'We knew': Jarrod Bowen shares what he already knew Leicester would do immediately under Ruud van Nistelrooy

Today at 03:35 AM

Jarrod Bowen has spoken very candidly about West Ham United's struggles after their 3-1 defeat to Leicester City on Tuesday evening.

Julen Lopetegui is under increasing pressure at West Ham, and it perhaps wouldn't be a surprise if he wasn't in charge against his former side next Monday.

West Ham face Wolverhampton Wanderers before trips to Bournemouth and Brighton & Hove Albion before Christmas Day – fixtures they don't currently look like winning.

Chris Sutton thinks Lopetegui should be sacked, explaining that it was never a good fit in the first place after getting rid of David Moyes.

That being said, Bowen actually made some comments about new Leicester manager Ruud van Nistelrooy after Tuesday night's defeat.

Jarrod Bowen says that West Ham were ‘soft’ in their defeat to Leicester

Speaking to the club website, Bowen admitted that West Ham already knew that Leicester would be full of energy and enthusiasm after Van Nistelrooy's appointment, a 'new manager bounce' if you will.

And perhaps it's therefore very worrying from a West Ham point of view that their defending was still so 'soft' – they didn't match Leicester in any department.

READ MORE: Ruud van Nistelrooy says one 'amazing' thing about Leicester reminds him of Real Madrid

Asked about the defeat, Bowen said: "I think you've got to be clinical when you're in this league or you get punished.

"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 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."

Steve Cooper sacking could prove as an example for West Ham

Van Nistelrooy complimented a few Leicester players after the win, ones who were playing with a spirit that Lopetegui was seemingly never able to foster in east London.

After 13 games played, West Ham are now only two points ahead of The Foxes, who deemed their position worrying enough to part ways with Steve Cooper, even as a promoted club.

One manager is keen on the West Ham job, and perhaps David Sullivan is now getting closer to pulling the trigger on Lopetegui, who simply hasn't done enough.

West Ham have gone backwards from life under David Moyes, and whilst it was never going to be easy for Lopetegui to succeed immediately, there's not enough evidence of his long-term vision either.