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Jamie Carragher likens West Ham ace to Liverpool superstar and hails £19m ‘revelation’
Much was made of the many high-profile signings Premier League outfit West Ham United made at the start of the Julen Lopetegui era.
In Carlos Soler, West Ham snapped up a Spain international and former Valencia captain from Paris Saint-Germain. Jean-Clair Todibo was wanted by Juventus and Manchester United.
World Cup winner Guido Rodriguez was on Barcelona’s radar. Luis Guilherme was one of the most hotly-tipped youngsters in Brazilian football, while Nico Fullkrug led the line for Germany at the 2024 European Championships.
But, while the majority of those new faces have taken time to settle in English football – some of them still haven’t, in truth – at least Lopetegui could turn to a couple of ‘ol’ reliables’ in Monday night’s proverbial ‘six-pointer’ at home to relegation rivals Wolverhampton Wanderers.
Tomas Soucek equalising, Jarrod Bowen netting the winner. It was a combination that could have happened at any point over the last three seasons.
But, hurtling towards 2025, both Soucek and Bowen remain as integral to West Ham’s hopes as ever. Arguably even more so, given how some of their expensively-assembled teammates have struggled for form so far under Lopetegui.
Jamie Carragher hails West Ham goalscorers Tomas Soucek and Jarrod Bowen
Soucek’s opener just before the hour mark – assisted by a Bowen delivery – was his 12th from set-piece situations since arriving in the Premier League from Slavia Prague.
As former Liverpool and England defender Jamie Carragher pointed out during Monday Night Football coverage, only Arsenal colossus Gabriel Magalhaes has found the net more regularly [17 goals] in that time.
“This guy has been an absolute revelation since joining West Ham,” Carragher said, the towering Czech Republic international joining in a deal worth £19 million after an initial loan spell back in 2020.
“He has scored 12 goals [from set-pieces]. And, when you think of dangers [in the air], you think of Soucek.
“Absolutely fantastic, that man.”
Bowen would turn from provider to match-winner 18 minutes later.
Skipping past Goncalo Guedes on the edge of the Wolves penalty area, Bowen opened up his body and curled a trademark effort into the far corner past a despairing Sam Johnstone.
Bowen has often been tipped to replace Mo Salah at Liverpool. And Carragher, the Anfield icon, feels that his Monday night winner would not look out of place in a compilation of Salah’s greatest finishes, with both forwards sharing a similar party piece.
“You feel like you’ve seen that goal so often,” Carragher said. “Mo Salah scores that goal, Bowen scores that goal.”
Jarrod Bowen pleased to bounce back from Leicester City loss
This was only Bowen’s fourth of a difficult season so far.
The £22 million signing from Hull City is belatedly hitting his stride, however, following up a mesmerising performance away at Newcastle last month with another against Wolves; Gary O’Neil’s backline simply unable to contain a player of his pace, strength, skill and remarkable close control in the tightest of areas.
“It’s a huge result,” a relieved Bowen said at full-time. “We knew tonight was a must-win really, coming off the back of two defeats, and we just had to get the three points in whatever way we could.
“We’ve had a couple of goals disallowed [both from Mohammed Kudus], so it could’ve been a bit more comfortable. But we kept fighting, and I think we deserved it.”
West Ham were stunned by Ruud van Nistelrooy’s Leicester City last week despite mustering 30-plus attempts on The Foxes goal. This, then, was a much-needed display of clinical-ness in the final third.
“We felt like we deserved more at Leicester last week,” Bowen adds. “But, unlike then, tonight we’ve managed to take our chances. We go to Bournemouth now, looking to back tonight up.”