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Nathaniel Phillips


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Nat has come on enough for Klopp not to have to play Fabinho at centre half therefore strengthening the midfield and our push for 4th/3rd.

 

Nat has to get a pay rise, assuming hes on comparatively low money, to encourage him to stay.

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1 hour ago, 3 Stacks said:

Ever thought he may want regular game time somewhere else?

 

That's a different argument though, unless you think those saying get rid of him are thinking of Nat's best interests rather than what they want the club to do?

 

He's done more than enough to deserve a place in the squad for next season. That doesn't mean we don't need to buy someone who isn't made of fucking cheese strings like Matip (and to a lesser extent Gomez), but Phillips is more than up to doing the 5th choice Ragnar Klavan role.

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3 hours ago, Mark M said:

Its looking like we're going to sign Konate. 

VVD - Gomez - Matip - Konate - Philips.

I'd be more than happy for Philips to stay as 4th or 5th choice but is it fair on him as the way Klopp picks his sides once VVD and Gomez are back he wont rotate them much at all.

Philips would hardly get any game time apart from the league cup can't see that being good for himself longterm.

 

 

 

We have no idea how Virgil will be when he comes back. Often players pick up niggly little injuries when they return from an ACL so he may not be Iron Man like he was before. Then you've got Glass Man Matip and Unlucky Joe. There'll be at least a dozen games for Phillips if he's in the squad.

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5 minutes ago, dave u said:

We have no idea how Virgil will be when he comes back. Often players pick up niggly little injuries when they return from an ACL so he may not be Iron Man like he was before. Then you've got Glass Man Matip and Unlucky Joe. There'll be at least a dozen games for Phillips if he's in the squad.

 

And so he should be.

A dozen plus games and a decent wedge of wage at the best sporting club in the world - what's not to be content with, eh?

 

 

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I'll be voting for Mo as POTY but there is an argument to be made (just not by me) for Phillips when you apply context and players performing to their maximum. How many of them performed consistently at or near their best?

 

Mo, Fabinho, Phillips, Hendo (when he was available)... then Gini and Robbo who were mostly good but showed signs of being fucked due to the amount of games they played.

 

Salah was our best player but I don't begrudge whatever votes Phillips gets.

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A lot of the discussion around him is the same when Flanagan (and Spearing to a lesser extent) came into the team a few years ago and did well for a bit. Ultimately they never going to make it for a good team and what happens is the quality tells after a run of games. It happened against Real Madrid, they knew he was the weak link in the first leg and targeted him. Stacks is right too about him probably wanting more game time. No point in him sitting on our bench not improving because if were to use to him he'd be completely rusty.

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6 minutes ago, TheHowieLama said:

Phillips had nowhere near the build up of Spearing or Flanagan - Rhys Williams is closer to those.

 

I agree but my point was when they got into the team it was assumed they would be good enough long term to be squad players but ultimately it's rarely the case. Players that come through the ranks generally end up either being really good (like Trent) or end up playing a few games and leaving because they need the game time. It's pointless keeping him if he isnt going to play regularly next season, which he shouldn't be if we have any ambitions of winning the league or Champions League again. If Dejan Lovren wasn't good enough to be 4th choice then neither is Nat Phillips. 

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10 minutes ago, RobbieOR said:

 

I agree but my point was when they got into the team it was assumed they would be good enough long term to be squad players but ultimately it's rarely the case. Players that come through the ranks generally end up either being really good (like Trent) or end up playing a few games and leaving because they need the game time. It's pointless keeping him if he isnt going to play regularly next season, which he shouldn't be if we have any ambitions of winning the league or Champions League again. If Dejan Lovren wasn't good enough to be 4th choice then neither is Nat Phillips. 

Everyone is banging on like some established clubs will be waving 10 or 15 mil for him. Don't see it. He probably won't get regular games for anyone in the Prem next season. He was pushed to get minutes in the 2nd division in Germany.

In this case I think the expectations going forward are pretty much in line with the player and he has already beaten any expectation I had.

 

I don't think he will be.

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17 minutes ago, TheHowieLama said:

Everyone is banging on like some established clubs will be waving 10 or 15 mil for him. Don't see it. He probably won't get regular games for anyone in the Prem next season. He was pushed to get minutes in the 2nd division in Germany.

In this case I think the expectations going forward are pretty much in line with the player and he has already beaten any expectation I had.

 

I don't think he will be.

 

15m is probably ambitious and even 10m might be in a Covid market but we are very good at selling players. I wouldn't put it past us at all to get a good fee for him.

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38 minutes ago, RobbieOR said:

 

I agree but my point was when they got into the team it was assumed they would be good enough long term to be squad players but ultimately it's rarely the case. Players that come through the ranks generally end up either being really good (like Trent) or end up playing a few games and leaving because they need the game time. It's pointless keeping him if he isnt going to play regularly next season, which he shouldn't be if we have any ambitions of winning the league or Champions League again. If Dejan Lovren wasn't good enough to be 4th choice then neither is Nat Phillips. 

Spearing was under par from the offset - he was all excitement amongst the fans as he was coming through.

 

Flanagan was different to that - created his own buzz with a succession of amazing performances in that near title season and it turned out he was caught up in the moment like a few others.

 

Nobosy ever thought anything of Nat, but he has proved himself more than able at this level.

 

Also, Lovren was turd. From the brief time we’ve seen Nat, if he continues at that level without improving, he’s still better than Lovren was. Lovren was all belief and physical attributes.

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18 minutes ago, belarus said:

Spearing was under par from the offset - he was all excitement amongst the fans as he was coming through.

 

Flanagan was different to that - created his own buzz with a succession of amazing performances in that near title season and it turned out he was caught up in the moment like a few others.

 

Nobosy ever thought anything of Nat, but he has proved himself more than able at this level.

 

Also, Lovren was turd. From the brief time we’ve seen Nat, if he continues at that level without improving, he’s still better than Lovren was. Lovren was all belief and physical attributes.

 

He's not better than Lovren was. He won't have a third of the career Lovren has had in the game. You're just proving my point about Spearing when some believed he was better than Lucas.

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4 minutes ago, RobbieOR said:

 

He's not better than Lovren was. He won't have a third of the career Lovren has had in the game. You're just proving my point about Spearing when some believed he was better than Lucas.

CB is different though, 95% of it is concentration and decision making. Stick Virgil beside him and the concentration goes up 50% and the decisions he has to make are slashed. He will basically be Virgil's pet dog, he will go and win headers when ordered to do so and drop when Virgil says so. That goal in Madrid doesn't happen if Virgil is ordering him around, that little mix up yesterday doesn't happen either and none of the big chances Burnely and WBA had occur because Virgil has talked him through it.

 

I realise that will read a little disparaging to Nat but its not meant too, once he has a few months beside Virgil he will be a much better player. He will easily be as good as Tarowski or Keane or any other yard dog on the league.

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2 minutes ago, No2 said:

CB is different though, 95% of it is concentration and decision making. Stick Virgil beside him and the concentration goes up 50% and the decisions he has to make are slashed. He will basically be Virgil's pet dog, he will go and win headers when ordered to do so and drop when Virgil says so. That goal in Madrid doesn't happen if Virgil is ordering him around, that little mix up yesterday doesn't happen either and none of the big chances Burnely and WBA had occur because Virgil has talked him through it.

 

I realise that will read a little disparaging to Nat but its not meant too, once he has a few months beside Virgil he will be a much better player. He will easily be as good as Tarowski or Keane or any other yard dog on the league.

 

I don't think Van Dijk is going to solve his massive lack of pace. We need defenders that can defend high up the pitch. Like I have said he has done well but he isn't the answer. It's why we're about to drop 40m on someone who hopefully is. 

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2 minutes ago, RobbieOR said:

 

I don't think Van Dijk is going to solve his massive lack of pace. We need defenders that can defend high up the pitch. Like I have said he has done well but he isn't the answer. It's why we're about to drop 40m on someone who hopefully is. 

If he lines up next to Van Dijk next season more than twice I would be surprised.

 

If he is available when we need him (read, three other top CB's are broken - or it is a week off/cup game) then he could be.

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21 minutes ago, RobbieOR said:

 

He's not better than Lovren was. He won't have a third of the career Lovren has had in the game. You're just proving my point about Spearing when some believed he was better than Lucas.

He reads the game better, is positionally better, isn’t rash, doesn’t drag the shape of the entire back line out with his positioning, and doesn’t fly into headers and tackles that are not there to be even contemplated. If he maintains what he’s done for us, he will be better than Lovren ever was in my eyes. 
 

My point about Spearing was not what you’ve taken from it - you said Phillips is akin to spearing when he came in, buts it’s the polar opposite. Spearing had been hyped while he came through the ranks, nobody ever really rated Nat. Spearing was nothing more than average whenever he played and therefore a disappointment, whereas Philips has exceeded the non-existent expectations by improving with every game and throwing the odd excellent performance in there. Not sure where Lucas fits into any of that.

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5 minutes ago, TheHowieLama said:

If he lines up next to Van Dijk next season more than twice I would be surprised.

.

Prepare to have your mind blown then - Less than 3 games alongside big virg? Nat on your nelly.

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