Jarrod Bowen can turn West Ham United fortunes around after what he did for England
Jarrod Bowen’s performance off the bench for England against the Republic of Ireland will have been celebrated by Julen Lopetegui and West Ham.
Bowen scored the Three Lions’ fourth goal of a 5-0 Wembley rout seconds after entering proceedings late in the second half on 17 November, sweeping home a strong left-footed strike from a set-piece routine.
Having replaced Noni Madueke on the right amid the absences of Bukayo Saka and Jack Grealish, Bowen staking his place as a key member of the squad will have delighted Irons fans.
Lopetegui will also be happy to see his captain succeeding on the international stage after an under-par start to the season and will hope he can replicate that impact upon his return to Rush Green.
Pressure on West Ham to unlock the very best of Jarrod Bowen
No Hammers fan will dispute that Bowen has had a seismic impact on the club’s history since his 2020 arrival at the London Stadium, and his goal against Ireland could be the start of similar for England.
Despite playing just 15 minutes and being one of four players to score maiden international goals, Bowen still made his presence felt all over the pitch, firing off four shots for a total xG of 0.63 [SofaScore].
Furthermore, while Bowen had 16 touches and only attempted seven passes, he completed every one including two in the final third to create a chance, racking up a further 0.35 expected assists [FotMob].
With a shot accuracy of 67 per cent (one effort was blocked) and two corners won [FotMob], Bowen was a constant threat against the Irish, who were reeling after conceding five second-half goals.
Not afraid to get stuck in with one successful duel and two defensive actions, Bowen proving to be the perfect substitute has surely rubber-stamped his place to be selected in Thomas Tuchel’s first squad.
Lopetegui in particular will hope that the 27-year-old can carry this form back to the club scene, and if there’s any player who can dig the Irons out of their current hole, you’d bet your bottom dollar on it being Bowen.
In other West Ham news, Dean Ashton and Ally McCoist were in complete agreement about what the Irons’ biggest problem is.
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