Norwich 2 - 2 West HamNorwich City’s wretched run continues after West Ham United snatch drawHome team scorers
Robbie Brady 54
Wes Hoolahan 65
Away team scorers
Dimitri Payet 74
Mark Noble 76
Norwich manager Alex Neil announced he was changing his blueprint in the run-up to this match, concentrating more on his own team’s attacking qualities and worrying less about the opposition.
Just over an hour into the game, that new positivity was paying off in spectacular style, as a fine strike from Robbie Brady and neat finish from Wes Hoolahan looked certain to have ended a horrible run of six consecutive defeats in all competitions. Such proved to be the case, but only because the Canaries clung on for a draw after conceding two goals in three minutes to a Hammers team transformed by the introduction of Victor Moses.
Sunderland’s defeat of Manchester United meant Norwich started the match 19th in the Premier League, while victory would have lifted West Ham to fifth.
Neil made three changes to the side beaten at Aston Villa the previous Saturday, John Ruddy coming back for Declan Rudd in goal, Nathan Redmond replacing Youssuf Mulumbu in midfield, and Cameron Jerome coming in for Dieumerci Mbokani up front. What didn’t change was Neil’s determination to persist with a single striker, or in playing individuals out of position, notably Brady at left-back.
With Cheikhou Kouyaté, Winston Reid and Joey O’Brien now among his injured, Hammers manager Slaven Bilic had no choice other than to make four changes to the side which beat Liverpool in the Cup in midweek.
The Canaries’ start was lively enough, right-back Russell Martin flashing a drive over Adrián’s bar in the first minute. Both Martin and Brady were quick to get forward in the early stages, as Norwich looked to improve their record of being the team with the fewest touches of the ball in the opposition’s penalty area this season, but it was not long before West Ham, and particularly Alex Song, began to take control in midfield.
Enner Valencia saw a powerful angled drive touched over by Ruddy, and Angelo Ogbonna wasted a decent opening by shooting over after a neat combination between Alex Song and Dimitri Payet.*
City were struggling to get into their opponents’ half, let alone penalty area, though Brady curled a free-kick over the bar after a loose pass led to James Collins being booked for tripping Hoolahan. The incident presaged a better spell for the home team, in terms of exerting at least a modicum of pressure, and Pedro Obiang was booked for hauling down Redmond.*
Jon Howson’s thumping left-footed drive a foot over Adrián’s bar was as close as they came to a goal though, and they continued to live dangerously at the back, where their high defensive line won some perilously close off-side decisions. The half ended as it started, with Martin unable to keep his shot low enough to trouble Adrián.*
Jerome’s curler a foot wide seconds after the restart was an indication Norwich intended to retain the momentum they had established towards the end of the first period, and the same player’s intelligent cross soon afterwards only just eluded Steven Naismith at the far post. Now it was all Norwich, and Jerome would have surely scored had Hoolahan not failed to pick him out.*
No matter. Michail Antonio dwelt on the ball 30 yards from goal, and was caught in possession by Brady. The former Hull City player advanced 10 yards, looked up, and with his ‘wrong’ right-foot, curled the ball unerringly beyond Adrián and in off the underside of the bar.*
Bilic responded by sending on Andy Carroll and Moses, but neither had had a chance to make an impact when Norwich doubled their lead. Naismith’s shot was half-blocked, but the ball bounced up nicely for Hoolahan, running ahead of Naismith, to clip past Adrián.*
That should have been that, but not at Carrow Road this season. The crowd was still chanting happily when Moses broke down the left, and having teased Martin, got in a shot which the diving Ruddy saved, but could only push out as far as Payet, who turned the ball home.*
Norwich’s nervousness was painful to witness. Three minutes later Carroll played in Payet on the left, and the Frenchman cut the ball back for Noble, steaming in on the edge of the box, to fire joyously beyond Ruddy.*
Both sides could have won the game: Emmanuel Emenike missed West Ham’s best chance, and deep in injury-time Redmond saw a side-footed effort deflected just wide. Once again, however, Norwich had thrown away points at home after being in a position from which they should surely have won the game.
Guardian