Jill Scott has told The Overlap’s Stick To Football that Kalvin Phillips has “changed so much” since he left Leeds United to join Manchester City – and thinks he just needs a run of games to get to speed.
Phillips, 27, has endured a dismal time at City. Brimming with confidence after his move from Leeds, the 28-time England star has been plagued by injury – and then, finding it impossible to get in past Rodri.
The Spaniard was suspended on Sunday but Pep Guardiola left Phillips on the bench, unused. Instead, he played Bernardo Silva out of position alongside youngster Rico Lewis. Phillips will surely be annoyed.
Michael Owen said he should be “pulling his hair out”. Scott, who retired while on the books at City in the same summer that Phillips joined, said that he has changed a great deal since he left Leeds United.
“I do think, if Phillips had a run of five or six games in that position – he’d learn so much. He’s changed his game so much from Leeds to City. The amount of technical detail, needs to be playing,” Scott said.
He would have to to stand any chance of getting into a side managed by Pep Guardiola. We saw what Jack Grealish had to endure during his first season at City – and now, when fit, he is a regular for them.
Phillips was in a similar position to Grealish. A big fish in a smaller pond, but then joining a team where he instantly became just another fish – in a very big pond. Plenty of adaptation required for Phillips.
But at this stage and especially, after Sunday’s no-show, you would expect that Phillips will be counting down the minutes until the January window opens. He needs a move; City should be open to his exit.
