David Moyes hopes to solve West Ham United problem with Jarrod Bowen change
David Moyes is looking to solve West Ham United’s striker problem by converting Jarrod Bowen into a genuine centre-forward, according to The Athletic.
Roshane Thomas reported (9 October) that the Irons manager is looking to help the former Hull City winger reach another level in his career by helping him transition from a wide-man to an out-and-out number nine after he signed a new seven-year contract at the London Stadium.
Moyes has previously managed to transition both Michail Antonio and Marko Arnautovic from a full-back and winger respectively to genuinely threatening strikers in the Premier League and looks to be hoping to do the same with Bowen over the remainder of his contract.
The Irons are already hoping to develop Bowen’s game, with Thomas writing: “Moyes and his backroom staff have also improved other aspects of Bowen’s game such as his aerial ability. They are also giving him video clips of Arjen Robben and Franck Ribery, both of whom operated in similar positions for German side Bayern Munich.”
Exciting prospect
Moyes has been more than capable in the past of managing to create strikers out of players who have previously never played in the position and he is already at an advantage with Bowen considering that he has featured in a similar position for Hull in the past.
Having lost Gianluca Scamacca to Atalanta in the summer, the Irons only have Antonio and Danny Ings as recognised centre-forwards in their ranks, so until January at least Moyes may have to get creative when deciding who should lead his line.
The biggest issue Bowen has faced when he has played as the recognised striker for West Ham previously has been his much smaller physical presence when compared to the likes of Antonio, as shown during the Irons’ Europa League win over Freiburg when he had the fewest touches of any outfield player on either side [Fotmob].
But the Hammers are hoping that Bowen will be able to become one of the Premier League and potentially Europe’s best attacking players and there are few better to try and copy the style of than Robben and Ribery.
If Bowen can get anywhere near either of those player’s levels, the Hammers’ decision to give him a new contract will be one of the best decisions ever made at the London Stadium.
In other West Ham news, according to WhoScored, nine players have improved for the Irons this season