West Ham captain Jarrod Bowen blasted his teammates after their 2-1 defeat to Leeds, admitting “we’re in trouble now” as Nuno Espirito Santo’s side slipped deeper into the Premier League relegation zone.
West Ham’s season plunged deeper into chaos as Jarrod Bowen publicly called out his teammates following a dismal 2-1 defeat to Leeds United at Elland Road. The captain’s raw honesty laid bare a dressing room in disarray, as Nuno Espirito Santo’s side slumped to their seventh loss in nine games, leaving the Hammers second-bottom in the Premier League table.
Leeds strike early as West Ham collapse again
It took just three minutes for the visitors’ frailties to be exposed. A sharp Leeds move ended with Brenden Aaronson pouncing on a loose rebound after Alphonse Areola failed to deal with a low drive, giving the hosts a dream start. Before West Ham could recover, their season-long weakness at set-pieces struck again — Joe Rodon rose unmarked to head home from a corner and double the lead inside 15 minutes.
From that moment, Leeds were cruising. West Ham’s lack of defensive structure, urgency, and fight was evident as they were overrun in midfield and second to every loose ball. Only Bowen showed any spark, tirelessly trying to drag his side forward.
The England winger eventually played a part in the only goal for his team, delivering a precise cross that Mateus Fernandes flicked into the net in stoppage time — far too late to change the outcome. Leeds’ dominance and West Ham’s disarray were painfully obvious long before the final whistle.
Bowen: “We’re the only ones who can change this”
Speaking to Sky Sports after the game, Bowen didn’t hold back. “A dressing room when you’re second bottom of the league is low,” he admitted. “The only way this will change is if we step up and show some fight. We need more of that. It’s easy to hide and be scared almost… but you have to face up to the reality of where we are — and we’re in trouble now.”
Bowen’s words carried the tone of a captain both frustrated and fearful of what lies ahead. He emphasised that no tactical talk or managerial motivation can fix the problem unless the players take accountability.
“We’ve talked as a group, but it’s down to the players,” he added. “We speak to each other, but there’s only so much. It has to come from within. Now is the time to roll your sleeves up.”
Nuno’s nightmare start continues
For Nuno Espirito Santo, this defeat compounds a miserable start to life in east London. Hired in desperation after Graham Potter’s short-lived spell, the Portuguese coach has yet to deliver a win in four matches. The supposed “new manager bounce” has been non-existent, with West Ham taking just one point since his appointment.
Nuno’s system, built on compact defending and quick transitions, has fallen apart under the weight of individual errors and low confidence. The Hammers look disjointed, flat, and bereft of leadership — a worrying sign with fixtures against Newcastle and Burnley looming.
Relegation fears growing by the week
Only Wolves sit below West Ham in the table, but even that could change by the weekend if results go against them. The gap to safety is widening, and so too is the anxiety among fans who only two seasons ago watched their team compete in Europe.
Compounding the misery is the fact that newly promoted sides — Sunderland, Leeds, and Burnley — have adapted far quicker than expected. While others build momentum, West Ham appear trapped in a downward spiral.
At full-time, Bowen’s body language said it all — a captain carrying both the responsibility and the frustration of a squad that has forgotten how to win. His candid outburst may prove to be a turning point, or simply the latest cry for help from a team rapidly running out of time.
The road ahead
The Hammers return to the London Stadium next weekend to face Newcastle United, before a trip to Turf Moor that already feels like a relegation six-pointer. Unless Nuno can find a way to instil belief and discipline in his players, West Ham’s crisis could soon become irreversible.
Right now, as Bowen bluntly put it — they’re in trouble.
