Transfer time? Jarrod Bowen’s diminishing form cause for concern among Dream Team managers

JARROD BOWEN’S (£4.8m) form is something of an elephant in the room for Dream Team managers at present.

Like all his team-mates, West Ham’s No20 was a mere passenger against Arsenal on Sunday as the visitors waltzed to a 6-0 victory at the London Stadium.

A measly three-point return means Bowen has mustered just ten points across the last four Gameweeks – eight of which have come through minutes played.

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The 27-year-old’s last notable haul came against Bristol City in the FA Cup when he bagged 14 points despite the Hammers’ draw against the Championship outfit.

He was spotted limping down the tunnel at the end of that game and was subsequently sidelined for the replay at Ashton Gate.

Bowen recovered quickly and was a surprise inclusion for David Moyes’ side at Bramall Lane in Gameweek 20 but he failed to take advantage of that favourable match-up against Sheffield United.

More broadly, the England international’s dip in form has coincided with West Ham’s poor run of results.

The East Londoners are yet to win a game in 2024 and heavy defeats to Manchester United and the Gunners have prompted complaints from previously content fans.

Bowen’s form is the major cause for concern in the world of Dream Team because he was has been among the game’s very best assets for most of 2023/24.

Even now, he’s one of just seven players (and three midfielders) to have reached the 200-point mark at the time of writing.

His tally of 14 goals and five assists speaks further to his pedigree but form is vital in Dream Team.

Bowen has registered just two shots on target in six outings since the turn of the year – a stark reflection of West Ham’s worrying downturn.

Optimists may be encouraged by his upcoming fixtures.

Nottingham Forest, Brentford, Everton and Burnley represents a relatively friendly run of games but the fact remains Moyes’ men are in the bottom three of the form table (last five league fixtures).

At £4.8m Bowen is an expensive asset (although his owners should anticipate another price drop) and with the likes of Manchester City and Liverpool set for juicy double Gameweeks this month, it’s hard for his backers to justify keeping the faith.

Ahead of Gameweek 24, replacing Bowen with one of the following midfielders would surely pay dividends while also freeing up some extra budget to invest elsewhere: Martin Odegaard (£4.1m), Declan Rice (£3.4m), Luis Diaz (£3.7m), Gabriel Martinelli (£4m), Rodri (£3.6m).

Source: Soccer - thesun.co.uk