Micah Richards wowed by ‘best player on the pitch’ Jarrod Bowen in West Ham v Watford
West Ham showed their class in dismantling Watford on Tuesday and one player in particular was heaped with praise.
Winger Jarrod Bowen picked up assists five, six and seven of the season in the Premier League as the 25-year-old turned in a man of the match performance.
His scintillating display at Vicarage Road excited BBC Match Of The Day pundit Micah Richards who tips Bowen for big things.
“We’ve seen him do it in the Championship and we thought, ‘could he deal with the step up?’. And I think he’s dealing with the step up perfectly,” Richards said on BBC’s Match of the Day on Tuesday night.
“Today, he was by far the best player on the pitch.
“Left-footed, playing on the right-hand side, he comes into these areas here where it’s so difficult to mark him.”
Richards picked out the Hammers first goal to demonstrate Bowen’s ability.
“You’ll see next here with [Said] Benrahma on the other side, he doesn’t just stay as a winger, he comes inside to create space for others. In here, he’s getting in the pocket of space, in between the lines [and] the defenders can’t come, midfielders don’t know where to go.
“He’s looked to the left and seen his mate, Soucek, who’s going to make the run and it’s just a delightful ball. The weight of the pass is absolutely brilliant.”
The Golden Hammer
After last seasons heroic run to finish fifth in the Premier League, West Ham could have been forgiven for struggling with Europa League commitments but they’ve shown no signs of dropping form.
And it’s been Bowen’s raised enthusiasm and ability that has helped David Moyes fill the void left by last season’s loanee Jesse Lingard.
His three assists against Watford takes his goal involvements tally to ten in the Premier League, a figure only bettered by Michail Antonio for the Irons.
But while Antonio and even Said Benrahma have been stealing the headlines so far this season, Bowen has arguably been the club’s best player.
His attacking knowledge and execution of everything he tries has even caught the eye of Liverpool who have been linked with a move for the Englishman.
With a World Cup less than 12 months away, Bowen may be in with a shout of his first England call up if he continues to excel at the London Stadium.
In other West Ham news: Dean Saunders has urged Declan Rice to play like Roy Keane