[Football] Kalvin Phillips

[Lady Whistledown]

In shock news, it appears Kalvin has decided that the lure of a few months playing defensive football under Roy in front of the Always Ultras just wasn't tempting enough, and is signing for West Ham on loan with an option to buy.

Aside from chuckling that Palace ever dreamed they might be in this particular race: that looks to me like a bit of a statement signing for West Ham. They seem to be getting their shit together finally in transfer terms, and have made some excellent signings in the last couple of years. Previously, you could rely on them to sign overpriced overseas players who never achieved what they promised, or crap defenders from Ligue 1. All of a sudden, they have potentially one of the best midfields in the PL: Phillips, Paqueta, Ward-Prowse and Alvarez should be a match for most teams.

Their defence is still desperately pedestrian and the only reason they don't concede more goals is because of Moyes' defensive tactics, but if they got a classy defender or two in and an out & out striker to replace Antonio, well they're not a million miles from having a really good squad, I reckon.

Of course they'll need a better manager to truly move forward, but it seems like a sign of significant progress for them that they can actually attract somebody like Phillips in his prime, rather than over the hill ones like they used to routinely go after.

 

[Simster]

Indeed. It would be just like West Ham to realise that in order to progress they need to bin off David Moyes for a more technically savvy and creative manager.

And then sign Jose Mourinho (current edition).

 

[Lady Whistledown]

They're exactly the sort of club whose fans will generally assume that De Zerbi is fair game and will be on the train to Stratford as soon as they click their fingers.

 

[Mackenzie]

I expect he'll find Moyes's tactics easier to understand than Pep's. Two starts in 18 months isn't it?

 

[Stat Brother]

I expect he'll find Moyes's tactics easier to understand than Pep's. Two starts in 18 months isn't it?

That kind of statistic would really play havoc with a players international career...





...oh, sorry I forgot.

 

[deletebeepbeepbeep]

Shame, good player that immediately improves a rival team.

 

[hans kraay fan club]

In shock news, it appears Kalvin has decided that the lure of a few months playing defensive football under Roy in front of the Always Ultras just wasn't tempting enough, and is signing for West Ham on loan with an option to buy.

Aside from chuckling that Palace ever dreamed they might be in this particular race: that looks to me like a bit of a statement signing for West Ham. They seem to be getting their shit together finally in transfer terms, and have made some excellent signings in the last couple of years. Previously, you could rely on them to sign overpriced overseas players who never achieved what they promised, or crap defenders from Ligue 1. All of a sudden, they have potentially one of the best midfields in the PL: Phillips, Paqueta, Ward-Prowse and Alvarez should be a match for most teams.

Their defence is still desperately pedestrian and the only reason they don't concede more goals is because of Moyes' defensive tactics, but if they got a classy defender or two in and an out & out striker to replace Antonio, well they're not a million miles from having a really good squad, I reckon.

Of course they'll need a better manager to truly move forward, but it seems like a sign of significant progress for them that they can actually attract somebody like Phillips in his prime, rather than over the hill ones like they used to routinely go after.

It really should not be possible to accommodate Phillips, Ward-Prowse and Alvarez in the same midfield though. No pace, no width and no creativity (save for a decent set-piece delivery). What would you call it? A 'treble pivot'?

In fact Moyes and Southgate are just about the only two managers who'd even try it.

 

[Milano]

I started a thread around early November on how we should have gone for him on loan....

Anyway, he's gone from one plastic club who benefited from a public funded 'free' 60k stadium that they rarely fill, to another one. Depressing.
I guess we might actually find out if he's actually any good now though.

 

[Lady Whistledown]

It really should not be possible to accommodate Phillips, Ward-Prowse and Alvarez in the same midfield though. No pace, no width and no creativity (save for a decent set-piece delivery). What would you call it? A 'treble pivot'?

In fact Moyes and Southgate are just about the only two managers who'd even try it.

Paqueta is the creativity, surely, plus Kudus & Bowen?

Not that City won't come after him in the summer- West Ham should consider themselves very lucky he's got that gambling investigation going on, otherwise he'd have been on the first flight to Manchester last June.

 

[dazzer6666]

Shame, good player that immediately improves a rival team.

Yep, that

 

[hans kraay fan club]

Paqueta is the creativity, surely, plus Kudus & Bowen?

Not that City won't come after him in the summer- West Ham should consider themselves very lucky he's got that gambling investigation going on, otherwise he'd have been on the first flight to Manchester last June.

To any progressive manager though, Paqueta would be the creative force in the midfield three, with two of the others (and I'm not sharing anyone's jealousy over this signing - Phillips isn't better than the other two they already have. he improves their squad, rather than their best XI, IMO).

 

[Machiavelli]

To any progressive manager though, Paqueta would be the creative force in the midfield three, with two of the others (and I'm not sharing anyone's jealousy over this signing - Phillips isn't better than the other two they already have. he improves their squad, rather than their best XI, IMO).

Are you -- and others on here -- seriously saying that JWP is better than Phillips AS A MIDFIELDER. Granted, JWP is probably the best set-piece player in the PL, but he's a bang average footballer/midfielder: slow, weak, lacking physicality, passing not that great. Genuinely interested in your -- and others -- view on this ...
... that said, I'm reassured that no-one is talking about Soucek, although Moyes quite clearly rates him.

 

[hans kraay fan club]

Are you -- and others on here -- seriously saying that JWP is better than Phillips AS A MIDFIELDER. Granted, JWP is probably the best set-piece player in the PL, but he's a bang average footballer/midfielder: slow, weak, lacking physicality, passing not that great. Genuinely interested in your -- and others -- view on this ...
... that said, I'm reassured that no-one is talking about Soucek, although Moyes quite clearly rates him.

I don’t disagree with your asse of JWP at all - I just don’t consider Phillips to be significantly better. And that’s not even factoring in that he hasn’t played for two years.

 

[Machiavelli]

I don’t disagree with your asse of JWP at all - I just don’t consider Phillips to be significantly better. And that’s not even factoring in that he hasn’t played for two years.

Oh I do think Phillips is significantly better, although the two years might have impacted on him.

 

[Justice]

Crazy really a £40+m signing has played twice, proves how much money City have at their disposal.

 

[pasty]

Are you -- and others on here -- seriously saying that JWP is better than Phillips AS A MIDFIELDER. Granted, JWP is probably the best set-piece player in the PL, but he's a bang average footballer/midfielder: slow, weak, lacking physicality, passing not that great. Genuinely interested in your -- and others -- view on this ...
... that said, I'm reassured that no-one is talking about Soucek, although Moyes quite clearly rates him.

In complete agreement about JWP. One of the most overrated players in the premier League

 

[Weststander]

Phillips would’ve improved us, he’s better than Dahoud and (at this stage) Beleba.

We played all of Gross, Gilmour and Milner last night, later Lallana, our slowest midfielders. All very predictable for Wolves, particularly in the second half. We could do with some pace and power.

It’ll be interesting to see where we finish this season relative to West Ham.

 

[Weststander]

Crazy really a £40+m signing has played twice, proves how much money City have at their disposal.

It’s cheating Abu Dhabi and why they win, possibly the only club in the world who have readymade replacements for literally every position.

 

[Terry Butcher Tribute Act]

We wanted a winger, West Ham forked out for Kudus.

We wanted a first team midfielder, West Ham forked out for Phillips.

A good team they've assembled there, annoyingly.

 

[Triggaaar]

We wanted a winger, West Ham forked out for Kudus.

We wanted a first team midfielder, West Ham forked out for Phillips.

A good team they've assembled there, annoyingly.

Yep, it's annoying