daveiw01
Well-Known Member
No reason why Rodri can't play v Leipzig, unless I'm missing something?
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Kalvin Phillips
- Thread starter MAG
- Start date
supercity88
Well-Known Member
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- 9 Aug 2009
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I said the same pretty much in the Rodri thread.
I think he starts against Newcastle and maybe Wolves, but for Leipzig and Arsenal away I think Stones gets the nod if fit.
A lot depends on how well he does perform this week.
Rodri can play in Europe. We play Kalvin at Newcastle, get him some minutes and hope he finds some confidence and form and then see how he goes against Wolves.
If Kovacic is fit then I'd play him as Rodri's cover personally, alongside Nunes who has the ability to add some more control to our game. If Stones is fit soon then he can step into the middle, or use Gvardiol to do it instead and provide some support to whoever plays in midfield.
We're okay this season in terms of options in that deeper area. No one can replace Rodri, and he was an idiot for getting sent off, but luckily we have a league cup game in there and a trip to Wolves which we should manage without him. It could have been worse in terms of fixtures he's missing.
Hopefully Kalvin can shine, but he's not going to simply step in and play the way Rodri does.
grim up north
Well-Known Member
It appears Pep was pleased with his contribution under the circumstances it dosent matter what his so called stats statedLooked at his stats not good but we were down to 10 men! The hope he has and he keeps repeating is that Rodri and Grealish give him hope?! What he isn't looking at is that those players got loads of playing time first season they were here! He hasn't!
Betterdeedthan red
Well-Known Member
I thought he did quite well when he came on.
Lay off the lad.
Lay off the lad.
Good to see that Pep was pleased with his contribution - but the fact that Pep also felt the need to bring on Ake and play with 5 at the back in order to get the sort of control he likes showed that in the game he didn't feel that Phillips could do that. And he didn't - he created a bit more chaos - snapping into tackles, disrupting passing lines, trying to carry the ball forward. The five behind him gave him the freedom to do that. Had anyone else seen sent off we wouldn't have played that way - because Rodri would have kept control and we could have controlled the ball further up the field. But he was, and so the tactics had to change to fit the players available. In the same way, our tactics against Newcastle and Wolves will need to be tweaked to accommodate Philips's style of play rather than Rodri's - and it will be intriguing to see what those tactics are and the personnel used.
I think they were skewed by the fact that City played so well in the first half. His pass completion etc, and time on the ball were better than pretty much anyone else from the point he came on. Across the whole game he would look poor, but that's because most of the players already on the pitch had 45 minutes playing in total control.Looked at his stats not good but we were down to 10 men! The hope he has and he keeps repeating is that Rodri and Grealish give him hope?! What he isn't looking at is that those players got loads of playing time first season they were here! He hasn't!
No reason why Rodri can't play v Leipzig, unless I'm missing something?
Apologies, jumped the gun with Europe game!!
I just wish he'd stop bringing up the second-season syndrome, it seems a bit desperate coming from the player himself.
I think he'd be great if it was him plus another 6 - basically like with England - because he can cover an area without trouble. When he's on his own then he just seems to aimlessly wonder around but that could easily be match fitness/awareness coming into play given his lack of playing time since joining.
Also, he needs to stop the panicky headed passes - 2 or 3 of them on Saturday which caused us to lose the ball. Nunes, Rodri, Bernie and Kovacic seem experts at bringing the ball down no matter where and position their body to either come back out with the ball or win a foul. Something Phillips needs to, and no doubt will with match practice, add to his game.
Hope he can stamp his mark on the team on Wednesday - it's his chance of the perfect turnaround because I'm sure that Southampton cup game last season is the game Pep made his mind up on him.
I think he'd be great if it was him plus another 6 - basically like with England - because he can cover an area without trouble. When he's on his own then he just seems to aimlessly wonder around but that could easily be match fitness/awareness coming into play given his lack of playing time since joining.
Also, he needs to stop the panicky headed passes - 2 or 3 of them on Saturday which caused us to lose the ball. Nunes, Rodri, Bernie and Kovacic seem experts at bringing the ball down no matter where and position their body to either come back out with the ball or win a foul. Something Phillips needs to, and no doubt will with match practice, add to his game.
Hope he can stamp his mark on the team on Wednesday - it's his chance of the perfect turnaround because I'm sure that Southampton cup game last season is the game Pep made his mind up on him.
It appears Pep was pleased with his contribution under the circumstances it dosent matter what his so called stats stated
Yeah pep not going to say he wasn't that good is he? We see what he thinks of him last 12 months with him sat on the bench! Seems he is great around training never moans always happy and helping I feel really sorry for him he hasn't had the game time..