Kalvin Phillips

[itisrising]

It looks like Kalvin has put his neck on the line by staying and fighting for his place, and I can't help but respect it.

But if he barely plays this season and his England career suffers he has to take the blame for choosing to stay. It's all on his shoulders. I genuinely wish him the best of luck - if he turns his City career around it's good news for all of us.

I don't believe he actually believes he can stake a claim at City. Rarely have we seen a first team player shunned this badly. We're signing midfielders, where is he even in the peaking order? Rodri, Kovacic, Bernardo, Nunes, Rico would all be ahead of him. It's utter madness the way he's throwing his career away like this.

 

[wolviedinho]

Behave, it's obvious Pep doesn't rate him, he's never started a game of any importance. Before he started at Brentford which was a dead rubber he averaged 3 minutes a game in the PL for us, it's embarrassing.

I don’t know about embarrassing but until he leaves city, I will give him my full support. His confidence is shot. Hopefully build it up this season. We have a decent size squad and don’t need to be pushing him away unless he causes problems. I would prefer to let him have this season and see if he can make a go of it. Very least if he plays well, the club get their money back.


Rodri and Gundo got terrible abuse as did sterling. The former two have turned out to be some of the clubs best signings.

 

[cleavers]

I can't figure this one out at all. He's clearly not a bad player, he's shown enough at Leeds and for England to suggest he can play quite a bit. I just think that if you can't get a game at Sheff United away then when will he? I'm not saying Rodri needs a rest, but he can't be expected to play every single game.

Would you have started him ? If not when would you have brought him on ? 75 minutes at 0-1, or 85 minutes at 1-1, or 89 minutes at 1-2 ?

We actually want to win all games, so why take a risk ?

There will be plenty of games when we can take the risk (and risk it is currently, if the game isn't won), he'll (like Palmer) get his chance when it's appropriate.

 

[kanovic]

He will get less minutes after the arrival of Kovacic

Imagine how many minutes will het get if Nunes end up at the club

Nunes could flop also it’s never a guarantee.. he needs a few run of games imo. But I like his determination. We wanted to get rid of zinchenko one season he didn’t want to go and became massive for us.

 

[The Stockport Iniesta]

I don’t know about embarrassing but until he leaves city, I will give him my full support. His confidence is shot. Hopefully build it up this season. We have a decent size squad and don’t need to be pushing him away unless he causes problems. I would prefer to let him have this season and see if he can make a go of it. Very least if he plays well, the club get their money back.


Rodri and Gundo got terrible abuse as did sterling. The former two have turned out to be some of the clubs best signings.

I've nothing against the lad, but if Pep doesn't rate him to play I'll trust Pep. The 3 player's you mentioned, Pep trusted all of them, and unlike Kalvin they all played regularly, and got loads of minutes. There's something not right about this imo, never seen a big money signing frozen out like this before under Pep.

 

[wolviedinho]

I've nothing against the lad, but if Pep doesn't rate him to play I'll trust Pep. The 3 player's you mentioned, Pep trusted all of them, and unlike Kalvin they all played regularly, and got loads of minutes. There's something not right about this imo, never seen a big money signing frozen out like this before under Pep.

Ibrahimovic?

Nah, reading too much into it. City play high stakes football. Dropping points and bedding players in is not easy especially for a DM. Which could be argued as the vital part of the team.

Pep plays a lot of new players out wide like Jack and gvardiol for example. It’s not a damaging role to the team and gives players a chance to u der stand what he wants.

Ake against Sheffield should have played LCB not Gvardiol. Gvardiol should be the player stepping into midfield not Dias.

Kavlin is in a tough spot. The best DM in the world is in his position.

Give him abit of time is all I am suggesting.

 

[TonyM]

I can't figure this one out at all. He's clearly not a bad player, he's shown enough at Leeds and for England to suggest he can play quite a bit. I just think that if you can't get a game at Sheff United away then when will he? I'm not saying Rodri needs a rest, but he can't be expected to play every single game.

I hope Phillips steps up, but in all honesty I can't see him playing for City. There's more to it than meets the eye and it's more than just football. If he's not playing regularly by Christmas then he needs to go in January, full stop.

He would have added nothing v Sheffield United. That was a game for attacking players.

I think we'll see him in games later in the season where is suits his strenghts (long quarterback passing). I wouldn't be worried if that wasn't for another dozen games.

 

[TonyM]

I wonder if Pep might try something like this? :-)

• Pushing Rodri forward as a genuine goal threat
• Rely on Kovacic and Nunez to chase and knit together forward motion
• Have 2 tricky wingers who are less about possession than currently
• And having Phillips sit deep to just do the easy stuff and pass long over the oppositions heads

.........Ederson........​

.Stones Dias Gvardiol.​

Kovacic Phillips Nunez​

Doku ...Rodri. ..Foden​

........Haaland........​

 

[Alan Harper's Tash]

I wonder if Pep might try something like this? :-)

• Pushing Rodri forward as a genuine goal threat
• Rely on Kovacic and Nunez to chase and knit together forward motion
• Have 2 tricky wingers who are less about possession than currently
• And having Phillips sit deep to just do the easy stuff and pass long over the oppositions heads

.........Ederson........​

.Stones Dias Gvardiol.​

Kovacic Phillips Nunez​

Doku ...Rodri. ..Foden​

........Haaland........​

I hope not. Dropping any of Grealish, Alvarez or Bernardo to encorporate Phillips into the side is madness.

It’d mean Pep was using too much diazepam when picking his team.

 

[TonyM]

I hope not. Dropping any of Grealish, Alvarez or Bernardo to encorporate Phillips into the side is madness.

It’d mean Pep was using too much diazepam when picking his team.

You never know what the story could be with changing tactics, injuries, tiredness, form etc.

There's still a chance the Phillips could actualy do a decent job. It's not a lost cause yet.