Bowen to remain England understudy: England 3-1 Italy
Although it would have been great to witness Jarrod Bowen start for England against Italy, manager Gareth Southgate made the correct decision. The Hammers winger is in exceptional form, but the 3-1 victory at Wembley was one of the finest performances against Italy I’ve ever seen.
The front four, consisting of Marcus Rashford, Phil Foden, Jude Bellingham, and Harry Kane were outstanding. In particular, the latter three seamlessly swapped positions, causing mayhem in Italy’s well organised defence. Jude Bellingham deserves special praise, already showcasing world-class talent at just 20 years old.
Given the spectacular display, Bowen can’t really complain about not being involved. As a West Ham fan, it’s always a relief to see our players return from international duty without any injuries. Bowen will have learnt a lot from training with such exceptional players. Unfortunately for him, he’ll have to play understudy for the time being.
Bowen to remain England understudy. West Ham wing had to watch from the side-lines as England impressed against Italy.
Former Hammer, Gianluca Scamacca, managed to score a consolation goal for Italy, but he didn’t significantly influence the game. Kalvin Phillips, who has been linked with a transfer to West Ham from Manchester City recently, appeared rusty and struggled to keep pace with the game at times. Phillips needs a transfer to secure regular game time, although the competitive depth of our squad makes it unlikely for him play at The London Stadium.
Lastly, former Hammer Declan Rice produced an outstanding performance, contributing significantly to dominating a formidable Italian midfield and even played a crucial role in creating the opening goal.