After winning the UEFA Europa Conference League in 2022-23, West Ham United had a pretty disappointing 2023-24 season. The Hammers had raised their bar after the European triumph but lost their captain Declan Rice in the transfer window. David Moyes brought in a few names to build a strong side. West Ham United ended up ninth in the league, missing on European football.
The Hammers will come with new hope and a new manager this season. Julen Lopetegui joined the club following Moyes’ departure. The Spanish manager has already entered the market to sign some quality players. Recently, the Hammers brought in a player captaining another Premier League club. Wolves skipper Max Kilman joined the London-based club for a reported transfer fee of around £40m.
West Ham United have plenty of talented players in their squad. Their new defensive recruitment is a perfect leader at the back with over 125 English Premier League appearances. Kilman has developed his game ever since playing regularly at the top division. Let’s take a look at what this 27-year-old defender could offer to West Ham United.
First season as a leader
Ruben Neves left Wolverhampton Wanderers for a move to the Saudi Pro League. Max Kilman was responsible for leading his side in the previous season. Wolves finished 14th in the league standings, with Kilman featuring in every game.
The above viz shows the percentile rank of the player in comparison to other right centre-backs in Tier 1 of league football. Kilman is ranked above average in most of the departments. He is comfortable with the ball at his feet and can also win a few duels. Overall, the 27-year-old defender had a pretty decent season at the back.
This plot illustrates the centre-back’s ability to engage in and win defensive one-on-one situations. High values in both metrics suggest a reliable defender. Kilman had a high defensive duels win rate when compared to other right centre-backs in the league.
The above plot measures a centre-back’s aerial presence and effectiveness, crucial for defending set pieces and crosses. Once again Kilman showed why he is rated so highly in the league. His duels winning ability makes him a top-quality centre-back.
Modern-day fearless defender
In today’s world, the game of a defender has completely changed. They need to defend and also help the team build momentum from the back. Kilman played a key role for Wolves by winning most of his defensive actions at the back. The defender made plenty of interceptions in danger zones to win the ball back for his team.
Max also ended the season with 30 crucial blocks for his team. Putting your body on the line sometimes becomes necessary for a team sitting in the bottom half of the league table. Most of the blocks came inside the penalty box.
Winning the ball back in the attacking half is another thing that West Ham can expect from their new defensive shield. Kilman made quite a few recoveries in danger zones for his team last season.
Max Kilman is comfortable with the ball at his feet. His progressive pass map shows that the defender can attempt long passes to find a teammate in attacking zones. These passes can play a great role in opening the defence of any side.
The 6 ft 4 inches defender also offers a bit in the attack. He is a set during set-pieces and ended the 2022-23 season with two goals.
West Ham United and the supporters will expect top performances from their recruit in the upcoming season. The Hammers are eyeing a much better finish from last season. They will aim to finish in a European place spot.
Visuals via TFA data viz engine