Nat Phillips

[Buzzo]

We definitely need depth. Look at City, they spent £41m on Ake as a forth choice defender and he only played 13 games last season. They have 4 £50m (ish) centre backs.

[BG1973]

He should definitely stay. But Williams will be surpluses to requirements should we manage to bring in a CB or two.

Yes, Williams may go out on loan I suppose, still very young esp for CB

[Exiled_red]

He should definitely stay. But Williams will be surpluses to requirements should we manage to bring in a CB or two.

I imagine that there is a place for one of Phillips or Rhys Williams next season, I just imagine that their roles would be different. I could see Phillips not necessarily being the 3rd or 4th choice starter depending on who the other guys are, but I could see him being the guy who you bring on for the last 10 mins when you are under pressure and need someone to head away crosses or set pieces etc. Williams I think would be more your general 5th choice defender, playing in the league cup and coming in when there are alot of injuries. Personally I think we will look to loan Williams out. IMO if Phillips stays it's probably not going to be for more than a season or 2 so given Williams' age some loan experience might be the way to go and see how he develops in that time.

[Fivex]

[labourRed]

He should definitely stay. But Williams will be surpluses to requirements should we manage to bring in a CB or two.

I think we should keep both. Rhys is only 20... he's been thrown in way earlier than would normally be the case but hes done OK. He may never be a first choice but if he's happy staying on the bench then i'd keep.

There are question marks over if Virgil and Gomez can come back or to what standard and Matip always had question marks anyway. With that in mind, i'd be absolutely keeping Nat and Rhys, even with one or two coming in.

[danperkins]

I would have Philips as a back up next season if he is happy with that role. He has grown in confidence and with game time his passing and general play have improved dramatically. Pace is his issue and when isolated he will get done but his aerial ability, aggression, commitment and heart are huge positives. Williams needs to go out on loan for sure, terrible positional sense and snail like pace although I can see why Klopp would like his long range of passing.

Whatever happens with Philips and Williams, we 100% needs another top class CB beside Virgil. Gomez and Matip will inevitably break down. Kabak has been ok, don't know if we'll pay that much but I would much rather him than Williams. The issue with Philips, Williams & Kabak is we play a high line and having CB's with real pace is key to that and unfortunately none of the 3 are quick.

[Zapater]

Time is on Williams side, a couple of loans and we'll know what he's made of. Either make the grade or move him on. In Phillips case, we all know what he's about. I don't think his stock will ever be as high. There is a romance about him playing and he's improved out of sight, but I don't see it. If everyone's fit, he's 5th choice at best. If we're keeping him, it's to make sure Davies never plays.

[Paul12]

Time is on Williams side, a couple of loans and we'll know what he's made of. Either make the grade or move him on. In Phillips case, we all know what he's about. I don't think his stock will ever be as high. There is a romance about him playing and he's improved out of sight, but I don't see it. If everyone's fit, he's 5th choice at best. If we're keeping him, it's to make sure Davies never plays.

I agree that, despite the miracle of the last 10 games, we need to get in to a position where we never HAVE to play these two together again. I also agree that a decent loan might be the best next step for Williams. Unless they see something really special in Davies he should just be moved on. That leaves VVD, Joe, Joel, Nat and a decision to be taken about Ozan and possible purchases.

(1) I think we can carry for another season one sicknote central defender but not two, but the problem for me is that although Gomez would be my preference his injury is much worse than Joel's and not all injured players will recover fully.

(2) We need to buy someone who is good enough now, and will get better. I don't think that is Ozan; not enough speed and I suspect not intelligent enough. Is Konate that player? Why has he played so few games these last two seasons?

(3) If we buy such a player I think the issue we have is whether to gamble on the recovery of the injured trio (with Nat and Fab as the fallbacks) or buy a second central defender. I'd buy the second defender and offer Nat an exit at the end of next season if that is what he prefers.

[Corndog]

Rhys Williams is too slow to make it at Liverpool.

He actually appears a lot slower on the turn than even Phillips.

It's clear that out of the two Nat Phillips is the better. I'm sure Rhys can improve but his pace won't.

[Exiled_red]

I agree that, despite the miracle of the last 10 games, we need to get in to a position where we never HAVE to play these two together again. I also agree that a decent loan might be the best next step for Williams. Unless they see something really special in Davies he should just be moved on. That leaves VVD, Joe, Joel, Nat and a decision to be taken about Ozan and possible purchases.

(1) I think we can carry for another season one sicknote central defender but not two, but the problem for me is that although Gomez would be my preference his injury is much worse than Joel's and not all injured players will recover fully.

(2) We need to buy someone who is good enough now, and will get better. I don't think that is Ozan; not enough speed and I suspect not intelligent enough. Is Konate that player? Why has he played so few games these last two seasons?

(3) If we buy such a player I think the issue we have is whether to gamble on the recovery of the injured trio (with Nat and Fab as the fallbacks) or buy a second central defender. I'd buy the second defender and offer Nat an exit at the end of next season if that is what he prefers.

Gomez/Matip is a tough one, at the moment Gomez and VVD are first choice. I don't think Gomez that injury prone - in the that he doesn't pick up alot of injuries in the way Matip does (Matip seems to pick up an injury every time he plays a handful of games.) Gomez just seems to be prone to picking up rather bad injuries that keep him out for a long time, and you worry about the impact of that long term. The Matip situation is far more frustrating to me, with Gomez if he's out you know he's out. Matip you never know for sure he plays one game and the next game when the team is announced he has picked up a knock and isn't playing and is expected to be back for the next one, but somehow 3 weeks later he isn't back yet. That has to upset the rhythm of the side.

Kabak's recent record makes me a bit wary, he's missed about half of the games since he came in through injury, it could be unfortunate or it could be another injury issue, it feels like a red flag to me.

I think that there is a role for Phillips and I'd be in favour of keeping him, but I could understand if he wanted to move somewhere for regular games or the club decided that his stock will never be higher and it's time to sell. I see there are reports some of the papers this morning that a number of PL clubs are interested in him and we are looking for a £10m+ fee, which considering last summer we'd have been lucky to get £2m for him is not to be sniffed at. I still suspect he is moving on this summer.

Williams has done well when he has come in he's still young and I think a loan move is the best thing for him next season, see how he develops.

Davies - who the hell knows what the deal with him is, he was supposedly highly rated in the Championship but has been doing an impression of the invisible man since he arrived.

I don't think any of the main three CB's from the start of this season (VVD, Gomez and Matip) are going anywhere this summer, I think we are bringing in one or two others and may keep one of Phillips or Davies with the other being sold and Williams going out on loan.

[Kenneth]

Rhys Williams is too slow to make it at Liverpool.

He actually appears a lot slower on the turn than even Phillips.

It's clear that out of the two Nat Phillips is the better. I'm sure Rhys can improve but his pace won't.

[baitman]

The doubters have been turned...

[Charly]

Gomez/Matip is a tough one, at the moment Gomez and VVD are first choice.

Beg to disagree... Matip would be first choice alongside VVD if everyone was fit.

I agree it is a tough one. Gomez is the future, and more likely to be fit.

I cannot see anyone buying Matip though, and I think he is too good to discard. Just wheel him out when he is fit.

[Gray]

Beg to disagree... Matip would be first choice alongside VVD if everyone was fit.

I agree it is a tough one. Gomez is the future, and more likely to be fit.

I cannot see anyone buying Matip though, and I think he is too good to discard. Just wheel him out when he is fit.

Agreed. Matip when fit it quality

[Exiled_red]

Matip is a good player when fit, the problem for me is how infrequently he is fit and the fact that he is always picking up knocks and missing a couple of games here or a few games there. If you are trying to rely on him as the first choice partner for VVD there is going to be alot of chopping and changing because of how frequently he is injured. For me that harms the understanding of the back 4 and for that reason I would put Gomez ahead of him. As I say I think Gomez doesn't pick up anywhere near as many knocks and small injuries as Matip, but when he does get injured he's tended to be out for months.