Kalvin Phillips

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.
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
 
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.
Add to that the competition for Ake was higher as we had more players in his position.
Phillips was fighting against one incredibly overplayed player.
 
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.
 
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

My sentiments.

The last week has been one huge hint to leave for me.

Community shield, Paqueta bid and last night, Burnley.

The same will occur for Seville and Newcastle because I just don't see when or where he will play in those games.

Feel for the lad as he comes across as a top bloke but I think it's pretty clear Pep just hasn't got him in his thinking now in my opinion.
 
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.
Except there is one enormous indicator: The manager barely ever playing him.
 
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.
 
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.

The thing is if anything happens Rodri this lad is unlikely to get the nod to fill in and one assumes that is the main reason we bought him. At the current rate he could spend 3 or 4 seasons here and only start a handful of games. Hard to see a future for him.
 
I'm always one for giving players time as it takes players time to adapt to Pep's demands. I learned the hard way with Rodri and we've seen the progression with the likes of Grealish too.

But, I think its absolutely clear Pep doesn't really want Phillips here. He brought on Palmer, Laporte and McAtee last night, 3 players who could all be out the door in some form come the end of the window. He also wasn't seen last week in the Community Shield. If that message isn't loud and clear to everyone I don't know what is.

The links to Paqueta and Doku are out there and that will just put him further down the order, as I suspect Kovacic will cover Rodri when he's rested rather than Phillips.

The guy seems a lovely guy, but the signs are staring him and everbody in the face now. He should've come back into pre season fighting and snapping into tackles, but I just didn't see it and for me that's the writing clearly on the wall and was the last chance saloon for Pep.
 
The thing is if anything happens Rodri this lad is unlikely to get the nod to fill in and one assumes that is the main reason we bought him. At the current rate he could spend 3 or 4 seasons here and only start a handful of games. Hard to see a future for him.

The rags at home last season we played silva and gundo in midfield when Rodri was out! If Rodri isn't playing pep will play Kovacic and silva in there
 
He really needs to take the fucking hint now. Either go to West Ham as part of the Paqueta deal, or go to Liverpool. Even that would help us as it would mean they don’t sign Lavia and maybe, just maybe, we can actually get to our buyback clause activating next year with him still a Southampton player.
 
He really needs to take the fucking hint now. Either go to West Ham as part of the Paqueta deal, or go to Liverpool. Even that would help us as it would mean they don’t sign Lavia and maybe, just maybe, we can actually get to our buyback clause activating next year with him still a Southampton player.
If Phillips does leave we would have to replace him, Paquetta a very different player.

Maybe we are tempted to bring Lavia back, a reasonably cheap option with our sale % taken off.
 
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.
Nathan Ake got game time. Pep clearly doesnt trust phillips and doesnt want him
 
If Phillips does leave we would have to replace him, Paquetta a very different player.

Maybe we are tempted to bring Lavia back, a reasonably cheap option with our sale % taken off.
Replace him? Replace him around the training ground cracking jokes? Im sure the kitman brandon will cover that role too
 
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.
He's been fit since December, he's just not impressing. Better for him to move on now and retain a Euros place whilst we can make our money back, rather than another season sitting on the bench with no ticket for the British Airways flight to Germany.
 
Quite concerning for the season that.

I really hope Pep rests him when he can this season because a repeat of last year plus a Euros next summer and I think we will see a burnt out footballer.
Start Phillips next game to see where we are at because Rodri burning out is unthinkable.
 
If Phillips does leave we would have to replace him, Paquetta a very different player.

Maybe we are tempted to bring Lavia back, a reasonably cheap option with our sale % taken off.
Think we would be fine. Phillips doesn’t play. At all. For the double pivot we’d still have Rodri, Stones, Rico, Bernardo, Paqueta can play there in a double pivot, Kovacic. Loads of options.
 

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