When even Jarrod Bowen is struggling to convert the relatively few chances West Ham United make in Premier League matches these days, that is when you know you are in trouble.
Bowen apologised to the London Stadium faithful after squandering a couple of rare openings during the damaging 1-0 home defeat by Fulham last time out.
The captain has scored only twice in his last 12 Premier League outings. Michail Antonio’s all-time record looks safe for the time being, then. Perhaps forever, if Bowen cannot prevent West Ham United from slipping into the Championship.
Though with five to his name in total, even an out-of-sorts Bowen does still remain the club’s best source of goals. Crysencio Summerville hasn’t scored since October 2024. Lucas Paqueta’s purple patch has evaporated into another dry spell, and Nuno’s benching of Callum Wilson leaves the Hammers without a ‘proper’ number nine most matchdays.
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How Nuno could do with a wideman like Gideon Kodua to take the scoring burden on his shoulders, and ease the pressure on those around him with a well-timed glut of goals.
Jack Wilshere wants Luton Town to sign West Ham United loanee Gideon Kodua
Kodua planned to add goals to his game at Luton Town during a loan spell in England’s third tier. Taking his tally to eight from just 16 starts during a stellar festive period, the 2023 FA Youth Cup-winning captain has been as good as his word.
No wonder Jack Wilshere, the man in charge at Kenilworth Road these days, is desperate to keep him.
After netting twice in a 4-0 thrashing of Wycombe Wanderers on Boxing Day, Kodua opened the scoring in a 3-0 victory over Leyton Orient on Monday.
Luton’s decision to include an option-to-buy clause in the youngster’s contract, then, is proving to be a pretty inspired one.
Photo by Andrew Kearns – CameraSport via Getty Images
Wilshere thinks the world of the ‘exciting’ Kodua. Having come up against him as the head coach of Arsenal’s Under-18s – Kodua’s Youth Cup final wondergoal a couple of seasons ago made for a somewhat awkward introduction when the new boss took over – Wilshere is just happy to have the West Ham kid scoring for him rather than against him.
“Yes, for sure,” ex-England regular Wilshere told Luton Today when asked if he plans to sign Kodua permanently in 2026. “That is in my opinion a really good signing with a really good option in it.
He’s stepped up and I always think that’s a bit of pressure as well for a young player to come, because from the club’s point of view, it’s almost like a trial. He’s taken it so I think yes, for sure [we want to keep him in Bedfordshire full-time].”
Luton have the ‘option’ to keep Kodua at Kenilworth Road
At this stage, it is not known how much Luton would have to pay, or whether West Ham have themselves a sizeable sell-on clause. Considering how rapidly Kodua has added a ruthless streak to his game under Wilshere, this has the makings of the sort of sale which could come back to haunt the Hammers depending on the nature of those clauses.
“I feel like he’s really found a home here,” adds Wilshere, who has taken to making Kodua one of the first names on the Luton teamsheet, an upgrade from his previous ‘supersub’ role.
“The players love him, the staff love him, he wants to get better. He’s a guy who’s coming knocking on the coach’s door to go through clips and that’s what you get, you get improvement. It gives you a little bit more confidence and he always looks a threat I think.
“He’s asked about scoring and finishing. He practices finishing a lot, different types of finishes, and actually as well, which we’ll sit down and go through it with him. I thought at times he maybe overdid it, too many touches and gave it away at times. But what I love about him is he’ll go and do it again, go and try and do it again, loses the ball, but then he’ll try and get it back quickly.”
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Brighton and Hove Albion come to the London Stadium this evening
West Ham host Brighton and Hove Albion on Tuesday night desperate for a first win since beating Burnley in November.
Fail to do so, and the five-point gap between themselves and safety could grow even wider before 2026 even arrives.
This would be a very good time indeed for Summerville to end his 14-month drought, then. Or for Bowen to recalibrate his sights somewhat.
“[Kodua] never loses his spirit, and that’s important because as a young player you’re not always going to make the right decision,” adds Wilshere, the 20-year-old displaying the sort of bouncebackability many at his parent club could stand to learn from.
“He’s starting to do [perform] more consistently and hopefully he can keep going now. He has a real warmth about him, an energy, and the lads feed off it.
“[Earlier in the season], he was in the team and then he wasn’t in the team; he started, then scoring when coming off the bench, and that’s a good story for the players. Because one moment you’re in the team and then you might not have a good game, or you might be rested and someone else does well and you find yourself out of the team.
“But the way to get back in the team is to do things right, train right, have the right attitude, try to get better. He definitely does that, so I’m really happy with him.”
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