Nuno’s misuse of Jarrod Bowen will end West Ham’s Premier League status – here’s why
West Ham’s squad has few players of true quality littered throughout it and even fewer difference-makers, but Jarrod Bowen is one of them.
The West Ham captain has netted eight goals and assisted four this Premier League season so far, the most combined for any member of the Irons squad.
Other than that, Mateus Fernandes and Callum Wilson follow behind with six each.
There is a clear reliance on Bowen to come up with the goods for the London Stadium club, but Nuno Espirito Santo is dwindling the influence he can have.
Over recent weeks, and his performance against Liverpool, the stats are showing how that is happening.
The Jarrod Bowen problem Nuno must solve at West Ham
Recent games for West Ham have begun to prop up a real area of concern for Bowen at West Ham, and that is due to the Englishman being platformed entirely wrong.
The Hammers skipper is one of their better goalscorers, but it appears he is not being allowed the chance to change games for the E20 outfit.
Against Liverpool, Bowen had zero attempts at goal, and while he was excelling in a more creative role, creating three key passes, and having 75 per cent passing accuracy, there could have been more joy if he had been given those chances.
As shown by the Sofascore graphic below, Bowen seemingly found the ball in wider and deeper areas away from goal.
It is not just an isolated instance, either, as over the last four Premier League fixtures, the winger has only accumulated 0.21 xG, showcasing that even when he does get the rare chance to shoot, the shots are in suboptimal situations.
If West Ham want to stay in the Premier League, turning to their talisman in their hour of need seems like the most logical solution.
They must begin getting the ball to the 29-year-old and allow him to influence games in the way he has been known to do, scoring goals.
Why Bowen’s drought could continue vs Fulham
Next up for West Ham and Bowen is a London derby against Fulham, and the Irons captain may not be looking forward to that fixture.
The 29-year-old has not scored against the Cottagers since 2022, and with him currently finding chances few and far between, signs point to that remaining the case.
However, last season Bowen did pick up an assist as the Hammers scored a 95th-minute winner in this exact fixture.
Hopefully he can be more involved in the attacking display at Craven Cottage than he was at Anfield. West Ham’s survival could depend on it.
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