Bowen Blunted as Forest Escape: West Ham Player Ratings from Frustrating Night at the City Ground
West Ham United made the trip to the East Midlands hoping momentum was building — but instead they left wondering how Nottingham Forest managed to wriggle off the hook after a game that promised far more than it delivered.
Much of the pre-match talk centred on Jarrod Bowen’s mid-season recharge in New York, but the Hammers talisman looked anything but refreshed as a blunt attacking display summed up a frustrating evening for David Moyes’ side.
Here’s how the players rated at the City Ground.
Alphonse Areola – 7
Reliable when called upon. Produced a sharp stop midway through the first half and commanded his box confidently under aerial pressure. Could do little to inject urgency into those ahead of him.
Vladimir Coufal – 6
Typically committed down the right, but his delivery lacked its usual precision. Defensively alert, though offered limited overlap as West Ham struggled to stretch Forest consistently.
Kurt Zouma – 7
Strong in the air and decisive in key moments. Dealt well with Forest’s direct balls into the channel and rarely looked troubled physically.
Nayef Aguerd – 6
Composed in possession but occasionally hesitant when stepping out from the back. Distribution was tidy rather than progressive, reflecting West Ham’s cautious approach.
Emerson Palmieri – 6
Showed flashes of attacking intent but final balls were mixed. Defensively sound, yet unable to truly pin Forest’s right side deep.
James Ward-Prowse – 6
Busy and industrious without ever taking control. His set-piece quality remains a weapon, but open-play influence faded as Forest clogged central areas.
Tomáš Souček – 5
Worked hard but struggled to impose himself physically. Too often second to loose balls and lacked the late runs into the box that usually bring him joy.
Lucas Paquetá – 7
West Ham’s most inventive outlet. Tried to quicken tempo with clever touches and disguised passes. Unfortunately, too many moves broke down ahead of him.
Jarrod Bowen – 4
After his much-discussed New York break, this was a night to forget. His usually sharp movement was missing and decision-making in key areas felt rushed. A heavy first touch squandered a golden opening, and he rarely tested his full-back one-on-one. West Ham rely on Bowen for incision — and they simply didn’t get it here.
Michail Antonio – 5
Battled gamely but found centre-backs well prepared for the physical duel. Held the ball up sporadically, though support was slow in arriving.
Mohammed Kudus – 7
Lively and direct. Carried the biggest threat in transition and forced Forest onto the back foot several times. End product just eluded him, but his intent never wavered.
Substitutes
Danny Ings – 5
Introduced to sharpen the edge but struggled to get meaningful service.
Saïd Benrahma – 6
Injected urgency and drove at defenders, though his final pass didn’t quite land.
The Verdict
This was less about Forest brilliance and more about West Ham’s inability to seize control when it mattered. The structure was there. The moments were there. But the ruthlessness was not.
For Moyes, the concern will be attacking cohesion. Too often moves broke down at the decisive point, and Bowen’s off-night magnified that issue. If West Ham are to push higher up the table, they need their star man firing — not flickering.
Forest will feel relieved. West Ham will feel they let one slip.
