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What on earth has happened to him.

Absolutely shocking once again today. Do feel like he’s past it at this point.

Stop feeding the little skinless fairy boy .

He is still one of our best forwards. Last 6 Prem games he has 3 assists and 1 goal, Summerville has 3 goals and 0 assists and both Taty and Soucek have 2 goals and 0 assists. And I'd say Bowen always gives his all for the team.

I feel like Bowen works best if the central attacker is also very good. 
sadly since Antonio we’ve not really had a central threat in the same way. Bowen can’t deal with being doubled up on like he gets nowadays so I think it’s been a hard season for him.

i think that’s the same for a lot of great wide players. You can’t do it on your own. Esp ones that cut in on their left. Even Robben, the best I’ve ever seen on that right side, played with some stellar central forwards. 
 
what’s good about Bowen is that if he’s not scoring he’s still working very hard for the team. So he’s not someone you can omit from the line up. Who works harder than him? And he’s normally always available, something that is often overlooked of great players. Important players don’t have big injury records so you can build teams around them.
  

 

He was superb on Wednesay night,  he gave absolutely everything as he always does, leading by example.

What is wrong with people? Couple bad games and he's "past it" 

Bet you wanted Nuno out for about 6 weeks, didn't you?

Also sold your car when you got a flat tyre?

Manuel wrote: ↑03 Mar 2026, 12:01

eusebiovic wrote: ↑03 Mar 2026, 11:20 He's not past it at all.

The poor bloke has lost some of his enthusiasm but that's perfectly understandable considering he's been busting his balls for years only to see a selection of over-priced donkeys who are only fit for the glue factory line up alongside him.

Scott Parker gave off the same vibes towards the end of his final season. In the end it all gets too much to bear.

Nah, I'm not having that at all, way too convenient and far from professional. Yes, he doesn't need pelters because he's been off it, but he's an elite footballer, a pro and club captain, in that world you don't just down tools, which is basically what you are suggesting, and is a bit of an insult to him to suggest that.

Fauxstralian wrote: ↑03 Mar 2026, 16:14 I wouldn’t call him stocky
And he certainly isn’t a lump like Rooney
Rooney was at his peak at 18 & currently looks 15 years older than his actual age. A bit like a council estate Father Christmas 

Captains performance tonight.

He was awful again tonight.

I think we can shut this thread down. 

onsideman wrote: ↑04 Mar 2026, 08:35

dealcanvey wrote: ↑04 Mar 2026, 08:00 Bowen past it? No chance. Class is permanent. May need to adapt his game as he ages but he will still find the net regularly regardless. Hopefully Nuno tries him alongside Taty tonight so we can revert back to the 442 system. 

And who is playing right midfield in this line-up?

onsideman wrote: ↑04 Mar 2026, 08:35

dealcanvey wrote: ↑04 Mar 2026, 08:00 Bowen past it? No chance. Class is permanent. May need to adapt his game as he ages but he will still find the net regularly regardless. Hopefully Nuno tries him alongside Taty tonight so we can revert back to the 442 system. 

And who is playing right midfield in this line-up?

onsideman wrote: ↑04 Mar 2026, 08:35

dealcanvey wrote: ↑04 Mar 2026, 08:00 Bowen past it? No chance. Class is permanent. May need to adapt his game as he ages but he will still find the net regularly regardless. Hopefully Nuno tries him alongside Taty tonight so we can revert back to the 442 system. 

And who is playing right midfield in this line-up?

dealcanvey wrote: ↑04 Mar 2026, 08:00 Bowen past it? No chance. Class is permanent. May need to adapt his game as he ages but he will still find the net regularly regardless. Hopefully Nuno tries him alongside Taty tonight so we can revert back to the 442 system. 

Bowen past it? No chance. Class is permanent. May need to adapt his game as he ages but he will still find the net regularly regardless. Hopefully Nuno tries him alongside Taty tonight so we can revert back to the 442 system. 

I don't disagree with that, but it's a fine balancing act isn't it as you also sacrifice some of the midfield if the two up front can't defend effectively from the front... Will be interesting to see how he lines up tonight. I just feel he doesn't trust anyone to do the job competently. 

You can either have excuses or success and whichever way you cut it, loads of players look much better when there are two up front and it isn’t just because they both press, having two also occupies defenders who have to account for them which means less defenders accounting for Bowen and Summerville. In my view, getting the best out of them should be his main priority as when they’re effective, we are very threatening.

 

Hermit Road" wrote: ↑03 Mar 2026, 22:18

fraser wrote: ↑03 Mar 2026, 13:45

Hermit Road" wrote: ↑03 Mar 2026, 12:30 Bowen and Summerville look great when we have two up front in the middle occupying defenders and creating space. 

Summerville was totally ineffective until we started that after Christmas. 

The two of them have looked worse in the last couple of games because of an inexplicable decision to revert to a system which got us in the mess in the first place and away from a system that looked like getting out of it. 

I hope he sorts himself out and drops Magassa for Wilson.





 

 

Wilson can't press from the front like Pablo does it isn't as simple as just having the extra body up there is it. 

Not sure that it's too hard to teach a second forward to press a bit and yes, given how shit Pablo is in general, I think it is as simple as having an extra body in there because an extra body is something defenders have to occupy themselves with. 

Or we could keep playing a midfielder who can't trap a ball or pass 5 yards.

fraser wrote: ↑03 Mar 2026, 13:45

Hermit Road" wrote: ↑03 Mar 2026, 12:30 Bowen and Summerville look great when we have two up front in the middle occupying defenders and creating space. 

Summerville was totally ineffective until we started that after Christmas. 

The two of them have looked worse in the last couple of games because of an inexplicable decision to revert to a system which got us in the mess in the first place and away from a system that looked like getting out of it. 

I hope he sorts himself out and drops Magassa for Wilson.




 

 

Wilson can't press from the front like Pablo does it isn't as simple as just having the extra body up there is it. 

Mad Ferret" wrote: ↑28 Feb 2026, 17:23 What on earth has happened to him.

Absolutely shocking once again today. Do feel like he’s past it at this point.

Fauxstralian wrote: ↑03 Mar 2026, 16:14 A bit like a council estate Father Christmas 

I wouldn’t call him stocky
And he certainly isn’t a lump like Rooney
Rooney was at his peak at 18 & currently looks 15 years older than his actual age. A bit like a council estate Father Christmas 

He is 29 and shorter and stocky, do those types burn out quicker pace wise, like Rooney did?  I think he may have lost a bit of pace but when you cut inside so much defenders do know what you are going to do and quite often he has at least two around him.  I suspect he will go in the summer even if we stay up although can't see a top side come in for him.  Last opportunity possiby to get a decent amount for him as once he hits 30 you aren't going to get top dollar.  Would love to see him stay but  can't see it.

Stubbo, I don’t agree he’s lost a yard of pace. What I’ve noticed is that he cuts in less and spends a considerable amount of time defending, pressing and attempting to win the ball back. 

Pablo and Taty create space for him and Summerville by occupying the defenders. 

I think we’ve relied far too much on Bowen and because his productivity is less than we expect, we’re theorising too much what he’s lost. 

Players seem to be playing on much later than they used do, with many maintaining a career into their last 30s/early 40s, so I personally think it’s unlikely he’s lost a yard. 

He’s probably knackered. 

Hermit Road" wrote: ↑03 Mar 2026, 12:30 Bowen and Summerville look great when we have two up front in the middle occupying defenders and creating space. 

Summerville was totally ineffective until we started that after Christmas. 

The two of them have looked worse in the last couple of games because of an inexplicable decision to revert to a system which got us in the mess in the first place and away from a system that looked like getting out of it. 

I hope he sorts himself out and drops Magassa for Wilson.