Formed by Hammers supporters Jack Elderton and Callum Goodall to offer their fellow fans in-depth but accessible analysis of their team and its players, Analytics United provide content for the Club's official website, app, Official Programme and social media channels.
For their latest column, Analytics United use performance analysis and data to examine the contribution new signing Maximilian Kilman will make to West Ham United...
West Ham United confirmed the signing of Maximilian Kilman from Wolverhampton Wanderers on Saturday.
The left-footed centre-back joins up with Julen Lopetegui again after the pair worked well together in the West Midlands as Wolves climbed away from the relegation battle and into mid-table security in the second half of the 2022/23 Premier League season.
Kilman started all but one of Wolves’ games during that run and led by example so effectively that Lopetegui gave him his first opportunity to captain the club in the top-flight when Rúben Neves missed a handful of crucial matches towards the end of that season. The defender seized his opportunity with two outstanding performances in key back-to-back clean sheet wins against Chelsea and Brentford that took Wolves seven points clear, easing lingering concerns about their Premier League status.
It was no surprise then when Kilman was announced as the club captain for the following season and played every single minute for former Hammer Gary O’Neil last term.
Under Lopetegui, West Ham could more often employ back three build-up shapes with the deepest midfielder dropping between the central defenders, allowing the full-backs to bomb on and join the attack. This potential tactical tweak to the in-possession approach would allow the starting central defenders to advance themselves and give these players far more responsibility with the ball.
Both centre-backs would need to help the team progress by carrying upfield and connecting quick passes into the advanced midfielders or wingers drifting into the half-spaces, whilst also regularly hitting diagonals out to the advancing full-back on the opposite flank.
With these key areas of focus, it’s no surprise that Kilman has become the first major addition to the backline under the new Head Coach. The former England futsal international excels as a progressive hub from defence and has had a bigger influence on Wolves’ build-up with each passing season.
In all of the four previous Premier League campaigns, Kilman played more than three progressive passes per 90 whilst averaging a progressive carry in every other match. His 3.08 progressive passes last season took him well clear of the average of 1.96 at West Ham (between Nayef Aguerd, Konstantinos Mavropanos, Kurt Zouma and Angelo Ogbonna), and his 0.58 progressive carries were about equal to that of West Ham’s highest achiever in this area – Mavropanos with 0.6.
What sets Kilman apart is that he combines this progressive ability with a physical dominance and imperiousness in the duels not often found in progressively-minded central defenders. Excluding defenders from the big six Premier League clubs, only Nottingham Forest’s Moussa Niakhaté and Brighton’s Adam Webster were able to beat Kilman’s 70.5% success in aerial duels last season.
And others that were similarly dominant in the air – players like Jarrad Branthwaite, Ethan Pinnock, Craig Dawson and Sven Botman – fell well below Kilman for their progressive contribution. This combination of abilities makes Kilman a clear standout and this is only advanced further by his flexibility in being completely comfortable on either side of the defence.
Where a lack of continuity in the heart of defence affected West Ham last season – injuries forced regular changes which then impacted the rest of the team as different central defensive partnerships necessitated differing collective out of possession approaches – Kilman could help solidify this area through his reliability and consistency.
His injury record throughout his career is virtually spotless and he has featured in almost every minute of the last two league seasons, missing out on a total of just 113, clearly showcasing his impeccable fitness levels.
Further to this, where other centre-backs can be markedly inflexible – perhaps particularly suited to defending the box or featuring in a high line – Kilman has the ability to comfortably adapt to a multitude of different approaches with his physical profile and defensive qualities enabling him to perform in a low block just as well as he can within a more intense pressing style.
We see this in his excellent performance on shots blocked and clearances (0.97 and 4.79 per 90, both inside the top 25% in the division), and his blocked passes and interceptions (0.34 and 1.03 per 90, both above the league average for his position). His height, strength, speed and anticipation equip him more than adequately to deal with these different scenarios and he has proven that he can match the many different kinds of forwards we see across the division.
Lastly, defending counter-attacks could be even more important at West Ham next season. With the full-backs likely to commit higher up the pitch, the centre-backs may be forced to defend wider zones from higher starting positions to stop opposition attackers from breaking away to produce high quality opportunities in transition. Thankfully, Kilman’s incredible record of 75% success when challenging dribblers – placing him in the 91st percentile in the Premier League – inspires huge confidence in this area. Not only does he have the aforementioned speed and anticipation to deal with these situations, but he clearly has the quality in the timing and execution of his tackles to win the ball back at a very impressive rate.
In truth, Kilman has all of the attributes necessary to push on and make the step to the next level where he could compete with some of the other top centre-backs in the league for a place in Gareth Southgate’s England squad. This must be a clear aim for a player that has already taken huge steps in his career, from non-league football with Maidenhead United to elite competition with Wolves.
And with Jarrod Bowen having followed a similar path from Hereford to Hull before going on to feature for England thanks to his excellent form at West Ham, there’s no reason why Kilman can’t use the east London platform to show what he can do and take that next big step in Claret and Blue.
*The views and opinions expressed in this article are those of Analytics United and do not necessarily reflect the views and opinions of West Ham United.
