Big Six snob Gareth Southgate snubbed West Ham star Jarrod Bowen as Gianluca Scamacca scored on his London return but proved David Moyes right.
Not one single West Ham fan would have been surprised that Jarrod Bowen did not start for England against Italy.
Even despite Bukayo Saka’s absence from the squad and the Hammers’ top scorer Bowen being a ready-made replacement.
But West Ham fans would have hoped their star attacker might have been brought on with the Three Lions 3-1 up and coasting.
This is Gareth Southgate, though, remember.
Big Six snob Gareth Southgate snubs West Ham star Jarrod Bowen as Gianluca Scamacca scores on London return but proves David Moyes right
Yes England have qualified for the Euros with the result. But so they should with the talent at his disposal.
Big Six snob Southgate snubbed West Ham star Bowen as Gianluca Scamacca scored on his London return but proves David Moyes right.
After throwing Bowen under the bus by starting him in a box-ticking line-up which in no way played to his strengths in the friendly against Australia, Southgate kept West Ham’s winger on the bench when he could have got a real look at him in a competitive fixture.
Southgate picks his favourites and players who are at the so-called Big Six, though, it’s as simple as that.
Scamacca performance does more to vindicate Moyes opinion and decision
Former West Ham striker Scamacca was back in the Big Smoke after being sold to Atalanta in the summer following one season with the Hammers.
You all know the history. But the long and short of it is, the move simply did not work out as he or the Hammers would have hoped.
Illness, injuries and a clear lack of research on the type of striker Scamacca is and what he would bring to the team left both the player and Moyes frustrated.
Moyes insisted he wanted to keep the Italian with the perma-frown. But the Scot revealed the 24-year-old simply did not want to be at West Ham and had refused to do his injury rehabilitation in England.
The Hammers boss spoke out publicly about Scamacca’s lack of fitness and workrate on more than one occasion last season.
He said that the striker could not last 90 minutes and had to do more for the team when he had the chance to play.
The commentators couldn’t wait to paint West Ham as being foolish for selling Scamacca when he put Italy in the lead – just about – with a tap-in from a few yards out.
But in reality he offered Italy very little besides a couple of hopeful potshots thereafter. He did little for the team and was rather familiarly substituted with 30 minutes left to play.
Scamacca may have scored at Wembley – his first Italy goal – but nobody should be fooled. His performance provided more evidence to vindicate Moyes’ comments and decision to sell him than it did those who feel West Ham gave up on him too soon.
The silver lining of it all? Bowen is well rested and was not put at the risk of injury ahead of West Ham’s return to Premier League action at Aston Villa this Sunday.
Let’s hope our new talisman takes out any England frustration on Southgate’s former club.
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