Kalvin Phillips

[Cheadle_hulmeBlue]

We need a proper cover, not a bunch of guys that can move into the position if need be due to tactical alteration.

We can't afford an unmanageable drop off if something happens to Rodders (and we risk it with how often we're playing him), particularly with Kev out for months.

Who do you buy that will be happy being a bench warmer though? Rodri won’t get dropped for any of the big games

 

[colesy]

Who do you buy that will be happy being a bench warmer though? Rodri won’t get dropped for any of the big games

The amount of games that we generally play in a season, a decent signing will not be a bench warmer like Phillips. He just seemed injury prone at the start, and personally believe he struggled being a little fish in a big pond, and just got found out as a player. He seemed decent when he was a main man at Leeds, and you can't be that bad to have 27 England caps. I believe he just didn't have the high-level consistency that Pep demands at City.

 

[Cheadle_hulmeBlue]

The amount of games that we generally play in a season, a decent signing will not be a bench warmer like Phillips. He just seemed injury prone at the start, and personally believe he struggled being a little fish in a big pond, and just got found out as a player. He seemed decent when he was a main man at Leeds, and you can't be that bad to have 27 England caps. I believe he just didn't have the high-level consistency that Pep demands at City.

I get the amount of games point, but I’m primarily talking about big games. If we want to sign someone as good as Rodri they will want to start in the derby, champions league final…. Right now Rodri will start in all of those games. So we’d have to sign someone who be happy being on the bench or playing in the lesser games

 

[Cheadle_hulmeBlue]

Great character and looks a nice lad but I can’t help but resent him for being unable to help Rodri out by resting him. He just seems to be an extra body on the bench.

You resent him because he couldn’t give Rodri a rest?

 

[colesy]

I get the amount of games point, but I’m primarily talking about big games. If we want to sign someone as good as Rodri they will want to start in the derby, champions league final…. Right now Rodri will start in all of those games. So we’d have to sign someone who be happy being on the bench or playing in the lesser games

But we never know what system Pep would play with another player of the level of Rodri. I suppose Phillips was purchased to cover, but it appears Pep has zero confidence in him, how many of us would have guessed that Stones would be a midfield player before last season? It just appears with the right quality, someone would get sufficient game time, I suppose similar to Alvarez this season where Haaland is an automatic choice.

 

[I'm no cynic but...]

Why are there over 100 pages on Phillips match thread....

It was never his fault.

 

[JDV]

This is such a crazy situation to me. Pep has had signings he clearly didn't fancy before, like say Ferran Torres or danilo or whatever but they would get minutes as rotation options and off the bench, but the absolute refusal to play phillips at all in anything but dead minutes is unprecedented, and I'd be super curious about what has actually happened here that's made pep think Phillips is a competition winner.

I'm assuming the difference with those 2 are their positions on the field. CDM is such a vital position so Pep needs to be 100% confident before he plays anyone there

 

[Bill Walker]

Surely Pep will use Cova when Rodders needs a rest ?

 

[TonyM]

I have a feeling that Phillips will make an appearance this Sunday if we are already 2 up.

We are only going into the 3rd game of tge season. Plenty of time yet.

 

[FantasyIreland]

You resent him because he couldn’t give Rodri a rest?

'resent' is clearly a poor choice of word but it's easy to understand his thinking.

Kalvin was brought in to allow Rodri a break,and the fact he isn't capable,while wandering around the gaff wearing all his medals and doing a dog with two dicks impression,is both annoying and frustrating.