Walker-Peters: Bravery key to conquering Saints' new style

Kyle Walker-Peters has seen a lot in his first three and a half seasons as a Saint. Ups and downs. Stability and change. Pressing and possession.

From one manager in the first 34 months to four in the last 10, the defender is one of only four survivors to have witnessed every twist and turn since his January 2020 arrival.

Only Alex McCarthy, Stuart Armstrong and Ché Adams have those shared experiences in the current squad, while Jack Stephens, Jan Bednarek and Will Smallbone have remained part of the story but skipped a few chapters along the way.

With each new boss comes a new set of instructions. Ralph Hasenhüttl heralded high intensity, Nathan Jones had a craving for crosses, Rubén Sellés tried to restore The Southampton Way and Russell Martin has taken it in a different direction.

Martin’s approach revolves around domination of the ball, which, statistically speaking, has come to fruition, but Saints’ points tally is not where they would like it to be despite a flying start to the campaign.

The latest adaptation for Walker-Peters and co. has perhaps been the most striking of all. Saints have gone from averaging 44 per cent possession last season to 64 per cent, the highest in the Sky Bet Championship.

The 26-year-old is one of Saints’ chief beneficiaries. Having come through the academy at Tottenham, he’s found the transition more seamless than most. “A big in-possession system, that’s something I’m really used to,” he smiles.

For Martin’s flying full-backs, it’s a dream. Regular starters Ryan Manning, who shone playing this way at Swansea, and Walker-Peters are the league leaders across many metrics including progressive passes and most touches in the final third, while only Sunderland’s Jack Clarke has dribbled the ball further than Saints’ England international.

“I think the style – and Russell keeps telling me this – suits me perfectly, being an inverted full-back and having a bit of freedom to almost do what I want,” explains Walker-Peters, who has been given license to pick up more central positions and push higher up the pitch.

“The manager has been great with me. He trusts me immensely, so I’m enjoying it. I think I’m performing well and I think a lot of my individual stats are showing that – dribbles, passes, distance carried with the ball, etc.

“It’s only truly fun when you’re winning. Being on the ball for the majority of the game is great, but we need to turn that into wins.”

Walker-Peters may be flourishing, but the team suffered four straight defeats after taking 10 points from the first four matches.

He believes the scale of change in the playing style is overstated, and the biggest step Saints need to take is more mental than tactical.

“Under Ralph, especially, he was still big on the ball,” Walker-Peters reveals. “In possession, he still wanted us to show our quality and be calm on the ball.

“I definitely think Russell is a lot more extreme in terms of playing out from the back at all times and total domination of the football, which is great, but I don’t think it’s too big a difference.

“I think it’s just about having that bravery, because we are going to make mistakes. Fans need to be prepared for that, because we are playing high-risk football, but when it does work, it’s wonderful, and we did show that in the first three games.

“The manager has been great. I said it to some of the boys after the last game, we’ve got a manager who trusts us immensely.

“He’s said to us, ‘go out, do what I said, it’s high risk but if you make a mistake, I’ll be the one in the press taking the blame,’ so there’s nothing to be afraid of. I think we need to get rid of that fear, and really go and play our stuff.

“It’s a transition in terms of that side, the mentality, but we’re all good footballers and we all know the style, and it’s something we’re enjoying.”

Start as you mean to go on: Walker-Peters on the offensive on opening night at Hillsborough

Saints’ awesome August makes a sobering September rather more of a headscratcher, having seemingly overcome the initial settling-in period to a new division, but Walker-Peters insists that start provides reassurance for the players – they do have the talent, and the character on show in the late salvos against Sheffield Wednesday, Norwich and Plymouth, to string winning runs together.

“We showed that we’re capable of winning games,” he states. “Even some games where you think, ‘they’re going to lose it here,’ we managed to fight back and get a draw or get a win.

“It’s not as easy as people think. The Championship is a tough league, but we just need to get back to how we started.

“Like I’ve said even since last season, we are a young group. There are going to be mistakes and we just need to keep practising, keep trying and we need everyone to keep getting behind us.”

As a seasoned Premier League campaigner and a right-back good enough to be capped in England’s golden era in that position with Kyle Walker, Kieran Trippier, Trent Alexander-Arnold and Reece James for company, Walker-Peters is a well-respected figure in the Saints dressing room.

Those experiences have brought out a different side to his character, he feels, particularly at a time when the club’s turnover of players has been high and the average age low.

“Over the last two seasons I’ve grown into that role, in terms of being a bit more vocal,” he says. “It’s more me putting my arm around someone when I can see they’re having a bit of a tough time, or just giving them little tips to help them improve.

“I think I’ve always been someone who leads by example in terms of the way I play, whether it be going on a dribble or winning the ball back and getting us up the pitch – it’s my way of leading a bit more.

“I’m not the most vocal, but I have tried to add it to my game, and certainly off the pitch I speak to all the young boys and try to give them advice.”

Following this interview last week, Saints’ quest for victories resumed against a fellow ex-Premier League side in Leeds, prompting memories of Walker-Peters’s last goal, some 45 games ago.

Whilst most of his numbers paint a pretty picture, as his manager has pointed out, Walker-Peters remains driven to get off the mark in front of goal.

“Russell has told me all about that (his impressive stats), and now I just want to get some goals and assists. It’s about the team clicking as well – everyone making the right decisions in the final third.

“Despite losing four, we can’t go into our shell. We need to be brave and play the way Russell wants us to play. Like I said, it’s high risk, but when we get it right, we’ll look a million dollars.”

The right-back responded with his first Championship assist, just two minutes into a dominant first-half display in which Saints did look a million dollars.

Now they must be brave enough to build on it.

This interview was originally printed in Saturday's matchday programme against Leeds United. Kyle is pictured in Saints' autumn leisurewear range, which will soon be available to fans.