Danny Ings has backed new West Ham United signing Kalvin Phillips to make his mark on the team during his time in Claret and Blue.
England international Phillips joined the Irons on loan from Manchester City last week and could make his Hammers debut on Thursday evening at London Stadium, under the lights against AFC Bournemouth.
Ings knows Phillips from time spent together in the national team set-up, and knows first-hand the quality that the 28-year-old is bringing to east London. The forward is excited to see just what the newest member of the squad brings to the side.
“I know Kalvin and he’s a great guy, and a very good player,” Ings said. “He’s a very good addition to the squad here. He comes in with experience and he’s a top lad. He could be a very important player for us.
“Everyone in the squad is important, but bringing a player in like Kalvin is huge. He makes teams tick. He’s very good on the ball, has great vision and his passing range is unbelievable.
“He’s great to have in the dressing room, too. He’s fitting in perfectly well and he’s already got established relationships with some of the lads. I’m sure he will want to hit the ground running here.”
Ings himself was a January signing for the Irons, joining from Aston Villa last year. While the striker’s efforts were vital for West Ham retaining their Premier League status, Ings feels he could have done more.
Having shown his own ability in recent showings, the 31-year-old is optimistic about making an impact in the second half of the 2023/24 campaign.
Ings said: “Last season I probably struggled to adapt to the playing style and the way things work here. I take accountability in that I probably wasn’t in the best shape either and I wasn’t able to impact games in the way I would have liked to.
“This season though, things are completely different. I’m in much better shape and the team has been playing very well. It’s been hard to break into a winning team and get minutes, but I want to be as professional as I’ve always been, and hopefully I can have more of an impact in this part of the season.
“Players need consistency and momentum, and that comes with games. It’s been hard to get a run of games, and that’s understandable because the team has been so good since I’ve been here. Hopefully I can have more of an impact moving forward.”
Having started the last league outing, a 2-2 draw away to Sheffield United, Ings is hopeful of retaining his spot in the side for the visit of his former Club on Thursday evening.
The attacker began his storied career on the south coast with the Cherries, and recognises the immense growth his old side has enjoyed in recent years. As such, Ings knows Bournemouth will be a difficult challenge to overcome.
“We’ve been up and down,” Ings reflected. “I feel like there have been games that we should have won, and the last game against Sheffield United was probably one of those. We haven’t been playing badly, we’ve been in all our games, but we just haven’t got over the line in a couple of them. The mood is good around the place and we know the wins are going to come.
“It will be hard against Bournemouth. From where Bournemouth were when I was there, to where they are now, is absolutely huge. They’re playing really well and they’ve got a good manager, who they’re playing good football under. We’re expecting a very tough game against Bournemouth, but it’s one we’re looking forward to.”
