Jarrod Bowen felt West Ham United were not clinical enough in Tuesday’s 3-1 Premier League loss to Leicester City at King Power Stadium.
After falling behind to Jamie Vardy's strike inside two minutes, the visitors were in control for the majority of the contest and saw several presentable goalscoring opportunities come and go.
The Hammers had 31 shots in this match, their highest tally on record (since 2005/06) in a single Premier League fixture, to Leicester’s eight, but left empty-handed as second-half goals from Bilal El Khannouss and Patson Daka compiled an evening of frustration.
Now, our captain says the players must step up, believing it is now their responsibility to help lead the team back to winning ways.
“I think you’ve got to be clinical when you’re in this league or you get punished,” said Bowen. “I think the goals we conceded were really soft, and if you don’t keep the ball out of your net at one end, and if you don’t take your chances at the other end, it makes it more difficult.
“We had a lot of chances we didn’t put away, and I think the first goal is avoidable. We knew it was going to be a fast start for them under a new manager [in Ruud van Nistelrooy] and that they would create a lot of energy.
“I think that was the most disappointing thing for us, that we conceded so early. We had lots of chances, but it’s down to us not putting them away, so that’s the most disappointing thing on the night.
“There’s pressure on the players as well [as the Head Coach Julen Lopetegui]. We’re the ones who have to go out there and perform, and we haven’t done that to the level that we know we’re capable of. We need to turn it around as we’re all in it together as a group. It’s down to us to go out there and perform and do better than what we’re doing.
“It [the mentality] has to change in terms of how we’re conceding goals. We’ve conceded eight goals in the last two games, and in the Premier League, that’s nowhere near good enough if you want to win games.”
One positive from a disappointing night for the Irons was the return of Niclas Füllkrug.
Germany centre-forward Füllkrug was named in the matchday squad for the first time since August, having recovered from a complex Achilles injury suffered on international duty in September, and despite finding the net for the first time in Claret and Blue in added-time, it unfortunately proved a mere consolation.
“I’m happy for him,” said Bowen. “It’s been a disappointing time for him being out with the injury that he’s had, but he’s now back on the pitch and scored his goal, and I’m really happy for him. He deserves it for what he’s been through, and hopefully there are many more to come.”
Bowen and his teammates return to action at home to Wolverhampton Wanderers on Monday 9 December.
