| Matt Phillips 11:06 - Sep 28 with 7143 views | PhilmyRs |
What are people's views on him? A standout performer at the end of last season, seems to be struggling this term. I have my own theory why.
Phillips to me (although early days), seems to struggle when he’s not part of a 4-4-2 system. Last season in the early weeks under Harry, I thought he was poor, part of the reason was because he was finding himself in situations which are not the norm for a right winger — think he missed crucial chances at Spurs and United. To me Phillips is a player that responds well to simple instructions. Get the ball wide and look to get balls into the box. I felt his big improvement under Ramsey occurred because his game was simplified. We went to a direct 4-4-2 and he was pivotal to it.
Putting him as part of this 4-2-3-1 system seems to negate all his strengths and shows up his weaknesses. I think playing wide in a 4-2-3-1, you need a bit more about you than simply being a traditional old school winger. He’s clearly working on his game, but I think when we talk about Phillips as a class player at this level, I’d respond by saying yes, when played out wide in a 4-4-2, but whenever we’ve strayed from the 4-4-2 I and Phillips has played, I don’t recall him having too many good games? Time will tell whether he can adapt or indeed whether Ramsey adapts and puts a system in place to suit Austin and Phillips. If it carries on like this I can see 4-4-2 and Clint Hill being wheeled out.
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| Matt Phillips on 20:14 - Sep 28 with 1388 views | TacticalR |
Another issue, with Austin out and Polter injured, who has he got to put crosses into?
One way or another he's going to have to adapt his game (perhaps playing the ball in low, or coming in to shoot himself). |  |
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| Matt Phillips on 20:31 - Sep 28 with 1371 views | jonno |
| Matt Phillips on 20:14 - Sep 28 by BAWHoops |
Played well enough last season to warrant a move to a PL club this season.
Is therefore understandably somewhat miffed he is lining up against Bolton in front of 14,000 on Saturday as opposed to Anfield or Old Trafford |
It's an indictment of the game these days that anyone should think a player somehow "deserves" a transfer to a club in the top division for a few good performances as part of an abysmal side last season. I would say that that description should only apply to Austin, if anyone in the current squad. The rest of them, including Phillips, are culpable in the relegation of the Club last season and a professional approach should be to bust a gut to remedy that this season. Sadly of course, we will see little evidence of that, and certainly not from Phillips in my view. |  | | |
| Matt Phillips on 20:37 - Sep 28 with 1366 views | CamberleyR |
Spot on, jonno. |  |
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| Matt Phillips on 22:57 - Sep 28 with 1336 views | TacticalR |
| Matt Phillips on 20:14 - Sep 28 by TacticalR |
Another issue, with Austin out and Polter injured, who has he got to put crosses into?
One way or another he's going to have to adapt his game (perhaps playing the ball in low, or coming in to shoot himself). |
Answering my own question (and why not?) I've just seen the highlights of the Hull game, and Phillips put in a great low cross for Chery (which should have ended in a goal). | |
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| Matt Phillips on 23:12 - Sep 28 with 1326 views | johncharles |
| Matt Phillips on 20:14 - Sep 28 by TacticalR |
Another issue, with Austin out and Polter injured, who has he got to put crosses into?
One way or another he's going to have to adapt his game (perhaps playing the ball in low, or coming in to shoot himself). |
Shoot himself ? Not that bad surely. |  |
| Strong and stable my arse. |
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| Matt Phillips on 23:16 - Sep 28 with 1322 views | TacticalR |
| Matt Phillips on 23:12 - Sep 28 by johncharles |
Shoot himself ? Not that bad surely. |
Hmmm...unfortunate phrase there.  | |
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