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There was an energy about Kalvin Phillips in the first five minutes of West Ham’s draw with Burnley.
A man who looked to be on a mission, he buzzed about the centre of midfield, trying to close down the opposition and get his team up the pitch.
But when his first pass of the game went astray, frustration kicked in. His arms went up in the air as he berated himself. His eagerness to win the ball back resulted in cheap free-kicks. When he should have committed a foul, he chose to hold back, allowing David Datro Fofana time to shoot. Unfortunately for Phillips, the ball flew into the top corner of the net.
From that moment on, he appeared to withdraw. He wanted the ball less and was not as lively as he had been in the earlier stages. Part of that is probably down to a lack of match fitness after spending several months out of the Manchester City team. Part of it is down to a lack of confidence. It was not a surprise to see the midfielder taken off at half-time, but he is not the only player in this West Ham team who is lacking in form.
James Ward-Prowse was also withdrawn by boss David Moyes. Ward-Prowse got off to a flying start to life in east London, with three assists and two goals in his first four Premier League games. But the midfielder has not looked like himself in recent weeks.
West Ham midfielders Kalvin Phillips (left) and James Ward-Prowse (right) have both endured a recent dip in form
David Moyes opted to hook both players off at half-time, with West Ham looking better in the second half
Both are playing for a place in Gareth Southgate's England side for their upcoming friendlies against Brazil and Belgium
There was a moment against Burnley, when West Ham were trailing 1-0, when Mohammed Kudus crossed the ball to the back-post. Ward-Prowse was there, ready for a tap-in, but the ball bounced up and hit his shin, allowing Burnley to clear.
The Ward-Prowse of six months ago would probably have scored.
His set-pieces have also been disappointing. It has been over a year since he last scored from a free-kick, while he remains one away from matching David Beckham’s record in the Premier League.
The 29-year-old's dip in form coincided with a run of eight games without a win in all competitions at the start of the year but it is bad timing given Gareth Southgate announces his final squad before this summer’s Euros on Thursday.
Southgate was at the London Stadium to watch both Ward-Prowse and Phillips on Sunday as well as forward Jarrod Bowen and it would not be a surprise if only the latter is selected.
Ward-Prowse last played for England in June 2022 and has not been picked for a squad since September of the same year. He perhaps should have been called up when his form was sky high at the start of the season. For his own confidence, he perhaps needed to be.
The midfielder admitted last week that international football has been in the back of his mind. Perhaps the thought that, if he cannot get a look in when he is at the top of his game, then the chances of selection during a dip in form seem slim.
Phillips was part of the
