Saturday 26th September
West Ham fans coming to the Boleyn in their last season before the club switches to the Olympic Stadium must be wondering which Hammers side will turn up to the game. The one that has managed loses at home to Leicester City and Bournemouth or the one that has managed to beat Arsenal, Liverpool and Manchester City on the road already. The thing about such big away wins is that it’s like a magic paint that glosses over the inconsistencies in West Hams play right now. I’ve seen a lot of the Hammers over the past two seasons and think I’ve seen all but three or four games home and away in that time. They’ve been booed off the pitch twice already under Slaven Bilić although both instances came during a poor Europa League run before the Premier League season kicked off. Under Sam Allardyce we heard time after time that his brand of football wasn’t ‘the West Ham way’ but this time last year the football being played was far more entertaining especially at the Boleyn than it has been this time around when Stewart Downing looked in majestic form at the head of a diamond formation. But never let the facts get in the way of a good story.
The Hammers took on City in pre-season and celebrated an easy win but there were warning signs that Nathan Redmond had the key to unlock their defence when he came on a substitute and they’ll be grateful to have seen his name omitted from the starting line-up today as he takes his place on the bench. City have won only one of the last nine league and cup games against West Ham drawing four and losing four. To find their last win at the Boleyn you have to go back all the way to March 1989. 6 of the last 10 games between the two sides have ended in draws. City have scored in 4 of the last 7 games and go into the game buoyed by a 1-1 draw away at Anfield last Sunday.
There were early alarm bells ringing for the home side as Cameron Jerome headed towards goal with just a minute gone but the City forwards header was lacking any real power and was aimed straight at Adrián. Despite winning a couple of corners in the first nine minutes the Hammers showed their defensive frailties once more in front of their own fans when a poor Marc Noble pass squared back for James Tomkins was too far in front of him and as he stretched and missed the ball Robbie Brady latched onto it and runs into the box and scores to give City the lead. That’s karma right there as the Irishman continues to ram my words down my throat having slated him a few weeks back. The goal may have come from a mistake but that’s still a deserved lead from the visitors. I guess we now know which Hammers side has turned up.
Jonny Howson is causing all sorts of problems for West Ham already today and on 18 minutes he chests the ball down but fires his shot over from 16 yards. Whilst sitting back and looking to attack on the counter may work away from home for the Hammers they need to get a grip on this game with the possessions stats currently sat at 38% to 62%. There’s a great bit of skill from Diafra Sakho on 19 minutes as he does a Maradonna drag back in the centre of the field past the Norwich midfield but it comes to nothing. Tomkins shot on 20 minutes sums up West Ham’s afternoon as it flies high over the bar from 30 yards. Deary me. Victor Moses has been kept at bay this game and he really needs to get on the ball more if West Ham are to get anything from this game this afternoon.
Unless you have been on Mars for the past seven days you cannot have failed to have seen the focus on Diego Costa after his tussle with Laurent Koscielny when referee Mike Dean missed his hands in the Arsenal defenders face in the box and Dean is at it again as Steven Whittaker connects with the face of Dimitri Payet on 22 minutes but no foul is given.
What follows is another ten minutes of football where West Ham’s final ball just doesn’t cut the mustard and they’re looking like their own worst enemies. Moses has now switched to the right wing and for the first time in this game Norwich seem to be just sitting off a bit on the ball allowing the home side to come into the game more. On 33 minutes Sakho picks up the ball in the centre circle and passes it out wide to Payet and continues his run into the box where the ball is played back into him and he scores from six yards. I’d like to say that’s been coming but I’d be lying. Perhaps the Hammers can finally wake up today after that goal.
That seems to have done the trick for West Ham as one goal turns the game totally on its head. Manuel Lanzini sends a free kick a yard wide from 35 yards out on 35 minutes and Norwich have a huge let off just three minutes later. John Ruddy came to the edge of the box and misses the ball completely but Sakho hooked his shot over the bar with the goal wide open.
Half time and the sides go in level. Things were getting scrappy in the last ten minutes there and both managers will need to find some words of wisdom during the break. Norwich started much the brighter in the game and just allowed West Ham to gradually get into the game. They need to start the second half in the same manner they started this game and not how they ended it if they’re to take anything back to Norfolk at full time.
Howson once again proves to be head and shoulders above the rest but he should have done better than his tame shot with just a minute gone of the second half. Four minutes into the half and it’s Howson again and this time he does much better as his shot from 20 yards is heading towards the top corner of the net but Adrián tips it wide for a corner with a one handed save. That was one for the cameras from the Spaniard but it looked the business.
54 minutes gone and if the additional time added earlier in this season for drinks breaks because of the heat became a first in English football then there can’t be many instances of additional time having to be added for players having to carry a pigeon off the pitch as Howson scoops up a feathered friend in the middle of the pitch and takes him to safety of the other side of the advertising hoardings.
Cheikhou Kouyaté slices a great opportunity wide with ten minutes gone after a good ball from Moses but that’s the latter’s last involvement in this game as he is replaced by Pedro Obiang. He hasn’t been at the races today but given his lack of game time this season you imagine that his legs are somewhat heavy. Norwich are beginning to sit deeper again and inviting West Ham onto the ball, defending in numbers and looking to hit on the counter attack. Just before the hour mark Sakho produces a lovely piece of skill with four Norwich defenders around him to find Payet but his shot is saved by Ruddy.
Twenty two minutes left in the game and Redmond is warming up on the side lines. Someone stick their leg out and trip him up. No one does and he comes on for Graham Dorrans. That’s certainly a positive move for Norwich given that they’ve been sitting back in this half so far. Alex Neil obviously thinks he can get all three points here this afternoon. Bilić obviously has the same thoughts as he brings Andy Carroll into the action.
Seven minutes to go and wouldn’t you just know it, Redmond scores for Norwich as his shot from 15 yards goes through a crowded box and into the net. The Hammers coaching staff obviously have shorter memories than I have. Can City hold on to win away?
Bilić rolls the dice once more as Noble comes off to make way for Mauro Zárate and it looks like the Hammers will switch to a 4-3-3 for the remainder of this game as they search for an equaliser. For all the glory in beating the likes of Arsenal, City and Liverpool away from home these are the bread and butter games that you have to win in the Premier League and as things stand this will be their third loss at home in four games so far. Just not good enough I’m afraid and the irony is that Norwich have done exactly what brought West Ham their success on the road. They’ve held back and soaked up the pressure admirably and hit the home side on the break.
90 minutes gone now and Norwich have defender Russell Martin to thank there as he clears off the line for Sakho. Four minutes of additional time have been shown and you can expect everything but the kitchen sink to be thrown at the City goal in that time. In the dying embers of the game now and West Ham have won a free kick in a dangerous position. Payet puts the ball into the box and Ruddy drops the ball and it falls against Carroll and spills forward and heartbreak for City as Kouyaté equalises for West Ham. I know parrots get sick but today there will be eleven Canaries on the pitch feeling sick after that late, late hammer blow which sees them leave with just one point. I said it a few weeks back readers that Norwich may well look back come May time and need an added column in the table for games they should have won and they’ve added another here today. You’ve got to feel sorry for the goalkeeper there because in fairness he hasn’t really had a lot to do this afternoon.
Two nil & we f**ked it up 