da dobrowin： Kyle Walker is one of the world’s elite right-backs but there aren’t many observers who would say he is an outstanding defender.
da luck： His physical attributes, namely his pace and stamina, make him a top full-back. He can get up and down all day long and he has proved a perfect fit for Pep Guardiola’s Manchester City.
However, Walker – valued at £45m by Transfermarkt – has been prone throughout his career to lapses in concentration, he is not a great defender one versus one and he relies on his recovery pace to get him out of trouble at times.
That is why it was so surprising to see Gareth Southgate name the former Spurs man at centre-half as England beat Holland 1-0 in Amsterdam on Friday night.
The lineup raised a few eyebrows but Walker put in a solid, steady display to justify his selection in that role. It doesn’t feel like a perfect fit but England’s central defensive options are thin on the ground at present so Southgate has got creative to find an alternative.
Playing Walker inside at centre-back does give England another player in that position who is comfortable on the ball and his 95 per cent passing accuracy is testament to that.
Two blocks, two clearances and one interception shows that he was alert all night and was able to snuff out any intermittent threats from a fairly blunt Dutch attack.
With 68 touches, he was involved a little more than he would expect to be on the flank. It was a solid, if unspectacular outcome to Southgate’s bold call.
Yet, if Walker can carry on being solid if the experiment is prolonged, that will suit Southgate down to the ground.