Walker and Trippier In Tandem Have Given England The Edge

Kieran Trippier and Kyle Walker have been mainstays in an England side which has exceeded all expectations by reaching the semi-finals of the World Cup. Under a different manager both players might have been fighting it out for the same position, but Gareth Southgate’s system is able to use the strengths of both in the same XI.

One started his career at Manchester City, and the other looks set to spend his best years there, but it was North London where the pair first crossed paths at club level.

They had appeared in England youth sides, with both being called up for the under-19 side which participated in the 2009 European Under-19 Championship. They played in the same starting XI at this tournament as England made it to the final, only to lose out to hosts Ukraine.

In what was a glimpse into the future, Trippier played at right back with Walker alongside him at right centre back. On this occasion it was a back four, under manager Brian Eastick, rather than the back three used by Southgate, and it’s this three-at-the-back formation which has allowed them to operate in tandem rather than fighting for the same position. 

Their respective journeys have played a key part in propelling them to their current status as England World Cup stars, and both gained valuable experience in the lower leagues before reaching their current level.

Trippier was signed by Tottenham Hotspur as Walker’s understudy in 2015, and during this time Spurs had two of the best right-back options in the league.

Walker had established himself at right back after a number of seasons out on loan, having been snapped up by Harry Redknapp from hometown club Sheffield United in 2009.

He spent time on loan at Northampton Town, Queens Park Rangers, and Aston Villa, while Trippier was out on loan from Manchester City, first to Barnsley and then to Burnley with whom he eventually secured a permanent deal. 

Like many players in this England side, the pair have played for various clubs throughout the country, and this helps endear them to the masses more than has been the case with previous squads.

It was at Burnley where Trippier really caught the eye, and one outstanding season in the Championship saw him fire Burnley to promotion with an impressive 14 assists. He carried this creativity up a division into the Premier League, maintaining an average close to two key passes per game, and increasing the amount of crosses per game from an average of 1.6, to 2.4.

At the World Cup Trippier averages 2.8 crosses per game, 3.3 key passes, and has one assist. This first-class delivery was born in Burnley and is now flourishing on the world stage.

Inside him, Walker is also playing a key role on the right of a back three. The use of three central defenders can sometimes lead to stodgy build-up play and an overly-defensive mentality, but Walker’s presence gives the defence some attacking dynamism.

Alongside the passing ability of central defender John Stones, and the braun and surprisingly good attacking skill of Harry Maguire on the left, the 29-year-old offers pace and directness which can help instigate attacks as well as escape a high press. The recovery pace is also useful when defending, and complements the attributes of his defensive team-mates.

It’s almost like having two right backs on the pitch, with one assigned to get down the flank and deliver crosses from wide positions, and the other helping the midfield build-up play — a task given to many modern full-backs, especially one managed by Pep Guardiola at club level.

Guardiola’s tutelage has helped Walker, just as Mauricio Pochettino will have broadened Trippier’s football horizons. Walker will have been a year above Trippier at school but there is only eight months between them, meaning they have experienced a similar development curve in football terms.

Behind Tripper in the England pecking order, 19-year-old Trent Alexander-Arnold offers similar strengths, possessing good delivery from wide areas, and the ability to operate in midfield areas if required. 

Both could be criticised for the number of deliveries which fail to find their target — Trippier completed 0/10 crosses in the game against Sweden and Alexander-Arnold 2/10 against Belgium — but the way England are playing, incomplete crosses do not necessarily equal failure or poor play.

Whatever happens to England for the remainder of this tournament, the use of the pair in the same XI, which may have been considered experimental at first but now makes perfect sense, should continue at least until the next tournament — Euro 2020 — when they will be more experienced and able to use this World Cup to drive them on to further success.