2 | Kyle Walker - 2023/24

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Jogged back for their second and then defended with the kind of conviction Nasri would have been proud of. We need Akanji fit or Nunes to cover, as I cannot see him playing through the season without substantial rest.
 
Worst FH I remember in a while. Especially the 2nd goal was simply... it's a shame that we always have 2 CB injured, because Walker deserves a spot on the bench for months.
 
What more can you say?

He's a defender who's always relied on his pace and now that he's lost half a yard of pace, he's been borderline useless. Pep had it 100% right benching him in the UCL final, and I'm pretty sure had we not won that game, Pep would have never okayed an extension.

Even in the second half when I thought he played better in an attacking sense, he let Gordon get onto his right foot as easy as he did in the first half. He needs to be on the bench. There's no way Lewis can defend worse than him currently, and at least he can consistently put in a half-decent cross.
 
TrentGrisham said:
What more can you say?

He's a defender who's always relied on his pace and now that he's lost half a yard of pace, he's been borderline useless. Pep had it 100% right benching him in the UCL final, and I'm pretty sure had we not won that game, Pep would have never okayed an extension.

Even in the second half when I thought he played better in an attacking sense, he let Gordon get onto his right foot as easy as he did in the first half. He needs to be on the bench. There's no way Lewis can defend worse than him currently, and at least he can consistently put in a half-decent cross.
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You really want to put Lewis up against Gordon?
 
Better second half but still let Gordon cut inside on one of Newcastle’s rare attacks. For some reason he’s stopped forcing wingers down the wing which is strange because that’s his only main defensive strength.

Still think we’re a better team without him, though, but more Stones when fit.
 
First goal he's not really done much wrong, its one of those you just have to say is a great goal. It's the fact he is then at fault for the second soon after which is very similar that highlights his errors more.

It's just a lack of concentration again, he's not switched on and too busy telling others what to do which he's been guilty of numerous times this season. Shouldn't be in the team right now but when you go into the season with 6 senior defenders in the squad and 2 are prone to injury you run the risk of being unable to drop players who are out of form as he and dias are showing. Has to be a suggestion of complacency too, walker knows he's starting no matter what he does because there's no other options.
 
If Akanji or Stones are fit, I would prefer them starting over him.

But neither are, and as mentioned above, you don't really want Rico Lewis up against Gordan or Isak, even if Walker didn't do great against them.

An excellent player for the club when considering his career, but we need to just let his contract naturally fall off and not rely on him as a 1st choice (which I hope Pep doens't see him as 1st choice if all are fit, but he probably does).
 
His head elsewhere today it seems but what choice do we have. I don't think Pep wants Rico anywhere near RB unless it's a dead rubber game.

Let's hope a week or so in the sun and a rest can get him firing for spuds.
 
ninjamonkey said:
First goal he's not really done much wrong, its one of those you just have to say is a great goal. It's the fact he is then at fault for the second soon after which is very similar that highlights his errors more.
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I respect your opinion, but I'm curious how you figure he's not done much wrong here. He lets him far too easily onto his strong foot, and I can't figure out for the life of me why he's opening his hips even more as Isak shoots the ball.

 
TrentGrisham said:
I respect your opinion, but I'm curious how you figure he's not done much wrong here. He lets him far too easily onto his strong foot, and I can't figure out for the life of me why he's opening his hips even more as Isak shoots the ball.

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Looks like he's caught in two minds imo but it's still poor. He was better in the second half (not that difficult, I know).
 
TrentGrisham said:
I respect your opinion, but I'm curious how you figure he's not done much wrong here. He lets him far too easily onto his strong foot, and I can't figure out for the life of me why he's opening his hips even more as Isak shoots the ball.

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The Gordon (i think?) overlap forces that. Has a decision to make when that run is made. He either gives him that half step inside for the shot and be ready to defend the overlap pass or he leaves the pass in behind on.

In hindsight he obviously should have stuck with him but that's a difficult shot from a difficult angle so I can completely understand his decision making in that instance.

Second goal is completely different, he's 1v1. He firstly has to be getting out to him much more quickly than he does which would force Gordon wider and negate most of the threat instantly but then having jogged back, he has to be showing him outside and is completely his error.
 
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