West Ham 4-1 Ipswich: Jarrod Bowen shines as Julen Lopetegui secures first Premier League home win to ease pressure
Jarrod Bowen played a key role in West Ham's impressive 4-1 win against Ipswich Town in the Premier League, helping to relieve some of the tension surrounding manager Julen Lopetegui.
Bowen, who was not included in interim England manager Lee Carsley's squad for the upcoming UEFA Nations League matches against Greece and Finland, found his top form again. This helped Lopetegui achieve his first home league victory since taking over from David Moyes in the summer.
Last weekend, West Ham found themselves trailing just one minute into their match against Brentford. However, this time they quickly turned things around, scoring just 48 seconds into the game when Bowen delivered a precise low cross that was expertly finished by the standout Michail Antonio.
West Ham Player Ratings: Areola received a 6, Wan-Bissaka scored a 7, Todibo also got a 7, Kilman was rated 6, and Emerson matched that with a 6 as well. Rodriguez earned a 6, while Bowen stood out with a 9. Soucek and Paqueta both received a 7, Kudus was also rated 7, and Antonio finished with an 8.
Substitutes: Cresswell (not applicable), Soler (6), Alvarez (6), Summerville (not applicable), Guilherme (not applicable).
Ipswich Town: Muric (5), Johnson (6), O'Shea (5), Greaves (5), Davis (6), Burns (6), Morsy (6), Phillips (5), Hutchinson (6), J. Clarke (6), Delap (7).
Substitutes: Taylor (6), Ogbene (6), Szmodics (6), Chaplin (not applicable), Hirst (not applicable).
Man of the Match: Jarrod Bowen.
The home team’s advantage didn’t last long—only five minutes, in fact. Liam Delap is proving to be a significant player at this level, and after Lucas Paqueta gave him too much room to pick up a loose ball from a corner, the Manchester City academy graduate skillfully moved inside and unleashed a strong shot that went past Alphonse Areola.
Areola should have performed better, as he was immobile when Jacob Greaves narrowly missed the target with a quick header from Leif Davis' free-kick later in the half.
West Ham capitalized on their chance when Mohammed Kudus came close to scoring after hitting the post from a tempting cross by Antonio. Shortly after, Kudus was quick to react and scored from close range after Antonio's header hit the underside of the crossbar following a delivery from Paqueta.
Ipswich was lucky to not fall behind earlier in the match, as Tomas Soucek's attempt on goal was saved just in time by Dara O'Shea after a misunderstanding between Arijanet Muric and Sam Morsy.
The visitors effectively caused their own demise right after the restart when Muric had difficulty handling a backpass from Ben Johnson. This mistake allowed Bowen to seize the opportunity, slipping past Kalvin Phillips and calmly placing the ball into the far corner of the net (49).
Paqueta enhanced the final score with an easy tap-in after receiving a low cross from Bowen. This victory marked the Hammers' second home win in their last ten Premier League games, lifting them to 12th place in the standings. Meanwhile, Ipswich stays in 17th position with four points.
Clouds Clearing Over West Ham
Bowen put on a fantastic performance as he helped his team break their winless streak at home in a spectacular fashion. West Ham invested about £132 million during the summer transfer window but managed to bring in around £32.5 million in returns. However, they began the weekend sitting in 14th place in the Premier League, only two points above the relegation spots.
This victory alleviates some of the ongoing doubts about Lopetegui's hiring. During certain moments in the first half, it seemed like they might struggle to achieve this first home league win of the season.
In the end, West Ham looked like their old self again. They could have scored five or six goals. After a shaky beginning to the season, the troubles are finally clearing away.
Lopetegui expressed his satisfaction, stating, "We feel joy when we secure a victory. This is what we strive for. We're delighted for our supporters because they truly deserve it, and for our players who have put in a lot of effort. We faced a strong opponent, and they managed to hold their ground against teams like Aston Villa, Fulham, Southampton, and Brighton, so this win is significant."
"We got off to a good start, but unfortunately, we quickly fell behind with an early goal. We allowed them to score from the very first corner, and I think we could have handled that situation better. However, what was crucial is that our team demonstrated a resilient mindset. During tough times, it’s essential to stay strong, and we proved that against Brentford and once again today. This is an important point to recognize, as it will aid in our growth as a team."
Match MVP - Jarrod Bowen
Jarrod Bowen from West Ham has both netted a goal and provided an assist in a Premier League match for the eighth time. Since he joined the Hammers in February 2020, only five players have accomplished this feat in more games: Kevin De Bruyne, Mohamed Salah, Harry Kane, Bruno Fernandes, and Heung-Min Son.
Phillips Faces Tough Comeback
Phillips returned to the London Stadium, having experienced a frustrating loan period there from Manchester City last season. He didn't find the playing time he was hoping for, especially after struggling to secure a spot in Pep Guardiola's team.
However, just a minute later, a mistake on his part resulted in West Ham scoring their first goal. The score may have been a bit unfair, but the Tractor Boys are still without a win since their return to the Premier League.
After an impressive streak of four draws, this loss in the capital serves as a wake-up call for Ipswich. They managed to compete well during the first half, but in the end, they were clearly surpassed, with Bowen leading the charge.
Delap has kept up his scoring streak, but it's important for the rest of the team to contribute as well. Much like Luton did last season, there's plenty to admire in their attacking style, but, similar to the Hatters, they leave themselves vulnerable defensively.
The performance they put on in the second half was the worst 45 minutes McKenna's team has shown this season.
"Our day turned out to be quite disappointing," the Ipswich manager stated. "For much of the first half, the match was competitive and well-matched. We showed some solid football, but we let in some careless goals that shifted the flow of the game."
"We struggled to handle their straightforward style of play. Their goals resulted from those instances, so we have plenty to take away from this experience."
"They didn’t have to strive much to achieve their objectives. Except for the fourth one, the goals came quite effortlessly. They possess skill, and they demonstrated it through the goals they scored and the chances they generated when given the opportunity."
