Issue is Ake, despite his injuries, played almost a 1,000 minutes. Phillips, whilst available for more games, played just 500.Despite having countless examples Bluemooners still fall for the trap that a player will never make it here. And don’t give me that point about “other players who eventually found their feet showed signs that they would come good unlike Kalvin.” I recall it was said about Nathan Ake that he wasn’t our level and he’d never come good.
We make this judgment call every time and we get it wrong every time. By now I thought we’d be humble to see how things pan out in the second season at the very least but no, we want to make the definitive judgement now.
Add to that the competition for Ake was higher as we had more players in his position.Issue is Ake, despite his injuries, played almost a 1,000 minutes. Phillips, whilst available for more games, played just 500.
Ake also showed signs of what he could offer, whereas there’s been no suggestion Phillips even understands what he’s asked to do. Likely resulting in him hardly getting on the pitch.
He’s not being played because he is not ready. Getting 500 minutes as against 1000 for some of his contemporaries in their first seasons is not definitive. There is nothing to indicate that he’ll never come good for us.Issue is Ake, despite his injuries, played almost a 1,000 minutes. Phillips, whilst available for more games, played just 500.
Ake also showed signs of what he could offer, whereas there’s been no suggestion Phillips even understands what he’s asked to do. Likely resulting in him hardly getting on the pitch.
Think Pep is trying to prove a point that he doesn’t want him to be honest.
To get 0 minutes between the Community Shield and last night is quite telling, especially if he’s turned down moves for good money that we’d have got
Except there is one enormous indicator: The manager barely ever playing him.He’s not being played because he is not ready. Getting 500 minutes as against 1000 for some of his contemporaries in their first seasons is not definitive. There is nothing to indicate that he’ll never come good for us.
Think Pep is trying to prove a point that he doesn’t want him to be honest.
To get 0 minutes between the Community Shield and last night is quite telling, especially if he’s turned down moves for good money that we’d have got
Despite having countless examples Bluemooners still fall for the trap that a player will never make it here. And don’t give me that point about “other players who eventually found their feet showed signs that they would come good unlike Kalvin.” I recall it was said about Nathan Ake that he wasn’t our level and he’d never come good.
We make this judgment call every time and we get it wrong every time. By now I thought we’d be humble to see how things pan out in the second season at the very least but no, we want to make the definitive judgement now.
Hardly a good sign is it?
If he was going to play any sort of part in our season he would be getting minutes.
This is a very different situation to players under Pep that took time to settle and realize their role, Phillips simply looks lost on and off the pitch, he looks overwhelmed and for me he knows it to.
Think Pep is trying to prove a point that he doesn’t want him to be honest.
To get 0 minutes between the Community Shield and last night is quite telling, especially if he’s turned down moves for good money that we’d have got
I think the writing is on the wall. Same for Gómez actually, who I often forget is on our books.
I don’t judge Kalvin at all, one way or the other. I’ve got to see a player a fair bit more than that. But the only possible conclusion is that Pep is not convinced that he’s of a level to play in the best club side in the world. Because that’s the level required now.
If we can get anything like our £40 million back, or even close to it, I think we have to go for it. I dislike not giving a player a chance, but it‘s Pep who judges. And he’s not here to be Mr Nice Guy.