Thread by @AnalyticsUtd_

🚨 Norwich 0-4 West Ham
🔎 Analysis & Review Thread

The perfect response to Thursday's disappointment and a result that gives us a shot at Europa League qualification. Quicker one than usual as this wasn't much of a contest.

Questions encouraged, RTs appreciated. 🧵

Already second-guessing my decision to review this game. Norwich's midfield is so unbelievably bad that it's difficult to say anything really positive because the gaps are just silly.

Lanzini is playing alongside Rice and this is the kind of pass he offers that Soucek doesn't.

Honestly though, the combination of no press, no screening and no marking from Norwich in the screenshot above says pretty much everything you need to know about them.

10' We've settled well, had 65% of the ball and look a real threat any time we get the ball into the final third.

Norwich just keep giving it straight back every time they get it.

Bowen and Rice very good so far.

Norwich, come on. Seriously?

Struggling to process just how disastrous this Billy Gilmour performance has been and we're only 11 minutes in.

He's the worst offender but that entire Norwich midfield are watching the ball go straight through them like water.

12' 0-1 Benrahma.

I might have to cancel this. I'm going to get more wound up by Norwich being turgid than I'm going to enjoy watching us.

This is a nice goal, lovely movement from Fornals to drift into the space and cushion back to Bowen after Lanzini's pass. Neat finish too.

This is a joke though. Norwich wouldn't take a single point against any team in the Premier League playing like this.

I have no idea what Gilmour thinks he's doing but he's moving like a training cone to signpost dangerous passes through the lines.

Dowell has been terrible too.

26' Just quick pause to note one of the key issues with Lanzini playing in this #8 position.

He lacks the natural defensive instincts that come with players that usually play here and allows things like this where Gilmour runs off him and gets a shot away.

Dawson block.

30' 0-2 Antonio.

Oh dear Tim Krul. Brilliant work from Lanzini again to spark the move and it's another Bowen assist which leaves Antonio with an open goal to pop the ball into thanks to Krul's mistake.

Terrible pressing angle from Lees-Melou makes this possible as he runs directly at the ball and opens all of that space inside for Lanzini to charge past him.

Not sure what Rashica was thinking about but it definitely wasn't "Where is Jarrod Bowen?"...

32' Huge chance.

Should be 3-0 but Bowen has somehow missed this. Norwich's defending straight after both goals has been, well, shit...

45+3' 0-3 Benrahma.

We're in total control. Again, it's Lanzini who sparks the move, Bowen who finds the killer ball and Benrahma who finishes it off.

And equally, it's Billy Gilmour being absolutely useless in midfield for Norwich.

No idea why Gilmour is running past the ball and making it very easy for Lanzini to turn and dribble towards goal.

Not sure what Brandon Williams is doing either. Why is Bowen constantly being left in acres of space?

Max Aarons might also think about getting tighter to Benrahma here...

I'm struggling to understand how Norwich have gotten *this* bad under Dean Smith because this is seriously awful.

Fair play to Said though, lovely movement and an excellent finish.

HT 0-3

Kidderminster Harriers were a lot better than this. Norwich have been beyond atrocious defensively but we've exploited that well and dealt with some of their better moments on the ball really well.

Perfect response. Foot can come off the gas in the second half now.

Break for @KUMBPod. Back later/tomorrow for the second half (depends how long recording takes).

You lot would be so mad at me for the HT ratings so I cba to share them 🙃

Back to watching Brazil and a very bad team in yellow.

46' Loads of subs.

Yarmolenko has come on for Antonio and Springett and Rupp are on for Norwich in place of Rashica and Lees-Melou.

Kieran Dowell has somehow managed to stay on the pitch.

Bright start from Springett who bursts past Dawson and wins a corner for his side.

47' 1-3 Byram.

This really is Sam Byram's revenge arc. Except not really because VAR is about to rule this out.

Still, what is Fabianski doing here? Three absurd goalkeeping errors at that end now.

Lucky to get away with this as Cresswell's intervention forces a handball.

51' Chance.

Fornals is caught just offside as he meets a ridiculously good Vladimir Coufal first-time-volleyed cross into the middle.

This is the kind of final-third quality you get with a fully fit Coufal at right-back.

55' Chance.

Norwich manage to get Pukki in behind thanks to a Lanzini mistake but their entire midfield stops to watch Pukki rather than getting into the box.

Pointless.

64' Penalty.

Yeah, no question about that one.

+ 65' 0-4 Lanzini.

Coolly slotted. Deserved goal for Manu after an outstanding individual display on the ball.

67' Dawson off, Noble on.

Daws is carrying a knock and Norwich are offering virtually nothing so fine to rotate here and Noble will give us even more control through possession anyway.

70' Huge chance.

Should be 5-0 after a 45 pass move leads to a missed tap-in from Fornals.

Insert *Stop, stop! He's already dead* meme.

73' Big chance.

Definitely should be 5-0 again and Benrahma should have his hat-trick as he's played through beautifully by Lanzini after Yarmolenko's dummy (less said about Pukki, Rupp and Hanley the better).

Terrible first touch allows Byram to get back and tackle.

76' Benrahma off, Vlasic on.

That's Benny done. Seems to have hurt his foot/ankle in that tackle challenge with Byram. Not had a great second half.

Tbf to Byram, he's probably the only player that comes away with any real credit for Norwich.

85' Chance.

Norwich manage to get Pukki in behind again after yet another Lanzini mistake in midfield.

No idea where Zouma is going here. Thankfully, Pukki puts it wide.

90' Great save.

Placheta plays Pukki through again after a cheap giveaway from Fornals and some very lazy defending from Zouma.

Lovely save from Fabianski, stays up and times his approach well as Pukki takes a slightly loose touch.

Teemu Pukki when the opposition have the ball.

FT 0-4

Not really a contest. Norwich's moments in the second half largely came from situations where we fell asleep after having the ball for so long that we got bored.

From a West Ham POV: Perfect response. Professional job. Probably should've scored a few more.

Player ratings #NORWHU - WEST HAM

Fabianski - 6
Coufal - 7
Dawson - 7
Zouma - 6
Cresswell - 7
Lanzini - 7
Rice - 8 ⭐️
Bowen - 7
Fornals - 7
Benrahma - 6
Antonio - 7

Yarmolenko - 6
Noble - 7
Vlasic - 6

Player ratings #NORWHU - NORWICH CITY

Krul - 4
Aarons - 7
Hanley - 5
Byram - 8 ⭐️
Williams - 5
Gilmour - 6
Sorensen - 6
Dowell - 2
Lees-Melou - 6
Rashica - 6
Pukki - 4

Rupp - 5
Springett - 7
Placheta - 5

#NORWHU Match Flow via #MatchScore

#NORWHU Match Race via #MatchScore

Ta for reading another review. Two more to go before a whole summer to upgrade this series.

Cheers! 🎬