West Ham forward Jarrod Bowen has been picked by Gareth Southgate for England’s friendlies against Brazil and Belgium this month, and he has received big praise from Sky Sports pundit Paul Merson.
The 26-year-old forward has been outstanding for the Hammers this season, and it would have been a grave injustice had Southgate overlooked him.
Raheem Sterling has played regularly under Southgate, but the Chelsea forward has suffered a massive dip in form. He simply doesn’t deserve to be in the squad based on his current form, and Bowen has got another opportunity to impress the England boss.
Merson has suggested on Sky Sports that Bowen is a “manager’s dream” who gives “you everything”. However, Merson predicts that Bowen could miss out on the final Euro squad, and would be ‘unlucky’ if that happens.
With only a few months left for the Euros in the summer, these games have become crucial for Southgate to check out players who could be in the final squad for the big tournament.
Merson raves about West Ham forward Jarrod Bowen
He said: “Jarrod Bowen can play in three or four positions across the frontline. I like him, he’s a manager’s dream and gives you everything but he might just miss out on the Euros squad.
“He’s unlucky but Southgate has so many options. He’d have been sweating if Sterling was ripping it up. There’s going to be some disappointed players this summer.”
England have a plethora of attacking midfielders but there is a chance that Bowen could miss out on a place in the final squad.
However, Bowen should not worry about it, rather he must enjoy the present moment. The versatile attacking midfielder has scored 18 goals in all competitions for the Hammers this season and has registered six assists.
Bowen mainly plays on the right, where he can drift centrally and influence the game. But under David Moyes, he has played in the false nine role and also a number ten. His versatility can be a big weapon for England.
Merson is absolutely spot on about Bowen’s work rate. He manages around 1.2 tackles per game in the Premier League which shows his willingness to track back.
