Steve Bruce after tonight's game - "you know you take something, you'd be quite happy with it". Sounds like a more positive assessment of our current squad that Glory or Wakey like to acknowledge. If you can only be negative guys, you have an alternative agenda. Sorry, but it devalues your input.
Ristac, respectfully, Could you elaborate on what good Phillips brought to the team, other than his fouls and mostly short passes. I'm just curious to what contribution you thought Phillips brought, and does bring to team?
First half we were superb...probably the best half of football we've played all season. The passing and movement was excellent and what impressed me most was the passing which was mainly to feet which requires more accuracy than just lumping it into space. Unfortunately Pablo picked up and injury and it seriously disrupted our ability to control the game. Should we blame Roofe for that or is Hernadez just a better player who is more on the same wavelength as Siaz ? Special mentions to Felix and Cooper who were excellent tonight but it was Vieria who stood out again as a player with absolutely massive potential. When you think that the young lad Winks has played for England already then surely Vieria is as good if not better. What was even more clear is the fact we played well against supposedly good opposition. There is no doubt we look much better with Ekujban leading the line as he has pace which is something we have lacked up front for longer than I can remember. We are starting to look like a half decent side and with a run of decent fixtures coming up I expect us to be back in the top six by xmas with a view to pushing on for the second half of the season.
Is there really any point as I think we must watch different games? I’m not a Phillips fan btw, I’m a Leeds fan who appreciates ANY player who plays well and I’ll complain when they are poor. The YEP Phil Hay; he has given his views on the game, he blames Pontus for their goal, he scores a few Leeds players with 5 (harsh in my opinion) and Phillips equal top with 7 If we had 5 midfielders of Saiz or Saiz and Alioski we’d get steam rollered. Five of Phillips and Vieira we would too, those defensive two have a job to do and they do it well. Phillips today broke up play, he provided the link to the attacking four, he kept Hourihane quiet, he provided cover for the back four. He wasn’t stand out good today (in my opinion) but he did what he was expected to do. I’m no expert, I say it as I see it, there were three Sky experts and ex footballers raving about two Leeds players this season, Phillips and Saiz. They also said Leeds would be sitting in the top six comfortably if they had Wood in this team and that Felix is the number one, he should never have been dropped. Last season you took a dislike to Wood and Green, this season it is Phillips, our last 3-4 managers have all been accused of playing favourites, you make a team selection that includes Klich and Cibicki based solely on media reports from previous seasons yet you choose to ignore media reports if they are favourable to someone you dislike. There you did ask
Ekuban played well tonight, he finds space, defenders are scared of his pace and he pulls them out of position. It is part of why Hernandez, Alioski and Saiz are playing so well... Over the course of a season Boro and Villa are both top 6 teams we were better than both
I’ve been one of Phillips biggest critics... last year i thought he was largely dreadful. This year, when everyone was raving early in the season I felt he scored a few goals that masked largely anonymous displays. However, I thought he was good against Barnsley and good for 45 minutes tonight before fading in the second half as the whole team did. In the first half he broke up play, retained possession and kept us on the front foot...His job basically.
The team couldn’t have kept up that intensity for 90 minutes but what it did do was give us the lead and unsettle Villa. During our “slump” we allowed teams to grab a goal because we failed to pressure like we can. I didn’t really care if Phillips was in the team at the start of the season, I assumed a new signing would be ahead of him. It was only the divided opinion of him on this forum that made me watch him more, I think WJ sang his praise and I can’t remember who was first to rant about him. Watching him closely I started seeing the important simple things he did. Yes he makes errors but the whole team does, what others do when they make a mistake is go hell for leather after the man with the ball and it often leads to a foul or wasted energy (but admitted good to see). Phillips is different, he looks like he trundles back but watch him next time, he is looking around, I think he is looking for the next danger, the player who is making the run, he has confidence that a defender behind him will clean up. It is the seemingly lack of urgency that I believe gives him a bad rapport with a few
Xmas ale stocked up on 1 Dec, 23 days before Xmas eve............. Would you like me to point out a possible danger in this strategy?
Thank you I don’t often get such a belly laugh to start my weekend, a lecture from you on command of the English language is priceless. Now, onto the main bit, “bullshit, made up fantasy stories, lies and twisted opinions” you do know once you’ve posted something on the internet it’s available for ever don’t you??? Shall I for old times sake??
