Kalvin Phillips

[Lauz9888]

He should be aiming to be to Rodri what Alvarez is to Haaland. Doesn't have to be the one-in-a-million superstar, but he should be the obvious and competent replacement who's a positive influence on the team performance when he does get to play.

If Haaland gets injured I'm gutted and concerned but there's a part of me that's pleased to see Alvarez getting some more minutes.

If Rodri gets injured, I'm still not even certain Phillips will get on the pitch.

 

[Bigga]

This is a bullshit argument, which sadly even Phillips himself has bought into.

Phillips didn't start a single league game last season until the title was already won. He started 4 games all season, in all competitions. He barely got off the bench.

He looked totally out of his depth whenever he got on the pitch.

There is no comparison to any other player under Pep. You want a comparison? Jack Rodwell would be more apt. In fact, that's unfair to Rodwell - he scored that brace against Norwich.

Name me a single player that hasn't said they found the first season under Guardiola really hard?

Guardiola is always reinventing the system, so if you're an old head/ regular player under him, he'd rather play you than a newbie trying to take it all in.

Lewis was shiny for all of 5/6 games before being dropped as he lost trust. And that's a kid coming through the youth set up under Guardiola/ CFG play book, nevermind a newbie, coming from a team where he was regularly rushed back from surgery, that's not experienced it before.

Maybe you don't really take in how Guardiola does things on the pitch?

 

[Trevor Morley's Tache]

An average one

Mentality is the difference between most top flight players. There are some exceptions, but not many. You can have all the skill in the world, but if your head isn't in the game you are fighting a losing battle.

Pep knows what is required from him, and if he can work his magic Phillips could easily have a good number of starts in all comps this season.

 

[BrazilianGus]

Name me a single player that hasn't said they found the first season under Guardiola really hard?

How about the other three outfield players we signed last summer? Haaland, Alvarez and Akanji. Two of them younger than Phillips and one same age

 

[blueparrot]

We need to sign a versatile player like it would have been Rice or Kimmich. It’s not up to me to give a name but I was never for the signing of this particular player. Even if Pep thought he could perform before signing him, doesn’t mean he still does

In positions where we only play one,so Keeper, DM and now Centre forward. Yes there is very much a drop in quality from Ederson, Haaland and Rodri (as there was from Fernandinho-Rodri for a while)

 

[MarsLlama]

Name me a single player that hasn't said they found the first season under Guardiola really hard?

That’s true but I can’t remember any struggle as much as Phillips has to get the basics right. Misplaced passes and Miscontrolled balls are inevitable but I don’t think fans are being unreasonable to point out that he does both much more often than you’d expect. He wasn’t always like this so it’s not like we’ve signed a shit player - but so far he has been well off it.

 

[BrazilianGus]

In positions where we only play one,so Keeper, DM and now Centre forward. Yes there is very much a drop in quality from Ederson, Haaland and Rodri (as there was from Fernandinho-Rodri for a while)

Are you uncomfortable if Ederson gets injured and we have to play Ortega? Are you uncomfortable if Haaland gets injured and we have to play Alvarez?

 

[Bigga]

How about the other three outfield players we signed last summer? Haaland, Alvarez and Akanji. Two of them younger than Phillips and one same age

This is silly.

Haaland stated he had to change to suit Cit and City to suit Haaland; he was not happy in his first season. He's stated this himself despite the goals he scored. That means he wanted to be a more rounded football player. Fair enough, I say.

Alvarez didn't displace Haaland, did he?

Akanji is the EXCEPTION to the usual rule, non?

Exceptions happen.

 

[Bigga]

That’s true but I can’t remember any struggle as much as Phillips has to get the basics right. Misplaced passes and Miscontrolled balls are inevitable but I don’t think fans are being unreasonable to point out that he does both much more often than you’d expect. He wasn’t always like this so it’s not like we’ve signed a shit player - but so far he has been well off it.

I agree he's been off the pace, but I think that's down to his own pressure to catch up and be 'as good' as his team mates.

However, almost everyone has had a learning curve and he's no exception to this as not everyone has an acute footballing brain under pressure.

Kyle Walker is a PERFECT example of this as he's only found proper belief in his footballing ability in the last... two years? And not just his pace. If it wasn't for his pace, he'd have gone ages ago.

 

[BrazilianGus]

This is silly.

Haaland stated he had to change to suit Cit and City to suit Haaland; he was not happy in his first season. He's stated this himself despite the goals he scored. That means he wanted to be a more rounded football player. Fair enough, I say.

Alvarez didn't displace Haaland, did he?

Akanji is the EXCEPTION to the usual rule, non?

Exceptions happen.

It’s not silly. Phillips is the exception. You are acting as if Phillips had a typical first season. He played less in his first season than any other signing under Pep. We all saw this, several moments in which he could have been subbed on or even games he should have started if he had the MINIMAL trust from Pep, and he didn’t.

Haaland’s adaptation period comes from a system change, but he always delivered and helped the team move forward. He is also a young player. Alvarez always delivered when asked as well.

You’d think Phillips even had an advantage over Alvarez, Akanji and Haaland as he had PL experience, and not even that helped him