Jarrod Bowen’s FA Cup brace not only put West Ham United one step closer to Wembley, it also makes for a very good omen regarding their hopes of Premier League survival.
Captain Bowen scored twice in the first half in a standout showing, and also beat Caoimhin Kelleher in the penalty shoot-out to set up a quarter-final meeting with Leeds at the London Stadium.
The skipper dreams of FA Cup success in a West Ham United shirt. A dream which remains very much alive thanks to some of the most emphatic spot-kicks you will see anywhere, in any competition, in any season.
We win it on pens 😎 Do you fancy us to beat Leeds and book a trip to Wembley?!
Form, as they say, is merely temporary. Jarrod Bowen’s class is quite clearly permanent.
Now, Nuno Espirito Santo does not strike us as a particularly superstitious man, but he can take some comfort in knowing that Bowen has a habit of following up prolonged goal droughts with a sudden flurry of activity in the final third.
Jarrod Bowen tends to score goals in bunches at West Ham United
After going nine games without a goal between October and early December, Bowen then scored three in his next five. He followed up a six-game drought in the second half of last season by finishing the campaign with six in eight.
A hat-trick against Brentford in February 2024 snapped another drought of five games. One suspects, with West Ham slated to play at the Gtech Community Stadium on May 2nd, the Bees will not be looking forward to his visit.
Back in 2021/22, Bowen was struggling on a run of two goals in 13 games. Then came seven in seven.
Forwards often talk about the proverbial ketchup bottle. Squeeze and shake all you want, nothing comes out. But when it does, watch the goals flow with abandon, soaking your chips and disproving anyone arguing that the time was right for a trip to the store and the purchase of a new bottle.
In short, do not bet against Bowen following up his Brentford brace against Manchester City this weekend.
Jarrod Bowen faces a critical juncture in his career…😟
What does the future hold for him if West Ham get relegated?
Bowen back on the goal trail before Manchester City clash
The long-serving skipper hasn’t found the net against Pep Guardiola’s side since hitting a brace in a 2-2 draw in May 2022. After breaking a five-game scoring drought, it would be a very good time for Bowen to snap another personal hoodoo.
“Next up it’s City, and it’s going to be a really difficult game,” he tells the official West Ham website. “It’s important we rest up now, because 120 minutes is never easy for anyone, but it’s another game at home that we’ll go into with plenty of confidence.
“We’ve got an opportunity to win the game and get out of the relegation zone, which is obviously on our minds. Of course it’s not going to be easy, but we’ll go out there and play our game, and see what happens.”
Konstantinos Mavropanos scored the winning penalty against Brentford, but Bowen beat Caoimhin Kelleher twice from 12 yards on the night. Completing an unofficial hat-trick in the process.
“For me, I was really pleased to score in the shootout and during the game as well,” he adds. “My first ever career hat-trick was against Brentford on a Monday night, so I was kind of hoping that a third one would come!
“But it’s always nice to score.”
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