‘Not the force of old’, ‘His experience helped’: How Walker fared for England | OneFootball

Kyle Walker arrived in January, and there have certainly been questions about the decision from AC Milan to bring him to the club. Nevertheless, for England, the reviews were quite positive.

Signing a 34-year-old to play in one of the most dynamic roles on the pitch is certainly a risk, especially when many believe that the player has lost his best attribute. However, Milan took that chance with Walker, and it has largely paid off so far.

Bringing a solidity to the defence which has rarely been seen in recent years, the Englishman also brings experience and leadership to the backline, when the area has been questioned regularly.

His final appearances in England with Manchester City were few and far between, which was a factor in his move, and last night he got the chance to show he still has his ability.

Starting with the BBC, the news outlet gave the former Man City man a 6/10 – which was the second lowest rating of the game. However, the report stated, ‘his experience helped a backline with two debutants’, and his rating probably would have been higher if there was more to do.

The Daily Mail stated similar, though took notice of his lesser pace, however, stated that he is still ‘fairly rapid’. His rating was better, though not by much – 6.5 – as he created problems going forward.

Finally, The Guardian were rather harsh in their opening words about the defender stating that he was ‘not the force of old’, despite this, he was given the highest rating of any of the outlets – a 7.