Jarrod Bowen’s opinions are as honest as his style of play – he doesn’t hide or make excuses but simply tells it as it is.
Today he is a very unhappy boy accusing the players of letting themselves down with a dispiriting performance once Arsenal played as they are able.
But he reckons the Hammers invited such a response when they took their foot off the collective pedal.
Yes, we missed our second half chances but on the balance of play we could easily have got beaten despite rushing into a great three goal lead which looked at one time as if it could even be doubled.
Yes, Arsenal were dreadful defensively but we let it slip. They played really well when they hit their stride and to break through what has been a watertight defence three times in around 50 minutes or so explains their quality.
These are excuses as far as Bowen is concerned and talking om www.whufc. com afterwards he made that very clear.
He said: “We’re frustrated as anything. Especially because we started so well in that first 30 minutes and went three goals up.
“We should have put the game to bed, which we felt we did, but we dropped and dropped and invited pressure.
“You can’t do that for 45 minutes in a game and expect to get away with it. We got punished for the way we came out in the second half
“We wanted to start on the front foot again, but we didn’t and got punished for it.
“You have to pay respect to Arsenal, they are a good side and you know there will be spells in the game when you’re under pressure, but we invited too much of it.
“We put our stamp on the game in the first 30 minutes and got the three goals, then we had chances at 3-2, so we’re disappointed and frustrated [not to win the game].”
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Cannot disagree with his statement,
however Bowen has to improve his technique when running with the ball and stop falling over when under pressure, twice during the match Bowen did this, once inside the penalty area, which meant a goal threatening opportunity was lost and the other time it indirectly led to a goal. Needless squandering of possession really cost us dearly today.
I agree wholeheartedly with the sentiments in the article.
However I must firstly say that ….
1. Jarrod Bowen has become one of our biggest liability.
He does not track back, tackle, nor help our exposed right back. His crosses are extremely poor, and so is his attitude as a team player. He scored a very unexpected goal today, but as a 20mil player? Lots to be desired.
2. Weak defensive midfield. Especially Declan Rice was again poor defensively and allowed Arsenal players to do what they pleased around him. His movement in Arsenal’s first goal was pathetic to say the least. As a former midfield player, I know what it is to close down, tackle or block. Declan did neither, and looks a super-star to many.
3. Today, Creswell was exposed, and extremely bad. 3x goals from his side of the pitch ??? And Benrahma?
4. Again, the referee looked like he was upping his ratings by favouring the top team. Decisions for Arsenal, and favour to refer to Var for the Antonio penalty foul. Wow.
Look forward to Fornals, Oggie and Masuaku return. We march on. Coyi. God bless West Ham.
Thank you.
Rice had moments but wasn’t at his best. Bowen has lost the plot. Benrhama never had one.
Would pick up OKAY from WBA once they get relegated. Him coming on instead of Noble would have have added energy to us and some bruises to Arsenal.
The referee paid Moyes back for pointing out the obvious.
In the 1970’s Liverpool brought in a very great system like we did against the gooners, go for a quick knockout, then shut up shop, in other words , the defence was the whole team let the opposition try to get through a strong hard defence, it was like trying to break a rock hard wall, usually teams got near the end tired Liverpool sprung a quick charge getting another goal.
We have to learn that when your 3-0 up, close up shop fast, if like the Gooners did getting one back . Know straight after the second half starts , they be coming at you like wild bees, don’t play deep just put up that wall, had we done that the Gooners would not had their tails rise in belief, just could not fathom why we come out as though we had on a Sunday outing rather than put a strong well held defencive wall, The Gooners did tire in the second half, had the Ref allowed Lingard through sure as apples our fourth would have been there.
Merson said and I’m inclined to believe him because he watches every arsenal game, that arsenal like it best when they are playing against a team that shuts up shop or tries to park the bus. That’s when players like Aubameyang are at their best. Arsenal don’t like it up them basically like it was in the first half. Our mistake was to drop off at three nil instead of using the three goal cushion to go for the jugular and completely kill them off.
Agree with Ricky 100%.