Comparing Kyle Walker and Nathaniel Clyne – who is having a better season?

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The full-back position is one of the hardest to perfect in the sport. England have two very good right-backs at the moment and they are battling it out to start for the national team. Kyle Walker is the current incumbent after growing into one of the league’s most influential in the role under Mauricio Pochettino. The Tottenham manager asks his full-backs to provide the width in attack and Walker has thrived during the last 18 months as a result of the Argentine’s tactics. However, he faces huge competition for his England spot from Nathaniel Clyne who is consistently performing for Liverpool.

There has been a change in what is expected from full-backs in recent years, as they now have to be full of energy and contribute in both halves of the pitch. A lot of sides use their full backs to provide an extra dimension to their attack and they must be able to create chances, especially for those clubs at the very top of the game. As mentioned earlier, Spurs rely on their full-backs to provide width, while the Reds utilise theirs in a similar way, albeit in a more fluid system.

Walker has been in excellent attacking form this season and that is displayed in his stats. He is averaging 38.39 successful passes, 1.17 key passes, 1.38 chances created and 0.52 shots per game. Currently, he has five assists and has completed 59.62% of his take ons. No defender has contributed more assists than the Tottenham man and that underlines the influence that he has in the final third.

Although he is known for his explosive pace and attacking threat, the 26-year-old has improved defensively. Since the beginning of this season, he has averaged 2.07 tackles won, 0.3 blocks, 1.12 interceptions and has won 64.79% of his aerial duels. In terms of discipline, the right back commits 1.08 fouls per ninety minutes and has received five yellow cards. These show that he is good in the air and capable of winning the ball back, but there are still weaknesses for opposition players to exploit, namely his aggression.

Meanwhile, Clyne has had a good season, but he isn’t doing enough to become England’s first choice right-back. In attack, he is averaging 42.13 successful passes, 1.33 key passes, 1.42 chances created and 0.83 shots per ninety minutes. His role appears to be more dynamic than Walker’s and he is getting on the ball more often. However, he isn’t having the same impact in terms of contributing assists, as he has only two to his name this season. This is something that the 25-year-old needs to improve if he is to move ahead of the Spurs man. Furthermore, he is less effective at beating players, with a lower take on success rate of 52%.

Defensively, the Reds’ right-back is less rash than Walker, but he isn’t as effective at winning the ball back and his aerial presences is a real concern. He is averaging 1.71 tackles won, 0.08 blocks, 0.87 interceptions and has won just 18.92% of his aerial duels. These are all lower than the Tottenham right-back’s, but it is the aerial duels that are a real concern. Opposition teams will look to target that and the difference between the two players in this area is remarkable. In addition, Clyne commits only 0.29 fouls per ninety minutes and has yet to pick up a yellow card this campaign. Although it is good that he isn’t a discipline concern, the former Southampton man could look to be more aggressive to improve his ball recovery numbers.

The comparison highlights how Walker is a more tenacious defender, while he also possesses a better final ball as evidenced by his assist total. Clyne is a safe option for the Three Lions, as he is competent in both halves of the pitch, but he is unlikely to have a major influence on a game. England are lucky to have two very good players to choose from to play at right-back. It is healthy to have this competition for places, but the Liverpool man is going to have to improve if he wants to become the first choice for his club and his country.

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