West Ham should use gameplan from rivals to exploit Norwich City

West Ham United’s August has been the best in recent years. Not one match has been a cakewalk and yet they have done well with 4 points so far. This weekend Norwich comes in to end out the month and it will again, be harder than most will predict. However, there is a way ahead for the Hammers.

West Ham will play at home for the first time since their dismantlement by Man City in week 1 and will take on Norwich who are in the relegation zone yet have the top scorer in the league. Norwich lost but played well against Chelsea who is arguably better than the Hammers but West Ham could take advantage of their play and use it to slow down the EPL’s top scorer and in turn, Norwich City.

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For starters, Teemu Pukki is still on fire and put 2 of his 5 away last week against Chelsea. It’s important to know that Pukki isn’t the only threat but still a big one. That match was lightning in a bottle from the beginning with both teams scoring 2 goals apiece in the first 30 minutes. The first thing the Hammers will need to do is slow the game down and control the ball.

This is something however that West Ham sometimes struggles with. Look no further than last weekend at Watford, that game was off and running quickly and luckily saw the Hammers stop the immediate attack and score within 3 minutes of play. That game just like the first half of the cup tie with Newport was back and forth and saw the Irons on the back foot a lot. That will have to be controlled or you will see Pukki find a hole and exploit.

Going back to the other match, once Chelsea got control of the match, their two tall and athletic attackers took over. The play from Mason Mount and Tammy Abraham was paramount in the Blues win and the Irons need to use that same idea but with the likes of Haller, Anderson, and Lanzini. Maybe not as tall, besides Haller, but equally good and just as attacking.

dark. Next. Can West Ham stop the Pukki party?

Hopefully, Pellegrini will be able to get a good week of practice behind the squad and find a way to get the defense and defending midfielders to gel together and get back when needed. If that can happen and our main attack force can maintain possession through offense this should be a well-earned 3 points all with the help of a London rival.