Jarrod Bowen must be restored to West Ham starting XI v Brighton
West Ham boss David Moyes has been known to make very few changes to his starting lineup in the Premier League this season and it was no different against Manchester City on Sunday.
The Scot made just one switch at the Etihad Stadium from the previous weekend’s 1-0 defeat to Wolves, but arguably he took the wrong player out.
Jarrod Bowen was the man to drop to the bench, with Arthur Masuaku coming into the side on the left-wing.
It was the first Premier League game this season that Bowen has not started and the Hammers certainly lacked the threat he brings to the team.
It is worth saying that there was perhaps logic to Moyes’s decision to leave the former Hull City man out of the XI.
Firstly, he may simply have just needed a rest. Only three players in the squad have played more minutes in all competitions this season than Bowen.
Whereas the likes of Declan Rice and Aaron Cresswell were left out against Rapid Vienna in the Europa League on Thursday night, Bowen played 65 minutes in a central striker role in Austria.
Moyes may also have felt as if Masuaku, most naturally a left-back, would have offered his team more defensive solidity against the current Premier League champions.
However, that proved not to be the case, as the Congolese full-back left Riyad Mahrez free on Manchester City’s right wing, affording him far too much space to pick a pass to set up Ilkay Gundogan for the opening goal.
West Ham also missed the attacking contribution of Bowen, who eventually came on as a substitute in the 74th minute.
The Hammers have shown this season that they are capable of competing with the best in the league, so they should have no fear about going toe to toe with the likes of City.
Bowen ranks first in the squad in the Premier League this season for assists (four) and dribbles per game (2), second for key passes per game (1.5) and third for shots per game (2.2) [via WhoScored]. Without him, their attack looked slightly blunt.
There is no doubting that against Brighton and Hove Albion on Wednesday night, the 24-year-old has to come back into the side.
In other West Ham news, an amazing attacker is making personal arrangements for Hammers switch in January.
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