Phillips: A move in January could be something I am interested in

[TLW]

Nat Phillips may well have played his last game for the club with the central defender stating that he is open to a move in the January transfer window.

 

Phillips won a place in the hearts of everyone associated with the club for his composed performances during the 2020/1 season when the team needed him the most due to a catalogue of injuries in the central defence position.

 

The defender became a cult figure among the fanbase in part due to his love of a clearing header and barely a game would go by without the defender having a bandaged head as a badge of honour from the 90 minute battle.

 

 

But with Virgil Van Dijk, Joel Matip and Joe Gomez returning to full fitness, it was clear that Phillips would have to be content with a lesser role for the Reds this season.

 

Because of this, many assumed that Phillips would move in the Summer with his stock at sky high levels.

 

 However despite links to Brighton, Newcastle and West Ham nothing eventuated.

 

To this point of the season, Phillips has made three appearances including a stellar outing AC Milan where he got the better of Zlatan Ibrahimovic.

 

Unfortunately in the aftermath of that contest, he was diagnosed with a cracked cheekbone coming courtesy of a head clash when he was going up for one of his trademark headers and the injury will see him on the sidelines until the new year.

 

As he is beginning to flourish at the senior level, Phillips who recently signed a long term deal until 2025 would like to play more consistently and he admitted to Sky Sports News that a move could be on the cards.

 

 

“The manager and I agree that the best thing for me is to play as many games as possible. I think you saw last year I developed well.

 

“I'm going to see what comes along [in January] and go from there. I think at this moment in time it's unlikely that I'll be playing lots of games for Liverpool, so if an opportunity arises where I get the chance to do that somewhere else and it suits everyone then it's certainly something I'd be interested in."

 

The defender says that the confidence of playing for one of the biggest clubs in world in incredibly challenging and unique circumstances will certainly serve him well for the next step.

 

“I've had the exposure and experience in the Premier League and the Champions League. So maybe those situations where you're new and nervy, I've gone through that phase.

 

"I don't need to go through that process if I do go somewhere else. I'll be ready straight away to get involved and play."

 

Teams in the battle for Premier League survival will certainly be on the lookout for reinforcements next month, but if a move was not to eventuate, Phillips would not get disheartened.

 

In fact he said training with quality players in the Reds squad is priceless for his own development.

 

“Not only defenders we have, but the attackers as well. If I'm holding my own in training against the strikers we have then it stands me in good stead.

 

"I can't complain. The standard in training improves me every day. If it wasn't to happen I would certainly still be living a happy life."

 

 

 

 

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[rb14]

Nooooooooo. Stay. The pecking order is:

VVD

Matip

Konate

Nat

Joe

 

We know Joel has a chequered injury record. That puts him P3. At least.

 

Stay. Please. 

[aRdja]

Loan move to a PL club until the end of the year, if he can prove that he can be a regular then we’ll take him back to eventually replace Matip who’s 30.

[Bruce Spanner]

This will be worse than when Robbie left Take That.

[VladimirIlyich]

Somebody likes the word 'eventuate.'

[Strontium]

Sell Nat Phillips?

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[Elite]

Loan would be the best bet, would raise his value and we still have the option to keep him should our defensive situation change with injuries and possibly selling Gomez.

[El Rojo]

Sorry, Nat. The only move I’d be sanctioning for you is as our big man up front if we’re chasing a game. 

[Evelyn Tentions]

I hate to see him leave even on loan . Joel is too injury prone to do the full season and he could do with an occasional rest. I'd pick Big Nat as the best strand in and Konate  for VVD.

More than anything though, I'd like to see him trot out at a crowded Anfield to get the ovation he deserves.

Gomez as back up for TAA.

 

[dockers_strike]

I know Nat wants to play but like Dave has said, these fringe players are training with world class players, coaches and manager. If he does leave he may get the game time but he isnt going to be training or playing with world class people.

 

[JohnnyH]

He's way way down on our list.  Konate was tidying up mistakes for him in the Milan game. If it wasn;t for the little stepover it would have been deemed a very average performance. Joe Gomez is 40 times the player he is.  Let him go and have a career at a lower level PL club/Championship club

[rb14]

2 hours ago, Strontium Dog™ said:

The fella standing on the left does a fab swoon. That's me if Nat leaves. 

[Strontium]

46 minutes ago, JohnnyH said:

Konate was tidying up mistakes for him in the Milan game.

 

Congratulations on figuring out how a centre-back partnership functions.

 

Personally what I'll remember from the Milan game, other than an outrageously cool piece of skill which I'm still laughing about, is how a player frequently derided as Championship-level quality, and who hadn't started a match all season, nevertheless kept one of the greatest strikers of all time very quiet.

[Em City]

12 minutes ago, Strontium Dog™ said:

 

Congratulations on figuring out how a centre-back partnership functions.

 

Personally what I'll remember from the Milan game, other than an outrageously cool piece of skill which I'm still laughing about, is how a player frequently derided as Championship-level quality, and who hadn't started a match all season, nevertheless kept one of the greatest strikers of all time very quiet.

 

Phillips was excellent in that game.

 

Some people are sticking to this carthorse narrative even though his technical play has come on leaps and bounds and we would have been bouncing around in that Europa Conference shite without his contribution last season.

[TheHowieLama]

He certainly seems a nice enough fella.

 

If he does go to one of the clubs being mentioned now, playing in the CL at the San Siro will be the highlight of his career.

[El Rojo]

1 hour ago, JohnnyH said:

He's way way down on our list.  Konate was tidying up mistakes for him in the Milan game. If it wasn;t for the little stepover it would have been deemed a very average performance. Joe Gomez is 40 times the player he is.  Let him go and have a career at a lower level PL club/Championship club

Personally I found his snuffing out of Ibrahimovic and pals more impressive than the stepover. 

 

Gomez is coming back from an awful injury and we don't know what level he'll eventually get back to. 

[VladimirIlyich]

1 hour ago, El Rojo said:

Personally I found his snuffing out of Ibrahimovic and pals more impressive than the stepover. 

 

Gomez is coming back from an awful injury and we don't know what level he'll eventually get back to. 

I'd certainly agree with this.

[Bjornebye]

 

 

[Curly]

4 hours ago, JohnnyH said:

He's way way down on our list.  Konate was tidying up mistakes for him in the Milan game. If it wasn;t for the little stepover it would have been deemed a very average performance. Joe Gomez is 40 times the player he is.  Let him go and have a career at a lower level PL club/Championship club

Gomez is quicker and that’s about the only way he’s better. 
 

Nat was great against Milan.

[Rushies tash]

45 minutes ago, Belarus said:

Gomez is quicker and that’s about the only way he’s better. 
 

Nat was great against Milan.

Have to agree. Gomez needs to be quick as he gets caught out of position so much. Would prefer Nat back there over Gomez.

[Ron B]

4 hours ago, rb14 said:

The fella standing on the left does a fab swoon. That's me if Nat leaves. 

60% of the time, you’ll remember that character’s name every time. 

[Joey8FrogsLegs]

9 hours ago, JohnnyH said:

He's way way down on our list.  Konate was tidying up mistakes for him in the Milan game. If it wasn;t for the little stepover it would have been deemed a very average performance. Joe Gomez is 40 times the player he is.  Let him go and have a career at a lower level PL club/Championship club

Van Dijk, Matip and Konate are miles better than the remaining CBs now. I’d say it’s close between Gomez and Phillips behind those three. Gomez has a higher ceiling, but the problem is he always needs a number of games to get back to his best. And he wont get those games unless one of the three gets a lengthy injury. Phillips on the other hand has his limitations, but just walks in and plays at his peak from the first game when called upon.

[Bruce Spanner]

We'd have won 6-0 if Big Nat was playing tonight.

[rubble-rouser]

He’s gone, get over it.

[3 Stacks]

His level has actually been pretty high and he's really developed some skills. He'll have a long career after us.

 

It's just a question of style. We can't defend and attack how we want when he plays. But that's not his fault. I think 15m is too low for him. He's shown the ability to be worth more than that.