Nate Phillips

[rurikbird]

This is a really well-produced video on the early days of his loan spell at Stuttgart. Phillips is an interesting case – clearly Klopp saw something in him when we got him as a free agent from Bolton in summer 2016 and made him part of the training camp. In a world of increasingly fast and superbly athletic defenders Phillips seems like a hopeless outlier and had it not been for LFC's interest, he would probably not even been a professional player now. But there is something about him that Klopp likes enough to keep him around the training camps and Jurgen also used his connection with Stuttgart to arrange a bespoke loan opportunity at his boyhood club.

The season prior to that Stuttgart were relegated to the 2nd tier, sold highly-rated defenders Pavard and Ozan Kabak but kept most of their other star players such as Mario Gomez, Gonzalo Castro and Daniel Didavi and got easily promoted back to the Bundesliga. Looking at Phillips's stats, he has started 16 games in the 2nd Bundesliga, came on as a sub 3 times and was an unused sub in 10 – basically he was part of a 3-man rotation with former Germany U21 player Marc-Oliver Kempf and the aging Holger Badstuber. He was part of 6 clean sheets and a glance at the stats seems to indicate that Stuttgart generally conceded less in games where he was playing. He seems to belong to the same breed as the much younger Van der Berg – a tall, cultured, relatively slow centre-back whose lack of agility would make most scouts dismiss him outright, but Klopp apparently has time for such players. Subotic and Hyypia offer the model of success here – if this kind of player achieves excellence in all other aspects of the game, their natural limitations can be compensated for by tactics.

Can Phillips actually make it? He got his first big break in 2016 when injuries to our other CBs created a space for him in LFC's training camp, where he has impressed the coaches enough to keep him. Now with Lovren gone and money for new signings limited by the pandemic it seems like he could get served another huge slice of luck. It's been clear from Klopp's selections in the 2 friendly games that Phillip's is currently our 4th-choice CB, despite the promise of the youngsters Koumetio, Hoever and Van der Berg. Can he somehow grab this chance?

 

[gkmacca]

Good post. His contract is running down, so we'll need to be quick if we want him to stay.

He is indeed an unconventional character in the squad, who is probably only similar to Origi in the fact that his 'hinterland' is rich enough to suggest he wouldn't resist too much if the right academic course came along. He's a very mature (mentally 23 going on 33), very receptive player who doesn't have any tics or Lovren-esque moments of madness in him. As Coady is now showing elsewhere, you can do a very good job at this high level with that kind of solid, sensible, straightforward approach, when it's combined with excellent awareness and a sharp enough football brain. I'd support him in a heartbeat as backup, because what a relief it would be to be able to rely on a backup CB who could just slot in and be quiet and stable, but at his age he probably wants to play every week. There's a club captain aura about him that suggests he could easily end up as a long-serving player and leader of a mid-table club. I'd rather he stayed but it's likely he'll go, and fairly soon given his contract situation.

 

[KopRed]

I don't think he is anywhere near good enough. It is becoming more and more apparent that we would not be signing another CB. If so I question why we even allow Lovren to leave.

 

[rurikbird]

Good post. His contract is running down, so we'll need to be quick if we want him to stay.

He is indeed an unconventional character in the squad, who is probably only similar to Origi in the fact that his 'hinterland' is rich enough to suggest he wouldn't resist too much if the right academic course came along. He's a very mature (mentally 23 going on 33), very receptive player who doesn't have any tics or Lovren-esque moments of madness in him. As Coady is now showing elsewhere, you can do a very good job at this high level with that kind of solid, sensible, straightforward approach, when it's combined with excellent awareness and a sharp enough football brain. I'd support him in a heartbeat as backup, because what a relief it would be to be able to rely on a backup CB who could just slot in and be quiet and stable, but at his age he probably wants to play every week. There's a club captain aura about him that suggests he could easily end up as a long-serving player and leader of a mid-table club. I'd rather he stayed but it's likely he'll go, and fairly soon given his contract situation.

Well, he's not going to turn Liverpool down, that's for sure – especially given how LFC is pretty much single-handedly responsible for him continuing his playing career. So I think the only question is whether Klopp thinks he's good enough to pull his weight in the EPL.

I watched him very closely against Salzburg – he came on in a hurry for the injured Van Dijk, started by playing a slightly wayward pass and raised his hand to apologize, but rest of the way was very calm and solid. Gomez moved to LCB for the few minutes they played together, then Nate formed a solid partnership with the young Koumetio. Phillips is constantly talking and directing partners without being overly shouty and he marshaled the offside line very well. He's won his headers comfortably and directed them away from danger and often precisely to a teammate (the break with Minamino and Salah started with Phillips's clearance). When defending 1 on 1 against a striker, he always made their life difficult without being either too passive or overly aggressive. The sprint between him and Daka made me laugh out loud – Phillips won, starting from a few yards closer to the ball, but he really had to bust a gut against a superb sprinter who probably left 30% in the tank. All in all, he did exactly what he needed to do in this game.

 

[SummerOnions]

I've not seen more than a sniff of a rumour that we're after a Lovren replacement, so I think Phillips is staying

 

[StevieM]

I've not seen more than a sniff of a rumour that we're after a Lovren replacement, so I think Phillips is staying

This man nose the score about rumours.

 

[binomial]

Whether we sign a Lovren replacement or not, Phillips isn't getting in the squad.

 

[Brizzle]

Given Klopp’s love of training intensity i wouldn’t be surprised if he sees the physical presences of Phillips & Koumetio as key for our front three to train against to continue to be ready to face similar back lines in the league.

 

[Modo]

Having Philips or Koumetio as 4th choice options doesn't look like much of a risk imo.
Like I've stated before they can be 4th choice on paper but when push comes to shove Fabs is our actual 4th choice. So Philips or Koumetio will ideally only be asked to play in the cups.

 

[mark1975]

Having Philips or Koumetio as 4th choice options doesn't look like much of a risk imo.
Like I've stated before they can be 4th choice on paper but when push comes to shove Fabs is our actual 4th choice. So Philips or Koumetio will ideally only be asked to play in the cups.

The real problem though is that both Gomez and Matip are injury prone, so being 4th choice on paper could very quickly become a 2nd available centre back, very realistically.

I also think, despite us winning the league, that Gomez had an indifferent season last time, he was really poor in parts, especially over the last few months and in pre-season he seems to have picked up where he left off.

Henderson is out for some time, so we really don't want to be losing Fabinho from midfield either, or we are left with Milner, Keita (if fit) and Gini (if he stays).

 

[mark1975]

Matip is great but too often injured and then sluggish trying to get back up to speed. Someone really needs to be pushing Gomez, because his confidence and consistency is too poor for a week in, week out player. I'm sure he has loads of potential and time to get there, he's still relatively young, but we need someone more assured right now.

I think we're idiots if we don't replace Lovren, to be honest.

 

[Modo]

The real problem though is that both Gomez and Matip are injury prone, so being 4th choice on paper could very quickly become a 2nd available centre back, very realistically.

I also think, despite us winning the league, that Gomez had an indifferent season last time, he was really poor in parts, especially over the last few months and in pre-season he seems to have picked up where he left off.

Henderson is out for some time, so we really don't want to be losing Fabinho from midfield either, or we are left with Milner, Keita (if fit) and Gini (if he stays).

Can't disagree with what you're saying but, when you're down to your fourth choice or 5th choice defender, you can't really expect much quality.
If Thiago signs, he can play in the number 6 role as well so we'd be fine in midfield.
I'm not against signing a 4th defender, but with economy being what it is, I'd rather see the money spent on an attacking player.

 

[mark1975]

The issue really is that we need both, we can plug holes and put faith in unknowns at both ends of the pitch, but as champions we should really be consolidating or bettering what we already have. Minamino, Origi and Brewster are a mix of inexperience, unknown and unreliable. The same can be said of Phillips and Koumetio. Ideally Brewster and Koumetio will be big players for us, or at least reliable options, but that's about it. We're hoping Minamino comes good and we don't have a crisis between Gomez and Matip. It's not ideal.

 

[dmishra]

We want to sell him apparently. Bristol City interested.

 

[keniget]

I wonder if he wishes he'd have taken that scholarship in the States.

I suppose he's still got time to get a decent career going in the lower leagues.

 

[King Binny]

https://www.lancs.live/sport/football/transfer-news/blackburn-rovers-liverpool-nat-phillips-18867510
[article]Blackburn Rovers are one of a clutch of clubs monitoring Liverpool defender Nat Phillips.

Anfield boss Jurgen Klopp is prepared to allow the 23-year-old to depart Merseyside and Rovers are in the frame for his signature.

Tony Mowbray is keen to sign a new centre half ahead of the season opener with Bournemouth on September 12 having seen Tosin Adarabioyo return to parent club Manchester City.

Phillips would fit the bill with the former Bolton Wanderers man comfortable on the ball and capable of playing out from the back, qualities Mowbray is seeking from his backline.

Rovers had made contact with Wigan over Cedric Kipre but he looks set to join Premier League new boys West Brom.

Bristol City are also reported to be interested in Philips, who spent last season on loan at Stuttgart, helping the German club gain promotion to the Bundesliga.

It is understood Liverpool would sanction a loan move but a permanent exit is the more likely option.

Phillips, who impressed at Stuttgart in 22 appearances, was briefly recalled during Germany's winter break and played in Liverpool's 1-0 FA Cup third round win over Everton in January.

He was part of the Reds' pre-season trip to Austria and played in friendlies against former side Stuttgart and Red Bull Salzburg but was not included in the matchday squad for the Community Shield last weekend.

Teenager Billy Koumetio was preferred with senior centre halves Virgil van Dijk, Joe Gomez and Joel Matip also ahead of Phillips in the Anfield pecking order.[/article]