2 | Kyle Walker - 2024/25

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youngbob said:
If he's not the best right-back in the club's history then he's definitely the most successful. The way some people talk about him is absolutely nuts. "He'd be playing for Oldham if he didn't have pace", Jesus man you are kidding yourself on. This is someone who was genuinely feared across Europe by teams like Madrid, Bayern, PSG, etc. for years because he completely shut his wingers out of massive games time and time again. Mbappe, Vinicius, the list goes on.

Sure, he's a fool off the pitch, but he's always been a fool and it hasn't affected his form for City at all during the seven years he's been here. What is affecting his form is age (and fitness) - the bare facts are that he's 34 now. But the thing is, he's allowed to be 34. A lot like Gundogan at the moment, if our other options for Walker's position were in a better place in terms of fitness and quality he wouldn't be getting hung out to dry like he currently is.

There's a reason all the other lads in the squad elected him as captain and it comes down to that night in Istanbul. Left out of the starting XI for very obvious tactical reasons, he didn't kick up a fuss. Not starting the biggest game of your life - the occasion you've worked your whole career for - must have crushed him. But instead of sulking he gathered the boys round him in the dressing room and said "My dream is in your hands, go out there and get it".

We don't owe him anything, and bad performances are fine to be called out, but as always with this place the criticism is way over the top. Instead of just coming to the conclusion that he's not up to being a top-level right-back anymore, some people just have to start dismissing his achievements, saying he was never any good in the first place, saying that only pace has "bailed him out". Do you people not hear yourselves? Do you know who you're on about?

When we were shite, the constant rallying cry from the supporters was "We just want the lads to go out there and give 100%". Who can honestly say without a shred of doubt that Walker hasn't given 100% in a City shirt? He's played over 300 games for us and has won 17 trophies in the process. Yet another player in the current era who achieved more than the hundreds of players we had in the 70s, 80s, and 90s combined but is being spoken about like he's Danny Mills.
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Agree with every word Bob. Very good input.
 
HelloCity said:
That’s because it’s utter bollocks.

You don’t get to where Walker has just by being fast, otherwise you could just plonk Usain Bolt in defence.

He’s one of the best signings of the Mansour era in terms of value for money and consistency and he’s held his position for so long despite competition failing to surpass him long term - Danilo, Cancelo.

Clearly, he’s approaching the end at the very top level but that’s completely normal. He’s 35 at the end the season and we’ve seen even the likes of Yaya and Silva drop off as they got to that age.

For me, he’ll go down as the best full back I’ve seen play for City….although if Gvardiol carries on, that record might not last long!
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Would rather have Zabba in his prime personally as he was a miles better actual footballer, link play with the likes of Siva etc. Maybe my judgement is slightly clouded though because i liked Zabba and he didn’t come across as a fucking idiot.

Credit where it’s due though he’s been a fantastic fullback for us and in the style we’ve played under Pep we couldn’t have had anyone more suited to give us the cover he has against counter attacks.
 
Kyle doesn’t want to engage anymore. 4 or 5 times when he stood off his player and invited a cross, which has then come in. Leaving us in dangerous positions. Legs are on the way out. Sad to see.
 
I hate to say this about one of our players but he is an absolute disgrace - I get that he is getting on a bit but to not have the experience and knowledge to re-invent his game is bad - I remember him saying in the summer he feels like he's still 26 well he's played this year like he's 46. The sad thing is Pep cannot or will not see it.
 
Shite and hopefully won't put the shirt on again

But just to be clear, he's the captain of the club
 
I'm actually really angry at that second half performance from our leader and one of the most experience defenders in the league. He was shouting at a kid in the middle and a kid on the wing Savinho to track back and cover the single forward that he was meant to mark. I dislike him as an individual and now after probably 6 top seasons with us I despise him as a player
 
Stealing a fucking living. And he’s captain!

No wonder the team don’t exactly seem invigorated with his as their ‘leader’.

Mistake after mistake after mistake defensively.

I was buzzing when he signed a new deal. In hindsight we should’ve snapped Bayern’s hands off.
 
skillman said:
Stealing a fucking living. And he’s captain!

No wonder the team don’t exactly seem invigorated with his as their ‘leader’.

Mistake after mistake after mistake defensively.

I was buzzing when he signed a new deal. In hindsight we should’ve snapped Bayern’s hands off.
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Yep but because he's a loud voice he will blame others - he wants to just get the ball with 3 or 4 seconds on it and play killer passes - when in reality he's not even doing the basics of defending - that is why I'm on here giving him a hard time. He got some credit because he has been decent for us for a few years but in football as in life you are only as good as your current way of being.

Other players you can always say class is permanent, form is etc. but with this guy I believe he's done at this level and is a major weak link to the team. He has been awful all season but we were getting results by the skin of our teeth which covered up just how poorly both our fullbacks have been.
 
Mr HJ said:
Yep but because he's a loud voice he will blame others - he wants to just get the ball with 3 or 4 seconds on it and play killer passes - when in reality he's not even doing the basics of defending - that is why I'm on here giving him a hard time. He got some credit because he has been decent for us for a few years but in football as in life you are only as good as your current way of being.

Other players you can always say class is permanent, form is etc. but with this guy I believe he's done at this level and is a major weak link to the team. He has been awful all season but we were getting results by the skin of our teeth which covered up just how poorly both our fullbacks have been.
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It’s easy to forget (not for me) that he was dropped from the side during the treble season and it’s what changed our fortunes.

We moved Stones there - or Akanji - and we excelled with elegance, control and defensive stability. He was kept back for rapid wingers and that was it.

Then he threw a paddy, threatened to leave and was rewarded with a new contract, more undeserved minutes and the captaincy.

He’s not been at his best for a few seasons. In my opinion anyway. Defends arrogantly, jogs when attackers are sprinting - did it last week and for the first goal today.

Fed up of the clown.
 
Sibierskii said:
The scapegoat again shock horror.

Shite defending from Gvardiol for the first goal
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I'd agree to some degree but having watched them come down his side time after time, creating chance after chance no body can tell me he had a good game. He just needed to own his winger and stop crosses and runs into the box but he was either caught too far out of position or his first movement was actually away from the player on the ball - at this level you cannot give any player that much time and space - compare how little space Phil, Bernie, Savinho etc had - in short he deserves to be called out - he's not a kid and should have the knowledge to alter what he's doing in a game rather than what happened where he looked like a rabbit in headlights. He was rubbish tonight and a big reason why we lost.
 
Mr HJ said:
Yep but because he's a loud voice he will blame others - he wants to just get the ball with 3 or 4 seconds on it and play killer passes - when in reality he's not even doing the basics of defending - that is why I'm on here giving him a hard time. He got some credit because he has been decent for us for a few years but in football as in life you are only as good as your current way of being.

Other players you can always say class is permanent, form is etc. but with this guy I believe he's done at this level and is a major weak link to the team. He has been awful all season but we were getting results by the skin of our teeth which covered up just how poorly both our fullbacks have been.
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Can't remember the last time he took personal responsibility for a cack performance. No humility, would blame everyone else but himself.
 
I think his game was summed up when he walked off the pitch and picked up a ball to take a throw in while Simpson-Pusey was in the process of taking the throw in already with another ball.
 
Sibierskii said:
The scapegoat again shock horror.

Shite defending from Gvardiol for the first goal
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Did you not see him pass the ball out of play when trying to pass it down the line?

He's awful, it's just his pace got him out of some awful situations

He's finished, and how he's our captain is beyond me. We can blame the rest of the squad for picking him though
 
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