The only games he started for Phelan in the league was when we played 3 at the back or when someone was unavailable. He was third choice. I said that he was a regular under Silva. He started 9 in the league under Phelan.
This is what you started with. Regardless of order of preference, he was a regular under Phelan. FACT.
Hmm, maybe semantics here but I'd say starting 54% was maybe bit-part. If he was fit for them all anyway.
That was my point, he only started 9 of Phelan's 20 league games too. Adding in cup games skews the point when the squad if often rotated.
He was injured at the start of last season and missed our first 2 league games. Then when he was fit MP continued with Davies and Livermore as the CB pairing with Harry as sub until the Bournemouth game in mid-October when he then made his first start so he was definitely a bit-part player until then.
Nine starts and four sub appearances in twenty league games, two of which he wasn't available for, is far better than being a bit-part player, he actually played in 72% of the games he was available for.
Hmmm, he was in essence a bit part player and third choice. We can argue all day about the triviality. But he certainly wasn't first choice under Phelan He played 916 mins of the 18 league games. It's just over 50%, he was on the fringes and we only had about 3 players at the time too
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Your point wasn't initially about being first, second, third or fourth choice, it was about the amount of games played. You're shifting the goal posts to elongate an argument that never needed to be had.
And he made 50% of starts in the league. He wasn't a regular under my book. For that, you have to be first choice and play the vast majority of games your available for. Dawson and Davies were in my opinion both regulars under Phelan but Maguire played second fiddle. My point was that to get anywhere around £20m for him is a great deal when his only long term run in the side was for 6 months under Silva
This is what EPT originally posted. I don't agree that it'd be fantastic to lose him for £20m but his point was perfectly valid ffs.