David Moyes: Bringing on Kalvin Phillips didn’t work in 4-3 defeat at Newcastle | Football News
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David Moyes said his decision to bring on Kalvin Phillips with West Ham leading 3-1 at Newcastle “did not work” following the 4-3 defeat.
Phillips was sent on with 21 minutes to play with West Ham leading 3-1 but conceded a penalty for a foul on Anthony Gordon from which Alexander Isak scored. That sparked a sensational Newcastle comeback as Harvey Barnes scored two late goals to win the game for the Toon.
« The [second] penalty kick [awarded for Phillips’ foul on Gordon on 77 minutes] is a huge turning point, but I also thought we made a change because we felt as if they had got on top and missed a couple of chances.
« We tried to give ourselves another midfield player at 3-1 up and we didn’t want to wait for it to get to 3-2.
« Probably that decision didn’t work on the day, but more importantly I think the boy puts his foot in front of Kalvin and I don’t know how he’s supposed to see his leg.
Kalvin Phillips fouls Anthony Gordon to hand Newcastle a way back into the match
« The penalty kick makes it 3-2 and we had been doing OK. We gave up a couple of chances before that which I didn’t like and they had started to get some control shooting down the hill, but we had another day when very few things went for us.
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« We got ourselves in front and did a lot of good things.
« We looked a real threat in our attacking play for most of the day. We just couldn’t be defensively sound and, let’s be fair, we’ve had that issue many times already this season.
Moyes added: « But I have to say, before the penalty kick, Newcastle missed two big chances in the middle of the goal, so that was the reason we made the change, not because we were thinking we were winning 3-1. They had missed big chances and I was trying to make sure we weren’t going to lose and make the change in a positive fashion. We tried to make it at that time, and obviously it didn’t work out.
« But I’m not going to say anything about any player. I wouldn’t do that, it would be wrong. »
Analysis: Moyes allowed Newcastle comeback to happen
Sky Sports’ Lewis Jones:
« Moyes was scarcely able to believe what he had seen.
« On 53 minutes, West Ham were so comfortable that the away end started to bring out the « ole’s » as their attractive front four bopped the ball around holding a 3-1 lead. It was a deserving lead, too. Mohamed Kudus had dazzled, Lucas Paqueta was running the game and Jarrod Bowen was in ruthless mood.
« But when the momentum started to shift, Moyes slipped back to his old ways of sitting on a lead instead of utilising West Ham’s clear advantage in the final third against the makeshift Newcastle defence who were clearly struggling. Kalvin Phillips was called for as Paqueta was moved up into a central striking role. As an attacking force, West Ham became redundant. The label of blame has to sit at the manager’s door for that. Yes, Newcastle played with a renewed vigour and intensity but they were allowed to by a retreating Hammers outfit who sank without a trace. »
