West Ham: David Moyes facing Kalvin Phillips debut dilemma in Bournemouth battle

Hammers boss usually takes a patient approach with new recruits, but this time he may not be able to afford to wait
Malik Ouzia @MalikOuzia_1 February 2024

It is not David Moyes’s style to thrust new signings too swiftly into the fray, a method that, for all it can frustrate, often reaps reward, not least in the performances of Mohammed Kudus so far this term after an initial easing in.

The case of Kalvin Phillips, though, presents a curious challenge to the Hammers boss. On the one hand, here is a player desperately short on first-team football, having played little more than 300 minutes in the club game this season, perhaps in need of a patient approach.

On the other, though, here is a player Moyes may have at his disposal for as little as three-and-a-half months. Can he really afford to wait?

Speaking on Wednesday for the first time since securing Phillips’s loan switch from Manchester City, Moyes was coy on the question of whether the midfielder would be handed a debut from the start when Bournemouth visit the London Stadium on Thursday night, but effusive on just about everything else.

Kalvin Phillips could be in line for a quick West Ham debut against Bournemouth
West Ham United

There were favourable comparisons to former Hammers captain Declan Rice, Phillips’s midfield partner in an engine room that drove England to the final of Euro 2020, and hope that similar will soon emerge to Jesse Lingard, whose stunning loan stint in east London began this time three seasons ago.

It was made clear, too, that the signing of a player of Phillips’ pedigree, temporary or otherwise, represents another step in what has been the undoubted technical evolution of Moyes’s squad in recent years, headlined by the additions of Lucas Paqueta and Kudus in successive summers.

Much of Phillips’s decision to leave the Etihad has been spurred by desperation to cement his place in Gareth Southgate’s squad for another major tournament this summer and Moyes revealed he had spoken to the Three Lions boss before finalising the deal.

"He gave a glowing report in lots of ways,” Moyes said. “We talked about how he can take the ball on, how he can play as a six, how he can play as an eight, he can do a couple of jobs in midfield.

"I want the wheels to move really quickly if I can and get him up to speed"

David Moyes on Kalvin Phillips

“I’m looking to Kalvin to push James Ward-Prowse, Tomas Soucek, to push Edson Alvarez. We’ve not really had back-up for those three all season.”

Phillips, of course, has not come to play back-up, but Moyes’s first-choice trio have functioned well this term and the lay of the land has been made clear.

“I had to tell him there’s competition for places here so there’s no guarantees,” he explained. “But he was game for that, which I liked. I hope we can give him a platform.

"My only concern is he’s had a period where he’s not [been playing]. But I want the wheels to move really quickly if I can and get him up to speed.”

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