Nobody could accuse David Moyes of failing to lay on enough entertainment during this 4-2 win for West Ham. Only Brentford, perched five points above the bottom three after their fifth defeat in six games, wanted to look elsewhere. Thomas Frank will be focusing less on West Ham’s creative mojo returning and more on his defence’s meek attempt to deal with Jarrod Bowen hunting down his first hat-trick in claret and blue.
It promises to be a nervous few months if Brentford, who face Arsenal and Chelsea next, continue to ship goals at such an alarming rate. Although Ivan Toney’s brio in attack kept alive hopes of an unlikely comeback, the worries at the other end felt overwhelming long before full time. West Ham, who delighted in ending a slump that had revived complaints about Moyes’s style of play, could not have asked for more obliging opponents.
Their first league win over Brentford in five attempts owed much to Bowen’s elusive movement and devastating finishing. This was the forward at his most irrepressible, the return of his goalscoring touch welcome ahead of England naming their squad for the next international break, though it should not be overlooked that Lucas Paquetá’s return from a calf injury was key to West Ham reviving their hopes of qualifying for Europe.
“Maybe it is getting Paquetá back,” Moyes said after his side ended an eight-match winless run in all competitions. “It had an impact on the crowd and team. His ability to make key passes and retain possession helped us.”
The memory of West Ham’s capitulation against Arsenal in their previous home game hung in the air at kick-off. Yet if there was pressure on Moyes, whose hopes of a new deal remain in the balance, it was difficult to tell. This, after weeks of constipated football, was West Ham back to their counterpunching, aggressive best.
Brentford were vulnerable without Ethan Pinnock in defence. They escaped when Tomas Soucek fired over from close range in the fourth minute but they did not heed the warning. Frank Onyeka was too ponderous when a pass reached him in midfield. Edson Álvarez stepped in, James Ward-Prowse found Emerson Palmieri and the left-back teed up Bowen.
Everything felt purposeful. Bowen, who had not scored for seven games, took a touch and let fly. Mark Flekken, Brentford’s goalkeeper, had no chance of stopping the forward’s swerving drive. “We didn’t have a good level individual and collectively,” Frank said. “West Ham had a good level and Bowen was unplayable.”
Of less concern to Frank was the impact on Brentford of the reduction to Everton’s points deduction earlier in the day, even though it meant his side dropped a place before kicking a ball. “I’m just focused on a bad performance,” he said, perhaps thinking of Bowen doubling the lead after another turnover of possession in the seventh minute. Mohammed Kudus cruised through the middle and Vladimir Coufal stormed past Sergio Reguilón. West Ham’s right-back had ample time to cross for Bowen, joint-third in the Premier League’s goalscoring table this season, to convert.
At least Brentford fought. They pounced when West Ham’s concentration dipped in the 13th minute. Kurt Zouma and Emerson blundered and Toney found the lively Keane Lewis-Potter, who released Neal Maupay. Konstantinos Mavropanos was not close enough to the striker when he scooped a shot past Alphonse Areola.
The game grew spiky. Brentford appealed for a penalty when Kudus shoved Reguilón. Paquetá missed two chances. Kevin Nolan, West Ham’s assistant coach, clashed with Maupay before the second half.
West Ham soon regained their composure. They pulled clear when Kudus resumed his torture of Reguilón. The winger twisted and turned before crossing for Bowen to head in his 14th league goal of the season, his best ever return in a single campaign.
Brentford tried to respond, Onyeka testing Areola at his near post, but their resistance was over. Their defence was all over the place after Ben Mee limped off. Frank, who could have done without losing another player to injury, could only wince as Emerson completed the rout by smashing in a stunning shot from 20 yards. Yoane Wissa’s late consolation meant little, even if the pragmatist in Moyes abhorred the defending.
