4 | Kalvin Phillips - 2022/23 Performances

[Brewster's millions]

Another who can mindread Pep

You don’t really need to be a mind reader to see that something’s not right here between Guardiola and Phillips though, do you?

Guardiola chose to call Phillips out on his weight and lack of condition after the world cup - he didn’t have to spill the beans on him being overweight, he chose to do so in a very deliberate move.

Guardiola played him against Southampton because that was a game he wasn’t that arsed about losing. Phillips was diabolical in that game and was promptly put back on the bench.

In the six PL games we’ve had since the break, Phillips has only played 18 minutes, and that was in a game we were already leading 3-0. Guardiola has essentially used every option available to him, other than playing Phillips, and he couldn’t get on the pitch at all in the Arsenal game.

All this has occurred during a period of heavily congested fixtures and a run of (very) patchy form for the team. I don’t think it’s unreasonable to think that if Phillips was doing well in training and showing decent application, he would have got more minutes than he has.

Personally I think it’s more likely that he’s only played 18 minutes because Guardiola doesn’t like what he’s seen in training, rather than Phillips not playing well or not applying himself properly in training because he’s only had 18 minutes in the PL.

 

[blueparrot]

You don’t really need to be a mind reader to see that something’s not right here between Guardiola and Phillips though, do you?

Guardiola chose to call Phillips out on his weight and lack of condition after the world cup - he didn’t have to spill the beans on him being overweight, he chose to do so in a very deliberate move.

Guardiola played him against Southampton because that was a game he wasn’t that arsed about losing. Phillips was diabolical in that game and was promptly put back on the bench.

In the six PL games we’ve had since the break, Phillips has only played 18 minutes, and that was in a game we were already leading 3-0. Guardiola has essentially used every option available to him, other than playing Phillips, and he couldn’t get on the pitch at all in the Arsenal game.

All this has occurred during a period of heavily congested fixtures and a run of (very) patchy form for the team. I don’t think it’s unreasonable to think that if Phillips was doing well in training and showing decent application, he would have got more minutes than he has.

Personally I think it’s more likely that he’s only played 18 minutes because Guardiola doesn’t like what he’s seen in training, rather than Phillips not playing well or not applying himself properly in training because he’s only had 18 minutes in the PL.

Possibly, though it’s also possible Pep wanted our season back on an even keel after Southampton and thinks Rodri is best for that. We should see maybe after we play Spurs if we win whether he starts to trust Phillips, or not.

 

[L4EV]

Agree to £30m and we’ll take him back

 

[Blue and true]

Agree to £30m and we’ll take him back

I'd drag him there myself for that price mate.

 

[Barcon]

Agree to £30m and we’ll take him back

Sold.

 

[Colin Bells Boots]

You don’t really need to be a mind reader to see that something’s not right here between Guardiola and Phillips though, do you?

Guardiola chose to call Phillips out on his weight and lack of condition after the world cup - he didn’t have to spill the beans on him being overweight, he chose to do so in a very deliberate move.

Guardiola played him against Southampton because that was a game he wasn’t that arsed about losing. Phillips was diabolical in that game and was promptly put back on the bench.

In the six PL games we’ve had since the break, Phillips has only played 18 minutes, and that was in a game we were already leading 3-0. Guardiola has essentially used every option available to him, other than playing Phillips, and he couldn’t get on the pitch at all in the Arsenal game.

All this has occurred during a period of heavily congested fixtures and a run of (very) patchy form for the team. I don’t think it’s unreasonable to think that if Phillips was doing well in training and showing decent application, he would have got more minutes than he has.

Personally I think it’s more likely that he’s only played 18 minutes because Guardiola doesn’t like what he’s seen in training, rather than Phillips not playing well or not applying himself properly in training because he’s only had 18 minutes in the PL.

Hard to tell because there are so many on here who know exactly what Pep thinks about anybody and everybody.

At least your last paragraph was prefixed with " Personally I think " before you arrived at a conclusion as to why he's only played 18 minutes.

Tbh I would prefer to wait before passing a judgement on any player new to the team.

 

[Brewster's millions]

Possibly, though it’s also possible Pep wanted our season back on an even keel after Southampton and thinks Rodri is best for that. We should see maybe after we play Spurs if we win whether he starts to trust Phillips, or not.

Rodri was always going to come back in after Southampton, but my point is Phillips would have played far more than 18 minutes in the PL by this stage - even with his injury - if he was doing the business in training. The lack of game time is a consequence of his poor training, conditioning, whatever you want to believe, but it’s not because Guardiola picks the team out of a hat each week and Phillips has just been unlucky in his name not coming up yet.

If the last couple of weeks has shown us anything, it’s that no one’s place in the team is guaranteed, all the positions are up for grabs, and that Guardiola puts a lot of weight on attitude, training performances and general application when picking the team. If Phillips continues to sit on the bench even when he’s ostensibly fit to play, then it’s because he’s not doing enough for Guardiola to pick him, and if that persists then he probably will be moved on in the summer.

 

[Blue and true]

In your opinion

It's not really an opinion though, is it? It's a fact. Up to now, he's been an unequivocal disaster. And the worse thing is, around 50% of that disaster is down to a self-evident lack of professionalism on the players part. Technically speaking, he's never going to be good enough to play in a midfield that wants to assault the Prem and the CL, that's an opinion; my opinion. You could be of the opinion that he's gonna transform and show us what he's made of, I'm not.

The deal made no sense at the time. It makes even less sense now.

 

[Colin Bells Boots]

It's not really an opinion though, is it? It's a fact. Up to now, he's been an unequivocal disaster. And the worse thing is, around 50% of that disaster is down to a self-evident lack of professionalism on the players part. Technically speaking, he's never going to be good enough to play in a midfield that wants to assault the Prem and the CL, that's an opinion; my opinion. You could be of the opinion that he's gonna transform and show us what he's made of, I'm not.

The deal made no sense at the time. It makes even less sense now.

So you know every one of his attributes ? And it's not an opinion, but a fact !

I presume that you must be a qualified football coach, as you say Technically speaking he's never going to be good enough ...........................?

Or are you saying that Pep will have watched him play for Leeds and England, and despite being technically inadequate , as you say he is, but was prepared to give the ok to go ahead and sign him ?

Pep is obviously not happy about some aspects since Phillips has been at the club, but not having the necessary " technical ability " ?

Some posters perform mental gymnastics on this forum to try and prove their point .

 

[Brewster's millions]

Hard to tell because there are so many on here who know exactly what Pep thinks about anybody and everybody.

At least your last paragraph was prefixed with " Personally I think " before you arrived at a conclusion as to why he's only played 18 minutes.

Tbh I would prefer to wait before passing a judgement on any player new to the team.

It’s all about opinions mate and no one on here knows what Guardiola is thinking.

But, logically, you would have to think that the continued lack of game time for Phillips is more than just bad luck. Maybe he’ll play more in the next month or so, but if Guardiola continues to avoid playing him there will probably be a reason for that.