West Ham United captain Jarrod Bowen looked indecisive and out of sorts during the Hammers’ 5–2 defeat away to Liverpool. But if we are honest, that in itself is nothing new.
The talisman has been struggling for form for some time now. Fortunately, the slack has been taken up by Crysencio Summerville, who’s form has coincided with Jarrod’s drop-off and taken up the slack.
Some mitigation regularly offered for Bowen’s downturn, largely centred on the idea that his defensive workload has blunted his attacking edge. While he has been diligent tracking back and helping out defensively, it has arguably come at the expense of his output in the final third.
However, something slightly different happened at Anfield. Despite the heavy defeat at the hands of Arne Slot’s side, West Ham actually attacked reasonably well. Nuno Espírito Santo’s team registered 11 shots and enjoyed 50 per cent possession — enough to suggest Bowen should have influenced the game from open play.
Energy There — Impact Missing
Unfortunately, despite his usual high energy levels, Bowen struggled to impose himself. He passed when he perhaps should have shot, ran down the line when cutting inside looked the better option, and too often tried to dribble past one player too many — resulting in West Ham losing possession.
Most Read on West Ham News
Most concerningly, he appears to have lost a yard of pace. Personally, I do not believe that is terminal. It feels more like a player who has not had a proper break for three years and may be feeling the weight of the captaincy at a club struggling both on and off the pitch.
That said, if West Ham are to have any genuine hope of remaining in the Premier League this season, we will need arguably our best player to rediscover the levels that made him a modern Hammers legend.