Nat Phillips

[Ron B]

No complaints about today's game - it seems to have been a good performance once we got going, an excellent result, a clean sheet, and Lampard apparently went to Greggs after the match only to discover that they’d closed early.

 

But... I was struck by the absence of a central defender on the bench. Personally I have no problem with Fabinho as fourth choice; he was primarily a defender before he came here, we’re stocked up with quality midfielders, we’ll dominate an awful lot of games this season anyway, he’s done well there for us previously, and a lot of excellent defenders might not fancy coming to Anfield and getting very little game time. 
 

So I’d expected that this would be an opportunity for Nat Phillips. I mean, if he’s not going to sit on the bench when we have literally one fit central defender, when is he going to get near the team? Is he not seen as an option? Is he injured? Is he just a bit rubbish? I’ve not seen enough of him to judge - opinions are welcome.

[dockers_strike]

6 minutes ago, Ron B said:

No complaints about today's game - it seems to have been a good performance once we got going, an excellent result, a clean sheet, and Lampard apparently went to Greggs after the match only to discover that they’d closed early.

 

But... I was struck by the absence of a central defender on the bench. Personally I have no problem with Fabinho as fourth choice; he was primarily a defender before he came here, we’re stocked up with quality midfielders, we’ll dominate an awful lot of games this season anyway, he’s done well there for us previously, and a lot of excellent defenders might not fancy coming to Anfield and getting very little game time. 
 

So I’d expected that this would be an opportunity for Nat Phillips. I mean, if he’s not going to sit on the bench when we have literally one fit central defender, when is he going to get near the team? Is he not seen as an option? Is he injured? Is he just a bit rubbish? I’ve not seen enough of him to judge - opinions are welcome.

I think it's a case of expecting a fringe player to suddenly step up from likes of Bundesliga 2 level, to suddenly be expected to perform faultlessly for Liverpool in any game they may be needed.

 

It's a question of, for one or two games, do you go with Fabinho, Hendo and even Milner as an emergency CB or thrust a player like Hoever (before he left) or Philips into the front line?

 

As Jurgen has said before, no one can have a 3rd and 4th choice player for every position so, some compromise has to be made.

[TheHowieLama]

Not Phillips

[Ron B]

Yeah, I’ve got no beef with that @dockers_strike. But Phillips is 23 years old and can’t even make the bench when we have one other fit central defender. That doesn’t bode well for him. 

[VladimirIlyich]

Surprises me that we offloaded Hoever and kept this lad.

[Joey8FrogsLegs]

6 minutes ago, VladimirIlyich said:

Surprises me that we offloaded Hoever and kept this lad.

I think it looks like Hoever’s future is right back. And with Trent and Williams ahead of him the sensible thing was to move.

 

Hopefully we’ll sign a good, young CB before the window shuts.

[Bob]

It’s clear from every time he’s pulled on a shirt for us in friendlies and the odd cup match that he won’t make it hear. He’s too slow and not good enough on the ball.

 

he gets game time in friendlies to ensure workload is split and have him in the shop window.

 

the more relevant question might be of van den berg.

[Anubis]

I thought there was a team in the Championship interested in  taking him?

[Jordy Brouwer]

Koutmetio seems to have been picked out as potentially the young backup you are talking about. 

[Grinch]

10 hours ago, VladimirIlyich said:

Surprises me that we offloaded Hoever and kept this lad.

Probably had to in order to get Jota in the manner we did.   

[VladimirIlyich]

31 minutes ago, Grinch said:

Probably had to in order to get Jota in the manner we did.   

Yeah,more of a financial consideration than anything else.

[Pidge]

Surely will be elsewhere by the deadline. But still should be said, he's done well just to stick with the first team training squad and hopefully when he does leave that sets him up for a good career. I think he's at championship level, could still improve but needs a home at this point.

 

Might get a run against Lincoln in the week.

[sir roger]

I thought he did well against Everton after a poor start

[J-V]

12 hours ago, VladimirIlyich said:

Surprises me that we offloaded Hoever and kept this lad.

No doubt down to we could get money for Hoever and not Philips

[VERBAL DIARRHEA]

A reliable Philips Hoever.

[setreal]

13 hours ago, TheHowieLama said:

Not Phillips

Net (Spend) Phillips

[Ron B]

Not even on the bench tonight, so I guess that puts him at sixth-choice central defender and 23 years old. 
 

Seems like a decent lad, and must have something about him to have been prepared to go to Germany for a year. Hope he gets a move and that it works out for him. 

[AngryOfTuebrook]

On 21/09/2020 at 09:14, sir roger said:

I thought he did well against Everton after a poor start

I forgot about that.

 

End a half-season loan deal.

Beat Everton.

Go on loan for another half season. 

 

Lovely stuff.