The Canaries were three nil down after thirty minutes and a Lanzini penalty in the second half consigned them to a four goal defeat.
West Ham went out of the Europa League after defeat at Eintract Frankfurt on Thursday but they are still in with a chance of European football next season via the Premier League. Norwich are already relegated and so it was hardly surprising that the visitors played with far more intent and desire than their East Anglian hosts.
This season has been an awful one for Norwich City and after the game some of their supporters gathered to show their displeasure against the Board of Directors.
Here is a warmdown of the game and a recap of what happened at Carrow Road.
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The game
West Ham were three goals ahead by the thirtieth minute. Said Benrahma scored in the twelth minute, Michail Antonio then doubled the Hammers lead in the thirtieth before Benrahma claimed his brace and West Ham's third on the brink of half time.
Manuel Lanzini scored from the penalty spot in the sixtieth minute to round off the scoring for the away side and cap off a miserable day for Norwich. West Ham remain in the race for a European spot.
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Norwich City's problems this season and who is to blame
This has been an awful season for the Carrow Road clu despite a transfer outlay of more than £50 million in the summer transfer window. The Canaries have conceded the most goals in the Premier League, scored the least goals and unsurprisingly were the first side to get relegated after the two nil defeat at Villa Park on April 30th.
Norwich started the season with Daniel Farke at the helm but after a bad run of form the German manager was sacked - although bizarrely the announcement of his departure came after a two one win away at Brentford.
Dean Smith deemed not good enough to stay at Aston Villa was appointed as his replacement.
Criticisms about Dean Smith have been that he hasn't been able to implement a style of play and that he hasn't done enough to stave off relegation since joining the Club but he wasnt able to bring in any new players in January and injuries to key players like Adam Idah who hasnt played since February and players missing large parts of the season thanks to Covid-19 have hardly helped his cause.
The problems at Norwich City go far deeper than the managers who fans seem to agree are not the people to blame for relegation this season. The Club was also meekly relegated in 2019-20 as well.
Signings like Milot Rashica, Brandon Williams, Josh Sargent, Billy Gilmour and Mathias Normann have been woefully bad to the extent that the vast majority of Norwich fans wouldn't mind if they left at the end of the season and didn't come back- although the same could be said for a lot of players in this team.
Norwich's issues stem from poor recruitment as well as a lack of finance compared to the other 19 Premier League Clubs.
In the 19/20 season a tiny (by Premier League standards) £750k was spent bringing in one player-Sam Byram and after that one signing, ended up getting relegated with just 21 points.
But because of an understanding about the lack of finance and very generous amounts of patience from their supporters and a covid disrupted end to the season, the supporters were happy to accept and follow the Clubs plan.
Promotion in 18/19 was so unexpected which also bought patience and understanding from within the fanbase.
The difference this time and the reason why supporters have been far more frustrated is multi-faceted but at the same time very simple.
Star player Emi Buendia left to join Aston Villa for £35 million last summer and the hope was that the incoming money would be spent on squad improvement but the team if anything- has gone backwards.
Norwich spent the "Buendia millions" and a bit more last summer but not one signing has been anywhere near good enough.
The Club have rightly been praised when they bought in players like Tim Krul, Teemu Pukki and Emi Buendia and they were wonderful signings but no player has proved good enough for a Club supposedly aiming to be competitive in the Premier League.
As well as the poor recruitment, Sporting Director Stuart Webber has been criticised for a charity climb up Mount Everest and an article promoting it in which he said that "his life isnt to appease Norwich fans".
Add in the accusations around lack of ambition to be a permanent Premier League side that Majority Shareholders Delia Smith and Michael Wynn-Jones have had rightly or wrongly levelled at them and the desperate need for finance to be able to compete at top flight level and Carrow Road is not a happy place.
The protest outside the Main Stand at Carrow Road after the match against West Ham United was small in number but if Norwich dont make good signings this summer and start next season well then the anger towards Stuart Webber (assuming he's still here!) and the Board of Directors will only grow.
Embed from Getty Images Outside the Club Shop/Main Stand at Carrow Road. The place where Norwich fans protested against the Board after the game against West Ham. Getty Images: Stephen Pond.
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Next games
Norwich visit Leicester City on Wednesday 11th before going to Molineux to play Wolves on May 15th and end the season at home against Spurs on the 22nd.
