2 | Kyle Walker - 2023/24

Status
Not open for further replies.
Poor today, in Sterling's pocket all night, lack of composure, lost a yard, and partially to blame for the 2nd goal. This season, he is racking up a lot of easy mistakes that cost us. He doesn't really offer much in the build-up and offensive play. He is a City legend, but age is catching up with him.
 
Last edited:
Reposting a post of mine from a few weeks ago:

You're asking the wrong blue about their thoughts on Walker. Ha.

He's a legend of the club and the English game for that matter. I respect what he's done for City but I'm in the small minority who thought it was the perfect time to move on from him. Or at most give him one more year on his deal. To give him a deal until he's 37 was madness IMO. I'm aware that he's very well-liked within the dressing room but so are a lot of lads, and I don't think we're short of leaders either- the difference is they don't end up in the papers for doing something idiotic every season.

I digress. The main reason I thought it was time to move on is solely in a sporting sense. I just think that for a team that dominates the ball as much as we do, he doesn't contribute in the buildup or attacking third enough. He's good for an overlap every now and then but how often does it lead to something? If he was more or less always brain-fart-free defensively then I could justify him being a nailed-on starter more in my eyes, but he's not. If he were, do you really think Pep would have dropped him for Akanji in arguably the biggest game of his City tenure? I don't.

As for Sunday- I admittedly think Rico Lewis DOES have a future as a fullback and far worse players than him have managed to keep Rashford quiet this season. I'll take that risk and bet on Rico to hold his own versus Rashford while reaping the benefits of more or less another midfielder to help us dominate the middle, and create chances in the attacking third(which we've struggled to do more times than not in the league thus far).
 
A really poor performance today with all of his worst attributes on show and the free kick at the end topped it off.

I thought he started of the season well but his form has fallen off a cliff in the last few weeks.
 
It’s not a loss of pace. He is still our quickest defender and by some distance. What he has lost is his focus. He doesn’t cover round anymore and it’s happening every week. The ball from the right into the area between the CB and Walker is killing us because Walker is fast asleep. There’s more to full back defending than being good in 1v1s. Wake the fuck up.
 
skillman said:
Twice he’s been ran ragged this season (Mitoma, Sterling) by fantastic players. He usually bullies them into their place but seems to be diving in more than usual this season.

A bit strange.
Click to expand...

We know how quick he is but he does seem to struggle with the likes of Mitoma who can change direction with the ball very quick, even if they're not quite as quick as Walker in a straight race.

Then again, I don't think many fullbacks would handle Mitoma and Sterling one-on-one when they're having a good game, so I wouldn't criticise Walker too much for it.

Definitely didn't have a good game today but he's not a player I really worry about.

Pep needs to ban him from free kicks though!!
 
Only Akanji did well. Gvardiol made a bad mistake but grew in the game. Walker and Dias had a mare.
 
Arrogance crept back into his game. It's always there with walker just waiting to pop up and rears it's head every so often.

Problem is we don't have the numbers in defence to bench him to refocus him, same with Dias. No surprise a lack of options breeds complacency.

Today was one of those games where he almost ignores the game going on around him and wants to make a point of getting one over his direct opponent, then he morphs into a raging bull and that becomes his sole focus. I suspect sterling knows this better than anyone and played him today.

Why the fuck is he taking the freekick at the end?, no kdb and alvarez on the pitch
and fair enough foden may not have fancied it after the clattering he took but there is still haaland, even rodri that should be having that. There's nothing that can convince me he's the best option on the pitch at that point. if he's throwing the armband about and calling rank to take it then it needs removing from him.
 
01cravend said:
I'm not arguing that he should be but.. No Kev, no Julian on the pitch, not on the side for a left footer so who else is there to take it?

Jack, Kova or Rodri... it's not really that controversial that he's stepping up in that situation
Click to expand...
What? Yes it is. With those players you mentioned , plus haaland and foden, walker is way down the list. Silly him pulling rank like that
 
him being almost number one player on the teamsheet still scares me after he was in an out of the starting team big parts of last season.
feels like that summer dinner with Pep came with guaranteed first team place so we dont lose him to Bayern.
 
01cravend said:
I'm not arguing that he should be but.. No Kev, no Julian on the pitch, not on the side for a left footer so who else is there to take it?

Jack, Kova or Rodri... it's not really that controversial that he's stepping up in that situation
Click to expand...
Well for me, it’s Jack or Rodri before Walker for a start. I would have put my last pound on the ball going over the bar.
 
Bluesince1979 said:
What? Yes it is. With those players you mentioned , plus haaland and foden, walker is way down the list. Silly him pulling rank like that
Click to expand...

Haaland and Phil are left footed so unlikely to take one from the left side.

Anyway those mentioned players plus the above 2 have never scored a freekick between them. So what's he pulling rank above?
 
Status
Not open for further replies.
Unread Posts

Don't have an account? Register now and see fewer ads!

SIGN UP
Back
Top