positions. Having two pacy wing backs is a real offensive weapon for us.

Trips is not as quick, so we won't have as many opportunities in transition. His footballing IQ is higher imo; his distribution and crossing is way better, but when we're facing good teams, he's penned back with defensive duties, and doesn't provide Walker's threat in transition. We play a mid and lower table side who are parking the bus, Trippier is a better option.

I don't agree about the transition stuff, one because Trippier isn't that much slower than Walker and two because he's got a better brain and technique on him than Walker as well so is more likely to play a better pass than Walker in transition who invariably is sloppy with his passing under pressure. Even throw ins - where Walker repeatedly does stupid things and tosses the ball away, Trippier helped set up the first goal yesterday by using his brain and taking a good throw in to Kane.

Trippier just isn't so slow that the transition remark valid.

 

[Mouse!]

He's never going to be faster.

He will be. You just have to get him alongside Walker. Once a player gives Trippier the old look in the eye, he'll begin to run to parts unknown.

 

[Spurs 1961]

We need to win every game and Walker in particular does a whole lot of sprints up and down the pitch. Poch last season when all were fit swapped full backs constantly to allow rest. I think that is what he is doing with Walker, managing him especially at the end of a long hard season. Poch leaves nothing to chance and hknows from the monitoring that goes on what fitness levels are like as well as current form ... and players are human so have ups and downs. So I am hoping that is all there is to it since I believe that Walker and Rose are the best attacking full backs around.

 

[the yid]

£250k a week would make him amongst the top 4 or 5 paid players in the league. That's a lot of salt needed...

You forget how desperate Pep is for English players

 

[arunspurs]

He's never going to be faster.

Agreed. But he will get more assists than Walker for sure

 

[Trix]

He's never going to be faster.

With his delivery he doesn't need to be.

 

[RichieS]

Much as I love our current players, anyone who actively pushes for a move at this point is a bit of a tool imo.

But I'm firmly in the "rotation - nothing to see here" camp.

 

[JAYSTAR]

With his delivery he doesn't need to be.

His delivery is outstanding and the dink passes you see him pull off, linking up with Eriksen are fantastic for a RB to be trying. Walker just stops too often which gives a few more seconds for defenders to get close to our attackers. It would be a massive shame if Walker did go though, he has great stats for assists too I believe

 

[THFCSPURS19]

Not sure this can be interpreted in a good way, right?

 

[Cornpattbuck]

Not sure this can be interpreted in a good way, right?

View attachment 29766

How strange. Walker's always seemed so down to earth. Such an odd time to start agitating for a move, unless I'm misreading the signs.

 

[thelak]

City's current full backs are abysmal so hopefully the club in any dealings are aware that we would be strengthening the weakest link in that team at a cost to ourselves in terms of helping to close the gap between us

 

[Ironskullll]

Walker's been with the club a long time now - he was Young Player of the year a long time ago. Not being picked for the semi must have been particularly galling. He really wants to win things and he has fewer years left in which to do it than many of the others. I don't blame him for wanting to speak to the manager, and I don't necessarily see it as a bad thing either. I doubt whether Poch sees it as a bad thing unless there was some sort of unsavoury attitude at work on Walker's part, but I doubt there was. If I were Poch, I'd be pleased that players were ready to ask questions and address issues such as their role in the longer and shorter term. Better than bottling it up; it lets them let of a bit of steam and gives Poch a chance to do some 1-2-1 mentoring.

 

[ebzrascal]

Does anyone think Kyle Walker could sometimes play as a covering center back in a three at the back system to help combat teams like Chelsea, Man United, Man City etc that have really quick forward players who can out pace Toby and Verts on the break/through balls.

 

[widmerpool]

Does anyone think Kyle Walker could sometimes play as a covering center back in a three at the back system to help combat teams like Chelsea, Man United, Man City etc that have really quick forward players who can out pace Toby and Verts on the break/through balls.

I think he'd be really good at one of those traditional village races where men hurtle down a hill in pursuit of a cheese. Not sure about the centre back idea, though.

 

[TheChosenOne]

How strange. Walker's always seemed so down to earth. Such an odd time to start agitating for a move, unless I'm misreading the signs.

Agent trebling his own percentage ?

 

[tttcowan]

Stating the bleeding obvious but we really could do with keeping him. It's lovely having 2 excellent FBs/WBs who play the position differently. Very Alex Fergusson United to have these kinds of options.

Options, proper options that allow us to play differently, not just the same type of player but 1 slightly worse than the other. That's a huge part of why we've been so good. And right FB is probably our best example of that. Along with the Wanyama/Dier option in DM.

 

[ebzrascal]

If Walker leaves are we talking £50 million? If so then he can be replaced

 

[Kilkenny Cat]

The word in the press box yesterday was that Walker's relationship with Poch has broken down over him being dropped for the FA Cup semi-final.

Assuming it's not patched up there's only one outcome here. I wouldn't be happy to see him go to Manchester City and solve one of their problems. On the other hand...

* If we have to lose a player for whatever reason this summer I'd wave goodbye to Walker far sooner than to Dier or Rose, not to mention Alli or Kane;

* Do we need a player who kicks up a fuss over being dropped for a big game as opposed to sucking it up and moving on (and incidentally playing a bit less badly than Walker did at Palace)?

* Levy will unquestionably gouge City for a massive transfer fee;

* We'll presumably purchase a decent replacement (KWP is clearly years away yet);

* The balance will hopefully go towards purchasing a 'special' player.

Is this a fair summation or am I being overly optimistic?

 

[jari17]

If Walker leaves are we talking £50 million? If so then he can be replaced

Semedo from Benfica would be a good buy