You need to get a top (world ) class CB for a minimum fee and wage that will be quite happy to be 5th choice. Should be simple really, every team has one of those
That is true. I like my defenders to actually be able to do the basics of defending. Which rules Phillips out.
To be fair, Phillips has the basics of defending down. He heads thing that come near him in the air, and he kicks things away that come near him on the ground. it’s the rest, the things that make someone a great defender that he doesn’t have, pace to track, passing ability, ability to bring ball out from the back etc. I know you have your thoughts on him, but to say he can’t do the basics is purely wrong. His strengths are the basics which is why he’s thrive in a team like Burnley Newcastle etc. Those lower prem teams where can sit in a low block defence and be expected to clear things. I don’t see any difference between him and mee or tawkowski at Burnley tbh
Basics isn't just heading and kicking away. It's also about positioning, concentration - this is where he fails. Long balls over the top, losing flight of the ball, spatial awareness Mee and Tarkowski arę levels above Phillips. But that's not say Phillips can't develop and aspire to get to their level.
But let's not go around in circles lol - I agree with you, there are more pressing issues i.e attack and midfield. Hopefully we will still have enough time and money to maybe add another defender - as I say someone to cover RB and CB would be ideal.
Thats because we play a style he isn’t suited to. Most basic teams will defend deeper therefor balls over top he doesn’t need to deal with. That’s what makes a defender better than good, being able to push up play a higher riskier line. Don’t see Phillips losing flight of it often. Balls in the air is where he’s at his best. Let’s just agree to disagree, you clearly don’t think he has any kind of ability despite being fundamental part of us getting top 4 last year and no matter what anyone says you won’t change your mind on that.
Lol ok pal - he wasn't fundamental but no one will change your opinion on that so let's agree to disagree
In the end making do is what we do. Scrimping and saving round the margins, just being good enough. Examples include kirkby which is said to be state of the art but falls well short really. It's good but it's not world class. We stopped a new stadium. We instead did a much cheaper compromised build (which I firmly agree with as it preserves our identity) We buy when we get big money in. Extra prize money, or big transfers. We still have the same approximate transfer budget from our own revenues. We get zero input from fsg to help We give big wages out of our growing revenues, as the revenues go up the players and staff take in the benefits. The only benefits to fans is ticket prices are held flat, expensive but not rising and a few extra get in. We are very very lucky in general and should be grateful as all we have has been generated by careful management, but it many city or Chelsea throwing cash from nowhere. We have konate already, we are after strengthening the cb scenario and need to see that. Our transfer budget is in and around 40mil quite often, its grown from 20mil 11 years ago. But it is still in and around that level before sales. We wont be buying more cbs willy nilly imo.
