Tony Brown: Matt Phillips to have sleepless nights as West Brom footage emerges from win v Ipswich
Tony Brown could not believe Matt Phillips’ second-half miss as West Brom beat Ipswich Town 2-0 at The Hawthorns on Saturday.
Albion were already two goals ahead and cruising when Phillips, 32, missed an open goal despite being only inches away from the goal line.
BBC Radio WM pundit Brown couldn’t even bring himself to say it was a miss by the ex-Scotland international because it was more like a clearance
“I tell you what, he won’t sleep tonight, Phillips,” said Bomber Brown on BBC Radio WM on Saturday evening (25 November, 06:42pm).
“He’ll be going over that miss over and over again.
“I don’t think he’s missed it. He’s almost on the goal line, isn’t he?
“It’s great play from Jed Wallace on that far side.”
BBC Radio WM commentator Steve Hermon then said: “Unbelievable from Matt Phillips. Three goals this season and you’d say that was the easiest chance to get a fourth goal of the season.”
Oh dear
If you want to be super kind to Phillips, you could probably say that Ipswich goalkeeper Václav Hladký got a slight touch on the ball as Wallace crossed it into the box.
You can also chalk it off as not being very important because Albion were 2-0 up when it happened and the game finished with the same scoreline.
But there’ll always be that ‘what if’ surrounding that miss.
If that happens on another day when we’re at 0-0 late on or defending a late lead, only to draw or lose a game, the vultures will understandably be out for Phillips.
Brown thinks the ex-Blackpool man will have sleepless nights over that miss but in truth, it should be like water off a duck’s back because it didn’t matter.
He just cannot afford to do it again.
Phillips does love bottling big moments in front of the Brummie Road though.
In other West Brom news, a Sky Sports pundit also reacted to the miss.