If Phillips had played in the Toon and United teams Cole played in, he'd easily have out scored home. He was a much more natural and instinctive finisher. Owen & Fowler, had they stayed fit, would have been up with Shearer for goals, Owen surely would have passed him, so I'll give those 2 . Phillips as an all round player though was better than those 2.
Actually pouch Sunderland turned down many bids for SKP, he could have forced a move but decided to remain loyal to the club. Bit like your hero. Shearer. Mr Charisma could have gone to Man U and won shed loads. Instead he stayed loyal to you and won...Nada.
Ok then name me a top bracket striker of Shearer/Fowler/Owen/Cole class that has been allowed to spend several seasons in the 2nd tier? There isn't one. He was a good premiership striker. Its trying to bracket him with the top brass that is silly. He wasn't of that standard. That one season, for sure he was. But you could then argue how much of that was the excellent Quinn making him look that good? As I say its not about the Sunderland thing, he just doesn't belong in that top bracket. Indeed I reckon only Sunderland fans would think he does.
Not still on this Pouch? SKP in his pomp was something special. The fact is that he realized his potential at Sunderland (113 goals in 208 apps) and we love him for it. How would you rate him against Ba, who has only been doing it for a short while in the Prem. Most of your lot seem to think he's "world class"...
I thought he said after he left Sunderland that he'd had 3 seperate transfer requests turned down. 2 by Reid and 1 by Wilkinson. Not that it would dilute his loyalty to your club, he clearly loved it and still does judging by his begrudging praise of Newcastle yesterday. Merely saying that to say he didn't try and force a move is not entirely true. I'm sure if we'd yo yo'd at the time Mr Shearer would have been pressing for a move too. Sunderland turning down bids is one thing. But we all know if a top PL club had wanted him badly enough, they'd have made it happen. Indeed I doubt the then managers would have stood in his way if a really top club had come in. I'm knocking him. He was a good quality PL striker. I'm just saying he doesn't belong amongst the top guys around at the same time, and its understandable why England never happened for him.
Maybe he may have stayed a while longer, if some peole took their mitts of his missus... Just a thought like..
Long way to go for Demba. He did well in a condensed period at West Ham, and of course he has scored very well for us this season. But its all about longevity in football in terms of how you compare to other class acts. Ba looks top class but we've seen people have these purple patches before and then fade away. World class should only apply when you do it consistently. I don't think Ba is there yet. Now say he scores 15 next season, and 15 the year after, of course then you view him differently. Its not just about goals either, you have to have quality. This is one area where you can upgrade Phillips a little, he was/is a natural footballer. I then look at someone like Darren Bent who you had, and he'll never be world class to me. He is a cracking goalscorer but his all round game lacks class. If you offered most defenders the choice of playing against Bent or say Defoe, most would choose to face Bent despite him being a better goalscorer. Why? Defoe has additional quality.
He was very begrudging yesterday. I think its nice to see personally. It shows he actually gave a **** about the club he was playing for that he still can't let himself wish their nearest rivals well. I'm not begrudging in my praise of Phillips either. He was good, and for one season he was unbelieveable. Is that enough to put him in the bracket of those mentioned who did it consistently in the top flight? Not for me.
