West Ham United attacker Jarrod Bowen was handed a start by Thomas Tuchel as England beat Albania 2-0 on Sunday.
Bowen played 75 minutes before being taken off for Marcus Rashford with the Three Lions leading by a goal.
The Hammers captain started on the right wing and was part of an attacking trio that comprised Harry Kane and Eberechi Eze.
This was the 28-year-old’s 20th appearance for England, but thus far, he has only one senior international goal to his name.
Ian Wright impressed with Jarrod Bowen’s efforts
Ian Wright was on punditry for ITV and was pleased by what he saw from the West Ham United forward.
Bowen was impressive right from the start and put in a tremendous shift with and without the ball.
His high-energy display certainly would have impressed Thomas Tuchel, as it did the former Arsenal captain.
Wright said about the Irons star: “Looking well up for it.”
By saying this, he also sent a message to the former Chelsea manager that Bowen is capable of showing up for his country and delivering in big games, with the World Cup coming up in the summer.
Not only is the West Ham star capable of playing on the wing, but he can also play down the middle, thus being an alternative to Kane in case the Bayern Munich forward is not having a good game.
Wright has been a fan of Bowen for the last few years and made a plea three years ago for him to be included in the 2022 World Cup squad as well.
He wrote on X: “If Bowen doesn’t get an England call up after the season he’s had.”
Bowen’s stats vs Albania make for good reading
While he may not have scored or assisted, Bowen’s stats from the Arena Kombetare still make for very good reading.
He completed three out of his four attempted dribbles, had an 89 per cent pass accuracy and a 100 per cent accuracy when it came to passes made in the English half. [Sofascore]
| Statistic | Jarrod Bowen vs Albania |
| Dribbles completed | 4 |
| Pass accuracy | 89% |
| Shots on target | 1 |
| Ground duels won | 5 |
| Tackles won | 2 |
| Recoveries made | 4 |
The former Hull City winger was equally impressive without the ball and his defensive performance would certainly have pleased Tuchel.
Bowen won both of his attempted tackles and five ground duels, along with making four recoveries.
He also managed to make an interception and clearance in the 75 minutes he spent on the field of play.
International tournaments are often feisty and Tuchel would appreciate having a forward who is willing to put in the dirty yards as well.
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