Danny Murphy has suggested on talkSPORT that Marcelo Bielsa could be wasting Kalvin Phillips by deploying the England midfielder in a strict holding role for Leeds United.
Phillips shone for the Three Lions at Euro 2020 while playing with a greater freedom to push up the field. Gareth Southgate’s plans for the 25-year-old differed significantly from Bielsa’s, who prefers to use the Whites product as his midfield enforcer protecting the defence.
Phillips has even featured at centre-back under Bielsa more often than he has in a central midfield role. Making 17 of his 116 outings under the Argentine in the Leeds backline, to 11 in a non-holding midfield position.
But after Phillips proved himself as a box-to-box midfielder for England, Murphy believes Bielsa should do similar at Leeds. Although the Whites would then need a new anchor, who can provide the same protection that West Ham’s Declan Rice offered him at Euro 2020.
“Temperament, fitness and quality and I actually think, although Leeds play him in that holding role. But I actually like him a bit further ahead with the insurance of someone behind him,” Murphy said.
“He is technically good enough to go on and make goals and score goals, I think, as he progresses in his career. I think he could be a bit of a waste just having him in a holding role.”
Leeds could have formidable unit with a Rice-Phillips esque partnership under Bielsa
Leeds could have a formidable midfield under Bielsa with a similar partnership to Phillips and Rice. The combination fared so well for England at Euro 2020. Phillips added urgency to the Three Lions engine room, but also doubled up with Rice to protect the defence.
Gary Neville was vastly impressed by their partnership from a defensive point of view. The England icon claimed on The Overlap that Southgate’s side reached the final thanks to their contributions toward clean sheets.
But Bielsa will likely stick with Phillips as his out-and-out midfield anchor at Leeds next season. The Whites product fares brilliantly in protecting the backline, which will be crucial at Elland Road. It was also in that position that Phillips helped United secure promotion and cement their place in the Premier League. So why change a winning formula?
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