Super Kev?

[Freeman's Wharfer]

Before anyone says this is a knee-jerk reaction, it's not, I made this point to my dad a couple of weeks ago, but...

 

Kevin Phillips: is he all he was cracked up to be?

 

I've actually been really disappointed with him. When he signed I thought he was going to be great for us, a real poacher that would have no problem hitting 5+ goals for us from half an hour cameos here and there which, when added to Vardy and Nugent's tallies, would see us promoted with ease.

 

Countless times I (and I know others) would look at chances Nugent was spurning and thought "Phillips would have buried that". But in reality he's actually spurned a load of chances himself and has snatched at opportunities that you would expect him to finish with no trouble. Yeovil at home, his shot against Wigan away when it was deflected out to Mahrez who then missed, the penalty at Forest, last night when he didn't anticipate the ball dropping to him early in the first half... Off the top of my head I can quite easily think of several chances from which he should have had another 2-3 goals by now.

 

I'm not knocking his signing. He got us a crucial goal at Bournemouth, showed some clever play at Leeds for Nugent's goal and has no-doubt been great to have in and around the squad but he's just not been what I thought he was going to be. Last night clearly showed he's finished against decent sides at this level, he just wasn't in it and Nugent was looking at him haplessly as he wasn't being supported with the same intensity from his strike partner.

 

I think he will probably retire at the end of the season and so he should because if tries to carry on he'll be kidding himself.

 

So, thoughts on Phillips?

 

Not whether he's been a good signing or not because I don't think anyone can doubt that, he's played a part in us going up that can't be knocked. But have you been a little underwhelmed by 'Super Kev'?

[Julian Joachim Jr Shabadoo]

No I think he's been good so far. Think like most of the team he was having an off-day yesterday and shouldn't be starting matches given his age anyway.

[Dickov22]

Agree with the OP most times I've seen him he's been a peripheral figure. It's annoyed me that a lot of the time he's been preferred to GTF who is a much better option.

The only time I've seen a decent Phillips cameo was away at Wigan where he played pretty well.

Last night he was absolutely awful. think it's time to retire.

[supernuk]

Agree he shouldn't be starting matches!

However he is proven, would have been valuable for lads in training.

It is what it is he was only signed as impact sub! To be fair he's done well in that capicity.. Last night though would have rather seen GTF or Wood start ahead of him.

[blueonyou]

He's already proven his worth with the goals he's scored and the wisdom he provides around the training ground and in the dressing room.

[Larry_LCFC]

Think he should remain strictly off the pitch. Great bloke to have around the club and training ground with a wealth of experience to share. But ultimately I think he is past it now and we shouldnt be giving him game time imo. I'd rather give an academy player who may actually play for us in the EPL some game time.

[Dan]

He isn't good enough to start. He's got a knack of getting late goals but his all-round contribution has generally been non-existant during games.

 

I can imagine he's worth having around behind the scenes though.

[goose2010]

I think he is good enough to start....but needs a big man up top with him and they both need service. He is a poacher always has been always will be. He is the old school type of forward that feeds on scraps from knock downs and flick ons. He doesn't fit into a Pearson starting line up though as he isn't a striker that will 'defend from the front' which Pearson obviously wants,d I do think it was a mistake to start him especially with Nugent who is used to having Vardy charging all over the place with obviously your not going to get with Kev. I personally think if I was going to start Kev I would of done it with Wood or even GTF. He is a great player and sounds like he is being an influence around the club as well as on the pitch. For me he is an impact player bring him on for the last 20 minutes let him nick a goal. 

[Ricey]

Shouldn't have started him upfront with a tired Nugent and a team around him lacking pace elsewhere, it meant he was isolated. I felt really sorry for him last night. His job is to take chances, but in the first half we didn't create any chances.

 

I personally would have rested Nugent and kept Wood in, with GTF partnering him and Phillips coming off the bench alter on.

[Hungry Hungry Fox]

I actually saw some clowns on twitter calling him s*it

He was banging in goals 20 years ago when I was still at school

[Dickov22]

I actually saw some clowns on twitter calling him s*it

He is now though. Doesn't mean he hasn't been top class and a model professional for a long long time.

[SMX11]

He shouldn't start above Wood. The guy has a few games left and shouldn't be considered for a starting birth unless injuries dictate otherwise.

[suffolk fox]

Good god the man is 40 for gawds sake not 20. He was a fantastic player in his day and certainly knows where the net is. For the goal alone at Bournemouth this season he has done, Enougth for me this season. Only Np will know why he started last night but he isn't the player now he once was. Should never have started last night, needs to retire gracefully and he will at the end of the season.

[Buzzell]

The man is nearing the end of his footballing career. He shouldn't be starting games, but we all know he poses a threat for the opposition. Anybody calling him sh*t obviously don't know anything about football. Back in the day he was a brilliant and prolific striker. He's very useful to have around the club but again he shouldn't be starting. Impact player at best.

[dannythefox]

Done a good job since arriving and scored goals that have got us 6 points plus also helped nuge with the goal at Leeds which won us another 3 points! He's done what Pearson brought him here to do!

[ScouseFox]

he's added a few more wins and points onto our tally and helped us get over the line. shouldn't really be starting games but we are up now so a bit of an experiment is fair enough. palace didn't see him good enough for the prem last year so i doubt he'd have got any better a year later, thus probably won't be featuring in nige's plans for next season. 

 

goals at bournemouth, wrapping it up against blackpool and a few nice touches gaining us tough points at places like leeds are what he was brought in for and that's what he's done. cheers. 

[kingfox]

Super Kev, more like Useless Kev.

 

His performance last night, was one of the worst I've seen by a Leicester City striker, up there with Bednar, Beckford & Collins John.

[Fox92]

He's not good enough to start. We all knew that didn't we? Which is why I was surprised when the team news was read out. He's the type of player that needs to be brought on, maybe when were already winning, because there's no doubting his ability - his goal against Blackpool, for example - and what he did at Leeds to dummy the ball for Nugent.

[sdb]

Scored or at least played a part in a few vital goals. Absolutely worth it. Done what was hoped of him. 

[LCCFox96]

Nobody can dispute Phillips has immense quality in the final third. In the penalty area his move net is drop drawer and we saw that with the winners at Leeds and at Bournemouth. Also what he has brought to the other player off the pitch will have helped no end as well.

I don't think he offers very much in terms of build up play and out of the final third anymore. I know my Dad who used to live in the North east and watch Sunderland when Kev was there said he used to get back a lot more and chase a lot more ( much like vardy) but clearly at 40 he won't be able to do that anymore. A strange decision from NP imo to start him. Can't really see the logic behind it and I think he let his heart rule his head a little but in starting Phillips.

However can hardly pin last night's sloppy performance on him though and I'm sure he'll get us another goal or two before the season closes.