Next season. 82nd min against a Big Sam style team. We’re two up.
They do a barrage of long balls and nick a goal. We’re under the cosh. Every long ball now seems like danger.
5 mins of injury time. A third opposition corner in a row. Klopp brings on Nat to shore up the defence.
Nat would be a useful “Plan B” for the defence to see out a game when we’re struggling.
Nat isn’t some super hero in the air. He tries to head everything but his success rate when challenged isn’t spectacular. He also has very little control of where the headers go. He’s a useful tool that we set up to maximise the use of to get the absolute best out of. But realistically he is more Spearing, Flanagan, Robinson, Stewart territory than even Coady or Kelly territory.
In the air it’s his physical presence that counts. He leaves nothing behind. It’s old school and effective so counts and he’s nowhere near a bad as you appear to make out in the air.
Admittedly he hasn’t made a difference on attacking corners (he has when defending them) but if you watch it’s a timing issue with his run and he has been improving. As said before it’s this improvement that catches Klopps eye imo.
The sensible thing would be to keep him until Jan and then review. By then we’ll know how Konate has fitted in and how the other three are recovering from their injuries. If all’s good then we’ll still get a decent price for him. Getting rid of him now and not replacing is just asking for trouble. I don’t have any confidence in Matip playing much next season. 25 appearances in 2 seasons. Virgil may be OK but there has to be a question mark over Gomez. It’s his third serious injury already. And for all the Ben Davies is the new Robbo shouts, I’d have more confidence in that being true if the guy hadn’t failed to make the bench when he was fit , every other senior CB was injured and we were allowed 9 subs. I think we expect too much of Klopp and the coaching team sometimes. Far more sensible to keep someone around who knows the system, has done very well in it already and is a genuine option.
Keeping him would be the smart thing to do also because he doesnt appear to be made of glass. I think he will probably have more appearances than Gomez or Matip at the rate those two fall apart. I Do understand kinda what @AnfieldRdDreamer is saying , i mean i dont think there is a very high ceiling for Nat , but he is functional, and i do think he is a starter for any of the newly promoted teams or even a team like Burnley if im being honest.
What you see is what you get. Most of his improvement has been down to confidence and learning the system. He is not a long term option however he has earned respect.
We also have to consider that by January we might be looking for a long term replacement to VVD. So many seem confident he will come back strong but that isn’t given either. I hope so though.
Not going to lie I was onboard the Kevin Stewart train… Could use both feet, decent passer, had an excellent engine, tenacious in the tackle… Thought he’d be our next Masher…
With regards to Phillips, I’m more with Sweeting, I really do think sometimes I’m watching another sport, let alone game when I read some of the reports of how Phillips has played (not just TAN but proper journalists as well). I think the romance of his story has really clouded the perception v’s his actual ability.
It’s not just a lack of pace, his passing is poor, his positional play is very poor, his 1 v1 ability just doesn’t exist. Pretty much 4 of the biggest traits we have in Gomez, Van Dijk, Matip and now Konate.
I’ll always think highly of him for him answering the call in our hour of need, but long term? I don’t see him having a future here at all.
No it’s not!
EDIT: I’ll also add that Nat’s long balls are better than Gomez’ and Konaté (by his own admittance) is weak in this department.
They’re really not. Is he VvD level? No. But he’s a better passer than most CBs in the PL and his positioning is very good.
He’s slow and almost cumbersome, if you like, which counts against him 1v1 with the ball on the ground but other than that he’s fine.
Rhys Williams has better pass accuracy, groubd duels and aerial duels success rates. Phillips is a specialist at clearing the ball and intercepting, usually high balls. But he’s uncontrolled. Klopp would never sign a player like Phillips, he’s had to use him because he’s what he’s had available and that’s actually the club set up letting Klopp down. Other managers would walk over what Klopp was left with to work with this winter. Klopp is a special manager who turned piss into wine somehow (although awful form from some other teams was essential to sneak into the CL spots).
Well he did!
Don’t get it… He is constantly not inline with the backline, he steps out at the wrong time, he is beat by most players 1 v 1.
And yes his passing is poor.
Klopp didn’t sign him.
This is basically my point in a nutshell.. He’s done probably 2 passes which split the lines ala Matip in 12+ games.. And yet that’s all anyone remembers.. Not the countless others he punted directly out, or under-hit to Ali or another defender etc.
To say Phillips passes the ball better than Gomez is just embarrasing.. fucking hell. There is hyperbole and there is something else.. You are beyond that..
Klopp doesn’t sign any player!
If you speak in absolute terms then expect replies in absolute terms.
Klopp ‘bought’ in Matip who positionally was complete shit until VVD came in and on top of that injury prone and known to be. So is this the type of player we expect Klopp to ‘sanction’ as injury prone seems to be a recurring theme in recent years.
I don’t remember those 2 passes or the other countless passes your going on about. I remember him performing countless passes that technically were sound. Some rushed passes that weren’t and a center or 2 that weren’t very good and illadvised.
I never said that but his long balls are!
Talk about embarrassing. I countered 1 of your arguements where you were making an arse of yourself and you acuse me of hyperbole. Nice! 
Absolute nonsense!
Lads, it’s Nat Phillips.
Surely you mean the charismatic superstar Nat Phillips complete pile of shit! 
From the guy who thinks Gini was a poor player I really don’t rate anything you think when it comes to a players ability.
I really wouldn’t start saying people are making an arse of themself after the shite you posted when you’d had a few sherbets.
You see this is it it’s all so absolute, no debate no nuance. Someone says a player frustrates them and suddenly they hate them. You just haven’t got a clue.
Oh btw, I don’t rate your opinion very highly either. 
