If I remember correctly Phillips came off the bench in the FA Cup against Liverpool and played as a striker alongside Rodriguez. His impact was good and it could be considered one of his better performances this season.
I quite like the idea of playing him as a central winger in a 4-2-3-1 formation. Mesut Özil made it popular back in 2009 and 2010 when he was at Werder Bremen. He came through Schalke’s ranks as a left winger but never made the grade so moved to Werder Bremen. Werder Bremen’s Head Coach Thomas Schaaf played him centrally at the tip of a midfield diamond behind two strikers or as a number 10 in a 4-2-3-1. Whilst he defended centrally, when Bremen had possession he would drift to the right or left wing to get away from his marker and have space to run with the ball. If in a 4-2-3-1 he would double up with the winger on whichever side he’d move to.
Matt Phillips as a central winger could work because he’d have a free role to move outwide or stay centrally and he’d be tough to mark. It would be a good tactic if playing a counter-attacking game reliant on quick transitions from back to front similar to 2010 Germany with Burke and McLean either side of him and Rodriguez ahead of him.
I quite like the idea of playing him as a central winger in a 4-2-3-1 formation. Mesut Özil made it popular back in 2009 and 2010 when he was at Werder Bremen. He came through Schalke’s ranks as a left winger but never made the grade so moved to Werder Bremen. Werder Bremen’s Head Coach Thomas Schaaf played him centrally at the tip of a midfield diamond behind two strikers or as a number 10 in a 4-2-3-1. Whilst he defended centrally, when Bremen had possession he would drift to the right or left wing to get away from his marker and have space to run with the ball. If in a 4-2-3-1 he would double up with the winger on whichever side he’d move to.
Matt Phillips as a central winger could work because he’d have a free role to move outwide or stay centrally and he’d be tough to mark. It would be a good tactic if playing a counter-attacking game reliant on quick transitions from back to front similar to 2010 Germany with Burke and McLean either side of him and Rodriguez ahead of him.