With Thomas Frank taking charge at Tottenham Hotspur stadium, we are starting to see a clear shift in how the North Londoners operate in the transfer window, as Daniel Levy has started to try and bring in players that are tactically more intelligent and are versatile profiles whilst understanding the demands of playing in the Premier League.
And one of such names that had been aggressively linked with a move to Hotspur Way has been the former North Londoners full-back Kyle Walker-Peters who has been playing at Southampton in the past seasons. But why is the Danish coach so keen to bring him back?
There is a real problem with the right-back depth at Tottenham, and given that Pedro Porro is really good at going forward, he has defensive frailties and also has the tendency to leave his zones, which ends up leaving gaps. So you can slot the former Lilywhites fullback in the defensive right-back role, especially in games where Thomas Frank wants to put in more structure, which ends up either with Porro moving higher or even giving him some rest. And the thing with KWP is that he is equally adept on the left, making him a natural rotation or maybe an injury cover for Destiny Udogie, especially given that the North Londoners are set to compete in multiple competitions.
How can Walker-Peters fit into the system that Thomas Frank wants to implement at N17?
If we think about his Brentford days, Thomas Frank often used to play hybrid full-backs where the players would end up tucking narrow to the midfield at times, and then you’d also see them bomb forward in transitional situations, and with the two-footed ability of Walker-Peters, he offers a unique profile which fits either side of the backline and can operate in both overlapping and inverted roles depending on the opponent and sequences.
So when playing in a 3-5-2, you can put in Walker-Peters as a high wing-back or maybe tuck him into the midfield in the build-up phase. And then when deploying a 4-3-3, the Saints’ ace would offer underlaps or overlaps based on the positioning of wide forwards.
And if we start thinking about his capacities, Walker-Peters has that ability to drive with the ball when needed, and this is where Frank’s liking of full-backs who can carry the ball into central areas is met. Now the fact that the 28-year-old is quite comfortable when it comes to operating in tight spaces and then he has that technical ability to play under pressure will end up giving the Lilywhites a sense of control during the second phase.
Moreover, the fact that KWP took a lot of strides in his game under Ralph Hasenhüttl has added a lot of positional understanding to his game, especially when he is playing in pressing structures (something that we are expecting Thomas Frank to heavily use in transitional situations at Tottenham).
Strengths
The fact that he can play on both the flanks (LB as well as RB) without any drop in quality will bring a lot of depth to the side. And he is excellent as a 1v1 defender, especially given that he is often holding his own against elite wingers. And then KWP will be classified in that much important homegrown quota, which fits nicely for the squad planning as well.
He also knows the club culture in and out, which is an added boost.
Weaknesses
Now if you will compare him to someone like Porro, he has notably less final-third capacity, and he is not going to rack up high-volume assists and goals.
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Author Opinion: Walker-Peters is an interesting option…
Kyle Walker-Peters would be one of the shrewd signings given how he can play in a multi-faceted role under the system that I think that Thomas Frank will implement at Tottenham. And then he is tactically good, knows our culture and has done his hard yards in the Premier League. His return would also be a statement that Levy and Tottenham are building a roster with depth and structural quality and not just stardom.