I always find him a bit too aggressive in pressing, sometimes he wins the ball but he gets bypassed an awful lot too. Some of this might be down to instruction but I don't think it's something that you want from your defensive midfielder at the very highest level. His passing is good.
Kalvin Phillips (PL20/21 Season)
- Thread starter meamth
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Yep about what I expected.
He's quality, would love it if we went in for him.
He's actually ideal for Liverpool.
Would take him if he came here; he's like Fred but with more nous.
Would take him if he came here; he's like Fred but with more nous.
Game of two halves for Phillips today. First half he was picking his head up and spraying lovely passes every time he got on the ball, in the second he looked gassed and kept getting caught in possession and hitting aimless long balls.
He's not as good a tackler as I thought from the games I watched in the Championship, but he has a very hard role to play as the only cover between that high pressing midfield and backline. He's certainly not a destroyer picking off interceptions, but I think his ball progression is irreplaceable as Leeds doesn't really get that from their centrebacks. He always looks caught in transition because Leeds uniquely yield the midfield and man mark runners in transition, sometimes it works and sometimes it makes them look silly.
Good player, have enjoyed watching him this season.
He's not as good a tackler as I thought from the games I watched in the Championship, but he has a very hard role to play as the only cover between that high pressing midfield and backline. He's certainly not a destroyer picking off interceptions, but I think his ball progression is irreplaceable as Leeds doesn't really get that from their centrebacks. He always looks caught in transition because Leeds uniquely yield the midfield and man mark runners in transition, sometimes it works and sometimes it makes them look silly.
Good player, have enjoyed watching him this season.
I'd take him over Rice. He can play the Carrick role, but doubt if he can step up from Leeds to United level.
I think it depends if we were the only top team in for him. If Chelsea, City or Liverpool were giving him the same options it's likely he'd pick them over us (in the same way I expect Alan Smith would have back in the day). But if they weren't in for him (or if our wage were significantly higher) then he would probably join us. Not sure if he'd do it yet though - he'd probably want to stay at Leeds for at least one more season after this as long as they stay in the PL.
Not the popular choice but this is the man for me. Not Carrick levels of passing but more that good enough. Only 25 for a midfielder that's still young.
I think I rate him higher than most, thought he was fantastic today, kept Bruno quiet, he should be a summer transfer target .
We don't need a player who man marks the oppositions best player. Followed Bruno round and lost him a few times and not much else for me. I'd rather we got some creative midfielders, who can dictate patterns of play.
He seems like he is capable of dictating play with hos passing range, only issue os leeds tactics are fairly unique so hard to tell how he would fare with us
IMO a better player than Fred or McTominay. But also not sure what the goal is for our midfield duo behind Bruno long term, and kind of depends on Pogba.
Think this deserves a wee bump.
Is his style the one we need moreso than a rice?
Is his style the one we need moreso than a rice?
Did brilliant today. But we need Rice more. I see Phillips more like Fred where he can press and drive forward.
Rice protects defence perfectly.
Like him as a player.
Will catch the eye more than Rice in this set-up given he's been given the less restricted role. But then that also says something about differing profiles of the two players.
I wouldn't judge either as potential options for us based on how they perform in this England side though, as neither would be playing with similar partners in our team so their role would change a bit.
Will catch the eye more than Rice in this set-up given he's been given the less restricted role. But then that also says something about differing profiles of the two players.
I wouldn't judge either as potential options for us based on how they perform in this England side though, as neither would be playing with similar partners in our team so their role would change a bit.
did very well today. Hopefully (for England’s sake) he can keep this up.
If we were growing a midfield from scratch - he would be a very good player for us. But, think with what we have, then Rice would be the more important player.
Phillips is what we wanted VdB to be?
Very impress him today, Maybe we should try get him instead. Will fit in the DM/box to box role perfectly.
Still have no idea what he was supposed to be, he was scoring double figures in his last season at Ajax.
Philips looks like a natural Matic replacement
I agree. I think he is a good player, but I think he is beyong the top level club and country wise. Great performance today against an experienced but ageing Croatia midfield. I think individually he stood out as on the ball a lot of our side were actually very average today.
I like him as a player and how he comes across as a person, but wouldnt be a target for us for me, think there are a lot of better players personally which isnt a criticism of him, just we can get better and probably the vast majorty of those players at a similar or better price too
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This is why I wouldn't judge him for United based on England performances. Playing alongside Rice is very different to playing alongside Fred or McTominay, where he wouldn't have the same security in going forward and his role would be different.
Which isn't to say he wouldn't improve us, he definitely would.
Kante-lite performance today. His value will increase dramatically if he plays like this throughout the tournament.
I actually think Phillips is every bit as good as Rice defensively (I haven't seen that much of Rice though). The way Leeds play leaves him majorly exposed but he remains an absolute rock. He's almost always there when you need him - excellent positioning, awareness and a fantastic reading of the game. He's also incredibly adaptable and quick to grow and learn. I think the best example of this is his two games against Man Utd this season. In the first match Bruno was pulling him all over the place and he got subbed at half time. By far his worst performance of the season. In the second match he basically had Bruno in his pocket.
There's a calmness about his play too and if you have willing runners more often than not he'll find you with an outrageous ball. In my opinion the more faith you put in him the more he rewards you.
There's a calmness about his play too and if you have willing runners more often than not he'll find you with an outrageous ball. In my opinion the more faith you put in him the more he rewards you.
His audition for City went well methinks. He plays well with their players.
He and Declan Rice were very good today
Great performance today. Should cement him into the side now. Very talented, strong allround footballer. So much talent in this England squad!
Everybody loves Rice.
I think people miss this when judging his performances for Leeds. He's left completely exposed a fair bit with the way Bielsa has his team setup.
Went on this site hoping this thread would have been bumped.
I want this guy in our squad. He's got so much of what we need. The English Kanté.
I want this guy in our squad. He's got so much of what we need. The English Kanté.
Would be a mistake to bring half-fit Henderson back in if it means Phillips missing out you'd think, his pressing and aggression pairs well with Rice sitting deeper.
Yeah, rice is nice. Wait what?
Finally England have a functioning mf combo in Rice and Philips. How unexpectedly
I don't know, I thought Croatia easily bypassed them a couple of times.
That Croatia midfield 3 is pretty fantastic in fairness.
Yeah so England are actually lacking in the midfield department in my opinion. France with the likes of Pogba and Kante will run rings around Rice/Philips I'm afraid.
He’s a really nice passer of the ball. I think sometimes that aspect of his game can go a little unnoticed because he’s physical and covers a lot of ground, and is very defensively astute. I think he also offers a lot of flexibility to managers because he can do a lot of different jobs on the pitch.
The two seasons before promotion he looked very good, and I was interested to see how he would do in the top flight. And I think he’s done very well this season to be fair, and I think one of the exciting things about him is that I think there’s another level in him. You mentioned his growth and I think that’s definitely been something very impressive about him, not only in how he’s adapted to top flight football (and international), But also in how he’s performed in different roles and managed to do that to such a good standard.
No, they are completely different players.
Yup. Then people here will continue to claim Pogba is shite when he returns to the club.
I agree England’s midfield is lacking. Rice and Philips would be nowhere near starting 11 quality at most previous tournaments. But then they never won anything then either, let’s see how this group fairs.
Was quality today. The pass to Sterling was a beauty.