- May 5, 2004
- 24,183
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Sophomore slump this season. He seems to have the determination and willingness to learn to up his game next term though.
Think he has the qualities to be top class. Remember he's still young and learning the game. Has to improve his concentration and stamp out stupid mistakes, the one at Liverpool was unforgivable. I'd definitely keep faith with Walker for now.
What a load of crap in this thread, he's 22 playing the most difficult in modern day football of all the outfield positions. How many FB's younger than walker who are playing regularly in the Premiership are better than him?
FB these days is a position that requires experience and really learning as there are so many facets to the position. Of course he makes some errors, he's a young player you should accept that he will, but he will make less and less with even more experience. His positives far outweigh his negatives and with our current squad and the deficincies we have in certain areas Walker I'm sure is way down on our list of priorities to upgrade on.
At 22 or under I would suggest that Rafael and Walker are currently the 2 best young FB's in the Premiership, I'm sure that Luke Shaw will also emerge as a very good FB, but please remember before spewing negativity about Walker just how hard a position the modern day FB is to play.
Others have probably said similar, so sorry if I'm only picking on you, but this type of comment makes little sense. If the qualities you need to be "top class" are quick legs and willing attitude then he'll end up at Real Madrid. But if the qualities needed to be "top class" are things like good technique (especially under pressure), intelligence, reading of the game, the ability to think and apply intelligence/technique quickly and skilfully to defending and attacking situations then Walker is fucked.
He has the ingredients to be top class. Pace, strength, stamina, can tackle, can head. With training/experience he will get better at his decision making, positional sense, technique.
He was the young player of the year only a year ago and can be the future England right back for years.
What a load of crap in this thread, he's 22 playing the most difficult in modern day football of all the outfield positions. How many FB's younger than walker who are playing regularly in the Premiership are better than him?
FB these days is a position that requires experience and really learning as there are so many facets to the position. Of course he makes some errors, he's a young player you should accept that he will, but he will make less and less with even more experience. His positives far outweigh his negatives and with our current squad and the deficincies we have in certain areas Walker I'm sure is way down on our list of priorities to upgrade on.
At 22 or under I would suggest that Rafael and Walker are currently the 2 best young FB's in the Premiership, I'm sure that Luke Shaw will also emerge as a very good FB, but please remember before spewing negativity about Walker just how hard a position the modern day FB is to play.
He's got better defensively since the Liverpool game. Attacking he is atrocious. Thick, ponderous, nervy, won't put a cross in, scared to run at players, gets in Lennons way because he won't make decisive runs off the ball, he will just drag a second defender into the Space and then be scared to go further.
No matter how bad people thought he was at points last season...remember when some thought Kyle Naughton should play instead?
Now THAT is funny.
No matter how bad people thought he was at points last season...remember when some thought Kyle Naughton should play instead?
Now THAT is funny.
Others have probably said similar, so sorry if I'm only picking on you, but this type of comment makes little sense. If the qualities you need to be "top class" are quick legs and willing attitude then he'll end up at Real Madrid. But if the qualities needed to be "top class" are things like good technique (especially under pressure), intelligence, reading of the game, the ability to think and apply intelligence/technique quickly and skilfully to defending and attacking situations then Walker is fucked.
I think it is the counter argument that makes little sense. He has all the raw attributes to have a very successful career:
Pace, aggression, determination, strong in the tackle, good technique (particularly in shooting and tackling), he knows when to close down a cross (bae take note) and whats more hes young.
Look im not saying hes the best but sometimes you need to accept the middle ground. I appreciate this is a forum where only extreme views are given but hes good enough unless someone better comes along.
The only criticism is that he hasn't developed a sound footballing brain but that can be taught.
No, funny was the one time Walker tried to play LB. Made Naughton look like Philipp Lahm.
When Walker was playing week after week with his head on upside down, Naughton should have been played at RB. It's why you have a back up RB. He could not have been worse than Walker during the first 6 months of the season.
Chelsea's young rb Azpillacueta is better than Walker (and Rafael). Rafael does some hot headed things, but technically he is much better than Walker. If we take our Spurs goggles off we'd probably say Villa's youngster Lowton, Coleman at Everton, Southampton's Clyne are all no worse than Walker either, which is just about every young RB in the league, and there are older ones who are definitely better (Zabaleta, Sagna, Johnson, Rangel, Ivanovic to name a few).
Why aren't we allowed to make an honest assessment of our own players, why must we unrealistically big up a player just because he wears a spurs shirt. It's embarrassing and childish.
Walker has qualities like pace and a good attitude (which of the above don't have a good attitude though ?) but he clearly has deficiencies like poor technique under pressure and an inability to make make decisions under pressure (otherwise known as a footballing brain). Too many people have seen this for it to be some kind of collective imagining, so why lie ? Why try to say he's something he isn't ?
When was the occasion Walker played LB?