We knew the team from that training drill video that did the rounds earlier. To me it's weird he's playing Phillips out of position when it seems to be going with his strongest team available, the lads confidence is shot, last thing he needs is to play a position that isn't natural to him.
Then in the slim chance he stays with us this season, he's going to be as a DM So why not give him a game there with a stronger 11 around him to try and allow him to somehow find his feet. It's also preventing Doyle from playing in a stronger backline to see if he can slot in.
Really hope for his sake he just gets through this with a thoroughly unremarkable performance.
If Phillips isn't playing dm, would like to have seen susoho in there alongside kovacic, feel like he's shown the most of any youngsters aside from Doyle and given our need for cover in that area is the most likely to be useful for us.