Kyle Walker Masterclass

This weeks analysis is a player focus on Manchester City’s Kyle Walker and his superb display vs Real Madrid in the Champions League at the Ethiad.

Walker had one of his best games in a city shirt and certainly added more of a claim to one of Europe’s top full backs.

Key features in Walkers play

• Defensive Roles (understands when to press vs when to drop)

• Reading danger through good positioning and game intelligence

• Communication to organize team in all four functions of the game

• Tactical understanding to play inside (two benefits- central overload but also narrows Madrid which leaves Sterling 1v1 vs Madrid Full backs)

• Incredible dribbling ability and change of pace

• Fitness to get up and down the park

• Excellent decision making skills- when to dribble, vs pass, go forward vs back

Kyle Walker is a key cog in the Pep Guardiola wheel and a leader in the squad. It is evident watching him in games talking players through games both verbally and non verbally as well as leading by example in his performances. His tactical understanding is outstanding and putting in a performance of this caliber in the Champions League vs Real Madrid shows how far he has grown and developed into a world class footballer.