Jarrod Bowen has played in plenty of big home wins in his four-and-a-half years as a West Ham United player - and he wants to play in another one on Saturday.
The captain will lead the Hammers out to face Ipswich Town in the Premier League with the hosts having lost all three of their top-flight matches at London Stadium to date, to Aston Villa, Manchester City and Chelsea.
“We’re back at home and after being disappointed with our results [at London Stadium] so far this season, this is a big opportunity to go into the international break in good spirits, ready to kick on when we come back,” Bowen wrote in his column for the Official Programme. “We know you turn up week-in and week-out and it’s up to us as players to put in the performances that get you off your seats.
“We've got some really exciting players. The Club has done incredibly well to attract the players and sign the players that we have. We've had glimpses of it this season, and we know it's always difficult for players coming into the Premier League because it’s the best, most demanding and hardest league in the world.
“It's down to us who have been here to try and help players bed in as quick as possible and when it clicks, it'll all click. We all want to flick a switch, win every single game and play well every single week, but sometimes it's not as easy as that.
“We’ve had some decent results from difficult games, particularly away from home, and ultimately it’s down to us as players because, while the coaching staff can plan all week for different phases of the game, once we cross that white line it’s down to us on the pitch.
“On Saturday we have an incredible opportunity to do that, at home, where we want to make it as difficult as possible for our opponents.”
Next on the fixture list are the Tractor Boys, who have chugged to draws in their previous four matches, holding the likes of Villa, Fulham and Brighton & Hove Albion.
Bowen has been impressed by Kieran McKenna’s side, and the way they have adapted to the Premier League after winning consecutive promotions from EFL League One and the Championship, but knows home games against newly-promoted sides need to be won if West Ham are to challenge for European qualification again.
“Ipswich are a good side,” the skipper observed. “I watched their game against Villa the other day and everyone knows how good Villa are and what they’ve done, and Ipswich gave them a really good game and could have beaten them, which says a lot about the team they’ve got.
“They’ve got a good manager and did really well in the Championship last year and we know it’s going to be difficult, but we’ve got a lot of things to our advantage. We’re playing at home and can create that atmosphere we’ve had over the last few years which makes it difficult for other teams to come and play at our home.”
Two Ipswich players Bowen will need no introduction to are former Hammers Ben Johnson and Kalvin Phillips, both of whom were popular figures at Rush Green, and who the No20 wishes the very best for the future - after Saturday’s game, of course!
“I sat next to Johno in the canteen at Rush Green for a few seasons and we used to have breakfast and lunch together with the lads,” he revealed. “Football changes so quickly, and I haven’t seen him since he left, so it’ll be great to see him again.
“Kalv, too, is a great lad and I am really happy to see him playing well because I know how good a player he is and he is such a nice person off the pitch. I get on really well with him. I know how much he loved being here, and how much he wanted to do well, so to see him playing consistently and playing well is great, but obviously I hope he doesn’t play too well on Saturday!”
