West Ham loses, but Paqueta and Bowen lead in Dream Team: what is the paradox.

According to The Sun: Do not underestimate the Dream Team's ability for surprises.

West Ham achieved victory over Nottingham before the international break, but in August, the team also suffered defeats to Sunderland, Chelsea, and Wolverhampton.

In the first three rounds of the season, the 'Hammers' conceded the most goals and became one of only five Premier League clubs eliminated from the Carabao Cup.

The start of the season for Graham Potter's team has proven difficult, and it seemed that this should have impacted the 'Dream Team' rankings.

However, in reality, Lucas Paqueta (£3.7 million) and Jarrod Bowen (£5 million) occupy high positions in the rankings.

Paqueta earned 35 points and shares first place with Trevoh Chalobah (£4 million), while Bowen trails by just three points.

BEST PLAYERS IN DREAM TEAM THIS SEASON

• 35 points – Lucas Paqueta
• 35 points – Trevoh Chalobah
• 32 points – Jarrod Bowen
• 32 points – Jurriën Timber
• 30 points – Riccardo Calafiori
• 30 points – Erling Haaland
• 30 points – João Pedro
• 30 points – Jack Grealish
• 30 points – Igor Thiago
• 30 points – Bryan Gruda

It should be noted that it is still early to draw broad conclusions, as three rounds are insufficient for final assessments.

But the success of the duo from West Ham shows that some players can be useful even under their team's failures.

The penalty goal scored by Paqueta at the 'City Ground' was his third of the season, and only Matheus Cunha (£4.9 million) has taken more shots on target among all players.

As for Bowen, his prospects are impressive.

The 28-year-old player ranks first in bonus points, second in created goal opportunities, and seventh in shots on target.

He already has two goals and could have scored an incredible goal this week, but he was denied by Callum Wilson (£2.3 million) who did not allow him to finish the dribble in a Maradona-style.

However, Dream Team managers face a challenge: a tough match schedule may complicate the future successes of both West Ham players.

Porter's team is set to play three matches in the next three weeks, while eight teams will play six matches.

The start of European competitions and the continuation of the Carabao Cup mean that 'double' rounds are approaching quickly after the break.

But not for West Ham.

Of course, for both Bowen and Paqueta, it is important to continue performing well to keep pace with the top performers from Arsenal, Chelsea, Liverpool, Manchester City, Newcastle, Tottenham, Aston Villa, and Nottingham, while having significantly fewer playing opportunities.

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England's national has repeatedly demonstrated resilience in the face of a tough match schedule, but coaches typically adapt their teams to the schedule to maximize opportunities to accumulate points.

This does not mean that owners of Bowen and Paqueta need to urgently seek replacements. Both players could see price increases after significant points accumulation in recent rounds, but it is important to understand how critical the 'double' rounds are.