Exactly how much of West Ham United’s Jarrod Bowen-inspired draw at Everton can be attributed to the sacking of Graham Potter and the appointment of Nuno Espirito Santo is up for debate.
Throughout a flat and largely uneventful first half in which Everton took an 18th minute lead through Michael Keane, any notion of a ‘new manager bounce’ from the visitors looked pretty fanciful.
Nuno Espirito Santo saw West Ham concede again from a set-piece – the eighth time they have done so in six Premier League matches – while they barely threatened Jordan Pickford’s goal.
More of the same, it seemed. New manager, same old West Ham United.
But while Jarrod Bowen saw his teammates collapse time and again under Potter – leads frequently thrown away and countless defeats snatched from the jaws of potential victory – Nuno sent his team out two minutes early from the interval and the response was immediate.
Bowen equalised after an ‘extraordinary’ Malick Diouf cross just past the hour mark. And, for a time at least, the Hammers looked the more likely victors.
Jarrod Bowen explains West Ham United’s half-time message and Nuno Espirito Santo impact
Now, there wasn’t anything particularly, dramatically different from Nuno’s West Ham, in terms of tactics or personnel.
In fact, Nuno made only two changes from Potter’s XI against Crystal Palace. Niclas Fullkrug replaced Callum Wilson and Soungoutou Magassa came in for his first start, in place of a nowhere-to-be-seen James Ward-Prowse.
Yet, while West Ham would often disintegrate at the first hint of pressure under Potter – they conceded three times in 32 minutes against Sunderland, five in 43 against Chelsea, two in six at Wolves, and three in 17 against Tottenham – this was a team with the resolve and the discipline to fight back from adversity rather than cower in its shadow.
“It is a big point for us. I think we had chances to win the game, they had chances as well so probably a fair result,” Bowen reflects, offering a peak behind the curtain into a determined dressing room while speaking to Sky Sports and the club’s official website.
“We said at half time, we only need one goal. We knew we would get our own chances and we did, and defended well at the end when they were pushing for a winner.
“I think we’ve all been in football long enough. We know changes happen. But we are professionals, we want to do well, and we have a really good group here who want to change our fortunes.
“We’ve had Nuno for two days, and I thought we put in a really good performance. I think we are heading in the right direction and tonight is a good start.”
Strangely enough, all of West Ham’s four Premier League points so far have either come with Nuno or against Nuno.
“I’ve been so impressed with him so far, with the way he manages himself, and what he wants and demands from the team.,” Bowen adds of his new 51-year-old head coach, Nuno leading by example and imparting a clear, coherent message behind the scenes.
“I think we’ve all bought into that, and I think the performance tonight was a credit to him. We’ve played against him many times in the Premier League, and we’re all excited to work with him.”
Bowen scores third Premier League goal of the season in Everton draw
Bowen’s equaliser, meanwhile, was Bowen at his best.
Following that surging Diouf run and a cross which Keane just couldn’t clear, the skipper shifted the ball onto his left boot and whipped a shot past Everton full-back Vitalii Mykolenko.
A deflection helped it on its way in, but the speed in which Bowen set himself and executed a ferocious shot was, well, Bowen-esque.
“[My approach is] just try and get in the box,” he adds, a third goal now from six starts this season.
“I feel like when I’m in the box, I knew what I’m going to do before the defenders. It’s just about hitting it towards the goal and, tonight, it went in.”
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