Bring Back Phillips

[RedTop]

Basso is the better keeper. Better shot-stopper, better command of area, better attitude.

Phillips was given chances to redeem himself on the pitch but gave distinctly average performances - the Gillingham game mentioned is a case in point. I was there and he was not good. hehas also been given chances to redeem himself after throwing a wobbler, but he learned nothing and as soon as he realised he was not going to winhis place back easily he caused the same scene again.

Basso's big weakness is that he is injury prone, but GJ has now got good cover. We have two decent keepers now with Weale, which should provide genuine competition without the hissy fits and dolly-throwing which can cause discontent within a camp when we need everyone to pull together.

The players need to learn that if they are going to go toe-to-toe with GJ, they will lose. As Phillips has found now that he's ended up at the Gas. What worse punishment could there be?

[westex red]

Get a life

Good luck steve, but ............you are so right, Get a life!

[Wurzel City]

[Nibor]

Basso is the better keeper. Better shot-stopper, better command of area, better attitude.

In the words of that bloke off the VIcar of Dibley... No No No Yes.

Basso isn't the better keeper, he isn't a better shot stopper and though he tries for more high balls he doesn't command his area better because he drops many of them. He does have a vastly better attitude.

Phillips kicks better, stops shots better, positions himself better, and is less erratic.

I don't disagree with getting rid of Phillips but let's not kid ourselves, Basso is a poor to mediocre keeper at this level and Phillips was a good one. When Weale is fit I'll be much happier.

[cheshire_red]

Yes but,............................ Weale isn't available untol the end of November at the earliest, Basso in goal could cost us 10+ points until then, that's a lot for a club with promotion as the ultimate goal and is a ridiculous risk.

I do so hope he can get someone decent in on a half season loan or even for good and then Basso can be cover until Weale is fit.

[RedTop]

In the words of that bloke off the VIcar of Dibley... No No No Yes.

Basso isn't the better keeper, he isn't a better shot stopper and though he tries for more high balls he doesn't command his area better because he drops many of them. He does have a vastly better attitude.

Phillips kicks better, stops shots better, positions himself better, and is less erratic.

I don't disagree with getting rid of Phillips but let's not kid ourselves, Basso is a poor to mediocre keeper at this level and Phillips was a good one. When Weale is fit I'll be much happier.

I disagree with you on this one.

Basso is prone to the odd stupid gaffe - like the kick which hit the striker last year and gifted the opponents a goal. But overall I think his shot-stopping is better and his saves won us plenty of points. He is prone to make things look more spectacular than he has to (the reason, in my opinion, why he injures himself so much). But I saw practically every game home and away last season and I just don't understand how anyone can call him mediocre. Some of his reaction saves were way better than SP, who himself was a very good shot-stopper. Sp never commanded his area. Basso is not perfect in this but is better at it than SP.

In my opinion he kept SP out on merit. When SP was given a chance to stake his claim - and he got more chances than a displaced keeper normally would because Basso was injured more often than most keepers are - he looked distinctly ordinary.

I would much rather have Basso between the sticks. And I think with Weale pushing him it should be a very interesting tussle for the starting spot. Regardless of who emerges as top dog in that contest, there can be only one winner, and that is Bristol City.

[Nibor]

[Richy P]

I disagree with you on this one.

Basso is prone to the odd stupid gaffe - like the kick which hit the striker last year and gifted the opponents a goal. But overall I think his shot-stopping is better and his saves won us plenty of points. He is prone to make things look more spectacular than he has to (the reason, in my opinion, why he injures himself so much). But I saw practically every game home and away last season and I just don't understand how anyone can call him mediocre. Some of his reaction saves were way better than SP, who himself was a very good shot-stopper. Sp never commanded his area. Basso is not perfect in this but is better at it than SP.

In my opinion he kept SP out on merit. When SP was given a chance to stake his claim - and he got more chances than a displaced keeper normally would because Basso was injured more often than most keepers are - he looked distinctly ordinary.

I would much rather have Basso between the sticks. And I think with Weale pushing him it should be a very interesting tussle for the starting spot. Regardless of who emerges as top dog in that contest, there can be only one winner, and that is Bristol City.

I agree totally with that mate, good post. Yes Basso is slightly erratic, but he was in the squad on merit. Our defensive record was not all down to the defense. Our clean sheets and decent defence owed alot to Bassos saves and judgement. Give the guy the credit he deserves!

[REDOXO]

He may well be history but his family hailing from the Radstock area are not Gas - FACT

I don't know whether they are Sags or not or don't even care....Funny thing though....

Steve's first game for us we were struggling in the league (the one above as I remember it) leaking goals and looking pretty poor.

I was sitting in the stands with two blokes a rather obvious father son combo who got reall really irate if anybody questioned his ability or dared to suggest that he was a bit to fond of going walk about in the penalty area...

I said to one of the blokes are you his brother or something...To which he kind of gave me a sideways glance...We won the match and Steve as he walked off the field looked up and waved in my direction....Yep they were his dad and his brother....I wonder what they think of some of the $h1t thats been written about him lately..

Good Luck Boy 10 years good service...But times they are a changing

[Southport Red]

Radstock/Norton is not blue as those City fans from that area who i was drinking with yesterday would explain to anybody who likes to know about this sort of thing. One of the chaps around yesterday played in the same school football team as Mr Phillips, another again knew him personally and all thought that Steve Phillipps was a decent enough bloke which is more than enough for me.

I think some peole who love throwing around all sorts of accusations about Steve Phillipps should have a chat with people who actaully know him. Telling fibs is naughty

I lived in Radstock & went to school in Norton and, although that was a depressingly long time ago, and the memory surely has faded since, I honestly do not remember ANY Gasheads at School - there was the usual Man Ure etc but the only 'local' fans were Reds. Pretty sure La Famille Philips would be unlikely to be Gasheads

[The Man In Black]

In Norton Hill School I knew one Rovers fan in my year.

[I H8 THE GAS]

I agree that now is the time to give Philips a chance. He now realises he is not automatic choice. If he wants to stay at the club he needs the opportunity to prove that he should be the No.1. He cant prove that without being given the chance.

Or perhaps he could not care anymore as he knows GJ want to ship him out

Basso and Abbey next season. Christ what a prospect !!!!!!!!!

Where have you been? Abbey was released at end of last season along with the other useless players - Basir etc. We need a keeper on loan until christmas when Weale will be fit again, and according to Gary Johnson it will be 'someone from a premiership club', although that does'nt mean he will be any good.

[gazareth]

I wonder how many people haven't noticed the date that this topic was started...

[cidercity]

In the words of that bloke off the VIcar of Dibley... No No No Yes.

Basso isn't the better keeper, he isn't a better shot stopper and though he tries for more high balls he doesn't command his area better because he drops many of them. He does have a vastly better attitude.

Phillips kicks better, stops shots better, positions himself better, and is less erratic.

I don't disagree with getting rid of Phillips but let's not kid ourselves, Basso is a poor to mediocre keeper at this level and Phillips was a good one. When Weale is fit I'll be much happier.

The only one phillips is on a par with Basso is the shot stopping.Can you not remember on the times phillips did come off of his line (very rare)he tried to punch the ball and usually punched it straight down into the box to an opo player?

I think if you asked the players they would disagree with you on who commands their box better, Basso is by far better than phillips at this.

Just a quick question have you ever played in goal?

[Nibor]

The only one phillips is on a par with Basso is the shot stopping.Can you not remember on the times phillips did come off of his line (very rare)he tried to punch the ball and usually punched it straight down into the box to an opo player?

I think if you asked the players they would disagree with you on who commands their box better, Basso is by far better than phillips at this.

Just a quick question have you ever played in goal?

I didn't say Phillips commands his box better, I'd put them about the same. Phillips doesn't come out as much I agree, but you seem to be blind to the number of times Basso flapped at crosses and palmed the ball down to opposition forwards. He was extremely lucky not to get punished more than the two or three occasions he cost us a goal. He also kicks like a 4 year old girl, far dodgier than Phillips' kicking was at the start of his career and that was prety bad. Phillips made a couple of mistakes in the first half of the season with a constantly changing defence in front of him. I think Basso made more mistakes with a settled and consistent defence in front of him.

If you ask the players who is the better keeper they'll almost all say Phillips. If you ask them who they want in goal I expect most will say Basso. That's the difference attitude makes. I'm not saying we're wrong to get rid of Phillips, I'm just saying I don't think Basso is good enough in the long term or better.

To answer your question I've never played in goal seriously. I've played centre half and I know what I want out of a keeper - the last thing I want is them coming out for balls I can deal with and cocking it up, I'd rather they stayed on the line unless they're 99% sure so I can get in the air without worrying about them jumping over the top of me.

[I H8 THE GAS]

I wonder how many people haven't noticed the date that this topic was started...

My bad

[RedTop]

Fair enough I'll agree to disagree with you, I saw him many times and felt he was pretty dodgy.

It is one of the wonderful things about football that we can both watch the same games, from the same viewpoint of wanting City to do as well as possible, and yet both hold completely different views of what we have seen and both be entirely convinced we are 100 per cent right and the other person must be as blind as a bat and a mere novice at spotting, understanding and interpreting the subtle nuances of the beautiful game!!!

The one thing I would suggest is that, regardless of ability, Steve Phillips' extreme reaction to being left out - not once, but on two separate occasions thoughout the season - left GJ with little option but to get rid of him. If GJ had tolerated behaviour like that it would have sent out a message to others in the squad that was far more damaging in the long term than the difference in quality between SP and AB, regardless of which you think is the better keeper.

SP effectively committed professional suicide by his actions of disloyalty not just to Gj but to his teammates and the fans. If blame is to be apportioned for what happened, it lays at his door. Having said that, it's hard to wish a Rovers contract on anyone.

[RedAlex]

Please please please GJ bring back Steve Yes he has his faults but not as many as Basso....

I just cant understand people rating basso as much as they do he has been at fault for laods of goals!

At fault for LOADS of goals? What a pile of crap, thank god sulky's gone

[cidercity]

The following players supported Everton yet ended up legends with Liverpool

Ian Rush

Robbie Fowler

Michael Owen

Steve McManaman

So whether Steve phillips supported the Gas as a kid has nothing to do with it.

And whilst this poxy word FACT keeps floating around on this subject i'll throw one in myself

Steve phillips is the better of the two keepers FACT !

Sorry have you got the statistics to back up this FACT !

[cidercity]

I didn't say Phillips commands his box better, I'd put them about the same. Phillips doesn't come out as much I agree, but you seem to be blind to the number of times Basso flapped at crosses and palmed the ball down to opposition forwards. He was extremely lucky not to get punished more than the two or three occasions he cost us a goal. He also kicks like a 4 year old girl, far dodgier than Phillips' kicking was at the start of his career and that was prety bad. Phillips made a couple of mistakes in the first half of the season with a constantly changing defence in front of him. I think Basso made more mistakes with a settled and consistent defence in front of him.

If you ask the players who is the better keeper they'll almost all say Phillips. If you ask them who they want in goal I expect most will say Basso. That's the difference attitude makes. I'm not saying we're wrong to get rid of Phillips, I'm just saying I don't think Basso is good enough in the long term or better.

To answer your question I've never played in goal seriously. I've played centre half and I know what I want out of a keeper - the last thing I want is them coming out for balls I can deal with and cocking it up, I'd rather they stayed on the line unless they're 99% sure so I can get in the air without worrying about them jumping over the top of me.

I agree that we possibly have a far superior keeper in weale than we have had for a long time, so yes basso maybe not the long term option.

Have you asked them who is the better keeper ? because you sound very sure of yourself.

Personnally i have played centre half and in goal for almost 40 years and i speaking as a centre half would always prefer a keeper who came off of his line and was positive even if he spilled the ball, and speaking as a keeper i would rather style myself on Basso than Phillips.

One more question, are you employed by the BCFC because you always seem certain that you are speaking for the club and players?