Brentford away PL thread

[Corndog]

Absolutely serious! Not saying Matip is bad but I'd honestly feel more comfortable with Phillips. He's young, slightly faster, and while he played almost every high ball was delt with. Plus he has absolutely no fear in destroying something in his path. Him with VVD together would be great.

I don't know what to say to the idea of Phillips being faster than matip. There's just no way that's true.

Nat Phillips can be an ok defender for a side like burnley and he played his game admirably last year when called on but there is no way he's going to make it at this Liverpool side.

The reasons being that he's not fast enough and not good enough of a passer. If you play him beside VVD, you are asking for it with the high line that LFC plays when they come up against pacey forwards.

It would also put more pressure on VVD and Trent when playing out from the back.

There is a clear type of CB Klopp favours and physicality / aerial ability is only a small part of it. VVD, Matip, Gomez, Konate.

All pacey CBs who are known for being good at playing out from the back.

Missing them last season hurt the attack just as much if not arguably more than the defense of the team.

[vlahka]

I honestly dont know why so many of you look down on him. He's the main reason we didnt get humiliated last season after all our injuries. Matips already 30 so if Phillips stays long enough he might get to play frequently and then maybe some of you might see how good he is. You can say hes slower or not a better defender etc, sure. But a chamionship level or burnley player? I outright reject that. If he was playing for another team plenty of people would be saying how good he looks. I mean he even got a player of the month award. And hes english to boot. Mock me all you like, but I thinik its the height of arogance to discount how good he is just because hes 4th-5th choice.

[Kenneth]

I do think his pace is a major problem, but sure, against Brentford I think he would have done better than Matip on their goals. But Matip offers so much more when bringing the ball out from the back and joining up with the midfield.

[Exiled_red]

As well as Phillips did last season the dynamic of the team was changed somewhat to compensate for the lack of our first (and second and third) choice CBs. I don't think Phillips is suited to our prefered style of play, as I say I think barring another major injury crisis I think his role will be in cup ties or coming on late in games to clear crosses into the box. He clearly seems to still be 5th choice despite how well he did last season

[vlahka]

Some of his and the teams stats last season, in 38 games we had 42 goals scored against us and 12 clean sheets. He started 15 games and in those games we only had 9 goals scored against us with 7 clean sheets and player of the month. I dont believe the team was magically altered just for the games he played. He is being severely underated here.

[baitman]

Re matip vs phillips...

Matip is silky smooth but sometimes you need a bit of beef.
On the ball matip is superior but id sooner have nat challenging to win a ball in our own box against combative attackers.

[Corndog]

I honestly dont know why so many of you look down on him. He's the main reason we didnt get humiliated last season after all our injuries. Matips already 30 so if Phillips stays long enough he might get to play frequently and then maybe some of you might see how good he is. You can say hes slower or not a better defender etc, sure. But a chamionship level or burnley player? I outright reject that. If he was playing for another team plenty of people would be saying how good he looks. I mean he even got a player of the month award. And hes english to boot. Mock me all you like, but I thinik its the height of arogance to discount how good he is just because hes 4th-5th choice.

I don't look down on him at all and I am not mocking you, I do think it's knee-jerk to call for him to replace Matip after Brentford.

I think he just isn't going to fit stylistically at liverpool, he would be perfect for a team that sets up with a deeper backline and has to defend more that's why I mentioned Burnley but crystal palace or similar could also be a fit. And I don't see that as a bad thing, both are consistent prem clubs.

The team did change slightly last season with the injuries we had and williams/phillips coming in and Klopp even alluded to this and he specifically praised Nat for knowing what he's good at and playing to his strengths.

I think he defended well but it's the attacking stats that should be looked at, we severely struggled for goals and imo that was largely caused by the CB injuries and their knock-on effects to the team.

This season, VVD and matip are back in and the goals are flowing and whilst I don't think it's all because of them, i think their distribution and playing out from the back and their recovery pace, enabling the fullbacks to be more attacking are big contributors to this.

So yes Nat Phillips could go to a prem team and be a good defender but he is less suited for teams who seek to dominate possession and field position imo.

[Mr Pink]

As well as Phillips did last season the dynamic of the team was changed somewhat to compensate for the lack of our first (and second and third) choice CBs. I don't think Phillips is suited to our prefered style of play, as I say I think barring another major injury crisis I think his role will be in cup ties or coming on late in games to clear crosses into the box. He clearly seems to still be 5th choice despite how well he did last season

Completely agree. It’s not about playing he best players (not saying he’s the best CB), it’s about playing the players that ensure the overall team does best.. ie playing players that best fit into the plan for how Jurgen wants us to play.

Everyone’s been so impressed by tsimikas so far this season- for me the best thing about him is that he fits into the system flawlessly, playing a very similar style to robbo- so if and when he’s needed, it’s business as usual for the rest of the guys. This unfortunately isn’t the case for philips.

[Doc_Piptorious]

I honestly dont know why so many of you look down on him. He's the main reason we didnt get humiliated last season after all our injuries. Matips already 30 so if Phillips stays long enough he might get to play frequently and then maybe some of you might see how good he is. You can say hes slower or not a better defender etc, sure. But a chamionship level or burnley player? I outright reject that. If he was playing for another team plenty of people would be saying how good he looks. I mean he even got a player of the month award. And hes english to boot. Mock me all you like, but I thinik its the height of arogance to discount how good he is just because hes 4th-5th choice.

I'm not looking down on Philips, nor would I mock your take on him in any way.

Just that with VVd, Matip, Gomez and Konate at the club, I cannot see any reason why Philips should get game time ahead of any of that quartet.

It is not that Philips is crap, it is just that the four ahead of him are an awful lot better than him imo.

[Irishnev]

I'm not looking down on Philips, nor would I mock your take on him in any way.

Just that with VVd, Matip, Gomez and Konate at the club, I cannot see any reason why Philips should get game time ahead of any of that quartet.

It is not that Philips is crap, it is just that the four ahead of him are an awful lot better than him imo.

No mocking taking place and I agree on where Phillips sits in the standings