Playing Jarrod Bowen as a centre-forward has been West Ham United’s plan all along and one summer signing proves it

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Jarrod Bowen is quite clearly being eyed up for a new position by West Ham United head coach Julen Lopetegui.

Well, that’s how I see it anyway.

Jarrod Bowen has been West Ham United’s best and most consistent performer over the past few years by quite some way.

West Ham winger Jarrod Bowen was actually very unlucky not to have played more of a key role for England at the Euros out in Germany this summer just gone.

The 27-year-old is vital to everything good that we do, and we need him firing on all cylinders this season, if we are to finish inside the top seven.

Bowen has already scored two goals in four games for the Hammers this season, and has been rewarded for his fine form with another call-up to the England squad.

However, I think that Julen Lopetegui may well have a different plan for West Ham’s talisman…

Playing Jarrod Bowen as a striker has been West Ham plan all along

I truly believe that Bowen has a new role lying in wait for him at the London Stadium.

Lopetegui is planning to use him as a centre-forward in my opinion, and that will enable him to use all of his best players in the same team.

I’m convinced that Jarrod will be used as a centre-forward by the Spaniard this season.

That will free up space for Crysencio Summerville to play regularly out wide on the left wing.

Let’s not forget, Crysencio Summerville decided to join West Ham because he was guaranteed more regular playing time than at the other clubs interested in obtaining his signature.

And if Bowen persists as a right winger, there’s no way that the 22-year-old former Leeds man will get into the team ahead of Mohammed Kudus on the left wing.

So instead, using Bowen as a striker will enable Lopetegui to switch Kudus to his best position on the right wing.

Lucas Paqueta can then play in the number 10 role, with Edson Alvarez and Carlos Soler tucked in behind him.

West Ham have a frightening attack

That side highlighted above is obviously a super attack-minded one, and it won’t be possible for Lopetegui to set up like that in every single game.

However, there will be plenty of times when the Spaniard can pick that front four, and I think we will cause opposing teams all sorts of problems.

With Summerville’s pace on the left, Kudus’s trickery on the right, Paqueta’s creativity and guile in the number 10 position and Bowen’s finishing ability, West Ham will be a nightmare to play against.

There is a school of thought that Bowen isn’t at his best when playing through the middle, but I think he offers us a lot more than Niclas Fullkrug or Michail Antonio do.

The 27-year-old former Hull City man is the best finisher at the club, so Lopetegui should use him as close to the opposition’s goal as possible.

However, the key to this formation is that all four attacking players can rotate with one another and interchange positions throughout the games.

And that’s what will make us so dangerous in my opinion.