The English Premier League 2023-24 season is becoming an exciting affair as three teams contest for the league title. Fans from across the globe are witnessing a great title race this time. The action won’t stop in May as the Euro 2024 is also scheduled in the summer. Top European nations will fight to become the champions of their continent.
Euros in the summer means that players from qualified nations will eye for a place in the final squad. They have a chance to impress their international managers. Some players have already reserved their berth, while others are going hard to earn a spot in the final squad.
One such player is England’s Kalvin Phillips. After a move to Manchester City, the Englishman has struggled for game time due to injuries. Rodri, Pep’s main player, played a similar role to Phillips. This limited Phillips’ time even more and he decided to find an escape route.
West Ham United signed the 28-year-old on a loan deal in January 2024. The former Leeds United midfielder happily moved for more playing time. Kalvin Phillips’ first match in West Ham colours was full of ups and downs. He made an error for Bournemouth’s goal and then recovered with a decent performance. Here is a look at Phillips’ stats that show how the midfielder is settling in Moyes’ West Ham United.
Bournemouth error & recovery
Too much passing inside the defensive third can lead to an error. Kalvin Phillips made his West Ham debut against the Cherries and lost the ball in the first five minutes. He made an error on the edge of his team’s penalty box. Dominic Solanke punished the midfielder for this error. However, Phillips recovered well and made his presence felt.
The first visual shows the defensive duels, followed by aerial duels and loose ball duels. Kalvin contested seven defensive and won five. He only lost his one aerial duel and one loose ball duel. The aerial & loose ball duels were contested down the flanks, while the defensive duels were contested all over the pitch. This shows that the midfielder can cover a lot of areas and protect the backline.
In addition to his defensive skills, the player can also recover the ball. Manchester City’s high pressing is the reason why Kalvin has managed 11 counter-pressing recoveries for the Hammers in four league appearances. Against Bournemouth, Kalvin recovered the ball nine times and six came in the attacking half.
Is Kalvin Phillips in his best shape?
According to the stats of Phillips, he is yet to show his A-game. His defensive work rate is decent but the lack of creativity is a problem. In his four league appearances for the Hammers, Phillips has failed to deliver a single pass into the penalty box. Even his passes to the final third have an accuracy of 66.67%. This is low according to Phillips’ standards, who is known for his vision from the centre of the field.
A sending-off in just your fourth appearance for the club added to Phillips’ misery. The Englishman received two yellow cards against Nottingham Forest and was sent off. He has given away 10 fouls and discipline is one area where the loanee has to work on.
Kalvin Phillips still has time to recover and get in contention for the Euro 2024 squad. There are a lot of players fighting for a spot and Phillips needs to show his A-game to impress Gareth Southgate.
Visuals via Wyscout and the TFA data viz engine
