Walker positioning not at fault for 1st goal

The first Swansea goal was from one end to the other and while the commentator felt Walker had given Montero to much room, that is how we and, in fact, most defenders defend in the modern game. Walker has to tuck into the middle and rush out ti the wide man when he receives the ball.

Not a problem with that bit of his defending because if you stop the Match of the Day video (MOTD Video) at 1.37 you will see Toby Alderweireld has been drawn across close to Jan Vertonghen. He and Ben Davies are covering the same area. That has left a Swansea player central where there is no Alli or Dier. In that situation, Walker has to come across and cover.

The ball is played out wide immediately and Walker rushes out wide to meet Montero. He does, however, allow the cross to be played over rather too easily. There was no trickery, Montero simply turned back onto his right foot and chipped the ball across. Jan Vertonghen was then nowhere near Ayew who had a free header. 

If you watch th run of Ayew he comes from Davies side and at no point is he picked up, suggesting a lack of communication. The goal was just too simple and the defending from the whole defensive unit was poor.

You have heard from me how a coach looks at an error, you have to find the source and cure the source which then prevents the other mistakes arising. The defence has to come across to cover when Davies and Vertobghem are doing the same job. The video at 1.13 shows Ben Davies out wide out of the game. 

If he were tucked in Jan Vertonghen wouldn't have to be so far across, then Alderweireld wouldn't have to be nor would Kyle Walker. Vertonghen would be able to mark the attacker instead of Alderweireld.

Full-backs should be trying to push players wide to attack them on the outside, the defender then has the shorter route to travel. Alternatively you push a player central, but you can only do that if you have the players central to cope with it, which we didn't.

While Walker allowed the cross too easily, there was nothing wrong with his original positioning. The problem was caused on the other side.

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