Earlier this month, West Brom made QPR winger Matt Phillips their first summer signing, with the Scotland international joining the Baggies for an undisclosed fee, believed to be around £6 million. Phillips has penned a four-year contract at the Hawthorns.
Speaking to the club’s official website about what supporters can expect from him, Phillips is looking to make an immediate impact in the final third:
“My game is about pace and power and strength, looking to take people on, getting shots off and getting crosses in. Assists and goals – that’s what I will be counting on. I want to get my place in the starting XI and build from there. But I’m not the finished article by any means. I’m 25 and I still feel I can bring more to my game.”
The History
Born in Aylesbury, Phillips joined Wycombe Wanderers as an eight-year-old, and progressed all the way through to the first-team, making his professional debut at the age of 17 as a substitute in a 1-0 defeat to Notts County in April 2008.
In total, Phillips made 84 appearances for the Chairboys, scoring eight goals and registering six assists, before moving to then Premier League outfit Blackpool in August 2010 in a deal rising to £700,000.
He was quick to settle for the Seasiders, scoring on his Premier League debut as a late substitute in a 2-1 defeat to Blackburn Rovers. The Scotland international went on to make 27 appearances in the top flight in 2010/11, scoring twice and providing three assists.
Blackpool only lasted one year at the top table of English football, though, and while Phillips was linked with moves to other Premier League sides, he spent two more seasons with the club and, aside from a short loan spell at Sheffield United in 2011, produced 28 goals and 12 assists over 87 matches in all competitions.
Phillips finally moved on in the summer of 2013, joining QPR for a reported fee of £5 million. He played 22 matches for the Hoops in 2013/14, bagging three goals and two assists as they gained promotion back to the top flight. The following season was more impressive for Phillips given the step up in class, scoring three goals and laying on eight assists in 25 Premier League matches. QPR again suffered relegation back to the Championship, though, with Phillips showing flashes of his abilities last term, producing eight goals and five assists in 44 league appearances.
Despite representing England at Under 19 and Under 20 levels, Phillips chose to represent Scotland at international level due to his eligibility through his grandparents. He made his debut in a 5-1 defeat to USA in May 2012, but has only made three further appearances for his country.
The Prospects
Bearing in mind that the Baggies scored just 34 times last term – a tally better only than relegated Aston Villa (27) – the need for more firepower in the final third is apparent. Indeed, with the Baggies ranked bottom for shots on target and second-bottom for total attempts, Tony Pulis will be hoping the addition of Phillips should help improve Albion’s cutting edge.
The 25-year-old has been utilised on the right wing in both pre-season friendlies so far, although recent comments from the club’s technical director Nick Hammond indicate he could also be utilised up top are worth keeping an eye on, particularly if Saido Berahino is sold before the end of the transfer window.
Phillips should bring a much-needed pace to West Brom’s attack and is likely to be competing against the likes of James Morrison, Jonathan Leko, Craig Gardner and Callum McManaman for a starting berth, with Pulis generally favouring a 4-2-3-1 or 4-5-1 formation last season. James McClean looks the obvious candidate to start on the left wing, although most of Albion’s wide men have the ability to play on either flank.
During the 2014/15 season Phillips spent with QPR in the Premier League, he averaged a shot every 45.8 minutes, which was only bettered by McManaman (40.1) among Baggies midfielders last term. In terms of creativity, Phillips averaged a key pass every 53.6 minutes, which was again second only to McManaman (34.5) last term, though it’s worth noting the latter only made 12 appearances last season, slightly skewing his statistics.
Phillips has been priced at 5.5 in Fantasy Premier League (FPL) this time around, potentially offering us a viable option from the West Brom midfield that was absent for so much of last season.
Looking at Albion’s opening fixtures (cpl, EVE, MID, bou, WHM), there may certainly be a temptation among FPL bosses to consider a Baggies attacker in their initial drafts, with no matches against last season’s top five and three home fixtures over the opening five Gameweeks.
Nonetheless, history suggests that owning an attacker from a Pulis side has never proved to be a particularly successful strategy for Fantasy managers, and given the number of options available in the same price bracket in midfield, it’ll take some eye-catching performances from Phillips during pre-season to force a change in outlook.
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