Sue Smith stunned by Jarrod Bowen for West Ham United v Bournemouth live on Sky Sports
Sue Smith has hailed Jarrod Bowen as “absolutely brilliant” as West Ham opened the season with a 1-1 draw against Bournemouth.
David Moyes’ side made the trip to the Vitality Stadium on Saturday [12 August] for their opening game of the 2023-24 Premier League campaign, and their first competitive outing since beating Fiorentina in June’s Europa Conference League final.
After a scoreless first half, West Ham turned over possession high up the pitch six minutes after the restart and Tomas Soucek fed the ball to Bowen, who picked out the top-left corner with a curled strike from around 20 yards out.
“It’s an absolutely brilliant finish from [Bowen],” Smith said [12 August, Sky Sports].
“Bowen and [Lucas] Paqueta have been linking up really well and this is a great strike. [Bowen] gets the ball on the edge of the area, gets his head up and curls it into the top corner.”
Key man
Following the summer departure of Declan Rice to Arsenal, there is now more pressure on others in West Ham’s squad – midfielders or otherwise – to give an extra few per cent more.
Bowen was West Ham’s best attacking player last season as he scored and assisted a combined 11 goals – two more than next best Said Benrahma [FBref] – which included a late winner in the famous victory against Fiorentina in Prague.
The England international is already off the mark for the new campaign thanks to his superb strike against Bournemouth, giving Moyes something to be happy about following a rather disappointing transfer window to date – albeit one that looks set to spark into life.
While there has been a period of uncertainty at the London Stadium as an array of players continue to be linked with the Irons, Moyes knows he will be able to rely on Bowen up top this campaign.
Former Hull City attacker Bowen directly contributed to 51 goals in his first three-and-a-half seasons in East London [WhoScored] and looks good value to add plenty more to that tally this campaign, regardless of who joins him in the final third come the close of the transfer window.
For while Rice may no longer be around, West Ham have a player who could prove to be just as important in their ranks in fan favourite Bowen.
In other West Ham news, Paqueta has reportedly agreed a six-year deal to join Premier League and European champions Manchester City.