Joel-VeltmanWest Ham United

West Ham player ratings vs Watford: Joel Veltman superb, fan favourite miles off it

Senior Correspondent AUTHORITY Senior sports journalist with editorial experience at Football League World. FOCUS Statistical analysis and long-form opinion across the Breaking Media network. THE INSIGHT James utilises data and a network of club contacts to deliver verified, expert analysis. He provides the statistical depth and editorial judgment behind the stories to ensure fans get the full picture

Published on:

29 Aug 2026, 3:48 pm

West Ham United's wait for a first Championship win of the season goes on.

The Hammers were held to a 1-1 draw away at Watford on Saturday.

Nuno Espirito Santo made three changes to the side which drew to Charlton last time out in the Championship.

Airidas Golambeckis, Joel Veltman and Divine Mukasa all came into the Irons lineup, with Joel Piroe, Konstantinos Mavropanos and Ollie Scarles all dropping out.

Amin Nabizada opened the scoring for Watford on 19 minutes, before a Matthew Pollock own goal levelled things up for the Irons just under 10 minutes later.

West Ham Zone rates all Hammers players that played a part against Watford out of 10.

Joel Veltman may not be for budging from West Ham starting XI

Having made his full West Ham debut in the Carabao Cup win over Southampton, Veltman was handed his full league debut on Saturday.

Starting at right-back with Kyle Walker-Peters pushed across to the left, the 34-year-old proved that he doesn't need any further time to get up to speed.

Every aerial duel there was to be won he went and made it his, and he made sure Watford got absolutely no joy down his side whatsoever all afternoon.

He did pick up a yellow card in the first half, but that doesn't take the shine off what was a fantastic performance at Vicarage Road.

But as Veltman looks undroppable after Watford, the same, unthinkably, may not be able to be said for West Ham's talisman, Jarrod Bowen.

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West Ham can't afford for Jarrod Bowen to play like he did vs Watford

Before the start of this season, many were having the conversation about Bowen being the best ever player to turn out in the Championship.

So far through the opening three games of 2026-27, however, the 29-year-old Hammers hero looks good, but by no means a star at this level.

That's simply not good enough for a player who could quite easily have made England's World Cup squad this summer.

He carried his usual threat down the right, but shots were largely speculative, whilst his deliveries from crosses weren't finding their target all game.

If West Ham are to win promotion this season, they need their talisman at his best, and so far this term, he's not got close to that.