Kyle Walker - One of the world's best right backs?

[TottenhamMattSpur]

It wasn't so much a precise cross than a sideways pass let's be honest.

 

[wishkah]

Thanks, having seen it only once, I didn't realise how far back he'd started. The way he goes up a gear when Lamela gets the ball and Walker sees the gap is impressive, but not so much as his ability to make a precise, calm, measured cross at the end of a strenuous 85m sprint. That's really top-class fullback play in every way: pace, stamina, vision and skill.

I did one of those runs (less pace) from RB during our 11 aside league on Saturday. obviously my cross was more of a toe poke out for a GK. Instead of running back into position I subbed myself off and walked behind the opposition goal for a bit of a lie down.

On topic I think we forget that in the good old days players would have potential before eventually peaking at 27-31ish. I think that's what we are starting to see with Kyle. On his day he's a world beater - and over the next few years I hope those "days" become every day. reminds me of zabaletta's rise.

 

[LexingtonSpurs]

I know @Bus-Conductor likes to give him stick for not having a footballing brain - but his sense of reading that play was fantastic. He knew the play was going to develop along the right side, and without any hesitation he put himself in position to receive the ball from Lamela. He literally started behind every Stoke player, and in the end he was even with the last defender when he made the calm pass to Alli.

So for me, that single play demonstrates his vision and understanding of the situation, his world class pace, and his ability to calmly make the right pass after sprinting nearly 100 yards. Yes, he can use some work on his crosses from the wing, but what a tremendous player to have on our squad.

 

[LexingtonSpurs]

Also - I know this is a Walker thread, but - there was a time Lamela would not make that pass, he would have held it and cut in on his own - I think it speaks highly of him, and the coaching, that he quickly moved the ball on to a player better able to advance the play. All-in-all, it was a great counter-attack by the whole team.

 

[davidmatzdorf]

It wasn't so much a precise cross than a sideways pass let's be honest.

Whichever it was, it was calm and beautifully-weighted and it set up Alli to finish with one touch. That's not so easy after you've just sprinted hell-for-leather for 80m.

I'd call it a low cross. It was parallel to the goal line.

 

[Luka Van der Bale]

I still don't think he has had a better season than the one after the Villa loan where he won PFA young player.

And that was so long ago I didn't think he'd ever get close to it, but this could be the season...

He was better than that last season. Just more composed and mature in his defending.

 

[Sandro30]

To me what constitutes being a world class (or 'worlds best' as the title suggests) player is consistency. The fact Walker still has the odd mistake in him tells me he is not. No doubt about it though that the work Poch has done on both the full backs has been superb.

He's getting there...!

 

[widmerpool]

https://gfycat.com/ElectricAjarAcouchi

One of the highlights of a depressing afternoon, I thought.

That pass from a sitting position to Lamela tops it all off so well.

 

[iddebu52]

I thought he was very good yesterday.