Kalvin Phillips' defensive work this season
Clearances - 58
Headers won - 51
Tackles won - 40
Interceptions - 28
Blocks - 23
Ball recoveries - 117
"As soon as I give the ball I've got to get in a position where I'm either covering the other centre-half or the wingback who's bombed on.
"I'm basically the third centre-half. When the ball goes forward, there's Liam, Pontus and then I'm either in front or with a man, so doubling up on one man, so if they win the ball back or break, I can hopefully stop that."
Pass master
Another factor of Phillips' game that has come to the fore under this new role is that it has allowed him to show off his passing range.
Phillips will often be the first port of call for the goalkeeper and he is excelling with his distribution and taking full advantage of the extra space and time he has sitting deeper on the pitch.
"When our 'keeper has got the ball, if there's two up top I'll come a little bit deeper so the 'keeper can find me and obviously miss these two strikers out and then I try and find whoever I can, the wingbacks, the midfielders or the strikers," Phillips continues.
The stats show just how effective he has been with the ball this season:
Kalvin Phillips' passing:
Total passes -1,109
Pass accuracy - 83%
Long passes - 166
The importance of versatility
Phillips' versatility is the reason why this new role works.
Kalvin Phillips' attacking play:
Total touches - 1,367
Chances created - 11
Assists - 2
"He is a versatile player and that is a very important skill in modern football," Bielsa has said.
"If you look at his game last year he played during some games as an offensive midfielder and then he played as a number eight, then he played as a number four, and now he plays as a centre-back.
"If I had to do the same process, but backwards, instead of going from an offensive position to a defensive one to go from defence to attack, he could play in these different positions with good results.
"This tells a lot about him because usually players lose their versatility when they go back. [Stuart] Dallas, for example, looks more like a full-back than a winger now, just to give an example."
Phillips himself has spoken of the versatility he has had to show, as Leeds' opponents look to shift their formations in an effort to slow down Leeds' high octane style of play.
"Normally when we play against two up top I play in the middle of the back three or if they play maybe a number nine and then a number 10 that goes bombing off all time I'll play in a back three. If they play one up top or maybe three, I'll play more in midfied.
"It just depends on the formation of the opposition and I think with the teams that we're playing and the changing formations I think it's good to get to know."
Phillips is one of just three Leeds players to start every Championship game this season and the hard working Thorp Arch product knows that the Whites are getting the rewards their industry deserves.
"I think we're one of the hardest working teams in the Championship," he continues.
"The way we work on and off the ball is incredible and you can tell when we get the ball and attack, you can just see the movement around us. And then if there's no movement I can go back to the 'keeper, to Pontus or to Coops and we can just play again, build again."
The respect of his team-mates
As well as getting a glowing reference from his boss, Phillips' transformation has also drawn plaudits from his Leeds United team-mates.
"It's a bit of a masterstroke isn't it?," Adam Forshaw told LeedsLive in October.
"I think Kalvin would say the same. He's surprised. But from day one in training that's why he played. Didn't never play him anywhere else. It's great that it's paying dividends.
Forshaw has been full of praise for his team-mate "I think one thing that really suits him in that position is he's physical as well. He carries a lot of strength, he's a good size.
"He's a young lad as well, he's only going to get better. He's a really good lad as well around the place. I'm pleased for him."
With Cooper sidelined for the next six weeks, Phillips is likely to be called upon in defence again over the festive period.
It's this versatility, work rate and willingness to learn under Bielsa mean he has become one of the Leeds head coach's most trusted lieutenants and will no doubt play a starring role in the the second half of Leeds' season.
https://www.leeds-live.co.uk/sport/leeds-united/kalvin-phillips-marcelo-bielsa-leeds-15508583?fbclid=IwAR0gk2QyIsyK33fzpSo9EFW76yu53h-VNjxbH0PGDpba6vPGpTDzL3SSZ0c
The Evolution of Kalvin Phillips (2 of 2)
posted on 12/12/18
comment by LufcGermany (U6066)
posted 7 minutes ago
Kebab, I'm hitting out at those that always ripped into players when it now seems the right coach could have done with some of those like what we're now seeing!..
I'm glad Philips has found his master, hopefully he continues to improve, England player?.....maybe!..
Future Leeds captain?.....think he could be good!..
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So what happens when his master leaves not that i want him to but MB does have a habit of not staying around long. Will KP return to being the tuurd he once was running around like a headless chicken, who's to say but one thing wont happen is playing for england, not unless MB becomes england manager
posted on 12/12/18
comment by Jonty (U4614)
posted 1 hour, 50 minutes ago
I think a massive, overlooked factor, is Bielsa’s international experience. It means he’s used to solving situations from within and not buying his way out of a corner.
It means more is invested in existing players in terms of support and enotionally and I think we’re definiteky seeing the impact of that.
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
That's a great point Jonty. Makes a ton of sense
when applied to us and the Messiah. Maybe that
factored into AR/VO's decision to go after him?
posted on 12/12/18
LBL, ain't we lucky we have some people in football that know why they are there!..
Philips has found his way under MB, if others were as good as MB then maybe they could have brought it out of him, but hey, in't it really weird how every single coach since he broke into the team has used him!..
Wouldn't have anything to do with them knowing more about football than you would it?..
He showed a few times there's a player there,(like others thought!)but MB has brought it into the open, something others tried but couldn't!..
No reason why he couldn't keep this up for another coach unless the other coach isn't given the same freedom as MB has been given!..
Hopefully he never plays for England, because comments like yours have a nasty habit off being crapped on!..
posted on 12/12/18
LDL even!.
posted on 12/12/18
There were turds in the crowd abusing, quite vocally, KP for the past couple of seasons.
All gone quiet now.
Slight outbursts against Alioski now - they always need someone on the pitch to vent towards.
posted on 12/12/18
Germany KP has amazed me as much as anyone this season and as for every manager picking him it wasnt hard when you look at most of the dross we have signed last few seasons. Personally i think he has excelled this season and long may it continue but i dont see him as at any higher level than he is now.
posted on 12/12/18
That doesn't say a lot for this team than does it?..
He is one of the main,(better!)players!..
Dross you say from the last few years, I'll argue that with the right trainer some of the so called dross would have been better!..
Trainers we had those same years haven't been the best and maybe not right for those players, but, it has also been suggested that there was a lot of interference from the so called super Chairmen we've had in that time!..
Look back and I did say if others were left to get on with their jobs!..
The whole club was a sham and it wore off on the training staff and players, I don't think all the so called dross we've had were dross,(some maybe but not all!)I think they were made out to be because of the club and its running!..
Bielsa would have worked wonders with some of those players, mind, if others had been left to do their jobs right they might have done a little better as well!..
posted on 12/12/18
no one gonna argue about how our club has been run by previous owners over last 12-15 years or that in that time we have had and lost some cracking players but we have also suffered some terrible ones and i would say a few of those players we have lost would do well in PL for us but what we have now is a team playing well together at this level but who would struggle if we go up. Only 3-4 of this team i reckon would be good enough to start in PL the rest would be squad players at best so we need roughly 7 top level players if we go up or bargains from wherever than can step up.Many teams that have gone up in recent years usually buy up those players who have done well in this league but their teams didnt go up. Hoping that this year its our turn to take the best this league has to offer
posted on 12/12/18
I freely hold my hand up and say that last season I was spitting flames every match when KP misplaced passes or got dispossessed.
The fact that he's now got more time on the ball and knows exactly what his job is obviously suits him down to the ground.
I'm happy for the lad this season - it seems he wasn't a bad player, just not fully equipped for the position he was placed-in.
Humble pie has never tasted so sweet!
posted on 13/12/18
comment by LeedsFanFor43Years (U6871)
posted 19 hours, 20 minutes ago
I freely hold my hand up and say that last season I was spitting flames every match when KP misplaced passes or got dispossessed.
The fact that he's now got more time on the ball and knows exactly what his job is obviously suits him down to the ground.
I'm happy for the lad this season - it seems he wasn't a bad player, just not fully equipped for the position he was placed-in.
Humble pie has never tasted so sweet!
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The terd I'm referring to is 3 rows back, early 20s and thinks players should perform like they do on his playstation I suspect. He had a particular, and very vocal, anger towards KP (and Cooper as well). He's an expert in stating the fecking obvious, and must read a football manual, for age old footballing clichés. Given you've been a fan for 43 years, i'm not referring to you.....
KP could be infuriating at times in previous seasons, so that's fair comment. I had my head in my hands a few times, but I did think he had potential - just needed better around him to bring it out. Step forward MB !!