Kalvin Phillips

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Cjay
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Kalvin Phillips

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A player who divides opinion.

Widely accepted by most that he is a more attacking midfielder then Vieira.

He played more defensive for Gary Monk, a season where he was outshone by his younger teammate

Last season he played a more attacking role and scored a few goals but only won 1 MOTM vote all season compared to Ronaldo Vieira who played a good few less games and won 4.

This season Bielsa clearly sees a defensive midfielder in there.

Despite his lack of height.
Despite his reckless tackling.
Despite his poor passing (for all the criticism of Vieira he has a higher passing accuracy).

I do think Phillips as a more box to box midfielder has some potential.

He is full of energy and passion and tries really hard.

As a defensive midfielder i cant see it, watched him enough to form an opinion and for the above reasons i expect to see him found out very quickly.

Not enough height, to much throwing himself in when he needs to stay on his feet, lacks the strength to muscle players off the ball hence the diving in.

He did well last season in a totally different role, he was average the season before in a similar one.

I'm biased of course as a Vieira fan.

But forget Vieira for one moment.

Forget he did ok in pre season (look at the opposition).

Forget Connor Coady who had the height.

Forget Bielsa, he is to be respected but he isnt perfect (like everyone)

Hand on heart, when Phillips is trying to match Assombalonga for pace, when he is trying to win a header with Gestede.

When some tricky number 10 is running at him at pace.

Can anyone say that doesnt make them very nervous?

If not why not? Why is he able to cope.
Last edited by Cjay on Fri Dec 23, 2022 10:47 pm, edited 9 times in total.
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1964white
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Re: Kalvin Phillips

Post by 1964white »

I'm not going to make comparisons between Phillips & Vieira

I personally don't think either cannot dominate a midfield as they don't possess the close ball control or passing skills of what Klich has produced of late or the experience & neatness of Forshaw's style of play

I reckon Bielsa realised immediately that KP & Vieira were not his choice of midfielders in the system he intends to play

Hopefully he has found a position that suits KP's play, Phillips has certainly impressed in the pre-season friendlies in his new role. He needs another tall CB alongside him which will be the case when Pontus returns
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Re: Kalvin Phillips

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1964white wrote: Tue Jul 31, 2018 2:37 pm I'm not going to make comparisons between Phillips & Vieira

I personally don't think either cannot dominate a midfield as they don't possess the close ball control or passing skills of what Klich has produced of late or the experience & neatness of Forshaw's style of play

I reckon Bielsa realised immediately that KP & Vieira were not his choice of midfielders in the system he intends to play

Hopefully he has found a position that suits KP's play, Phillips has certainly impressed in the pre-season friendlies in his new role. He needs another tall CB alongside him which will be the case when Pontus returns
Putting my opinions on Vieira aside.

Concerned that the best dms, ones who drop into cb are either.

Tall, technically gifted powerful players who win compete in the air with decent passing -Sergio Busquets for example.

Or Smaller but still strong players who read the game wonderfully and dont need to be the biggest or the quickest - Claude Makelele for example.

Different level of course but even so.

You want an excellent reader of the game or at least decent who rarely dives in preferably with decent height.

Phillips is none of those.

He wont ever be very tall which means he will need to work on the rest.

Maybe Bielsa can teach him, just it will be unlocking something that Kalvin has never shown he has before.
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Re: Kalvin Phillips

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Playing at around his ceiling for me, this is as good as he gets. Solid Championship can do a job type guy. ...which is fine but we'd need better to do better.
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Re: Kalvin Phillips

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Phillips on his new role & Bielsa

“Obviously I was surprised with me scoring seven goals last year,” admitted Phillips, asked about being switched to play at centre-back. “But I’m not bothered. As long as I’m playing, I don’t really care and I felt I did quite well, considering we kept a clean sheet.”

Opening up on what Bielsa has asked of him, Phillips reasoned:

“Just to be a ball-playing centre-half. Coops and Berra have done that really well throughout pre-season and I think he wanted to add a midfielder there to be composed when we’ve got the ball. “Hopefully I showed that and hopefully I can do a lot better and show that throughout the season. I thought I did all right.

“There is still work to be done because I am not a natural centre-half but I don’t actually mind it. You get a lot of the ball which I like and I get to drive forward with the ball. I found it very good. “It takes a bit of getting used to, but with the training that I’ve had and the confidence that I have in myself I believe I can play there.”

“We will be very high tempo,” said Phillips. “At home he wants us not to give the opposition a second on the ball and if we do that then we have got to be compact and we need to do that throughout the season.

“I don’t think there’s going to be many teams that can match us for fitness and physicality and I believe if we do that well in the season then we have got a very good chance.”

Nearly seven weeks into his tenure, Bielsa’s messages are evidently being understood loud and clear through the help of his translator though Bielsa admitted upon being appointed by Leeds that he would try to get to grips with the country’s language. Phillips has been able to provide a promising update.

“It’s not bad to be fair!” laughed Phillips, asked how Bielsa’s English was. “Obviously he has still got a translator but he did a speech the other day and all the lads were quite impressed with his English.” Revealing the ways that Bielsa gets his messages across, Phillips smiled: “His interpreter tells us! “Obviously you get the gist of it but if we are not doing it right he won’t shout at us. “He will shout at his interpreter. Then his interpreter can tell us!”
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Re: Kalvin Phillips

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faaip wrote: Tue Jul 31, 2018 6:06 pm Playing at around his ceiling for me, this is as good as he gets. Solid Championship can do a job type guy. ...which is fine but we'd need better to do better.
2nd best player after Klich in our pre-season matches culminating as two massive surprises for the coming season

All down to Bielsa's shrewd/out of the box management
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Re: Kalvin Phillips

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1964white wrote: Wed Aug 01, 2018 6:33 am All down to Bielsa's shrewd/out of the box management
We'd better start saving these comments to show back to you in a few days/weeks/months when you turn on Bielsa..... ;-)
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Re: Kalvin Phillips

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Putting his playing abilities to one side, the one thing that annoys me about KP is his hair!! Apart from it looking bloody ridiculous he is always faffing about with it, readjusting, if he heads the ball he has to stop playing to tweak his hair :roll: :bear:
I'm going back to 505, I saw them at Sheffield and they were amazing.
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Re: Kalvin Phillips

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1964white wrote: Wed Aug 01, 2018 6:33 am 2nd best player after Klich in our pre-season matches culminating as two massive surprises for the coming season

All down to Bielsa's shrewd/out of the box management
Bit harsh on Ayling, who has been excellent whenever he's played.

Klich had one and a half good games and people are raving about him...

Hopefully that management can get the best out of our whole squad.
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Re: Kalvin Phillips

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Ayling, Forshaw and Roofe have all had better pre seasons. Clarke, Dallas, have at least been as good. Plus KP starts well every year, usually flatters to deceive
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Re: Kalvin Phillips

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weasel wrote: Wed Aug 01, 2018 7:16 am We'd better start saving these comments to show back to you in a few days/weeks/months when you turn on Bielsa..... ;-)
A bit harsh after all the stick aimed at the hapless Heckingbottom on here. Truth is Christiansen was inexperienced & had sadly lost his way.

I have a lot of faith in Bielsa & the way he sets up his teams to play, certainly seems different to the British style, totally out of the box imo !
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Re: Kalvin Phillips

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becchio bear wrote: Wed Aug 01, 2018 7:47 am Putting his playing abilities to one side, the one thing that annoys me about KP is his hair!! Apart from it looking bloody ridiculous he is always faffing about with it, readjusting, if he heads the ball he has to stop playing to tweak his hair :roll: :bear:
Even though I look after my hair, I do think KP's hairstyle is horrendous & yes you are right young lady he spent far too much time fiddling about with his locks rather than concentrating with matters on the pitch
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Re: Kalvin Phillips

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Genghers wrote: Wed Aug 01, 2018 8:27 am Bit harsh on Ayling, who has been excellent whenever he's played.

Klich had one and a half good games and people are raving about him...

Hopefully that management can get the best out of our whole squad.
Just read my match reports Tom, you'll see I highly praised Ayling in our pre-season matches, yes he was up there too.

Klich, Phillips & Ayling's performances have been very encouraging
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Re: Kalvin Phillips

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becchio bear wrote: Wed Aug 01, 2018 7:47 am Putting his playing abilities to one side, the one thing that annoys me about KP is his hair!! Apart from it looking bloody ridiculous he is always faffing about with it, readjusting, if he heads the ball he has to stop playing to tweak his hair :roll: :bear:
Has it affected his ability on the pitch/caused him to make any mistakes?
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Re: Kalvin Phillips

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faaip wrote: Wed Aug 01, 2018 8:37 am Ayling, Forshaw and Roofe have all had better pre seasons. Clarke, Dallas, have at least been as good. Plus KP starts well every year, usually flatters to deceive
You're right KP does start well & often flatters to deceive, but still doesn't distract from the fact he was outstanding as many were saying on other forums & the contact I've had with my friends at the games

Forshaw only played one game, looked good though.

Ayling is back to his best, but I knew that after the final game of last season v QPR

Dallas worked hard as he generally does.

Roofe played well as in my reports, still not clinical enough & his first touch often lets him down.
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Re: Kalvin Phillips

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Genghers wrote: Wed Aug 01, 2018 9:49 am Has it affected his ability on the pitch/caused him to make any mistakes?
I thought it did a couple of times last season.

I doubt Bielsa will stand for any nonsense or indiscipline this season
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Re: Kalvin Phillips

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Bamford 10 in 31 for a better team last season doesn't actually suggest clinical either does it...
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Re: Kalvin Phillips

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faaip wrote: Wed Aug 01, 2018 10:00 am Bamford 10 in 31 for a better team last season doesn't actually suggest clinical either does it...
Probably the way Pulis plays the game

17 in 38 sounds better three seasons ago

Boro' fans love him
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Re: Kalvin Phillips

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1964white wrote: Wed Aug 01, 2018 11:23 am Probably the way Pulis plays the game

17 in 38 sounds better three seasons ago

Boro' fans love him
As was Vieira's form, but he's deemed surplus now?

According to opta, Bamford took 1.4 shots per goal which does suggest that he's pretty clinical. Reckon you're right about Pulis' tactics not playing to his strengths/creating chances.
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Re: Kalvin Phillips

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Hopefully Roofe gets to play left wing, not holding my breath but easily one of the top 5 players at the club imo...or even in a front 2. But the day we see 2 strikers start for Leeds again will probably be the day hell freezes over
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