West Ham United U21s v Norwich U21s
Premier League 2, Rush Green Stadium, Friday 30 August 2024, 7pm BST
West Ham United U21s will host Norwich City at Rush Green Stadium on Friday evening looking to continue their perfect start to the Premier League 2 campaign.
Back-to-back victories against Brighton & Hove Albion and Southampton in their opening two games mean the young Hammers go into matchday three top of the PL2 standings.
Tickets...
Tickets can be purchased at the turnstiles, priced at £5 for Adults and £1 for Under-18s. Season Ticket Holders can attend for free.
Travel...
The postcode for Rush Green Stadium - West Ham United’s first-team training ground - is RM7 0LU.
To access the ground via public transport, fans can take a train to Romford station, then board a 5, 103 or 175 bus for the 15-minute ride and get off at the Barton Avenue stop.
Supporters using public transport are advised to check their journeys before they travel, using resources such as TfL’s Journey Planner and the TfL Go app. Supporters may also wish to visit the National Rail website if travelling on the rail network.
Fans wishing to attend this Premier League 2 fixture by car should note that there is no parking available for spectators at Rush Green Stadium due to onsite construction works.
How To Follow…
A live stream of the fixture will be available across the Club’s website, TikTok, and YouTube channel. A match report, highlights and reaction will also follow shortly after the full-time whistle.
Premier League 2 Explained…
To minimise the impact of relegation on future groups of U21 players, the Premier League introduced a new format to its development phase competition in 2023/24.
Replacing the two-division system, the 26 Category One academies now compete in a single tier with 20 regular-season fixtures before the top 16 seeded teams advance to single-elimination play-offs.
Regular-season fixtures are determined by a draw made according to clubs’ performances over the last three seasons. Each team plays 20 different opponents before the play-offs in May, where they will be drawn against each other based on league positions, with the higher seeded team playing at home. The top 12 are also rewarded with a place in the following season’s Premier League International Cup competition.
Coach’s View…
There has been lots to be pleased about from West Ham’s opening two Premier League 2 performances. From back to front, the Hammers have been excellent, dealing with their possession-based opponents while creating plenty of opportunities for their attackers.
“We’re playing very well at the moment,” lead coach Mark Robson observed. “There hasn’t been a lot of time for post-match reflection, but Monday was a good opportunity for us to reassess our first three games and reinforce our principles.
“The work that coaches Steve [Potts] and Gerard [Prenderville] have put in has been excellent, and it’s showing on the pitch. When we’ve identified areas for improvement, we’ve focused on them in training and have seen positive results in the next game. The boys are performing well, both individually and as a team. I want us to maintain the excellent team ethic that has been key to our success as we move into the next game.”
Opposition…
It has been a mixed start to the Premier League 2 campaign for our opponents Norwich City. From topping the table after the opening game thanks to a 6-1 victory over West Bromwich Albion to dropping to tenth the week after, following a 3-0 home defeat to Nottingham Forest.
The starting eleven that faced Forest in their last outing featured six changes from the side that put the young Baggies to the sword. Opportunities to travel in the first team squad for some of last season’s standout performers such as Elliot Myles and Gabriel Forsyth will likely impact the strength of the Canaries lineup once again, as Norwich travel to Coventry the following morning.
As was the case with last week’s opponents Southampton, Norwich narrowly missed out on the play-offs by just two points, so will be well aware of the value of fighting for every single point during the regular season.
The Story So Far…
The U21s have got off to a flying start in the Premier League 2 with victories in their two opening fixtures against Brighton & Hove Albion and Southampton.
Scoring seven and conceding just one means the young Hammers sit top of the Premier League 2 standings on goal difference going into matchday three.
Friday night’s game will be the development squad’s final fixture before they break for international duty, returning to action in the EFL Trophy away to Newport County on 17 September.
