“Didn’t Quite Click” – National Media Criticizes West Ham Star After Underwhelming 5/10 Performance Against Latvia
West Ham’s Jarrod Bowen fails to impress Thomas Tuchel as England secure a 3-0 win over Latvia at Wembley.
England continued their strong start to the 2026 World Cup qualifiers with a commanding 3-0 victory.
Reece James set the tone with a stunning free kick, followed by second-half goals from Harry Kane and Eberechi Eze.
After a brief 16-minute appearance in the 2-0 win against Albania, Jarrod Bowen was given a starting spot as Thomas Tuchel made four changes to the lineup.
However, the West Ham captain struggled to make an impact and was substituted after an hour for Eze, who made an instant impression.
The Crystal Palace star dazzled with a solo run through the Latvia defense, sealing his first England goal just 16 minutes after coming on.
Bowen’s underwhelming performance could be a setback in his bid to cement a regular spot in the squad.
He received a 5/10 rating for his display, failing to impress Tuchel at Wembley.
While he may get another opportunity when England resumes qualifiers in June, the national media was largely unimpressed with his performance.
The BBC noted that Bowen “showed plenty of effort, but it didn’t quite click for the West Ham forward.
He is a quality player but must take his chances in a position where England has plenty of options.”
The Evening Standard echoed this sentiment, stating, “The West Ham captain was quiet for the hour he played at Wembley.”
Statistically, Bowen had 49 touches and made three key passes.
He completed 25 of his 27 passes with an impressive 93% accuracy but struggled with his final product, completing just one of six crosses.
He also won only two of his five ground duels, lost possession 10 times, and failed to register a shot on goal.
West Ham manager Graham Potter will be hoping Bowen can put this lackluster display behind him when he returns to club duty.
With nine games remaining in a difficult season, the Hammers have little left to play for, but Potter will be eager to end the campaign on a positive note.
