“Jarrad Bowen delivered Honest Verdict following their shameful defeat at West Midlands
Jarrod Bowen believed that West Ham United had only themselves to blame for their narrow 1-0 loss at Wolverhampton Wanderers on Tuesday night.
The Hammers traveled to the West Midlands eager to make an impact, having had a two-and-a-half-week break since their last Premier League match at Everton.
However, they were punished for missing early opportunities as Jørgen Strand Larsen scored the game’s only goal in the 21st minute.
Wolves could have extended their lead before halftime when Marshall Munetsi’s shot struck the crossbar, and West Ham needed to respond after the break. Despite their efforts, they were kept at bay by a determined Wolves defense.
Niclas Füllkrug, making his return, came closest to an equalizer with a header that bounced off the frame of José Sá’s goal. Emerson and Tomáš Souček also squandered good chances by shooting wide.
With no equalizer coming, Bowen and his teammates were left frustrated that they couldn’t convert their possession into goals.
“We’re frustrated with ourselves,” Bowen said. “I think we let the game get away from us too much in the first half, but while it was still 1-0, we were in it. They defended their lead well, and it was on us to break them down better than we did.
“Although we probably had the better chances, we didn’t score, and that’s why we’re disappointed. Losing the game is obviously a huge disappointment.
“We have a home game against Bournemouth on Saturday, so we need to react. It’s important to bounce back and get our fans onside.”
After playing just twice in March, the Hammers had a long wait before their trip to Molineux, with the international break and FA Cup quarter-finals interrupting any momentum from their previous draw at Everton.
However, Bowen didn’t use this as an excuse, saying the team had prepared to be ready for the match.
“I think the players who were away on international duty and those who stayed at Rush Green have had enough time now to get back into it,” he explained.
“We’ve been working all week, and that first half was probably the most disappointing part because we weren’t fully at it and conceded.
It was always going to be tough chasing the game, especially when we felt we had the better chances to take control.
“But we didn’t, and that’s something we need to reflect on in the coming days.”
Bowen also expressed his satisfaction with Füllkrug’s return after three months out with a hamstring injury.
The German striker nearly scored an equalizer with his late header off the crossbar, and Bowen is excited about his impact in the final stretch of the season.
“Fülle did really well when he came on,” Bowen said. “He might have been disappointed not to start, but his work ethic showed what the manager expects and what we all need as a group to push each other every day in training.
“It’s huge to have him back, and Evan Ferguson is also getting his match fitness back after being out for a long time. Having both of them available is a big boost for us.
“We don’t want to let the season fizzle out. There’s still a lot of football to be played and a lot of points to be won. It’s up to us to make it happen.”
