04 Apr 2021 10:28:22
Just a post on the Phillips/ Kabak thing.
for me both have done really really well, I was unsure about Kabak at the beginning but he's settled in nicely and as for Nat how can anyone complain, if Klopp has anything he got wrong this season its not trusting him sooner and getting Fab into midfield.
the trouble is where do we go from here? personally id be keeping both now they have a full understanding of how we play and what's expected and they are both only young, with VVD and Gomez to come back and these 2 that can now just slot in its win win isn't it?
I get a bad feeling that Phillips will be out the door and for me every squad should have an old fashioned out and out CB to call on, he's very much in the Tony Adams mould and sometimes you just need a winner of everything at the back and let everyone else do the playing.
Penny for Klopps thoughts on that score.

04 Apr 2021 10:40:43
I agree that Phillips should have been in sooner but let’s not forget if he had he would have likely been alongside Fab or Hendo as Kabak only signed at the end of Jan. No way Phillips and Williams would have been starting games.

{Ed077's Note - even then at least one of Fab or Hendo would've played in midfield giving better balance.}

04 Apr 2021 11:05:32
Ed077 that’s spot on mate but sadly due to injuries it wouldn’t have actually fully worked out. Hendo only played 8 league games at centre half and during those 8 Fab was actually injured for 5 of them. So if Phillips had played he would have been alongside Hendo with no fab in midfield as he did against Spurs, West Ham, Brighton and Everton. But agree in the 3 games that Hendo and Fab played centre half together Phillips should have been in. I reckon Klopp in hindsight probably feels the same.

{Ed077's Note - Maybe Phillips playing all along would have a different injury scenario. Butterfly effect, kinda}

04 Apr 2021 11:06:10
Klopp has got many many things wrong this season and Williams over Phillips is just one. But let’s settle down until the season ends before we decide if either are good enough to play for a title challenging team.

04 Apr 2021 11:07:24
We should all be celebrating Phillips performances that drives up his transfer fee.

04 Apr 2021 11:06:48
Fabinho stops attacks happen especially by cover our full backs when we took him or hendo can also do it out we struggle.

04 Apr 2021 11:20:59
Ed077, it’s all hindsight stuff for me cos based on what was going on at the time, it would not have worked cos Phillips was not as good as he is now esp on the ball and still lacked pace, which I think Klopp was weary off. He still does now but with Kabak next to him, Klopp figured out a way to hide that flaw cos Kabak was not here back then.

And as JK23 said, Hendo played 8 games in defence for which Fab was out for 5 of them so again at the time, what do you do? One can always second guess decisions after the fact and I get that but no point dwelling on it cos clearly if Klopp knew what he knows now, he would definitely have not made those decisions.

{Ed077's Note - Hindsight stuff indeed.}

04 Apr 2021 11:28:50
Ed077 it could have mate. I think Phillips was on the pitch when Hendo picked his injury up and one of Fabs was in training I’m sure. The only thing missing from this discussion is a nice pint in a beer garden.

{Ed077's Note - its all what could of been on my part JK23, dont take it too seriously.}

04 Apr 2021 11:42:00
Ed0077 not taking it seriously at all mate. Hence why I said the only thing missing is a pint and beer garden. Love a good old football discussion in a pub.

{Ed077's Note - what ifs can be fun sometimes.}

04 Apr 2021 11:55:46
Ed0077 agree mate they can. On the subject of Phillips though I think he’s now in a win win situation. This time last summer it looked like he was no closer to getting a league game for Liverpool and Swansea a good Championship side were sniffing around him. Fast forward 8 months and he’s playing week in week out in the league and representing his club in the CL. If he stays then he will likely have to settle for less game time but if he or the club decide he goes then you can bet on the fact he won’t be dropping down to the championship and will be playing premier league football next season be it as a squad player for us or starter elsewhere.

{Ed077's Note - I can see Phillips doing really well at Burnley or Crystal Palace for instance.}

04 Apr 2021 12:31:28
Ed077 what would happen is that we’d sell Phillips for peanuts to Palace or Burnley then they sell him for £40m to Everton or West Ham. Almost guarantee that would happen as he’s certainly better than the likes of Tarkowski or Keane and we all know what their value is in the market. I think too many posters on here are snobby about him because he’s not a star name and is rather agricultural in his approach. I think as a 4th choice he’s absolutely fine and as a player to bring in against long ball route one teams he’s perfect. Remember that when United were at their peak they had the likes of O’Shea and Wes Brown who were certainly nothing more than functional players but still came in and did a job.

If we continue to defend well and win games I see no reason why our central defender options as being VVD, Gomez, Kabak and Phillips. As things stand I’d not be unhappy with that.

{Ed077's Note - that seems a likely scenario actually.

04 Apr 2021 12:45:13
6 times I think Phillips has actually got lots of fans backing on here mate. I think it’s Klopp that is the one that needs the most convincing over him. I think the majority of the fans want to see Phillips stay. Obviously I cannot speak for Klopp and I’m only guessing but if Klopp had to chose Phillips or Kabak I personally think he would go Kabak. But that’s only me guessing. Only time will tell I suppose.

04 Apr 2021 12:54:00
6Times, and Konate?