KYLE Walker-Peters probably had every reason to feel a little disgruntled after losing his place to an 18-year-old, but the way he’s kicked on instead prompted Ralph Hasenhuttl to remark: “This is the future.”
RALPH Hasenhuttl said: “I must say that in this left-back position he gets more and more in the positions I want him to be. What I still miss is the final action, the final assist, the final pass in the perfect moment. He can do it definitely better, but he is very good on the ball and his stats are very high all the time, sprinting up front.
Giorgio Chiellini would step across from centre-back and fill in as the left-sided defender while he embarked on those expeditions. Despite suffering an Achilles tendon injury in the quarter final against Belgium, Spinazzola was named in the UEFA team of the tournament and touted by many to win the individual award that Gianluigi Donnarumma eventually claimed.
Ralph Hasenhuttl said: “When we organise the rest of the defenders properly this is still possible, he can still cause the box some issues. He is the joker, it is hard to defend and causes them issues as the ten also has to go there with him. I think this is the future when you want to stress them in their box, you need this player. This is why I am so happy that he goes there, but just missing the final action, the final goal, the final assist, then I will be very happy.”
And Walker-Peters has testimony from those who know him best, too. Saints’ goalscorer versus Villa, Adam Armstrong, played with the full-back as a teenager in the England youth systems.
Adam Armstrong said: “Kyle’s brilliant. I’ve known Kyle since I was 16/17 with the England groups and I think he’s been brilliant wherever he plays, he puts a shift in. I thought he was quality again against Aston Villa. When you can play in every position it’s good, it’s only going to benefit Kyle.”
