Maquee Matchup Features West Ham’s Star Man
By Adam Smith
When West Ham travel to Leeds, the Hammers can flaunt a player who has shredded the Whites in seasons past who highlights in the marquee matchup.
Few teams can boast players that have shredded newly promoted teams, save for performances in Cups, tournaments, and friendlies. Luckily enough for West Ham, their January offensive fire-starter is currently on a hot streak and know just how to make Leeds bend to his will on the pitch.
Jarrod Bowen has been an unmovable fixture at right-wing for West Ham and has repaid the faith David Moyes has in him with four goals and one assist through 11 Premier League games this season.
With only two goals to his name in the past two and a half seasons of Championship football, Bowen’s double for Hull in the 2-0 win scarred the Whites pretty heavily as their fans still think he will be the key to unlocking their shakey and haphazardly constructed team.
Cited by the crew at Leeds podcast All Stats Aren’t We, Jarrod Bowen should be highlighted as the lynchpin and instigator of a quick-striking West Ham offence. His runs in behind his fullback cover have caused problems in the past and his speed on the counterattack, which West Ham relies on, can also be highlighted as a potential issue for Leeds to try and nullify.
The bigger issue is that Leeds are bare-bones on defence and will have left midfielder Ezgjan Alioski or left-back Stuart Dallas covering him and trying to insulate a centre-back core that is will have its hands full with Bowen’s pace and pressing play.
Regardless of defensive cover, Bowen will be motivated to take his chances better than he did against Manchester United and get back into the goals again. Whoever marks a motivated Bowen, best of luck because his speed and left-footed shooting will be testing the Leeds goal at every opportunity.