West Ham United: Mark Goldbridge slams Jarrod Bowen as James Ward-Prowse snub for England is joke
Mark Goldbridge has slammed Gareth Southgate’s decision to pick Jarrod Bowen in the England squad, saying the West Ham ace is not “even playing that well.”
The Three Lions named their squad for their October internationals against Australia and Italy, with Bowen being recalled to Southgate’s squad having missed out in September, despite his excellent start to the season.
James Ward-Prowse wasn’t able to force his way back into the squad despite registering five goal involvements in six league appearances, with that decision labelled a “joke”.
Taking to Twitter on Thursday (5 October) he said: “Ward-Prowse out is a joke.
“As for Bowen and Nketiah in there…..not even playing that well. Maguire and Phillips don’t even play but even I’m tired of saying that.”
Not even playing well
You have to wonder whether Goldbridge has even watched Bowen play for West Ham this season considering just how good the 26-year-old has been in the early parts of the season. With five goals and one assist in the league so far this season, he has scored more goals than any other Englishman in the Premier League.
Harry Kane has only scored three more league goals than the Hammers forward and he has also managed to find the net more often than Phil Foden, Jack Grealish, Bukayo Saka and Eddie Nketiah, but still he’s coming in for criticism.
Had Bowen missed out on this England squad, it would have been hard to imagine him ever finding his way back into Southgate’s plans as the former Hull man is arguably in the form of his life currently and is certainly one of the Three Lions’ best attacking players based on recent performances.
The one thing that most Hammers fans will agree with Goldbridge on, however, is just how disappointing it is to see Ward-Prowse once again miss out on the side. The former Southampton man must be wondering what he has to do to return to the national side having barely put a foot wrong at the London Stadium.
He deserves a place over either Phillips or Henderson, but his absence could be a blessing in disguise for David Moyes and West Ham fans, as it massively reduces the likelihood of him picking up any sort of injury over the international break.
In other West Ham news, Callum Wilson has said it is inevitable that he will score when Newcastle face the Irons