2 | Kyle Walker - 2023/24

[TrentGrisham]

I'll gladly understand some rationale for his three-year extension, but Pep benching him in the CL final was just validation for how I feel in that he's an awful fit for us in this day and age. He touches the ball more than anyone on our team, bar Rodri, and that's the weakest area of his game, bar none. I wouldn't trade Pep for anyone, but I maintain that if they didn't have such a close personal relationship, he would have NEVER been given that long of a deal.

If he was even average defensively, then I'd be able to live with it better, but he's been having more brain farts than ever, along with losing a step.

 

[HoneyMonster89]

Walker is still a fundamentally sound RB who does most things to at least a 7/10 level.

But for someone who often finds himself in good positions, his final pass/ball could be better.

Not having a real attacking LB or RB limits City a bit at times. It'd be good to have an alternative RB for games vs certain opposition. Cancelo could be poor defensively, but had other qualities that City now lack.

Yan Couto could be a really good option.

 

[Trevor Morley's Tache]

Walker is still a fundamentally sound RB who does most things to at least a 7/10 level.

But for someone who often finds himself in good positions, his final pass/ball could be better.

Not having a real attacking LB or RB limits City a bit at times. It'd be good to have an alternative RB for games vs certain opposition. Cancelo could be poor defensively, but had other qualities that City now lack.

Yan Couto could be a really good option.

You don't think Walker is an attacking RB?

He often takes up good positions beyond the halfway line, making line splitting passes before overlapping and getting us further up field.

The best thing about Walker is that he's got the situational awareness, plus the acceleration & speed to get us out of the shit if it breaks down.

 

[HoneyMonster89]

You don't think Walker is an attacking RB?

He often takes up good positions beyond the halfway line, making line splitting passes before overlapping and getting us further up field.

The best thing about Walker is that he's got the situational awareness, plus the acceleration & speed to get us out of the shit if it breaks down.

Not a great one. 21 assists in a City shirt. Trippier has assisted 21 goals at Newcastle from less than 100 games.

Walker is more complete player than Trippier, but his final 3rd play is limited.

 

[Trevor Morley's Tache]

Not a great one. 21 assists in a City shirt. Trippier has assisted 21 goals at Newcastle from less than 100 games.

Walker is more complete player than Trippier, but his final 3rd play is limited.

He's not an attacking RB in the traditional sense, but he features heavily in a lot of our attacking play when he's on the field. He's certainly not a traditional block and get rid defender.

 

[HoneyMonster89]

He's not an attacking RB in the traditional sense, but he features heavily in a lot of our attacking play when he's on the field.

That's my point. Having Walker that heavily involved is pointless a lot of the time.

If City had an alternative RB with a better cross/final ball, it adds another string to the bow.

Walker's recovery pace and ability to stop counter attacks are his two biggest assets. He's more than fine in terms of buildup play within his own half. It's the final 3rd where he could improve. Not likely now at 33.

He's still a very good player overall. But it would be better to have an alternative option for certain games.

 

[Trevor Morley's Tache]

That's my point. Having Walker that heavily involved is pointless a lot of the time.

If City had an alternative RB with a better cross/final ball, it adds another string to the bow.

Walker's recovery pace and ability to stop counter attacks are his two biggest assets. He's more than fine in terms of buildup play within his own half. It's the final 3rd where he could improve. Not likely now at 33.

He's still a very good player overall. But it would be better to have an alternative option for certain games.

I think in the current setup Walker is probably no.1 choice at RB. Teams always look to pump balls over the top into the space behind our back line. With Walker in the team, it limits that option.

 

[walker_is_faster]

We use him differently now than when we first signed him and we play differently now than before. Now we need him more in defense than in attack.
If we play differently to Liverpool or Newcastle and there's a full-back who likes to spam crosses, of course it would be good to practice that, but that's not how we play.

I don't know who can replace him, but I know that Yan Couto can't, because he is a completely different player profile, he is a wing back and Vinicius were toying him the other night but again he can be here but not as replacment for Walker more like other option different option.
I think if you want someone to replace him, sign a center back to play there or, you can have an attacking full back and a left back more defensively.

 

[Phil1]

He’s fit he plays.

 

[blueparrot]

We use him differently now than when we first signed him and we play differently now than before. Now we need him more in defense than in attack.
If we play differently to Liverpool or Newcastle and there's a full-back who likes to spam crosses, of course it would be good to practice that, but that's not how we play.

I don't know who can replace him, but I know that Yan Couto can't, because he is a completely different player profile, he is a wing back and Vinicius were toying him the other night but again he can be here but not as replacment for Walker more like other option different option.
I think if you want someone to replace him, sign a center back to play there or, you can have an attacking full back and a left back more defensively.

As we seem to play 3 centre backs and Walker at full back, there is no real reason why Walker can't be replaced by either a right or left back. We could still play 3 centre backs and a full back. That is of coure providing Peps still manager another manager might want 2 full backs.