Celtic succumbed to their first league defeat of the season on Sunday against Kilmarnock. Particularly in the second half, Derek McInnes’ men were superior to the Hoops in every department.
It was a damning defeat for the champions, and one player who didn’t do himself proud in the game was Nat Phillips. Coming in at centre-half, the Liverpool loanee scored an own goal and throughout, wasn’t the greatest.
His manager Brendan Rodgers, though, refused to single him out. He said (Football Scotland): “I think Nat played like the team. In the first half he was dominant in the air and he was physically strong.
“The two centre-halves were good together and dealt with the aerial threat. It was fine. We just went a little bit negative in the second half and ended up conceding the two goals and he was unfortunate with the own goal.”
Phillips’ performance left little to be desired, although it would be unlike Brendan Rodgers to publicly slate the 26-year-old. One doesn’t sign for Liverpool and make several Premier League and Champions League appearances without having ability but in Glasgow so far, the defender is yet to show any of it.
Philips reminds me of Shane Duffy.
Catastrophic
We all see it but Rodgers doesn’t, Lennon kept playing Duffy.
Only poor mgrs can’t see how poorly these guys perform.