During this month, three years ago Kyle Walker was named PFA young player of the year aged just 21. Hence it seems bizarre, that now he is cited as the weak link in a Spurs side which has endured it’s fair share of trials and tribulations of their own.

Walker broke into the first team initially in 2010, as injuries to Alan Hutton and Vedran Corluka left Redknapp no choice but to start the then 19 year old. He failed to nail down a spot until the 2011/12 season, during which he won many fans hearts with a gloriously stuck long distance winner against Arsenal at White Hart Lane.

He continued to impress during what was Harry Redknapp’s last season at Spurs. His electric pace and good positional sense made him a combative all round full back making great overlapping runs in attack but also able to keep up with and prevent opposing wingers making hay down Spurs’ right.

This good form and reliability remained during Andre Villas-Boas’ tenure although his adventurous attacking tendencies often left him out of position - this is where the mistakes began to creep in.

Unfortunately for Kyle, he suffered a bad injury in early 2014 which had to be operated on and left him ruled out until December. Arguably, this is the source of the problems he has endured this season.

Looking rusty upon introduction, Walker has come nowhere near close to replicating the form he showed in previous years. Due to Spurs’ lack of alternative options at right-back, there was no easy way to reintroduce Walker gently after such a long injury lay off. Additionally, this lack of depth provides no competition for Walker, hence providing no further incentive for Walker to work hard to improve himself. Walker’s performances suffered and he was widely criticised following several performances in the Premier League, during which he often looked positionally awkward and uncomfortable with the ball at his feet.

However, Walker suffered a nasty foot injury against Burnley, and so Spurs must dig deep into their resources and find a suitable replacement to play for the time being. As far as I see it there are three options that Spurs available to them.

Against Aston Villa they chose to play Vlad Chiriches. Quick with sound positioning, Chiriches should have been fine against relatively docile opposition. But it was a nightmare performance for the Romanian international as his passing was far too wayward.

Earlier in the season, while Walker was still on the sidelines, Eric Dier was tried at right back. Although, initial showings against the likes of QPR were encouraging, his lack of pace and failure to keep width let him down, and it is clear he is much better as a central defender.

The third option lies in Deandre Yedlin. The American right back had a good World Cup and joined Spurs in January, following successful negotiations over the summer. He is very young, raw and has no experience in an environment similar to the Premier League, apart from 10 minutes at the end of the Aston Villa game. He could well be a first team regular in the future but for now he has plenty of learning to do. Regardless, some game time at the end of this season will do him plenty of good, although it would be better if he was preserved from potentially arduous games against Manchester City and Southampton.

This lack of strength in depth at right back is surely a signpost for the Tottenham Hotspur scouting department. Although a move for in form Southampton right back Nathaniel Clyne would be a good one, it seems an unlikely one with Manchester United looming. With a lack of other obvious candidates, Paul Mitchell’s team may have to get creative. However, after a good rest in the summer there is a good chance that Kyle Walker may return to form, and if he can recapture his performances of 2012 and 2013, this would be of utmost benefit to Tottenham Hotspur Football Club.

VAVEL Logo
About the author
James White
Understanding the complex is hard. Delivering that which is complex is genius.