West Ham boss David Moyes has a plan B and C for Bayer Leverkusen and it looks like yet more bad news for Kalvin Phillips.
Can things really get much worse for Kalvin Phillips at West Ham?
Well it looks like the answer, unfortunately for the Man City loan flop, is yes they can.
When Edson Alvarez picked up Premier League and UEFA bans recently it provided a shot at redemption for Phillips in three huge games for West Ham.
Ten bookings meant Alvarez missed vital matches against Newcastle and Spurs.
And the Mexican was already banned by UEFA for the first leg of West Ham’s Europa League quarter-final against Bayer Leverkusen in Germany this Thursday.
Things going from bad to worse for Phillips at West Ham
But things somehow got worse for Phillips. He did not start at Newcastle and his arrival on the pitch as a 70th minute substitute coincided with the Hammers surrendering a 3-1 lead to lose 4-3.
After being caught on video swearing at a fan who called him ‘useless’ after that game, Phillips found himself as an unused sub for the 1-1 draw with Spurs.
Alvarez returned to the team for Wolves and David Moyes’ side got back to winning ways. Phillips was once again an unused sub.
The huge first leg at German champions-elect Bayer Leverkusen will see influential Alvarez sit it out again.
But there will be no fairy-tale return to the side for the club’s only other specialist defensive midfielder in West Ham’s biggest game of the season.
It’s more bad news for Phillips as Moyes’ West Ham plans for Bayer Leverkusen become clear.
Loan flop is not in Moyes’ plans B or C for Bayer
West Ham’s team has picked itself all season. Plan A for Bayer would obviously involve Alvarez and Jarrod Bowen.
But Alvarez’s suspension and the injury concern over star man Bowen has muddied the water at the worst possible time.
The manager was given some clarity of thought in the win over Wolves thanks to the performances of Hammers trio Michail Antonio, Ben Johnson and Aaron Cresswell as substitutes.
West Ham had looked excellent as an attacking force of late with Antonio leading the line flanked by Bowen and Mohammed Kudus with Lucas Paqueta more central.
But Antonio was rested at Wolves, Bowen picked up his injury and Moyes made some changes which suggest his plan B – and C – for Bayer Leverkusen won’t involve Phillips.
If Bowen is fit you can expect West Ham to line up with the quartet of Antonio, him, Kudus and Paqueta in front of Tomas Soucek and James Ward-Prowse.
With Alvarez out it’s a damning indictment
Even if Bowen is ruled out, though, there will be no place for Phillips in any plan C.
Moyes switched to a back five when his top scorer went off at Wolves. Aaron Cresswell came on as left centre-back with Emerson pushing into an attacking wingback role.
It worked and gave West Ham much more control higher up the pitch.
And that will be the way Moyes goes if Bowen does not make it for the first leg in Germany on Thursday night.
Quite how Phillips has gone from England regular to joining Man City and now not even being in with a sniff of being in West Ham’s plan A, B or C.
It’s a damning indictment for Phillips given West Ham will be without their best defensive midfielder.
But it should send a stark message to other players who chase money and glory at clubs where they know their game time is going to be limited no matter how much they might believe in themselves.