West Ham United flop Kalvin Phillips has left Martin Keown baffled after new footage emerged of the midfielder during the Irons’ defeat to Newcastle United.
David Moyes’ side returned from the March international break in disastrous fashion, as they conceded three times in the second half at St James’ Park to lose 4-3 to Eddie Howe’s Magpies on Saturday (30 March).
The home side’s three second-half strikes all came following the introduction of Phillips early in the second period and Keown was quick to question the Manchester City loanee’s involvement in Harvey Barnes’ winning goal.
Speaking on Match of the Day (30 March, 17:30) he said: “Harvey Barnes just lets it roll across his body, look, Kalvin Phillips, diving in. What’s he doing? He whips it, the whippage on that, he gets right into the belly of the ball.”
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Perhaps the most worrying thing about Phillips’ involvement in Barnes’ winner is the fact that it wasn’t his worst mistake of the afternoon as the England international also managed to give a penalty away for a clumsy foul on Anthony Gordon.
The Manchester City loanee then topped off his afternoon by getting into an altercation with a fan as he made his way onto the team bus on a disastrous day that managed to reflect his spell at the London Stadium so far.
While supporters were willing to cut him some slack at the start, Phillips has had time to get up to speed and match fitness but still looks off of the pace and ineffective whenever he steps onto the pitch in claret and blue.
There had been suggestions that the Irons would be keen to sign him permanently this summer, but any such move must be slipping away with each passing day as he has done little to justify any sort of transfer fee being spent.
Hopefully, he will find his feet sooner rather than later. If not, Moyes will simply have to stop playing him if he continues to be this poor week in and week out.
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