Kyle Walker

[dickie davies]

So, you think he has played well for two seasons and you don't rate him.

Mmmm pussy

Perhaps he's peaked

 

[Blue Hefner]

Bellerin has the potential to be much better than Walker, despite having an iffy season last year.

If that is true, and I think there is a separate debate to be had. However, could you really see a scenario where Arsenal sell Sanchez and Bellerin to City in the same summer?

 

[SWP's back]

Bellerin has the potential to be much better than Walker, despite having an iffy season last year.

The guy Barca want? That's not as good as Walker is now.

 

[PannickAtTheDisco]

Perhaps it's because I've seen him destroyed by us in the past
Can I name a better RB in the Prem! No, but I think it's a position in the Prem that lacks any quality. I'd have been even more underwhelmed if we'd bought Hector Bellerin
I'm not a professional scout that's watches hundreds of European matches, but there must be better out there
I look at what Pep seemingly wants to do and wonder why he's not scouted a midfielder to play that role

I'm all for being proved wrong if we do sign him

Perhaps it's also the fact that I think football's gone fucking crazy when a team pays £40M for what I see as a slightly above average player

So we sign one of the best in our league, so sorted domestically, and supplement him with one of the best in Europe who was also a CL finalist at the beginning of the month. It's finally 2010/11 part 2, what is people's problem?

 

[BillyShears]

Perhaps it's because I've seen him destroyed by us in the past
Can I name a better RB in the Prem! No, but I think it's a position in the Prem that lacks any quality. I'd have been even more underwhelmed if we'd bought Hector Bellerin
I'm not a professional scout that's watches hundreds of European matches, but there must be better out there
I look at what Pep seemingly wants to do and wonder why he's not scouted a midfielder to play that role

I'm all for being proved wrong if we do sign him

Perhaps it's also the fact that I think football's gone fucking crazy when a team pays £40M for what I see as a slightly above average player

I've read this type of argument a lot in this thread. This notional idea that all the fullbacks in the league are wank and that Walker's just the best of a bad bunch. I think you're wrong, to put it simply, but time will tell. I think Pep knows better than all of us combined what he needs, and he has made Walker his priority.

 

[Ashleymcduff]

To the poster who says why hasn't Pep scouted a midfielder who can play full back.
Here's your answer.
We played in vertrd full backs about twice last season it's not the way he's setting us up he wants pace and power at full back to allow the wide men to push up and attack.
Mendy and walker and Alves all can get up and get back without blowing out their arses, they relentless bomb up and down and can defend but are both dangerous on the attack.
That's why we are after these players

 

[waterfootblues]

Bollocks. Ota and Vinny were the strongest pairing all season and Ota was our most consistent CB.

The reason Stones looked poor is because he is. Not saying he wont make it, but he has a long way to go.

Some players struggle to understand Peps positional play. It takes them out of their comfort zone and is a re-learning of the game. The more we learn as fans the more we can appreciate what Peps trying to do here. We can also see which players are not putting into practice what Pep is teaching. It's ridiculous to judge a player within a Pep team without this knowledge. The defence is learning a new trade. We are so lucky to have such an intelligent leader and accomplished defender in Vincent. He makes all our CH look good.
I will be surprised if Otamendi is playing next to Vincent instead of Stones this coming season. Also Walker, Mendy and Edison will have to learn positional play and this may take a while. I put our great start last season to Pep not confusing the players with his complex positional play. Once he started to teach the technicalities of positional play we looked a poorer team.
It's easy to think we are regressing while the players are coming to terms with basically learning a new trade. If you can't grasp the technical side of Peps play, your toast.

 

[Father Paul]

Bellerin has the potential to be much better than Walker, despite having an iffy season last year.

I think you are right probably one or two others as well certainly if you include converted wing backs like dare I say it Valencia.
However, I am willing to back the managers judgement on this and given the urgent necessity to recruit, we may have to pay Spuds way more than he is worth.

 

[Cobra]

Haha thats all you come up with someone who could might be better than walker in the future

Someone asked for a better home grown right back. I don't think there's much difference between them now, but I think Bellerin will go on to be a better player.

 

[mosssideblue]

Some players struggle to understand Peps positional play. It takes them out of their comfort zone and is a re-learning of the game. The more we learn as fans the more we can appreciate what Peps trying to do here. We can also see which players are not putting into practice what Pep is teaching. It's ridiculous to judge a player within a Pep team without this knowledge. The defence is learning a new trade. We are so lucky to have such an intelligent leader and accomplished defender in Vincent. He makes all our Children look good.
I will be surprised if Otamendi is playing next to Vincent instead of Stones this coming season. Also Walker, Mendy and Edison will have to learn positional play and this may take a while. I put our great start last season to Pep not confusing the players with his complex positional play. Once he started to teach the technicalities of positional play we looked a poorer team.
It's easy to think we are regressing while the players are coming to terms with basically learning a new trade. If you can't grasp the technical side of Peps play, your toast.

Are you an academic by chance - never read so much waffle

 

[domalino]

Can you pinpoint why you don't rate him then? Seems a bit weird to say that you can't think of a better rb in the league, but then with the same breath say "i just dont rate him".

I actually think that's quite easy to answer, possibly because I had the same issues with Walker myself a couple of months ago when this transfer first seemed to be real.

What's he good at?

He's not a good passer of the ball, has poor control, he's not a great dribbler, he's not got particularly good deliveries, and he can't shoot.

What he's is actually great at is essentially running (quickly), pressing, and using his physical power to in 1v1 situations to either defend (aided by good tackling) or find room to cut a ball back into the box.

He's the best in the league despite actually not being more than average when in possession of the football because now Pochettino has improved his positioning, he's very good without the ball.

And so there's a weird dichotomy. Average footballer, Great player.

Pochettino has created a system at Spurs where all of that off the ball stuff makes him a vital member of the team while others provide the quality. Here I expect the same. He'll hold down that side of the pitch, bombing up and down, doing very basic stuff effectively while the world class players around him provide skill.

And with a bit of luck he'll pick a few things off Alves, and his basic ball skills will improve over time and he might become more rounded here, but if not, RB will at least not be a problem position for us any time soon.

 

[Mid Wales blue]

Bollocks. Ota and Vinny were the strongest pairing all season and Ota was our most consistent CB.

The reason Stones looked poor is because he is. Not saying he wont make it, but he has a long way to go.

I don't think that Stones is poor, but I do think that his brain doesn't compute things fast enough to become world class. However he possess good control of the ball and can make a great pass every now and then. As he matures on the pitch, his awareness and positioning, will become second nature. He will learn from those around him as well as some of the best coaches in the world, and become an extremely good defender decent enough for any top team, but his slow thinking under pressure will hold him back from becoming a truly world class defender.

 

[BillyShears]

I actually think that's quite easy to answer, possibly because I had the same issues with Walker myself a couple of months ago when this transfer first seemed to be real.

What's he good at?

He's not a good passer of the ball, has poor control, he's not a great dribbler, he's not got particularly good deliveries, and he can't shoot.

What he's is actually great at is essentially running (quickly), pressing, and using his physical power to in 1v1 situations to either defend (aided by good tackling) or find room to cut a ball back into the box.

He's the best in the league despite actually not being more than average when in possession of the football because now Pochettino has improved his positioning, he's very good without the ball.

And so there's a weird dichotomy. Average footballer, Great player.

Pochettino has created a system at Spurs where all of that off the ball stuff makes him a vital member of the team while others provide the quality. Here I expect the same.

Your assessment of what he can or can't do isn't one I agree with tbh mate. I find it hard to believe that Pep would be pushing really hard to break the world record fee for a full back who can't do a lot of the things you say he can't do.

 

[Hesperus]

Can you pinpoint why you don't rate him then? Seems a bit weird to say that you can't think of a better rb in the league, but then with the same breath say "i just dont rate him".

I work with a few Spurs season ticket holders and they are genuinely amazed we are willing to pay so much for him. In their opinion he has more bad games, where he looks truly awful than good games. Obviously this could be a case of sour grapes, but I've known them over 10 years. So I doubt sour grapes is entirely the case.

I don't think he's that good either but I get we need to buy HG, it's just a pity we can't sign better HG players in other positions.

 

[domalino]

Your assessment of what he can or can't do isn't one I agree with tbh mate. I find it hard to believe that Pep would be pushing really hard to break the world record fee for a full back who can't do a lot of the things you say he can't do.

So do you disagree simply because you don't think Pep would be interested in a player like that, or because you've actually seen him as a good passer, dribbler, crosser etc.?

Guardiola appreciates work off the ball more than anyone, I think he'll be more than happy with someone who will run for days (smart runs as well), press, win the ball high up, defend large spaces very well to protect us from counter attacks and impose himself physically.

 

[BillyShears]

I work with a few Spurs season ticket holders and they are genuinely amazed we are willing to pay so much for him. In their opinion he has more bad games, where he looks truly awful than good games. Obviously this could be a case of sour grapes, but I've known them over 10 years. So I doubt sour grapes is entirely the case.

I don't think he's that good either but I get we need to buy HG, it's just a pity we can't sign better HG players in other positions.

Hmmmm. Spurs fans at your work or Pep Guardiola and his team ?

People keep going on about the h/g thing as if it's actually a big thing. It isn't. He isn't being bought because he's homegrown, he's being bought because Pep thinks he is the best player available for him in that position this summer.

 

[BillyShears]

So do you disagree simply because you don't think Pep would be interested in a player like that, or because you've actually seen him as a good passer, dribbler, crosser etc.?

Both. I don't think Pep would be interested in a player like that and frankly, to say he can't control, pass, dribble, etc is the kind of nonsense people used to write about Raz (some still do). As I say though, proof of the pudding is in the eating. Walker's coming. Be interesting to see how opinions develop over the next 12 months.

 

[Ric]

Not sure why people get stick for saying they don't rate Walker that highly. I'm not particularly enamoured with him either, tbh. I can see why we're in for him though, as he'll provide some much needed aggression and pace, and the fact that he is homegrown is key I presume. Personally I'd rather see us go for Fabinho, who could cover both RB and CM, and try to fill the homegrown spot elsewhere, but that's not going to happen.

 

[waterfootblues]

Are you an academic by chance - never read so much waffle

Hehe just a scholar of the beautiful game:-)

 

[domalino]

Both. I don't think Pep would be interested in a player like that and frankly, to say he can't control, pass, dribble, etc is the kind of nonsense people used to write about Raz (some still do). As I say though, proof of the pudding is in the eating. Walker's coming. Be interesting to see how opinions develop over the next 12 months.

Can you pinpoint any games where his passing, for example, particularly impressed you? Because when people talk shit about Sterling I can always come up with dozens of examples as to why they're wrong.

You seem to think I'm not rating him, which isn't true, I just rate him because of his work off the ball. Intelligent running, winning the ball back high up, being dominant 1v1. He's not unlike Abidal was for Pep early on.

I think it'll be interesting to see how Walker develops over the next 12 months.