Credit: Imago

Harri Burton

Sat 9 August 2025 18:51, UK

Graham Potter may only have himself to blame for his demise as West Ham and Jarrod Bowen struggle under his reign.

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The former Brighton and Chelsea boss won just five of his first 19 games in charge at the London Stadium last season, which saw the Hammers sink to 14th in the Premier League table.

Having taken over from Julen Lopetegui halfway through the season, there was very little he could do with the calibre of player at his disposal, but he now has a summer transfer window under his belt.

Despite bringing in El Hadji Malick Diouf, Kyle Walker-Peters, Daniel Cummings, and Callum Wilson, fans have been left bitterly disappointed, and the pressure only continues to mount on Potter.

Credit: Imago

Although the Hammers have claimed wins over Grasshopper, Everton, and Bournemouth, and most recently drew 1-1 with Lille on Saturday, 9 August, the playing style has left a lot to be desired.

In addition to that, the club’s top scorer in three of the last five seasons, Jarrod Bowen, has scored just one goal in five friendly matches this summer, and that is down to the manager.

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With Potter introducing a back-five formation, with three midfielders ahead of them, Bowen has been pushed into a strange position – not on the wing, but also not alongside Niclas Fullkrug.

He is well-versed when it comes to featuring as the sole centre-forward, but clearly, as a support striker for the German, his talents are diminished in the final third.

This will only frustrate the fans further, and when the going gets tough in East London, the figure in the dugout nearly always feels the full force of the fallout.

The 28-year-old’s position is, and always has been, coming off the right wing, being able to use trickery before darting down the line or cutting onto his left foot and taking aim from distance.

With 74 goals and 46 in his 238 games with the Hammers, it is incredibly clear that Bowen has absolutely everything at his feet to lead his side into the final third, but not if the manager wants him to play a different game.

He remains the most dangerous player in the squad, and still was even before Mohammed Kudus moved to Tottenham, but the 50-year-old coach refuses to give him free rein on the right flank.

Jarrod Bowen continues to drag West Ham to victory.

(Credit Imago)

If the Irons are going to improve next season, and the manager is going to survive the pressure against him, he must accept that his tactics are wrong and Bowen is being chained up by his playing style.

If he doesn’t, David Sullivan and Karren Brady might be knocking on his office door partway through the 2025/26 season to discuss his future at the club.
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