As Manchester City went down to a 2-1 defeat to Bournemouth on Saturday at the Vitality Stadium, it was clear that a host of City players went into the game underdone. The champions have a host of players either injured or playing under duress. One of those players is City’s captain Kyle Walker. But Pep Guardiola explained after City’s defeat their captain has barely been able to train since last summer’s European Championships. So it does pose a question. Is Kyle Walker’s slow start to the season down to a lack of training to get up to the required level?
Speaking after his team’s defeat to Bournemouth Pep Guardiola explained that Walker has barely trained with the since the summer. The City manager laid out the situation surrounding Walker. He explained: “Since he arrived this season after the Euros he trained maybe four or five training sessions with us. He can play without no training because his human condition, physicality that is incredible. But of course, he needs to come back to a routine of playing games and being focussed on what we have to do.
“I appreciate a lot the effort he has done to come back because in the last 16 days since the last game he played was with the national team with England. He arrived, didn’t train once except yesterday (Friday) for six minutes and made boxes for six minutes, and today he played 90 minutes against (Antoine) Semenyo, all the fast players – it’s not easy!
“Of course, we need him, he’s our captain, we need him and step by step, hopefully he can reach it!”
No matter how fit a player is training and games are needed to maintain a player’s touch.
As Pep Guardiola outlined Kyle Walker has barely trained with his teammates since last summer’s European Championships. Kyle Walker’s form has suffered as he hasn’t been at his usual high standards so far this season. There is an appearance that Father Time may be catching up to City’s captain. But Pep Guardiola’s explanation that City’s captain has barely trained with his teammates has to be factored into the equation.
Kyle Walker’s fitness and pace have been two of his strongest attributes throughout his career. It also enabled him to play at the Vitality Stadium off the back of one training session. But as we saw on Saturday Walker was out of touch and not at his best. The only way for a player to regain their touch is through playing games and training. Walker has clearly suffered from being unable to do either regularly. The hope is that Saturday’s game is one that Walker can use to build into the season. Yes, his performance wasn’t his best, but as Pep Guardiola explained, there is a reason for that.
It also must be said that Kyle Walker has been a warrior for Manchester City since he arrived at the club. His contribution has been crucial to Manchester City’s recent era of dominance in English football and he was crucial to City’s rise to become European champions for the first time. He hasn’t been at his best so far this season but he still will have a vital role to play this season. But if Father Time is catching up to Walker, on top of a lack of training, his contributions to Manchester City should be remembered. Players like Kyle Walker don’t come around often. That seems to have been forgotten given some of the reactions to his performance on Saturday at the Vitality Stadium.
