I readily admit this is now my hobby horse but to not start Jarrod Bowen when you are ready to trust 19 year old Jeremy Ngakia – who has just eight under 23 games behind him this season – is beyond any words of mine.
Jeremy was fantastic against Liverpool so why would you not expect the same from Bowen at £23 million after what we have seen from him so far?
I have wanted Bowen at the club since last November when my best mate, Hull season ticket holder Tony Yorke, told me all about him.
He recently wrote a piece for CandH declaring that given the opportunity, Jarrod would become a Hammers legend yet until now we have seen around 20 minutes of him and it was all good.
Moyes admitted during his presser Ngakia today that Ngakia had been amazing and earlier in the season said that Sheffield United with a team full of Championship players showed they could all step up to the Premier League plate.
Questioned today about whether Bowen would play on Saturday he trotted out the same old response that it wasn’t fair to put to much expectation on him.
Yet he put it on Jeremy with there being no immediate need given Zaba’s fitness and look at the response.
Bowen’s big virtue is that he rarely loses the ball and can go past players so if it’s a straight choice between him and Felipe Anderson there is no real choice to be made. It’s Bowen all day long!
We didn’t pay £23 million for a player with 17 goals to his name this season and 22 last to warm the bench.
So do the right thing Moyes and play the boy – what on earth is there to lose other than your own credibility!
Take your point to an extent but it’as not the same situation. Ngakia had to come in because we no one else to do it. Zaba too slow to cover Mane and Fredericks injured. I’d like to see Bowen start regardless though, especially at home.
23 m seems a lot to pay for a bloke who is bough in an emergency and not to be sure about
Moyes hasn’t got a clue bowen should start . Keep bringing him on for 10 minutes doesn’t give him enough time.
Yes he should be in the team but not in a straight swap for Anderson at all.Anderson was in his first game back after injury.He was a much needed outlet for a undercover defence.When Anderson went off we conceded 2 goals.With no outlet Liverpool pushed us further and further back till the pressure became too much.Snodgrass is the one to make way. in my opinion.Yes some like him but he is a honest Trier with no pace.It is a game of opinions.Some will agree ,some won’t
Its a no brainer for anyone with brains that Fornals has to come in alongside Rice and Bowen to start instead of Snodgrass but we are dealing with a manager who is uttererly clueless. For me if he picks Noble and Snodgrass this weekend, if he still thinks playing 1 up at home in a must win game then he has to sacked before the next game. This weekend will tell the owners all they need to know to make a rapid fire decision. Moyes has laid his eggs in winning this game at the expense of the last two, lets see was he right. He cost us the game on Monday night because he moved Noble into a midfield 2, what a joke of a decision and he kept Snodgrass on even though he had run his race. How he could imagine taking Anderson off and leaving Snodgrass on is a sacking crime alone. His record is 1 win in 8 !!! At this rate with this clown in charge we wont reach 30 points this season never mind 40. How long more can the owners afford to sit back and do nothing. Lose this weekend any other logically owners would sack him.
I have never heard such garbage “ease him into the premier league” bowen has been playing in the championship FFS playing in the Premier league will be a dodle for him, different matter when a player goes from the Premier league to the championship, that’s when the game gets hard, bowen is a machine, he’s fit & ready for any game in the premier league, let him play & West ham will get results
Anderson deserved to be replaced. He has only just come back from injury and was spent and giving away possession. In the hour he was on the pitch he shirked every possible physical contact, pulled out of every tackle and generally looked afraid to get involved. I know there is an exceptional player in there somewhere but we don’t have the time to wait until it can be coaxed out. We need fighters now!
Moyes stated that Bowen is one for the future and not to expect him to be a miracle cure ..what utter cr.p does he not realise that pretty soon there will.be very little future if any should we drop
Goals win he’s ..play him FFS
Agree with you Hugh. To not play Bowen from the start with his goal scoring record in a must win game would be unforgiveable. 39 goals this season and last is an incedible record and why would you pay £23 million and Moyes to say he needs time to settle! Is just unbelievable. Fornals has to start and I would drop Noble, Anderson and Snodgrass. We desperately need 3 points today and must press and attack from the off. Anderson shirked every tackle against Liverpool and distribution was poor. Smodgrass good for corners but adds little else, and Noble far too slow and caught out of position too often. Grab a couple of goals Jarrod and COYI.
I fully understand why Moyes doesn’t want to throw Bowen straight into the mixer against city and Liverpool from the start. As the big money signing and given the fans hopes pinned on the young lad Moyes recognises the pressure he might be under. Play him against city and Liverpool, have the fans slate him and say he’s not up to it after two games? Or take advantage of two games we were never likely to win to ease the lad in? I think Moyes has it right and I think this why the players also like and respect him.