Bent: West Ham recruit will be straight in starting XI
West Ham United’s signing of forward Jarrod Bowen from Hull City on transfer deadline day has all the makings of a fantastic bit of business.
The 23-year-old is a tremendous talent who has been tearing up the Championship for a number of years now.
Considering the Hammers’ struggles in front of goal in recent months, he could hold the key to a successful second half of the season.
Former England international Darren Bent certainly doesn’t think he’ll have to wait very long to get his shot in the Irons’ starting XI.
“He’s exciting and that’s where you’ve got to start, he’s exciting,” he told Football Insider. “He’s quick as anything, he’s had a brilliant season with Hull.
“I think he will add to what they’ve got – he’s got pace and that was something that I think they were missing, a lot of pace and he knows where the net is.
“We know [Robert] Snodgrass scored two [v Brighton] but apart from that, no one’s really set the world alight. When [Michail] Antonio’s fit, I’d still play Antonio so that still leaves a spot for Bowen.
“I don’t think he’s going to have to go in there, bide his time and wait for weeks and weeks and weeks, I think before we know it he’s going to get thrown in because nobody has really set it alight.”
Is Bent right about this one?
As he says, there aren’t too many West Ham players in the attacking midfield positions who are performing so well that they’d likely keep Bowen out of the team.
Snodgrass will stay in against Manchester City on Sunday after his brace against the Seagulls while, as Bent says, Antonio is pivotal and will surely retain his place.
But Bowen could well slot in alongside them in a 4-3-3 attack or in an attacking midfield three behind Sebastien Haller in a 4-2-3-1 formation. Either way, it’d be a surprise if he didn’t start on Sunday.
In other West Ham news, two Irons wingers are expected to return to full fitness in time for the clash with Liverpool.