[alex1]

Don't understand why some people seem to be on his back. He turned in another top performance today, involved in some of our best moves, and unlucky not to get a second with his shot off the bar. He has a decent change of pace and is powerful on the ball, and usually a decent cross. A few wayward shots maybe, but then Billic seems to have instructed players to shoot more. Not saying he can always turn it on for 90 minutes, but really pleased he's committed himself here for a couple more years.

[Adder]

I watched that twice and i'd say six of one half a dozen of the other.

Yes I'd agree. Think the defender cut across to take his ground but Phillips used his strength legitimately to get past him.

[timdon]

Not at all sure about this 3 year contract for Phillips. On his day he can be a match winner, but he is really inconsistent and can go quite a few matches where he is anonymous bordering on the poor, today being one example. Given this inconsistency and his injury record, I think it may turn out to be an expensive mistake.

[KN22]

He was poor today but that doesn’t mean the contract he has been given is an error. We will see of course

[alex1]

Not at all sure about this 3 year contract for Phillips. On his day he can be a match winner, but he is really inconsistent and can go quite a few matches where he is anonymous bordering on the poor, today being one example. Given this inconsistency and his injury record, I think it may turn out to be an expensive mistake.

Don't think its helpful picking on individuals like this. I don't think Phillips played badly enough to be picked out like that. He just didn't get the right service today as the tactics seemed to be wrong first half. Last game v Blackburn, I thought he was very powerful on the ball, getting past his man and delivering dangerous crosses.  We're lucky we have 4 top wingers, of which he is one, but none of them are going to be on the boil for 90 minutes every game.

[gazberg]

I think it's just to ensure we get something for him. I dont expect him to see out the 3 years.

[timdon]

Don't think its helpful picking on individuals like this. I don't think Phillips played badly enough to be picked out like that. He just didn't get the right service today as the tactics seemed to be wrong first half. Last game v Blackburn, I thought he was very powerful on the ball, getting past his man and delivering dangerous crosses.  We're lucky we have 4 top wingers, of which he is one, but none of them are going to be on the boil for 90 minutes every game.

I wasn't "picking on him". Isn't a fans forum for giving your opinion? Whether it is helpful or not (whatever that means) is neither here nor there. As I said, on his day he can be a match winner. Today though he was ineffective and anonymous. I took the trouble to look through some of your previous posts, and it is quite clear that you see Matt Phillips through rose coloured glasses, never missing an opportunity to praise him, and rarely having anything bad to say about him. I get it, he's your favourite player, but that doesn't mean he is above criticism.

[alex1]

I wasn't "picking on him". Isn't a fans forum for giving your opinion? Whether it is helpful or not (whatever that means) is neither here nor there. As I said, on his day he can be a match winner. Today though he was ineffective and anonymous. I took the trouble to look through some of your previous posts, and it is quite clear that you see Matt Phillips through rose coloured glasses, never missing an opportunity to praise him, and rarely having anything bad to say about him. I get it, he's your favourite player, but that doesn't mean he is above criticism.

No player is above criticism, but you go further than that, suggesting we were wrong to extend his contract. That when any club in the division would bite our arm off for him if he was out of contract. When I say its 'unhelpful', I'm sure players read these forums, and if I was Phillips I'd be fairly drunk off reading your comments having just committed myself to the club for 3 years. His interview in the last match programme came across very positive towards what the club is doing. I also don't know why you have to bring up his injury record when he hasn't missed any games this season. I only occasionally openly criticise a player, and then if they fail to show any qualities over a long period e.g. Burke. As it happens, I think Edwards had more of an impact today, but that can change next week. 

[Standaman]

Phillips has the contract whether or not it was a wise move is neither here nor there. He had a poor game and this wasn't helped by Edwards who replaced him doing more in 20 minutes than Phillips had managed in 70. In defence of Phillips when Edwards replaced him the game dynamics had changed a little Fulham were sitting on their lead (huge mistake that happens so often) and we were throwing caution to the wind in pursuit of an equaliser so the for the first time we were playing more in Fulham's half rather than our own. 

[zippyandbungle]

No player is above criticism, but you go further than that, suggesting we were wrong to extend his contract. That when any club in the division would bite our arm off for him if he was out of contract. When I say its 'unhelpful', I'm sure players read these forums, and if I was Phillips I'd be fairly drunk off reading your comments having just committed myself to the club for 3 years. His interview in the last match programme came across very positive towards what the club is doing. I also don't know why you have to bring up his injury record when he hasn't missed any games this season. I only occasionally openly criticise a player, and then if they fail to show any qualities over a long period e.g. Burke. As it happens, I think Edwards had more of an impact today, but that can change next week.

I also think we were wrong to give him the extension (based on playing) but would have if I intended to sell next window
Let’s be fair , he can play football, when he wants to he can turn a defender BUT, IF YOU GIVE HIM A 3 year he will play maybe 18 months, when we were going down he was bottling tackles and when he comes back from injury he takes 6 matches to get in properly
Football teams must evolve and we now have better options, 6m and he’s out for me .

[Jeb-Dog]

All three attacking players behind Austin were shackled well by Fulham today. It’s no coincidence whoever is coming off the bench is having an impact. By 70-75 minutes teams are knackered against us as they are having to work hard to deny us space. Tired legs vs Edwards, Diangana, etc... gives those guys a yard more pace and space.

It’s probably why we finish games we’ll and come from behind so often.

[zippyandbungle]

All three attacking players behind Austin were shackled well by Fulham today. It’s no coincidence whoever is coming off the bench is having an impact. By 70-75 minutes teams are knackered against us as they are having to work hard to deny us space. Tired legs vs Edwards, Diangana, etc... gives those guys a yard more pace and space.

It’s probably why we finish games we’ll and come from behind so often.

If that is the case we have to be clever with the subs (yesterday worked) but we also need to be smarter in the first 70 because you cannot get out of jail every week
We need a run of 3/6 clean sheets

[timdon]

No player is above criticism, but you go further than that, suggesting we were wrong to extend his contract. That when any club in the division would bite our arm off for him if he was out of contract. When I say its 'unhelpful', I'm sure players read these forums, and if I was Phillips I'd be fairly drunk off reading your comments having just committed myself to the club for 3 years. His interview in the last match programme came across very positive towards what the club is doing. I also don't know why you have to bring up his injury record when he hasn't missed any games this season. I only occasionally openly criticise a player, and then if they fail to show any qualities over a long period e.g. Burke. As it happens, I think Edwards had more of an impact today, but that can change next week.

1 You make this statement as if it was a fact instead of merely your opinion, but in any case the evidence suggests otherwise. As far as I know, no club in either the Premier League or the Championship made a bid for him either in the last window or the one before that. Apart from anything else, about half of the Championship clubs wouldn't be able to afford his wages.
2 I doubt very much if Matt Phillips gives a to$$ what I think. Are you seriously suggesting that we should not criticise players when whey play poorly in case we hurt their feelings or dent their confidence?
3 I bring up his injury record because it is relevant to the discussion about his contract being extended. He virtually never gets through a whole season without being injured and missing a good few games, which is one factor when assessing how good a value he is to us. Also, once he does come back to fitness, it always seems to take him 4 or 5 games to get up to full speed again, which is another factor to take into consideration in the discussion.

[boinging_along]

On his day Phillips is excellent but players will have off days.  Too often these days if a player has a bad day we talk as if he's finished and we need to get rid.  We should just move on and get behind the team.  If he keeps playing poorly then trust the manager will do the right thing. 

It's all well and good that Edwards looked a better option when he came on, but from Edwards is not as consistant.  Coming on as sub against a tired side suited him yesterday, would I start him ahead of Phillips based off this 1 game so far this season?  No.

[Droitwich Baggie]

Too many off games coming through. 1 out of 4 games is just not good enough in this league.
Needs to knuckle down, concentrate and apply himself.

[alex1]

Agreed that Edwards was far sharper and more of a threat yesterday, but I've also seen him having periods out of the game or where nothing's come off. But if he has one of those games next week, I won't be writing we should be looking to get rid. I think wingers are inherently more inconsistent than say centre backs, though some never show anything, such as Burke.
On Phillips, I don't think we have that many attacking options (remembering Dianga isn't our player). Anyway, I think Billic seriously rates him, based on an interview he gave a few weeks ago.   

[FallOutBoy]

Absolute disgrace yesterday. He's back to doing what he was doing when we got relegated - hiding from passes, leaving his full back exposed, and running down blind alleys to no effect. He's a confidence player, and if he hasn't got any playing for a team in the position we're in, then I don't know what we can do with him.

[GREGMT]

Tried hard IMO.  Remember him with a few lung bursting runs down the wing 1st half. Looked up for a cross and we had HRK against 4 Boro defenders.  Not his fault the pedestrian midfield couldnt supply presence in their box.  Really disagree TBH.

[skyclad99]

Absolute disgrace yesterday. He's back to doing what he was doing when we got relegated - hiding from passes, leaving his full back exposed, and running down blind alleys to no effect. He's a confidence player, and if he hasn't got any playing for a team in the position we're in, then I don't know what we can do with him.

Cant agree with that at all.

I thought he went quiet yesterday as the game went on, but as Greg points out he put a killer ball into the box in the first half and he did some good work. I just don't think he is 100%, but to call him a disgrace is out of order.

[cads_ap_albion]

Thought he had little impact despite working hard. Few quality crosses in. Bottled at least one 50:50.

He needs someone to challenge him for his place imho.
 Matty is a confidence player -ideally he needs a recharge on the bench for a couple of games but we can see our depth of squad is lacking to enable that.

[Standaman]

Phillips is a winger in decline he has lost a yard of pace and can't do more than 60 minutes at anything close to full intensity and absolutely hasn't got two games a week in his legs. If we rotate him and Edwards between now and the end of the season we should be okay. But to be able to this we need Diangana back

[Adder]

It was mentioned during an international break that he was having injections for an ongoing foot/ankle problem so that may still be lurking. Yes we definitely need to get an extra wide player in if Diangana goes back.

[Atomic]

Phillip's annoys me he is so wasteful on the ball. If he can't surge past someone he offers very little else. We definitely could do with an upgrade on him. He has one good game in about ten.

[zippyandbungle]

Imo he is not going to get any better and should be used as a makeweight to bring in a watkins/ Bowen.
Cannot deny when fit and “on it” he can be a good player, however he’s gone from a 1 good game in 3 to a 1/7 and we need better
Look how pereira gets stuck in as does Diangana, Phillips always always pulls out .
We are also desperate for width, but he seems to be pulling himself ever closer to the centre and even when he is wide he’s usually static..
For where we want to get to, he’s not one of the answers
Sell

[timdon]

Imo he is not going to get any better and should be used as a makeweight to bring in a watkins/ Bowen.
Cannot deny when fit and “on it” he can be a good player, however he’s gone from a 1 good game in 3 to a 1/7 and we need better
Look how pereira gets stuck in as does Diangana, Phillips always always pulls out .
We are also desperate for width, but he seems to be pulling himself ever closer to the centre and even when he is wide he’s usually static..
For where we want to get to, he’s not one of the answers
Sell

We can't sell him because there hasn't been a flicker of interest from other clubs. Why on earth we gave a new three year contract to a player who performs well about 6 games a season, is anonymous or injured for the rest of the games, and is scared to put in a decent tackle, I have no idea. It was a terrible decision, right up there with extending the contracts of Brunt and HRK. When a player is clearly on a downward path in his career, then is the time to let the contract run down and get rid, as we correctly did with James Morrison for example. Instead we are lumbered with wages for players who are no longer fit for purpose.