"Just got unlucky" - Stoke City urged to utilise Tottenham agreement better | OneFootball

FLW's Stoke City fan pundit believes Spurs loanee Ashley Phillips should play more frequently.

This article is part of Football League World's 'Terrace Talk' series, which provides personal opinions from our FLW Fan Pundits regarding the latest breaking news, teams, players, managers, potential signings and more...

Ashley Phillips has quickly become a name to watch in English football, with the giant defender currently on loan at Stoke City from Tottenham Hotspur in the Championship.

He has not been utilised perhaps as much as either he or his parent club would have hoped thus far, with just four appearances for his new club. He started in three of those, but has been an unused substitute in six Championship fixtures already by Stoke.

However, the young centre-back has still shown promising signs of immense potential despite his limited experience. Phillips first made his mark at Blackburn Rovers, coming through their academy and earning his senior debut at just 17.

He is viewed as one for the future by Spurs, who took a chance on him at a very young age, with the 19-year-old spending his time this season on loan with Plymouth Argyle last season to help secure their place in the second tier.

He impressed in flashes, though he is still developing. Phillips has the raw attributes to become a standout defender if he continues to impress in the Championship. A Premier League return with Tottenham could be on the cards sooner than expected if he does.

The Stoke City view on Ashley Phillips' loan from Tottenham

Phillips’ future looks bright, with this loan spell likely to be crucial in his development, but his lack of action may be of concern to figures at Spurs and Stoke. We asked FLW's Stoke fan pundit Sam Harrison for his thoughts on who the player is that is not starting games often, but who ought to be playing more regularly, and his answer was Phillips.

He said: "One of the only players who I can think of in terms of someone who has maybe not had as many games as he maybe wants or what his parent club wants, but who is going to get his chance and has kind of been unlucky with how the games have gone and players being back is Ashley Phillips.

"It's not a case of him being shut out, it's in terms of personnel. Others have suited games more than him.

"Of course, on loan from Tottenham. Obviously, it's going to have to play games as that is the whole reason and purpose of the loan move.

"But I think the timing of Michael Rose has come back and has had an impact. The defensive back four and how we have gone about games with having more experience and the good run of fixtures we've just had.

"He did then start against Sheffield United in a back five. So, if we did then continue with a back five, then of course, he will be in the team.

"I do think, even in a back four, playing alongside either Rose or [Ben] Gibson, then I think he would look good. I think he's someone that has got a lot of potential.

"I think he's just got unlucky with it all. I don't think it's anything personal against him. He's a very good player and one that, hopefully, we can see a lot more of in the red and white stripes of the Potters.

"I do think it's the way things have gone and is nothing against him by the looks of it. Of course, a managerial change as well, during his loan spell at the club.

"He's the only one I can think of who has not really been starting too many games of late, but I do still expect he'll be in the line-up a number of times coming up now.

"You've got midweek games and cup games as well; Southampton in the cup where I reckon he'll start that as well."

Phillips is a defender who evidently has an extremely high ceiling, but needs regular game time and refinement to get there, albeit that is not being handed to him at present with Stoke.

It's also not yet clear what his ball-playing qualities are like in a higher possession-based team, which Spurs will hope to see at some stage in the next couple of seasons; but his physicality, speed, and aggressive defending style are all impressive for someone so young.

Only 19 in the summer, the 6'4" defender has the front-footed style and combative nature to battle it out with some of the most physical Championship centre-forwards.

Things may have to change soon, though. Spurs need to get the Blackburn Rovers academy product the required game time to learn and develop in a top Championship side, which Narcis Pelach has only recently started to grant after the weekend loss to Sheffield United.