As the Gameweek 9 deadline draws near, we shine a spotlight on West Ham midfielder Jarrod Bowen (£7.3m), who will be looking to continue his outstanding attacking form away from home at Villa Park come Sunday.
At the start of the 2023-24 Premier League season, little was said about Jarrod Bowen in FPL quarters, mainly due to the plethora of midfield options on the table for managers to feast upon, particularly in the ‘budget category’. But he has quietly been racking up the attacking returns, especially when the Hammers are on the road and now commands serious attention.
Bowen reached the 50-point mark in Gameweek 8 despite not recording an attacking return for just the third time this season as West Ham drew with Newcastle. Intriguingly, all three of Bowen’s blanks have been at the London Stadium. It’s been a different story during West Ham’s four away league fixtures, which have seen the winger record four goals, one assist and 35 fantasy points.
His biggest asset is his pace and direct play, particularly on the counter-attack which suits him to a tee away from home. The 26-year-old is also not afraid to shoot from distance and this enhances his goal threat for David Moyes’ side. Gameweek 9 opponents Aston Villa have kept just two Premier League clean sheets as it stands this campaign, while West Ham have scored at least one goal in all eight league matches that they have contested.
Only three midfielders boast a higher FPL score than Bowen’s 50 points after eight gameweeks and just six players overall. But despite this, the England international’s fantasy ownership has yet to pass 20% at the time of writing. With that in mind, there is a window of opportunity for those FPL managers looking for a differential point of difference within their squad, which Bowen could provide this weekend.
