Norwich City’s positive start to the season had seemingly come crashing down around them. An inexplicably poor performance had led to their first defeat of the campaign, and David Wagner was minutes away from confirming the extent of key man Josh Sargent’s long-term ankle injury.
There was a quiet belief as the 2,212 travelling supporters filtered away from the Rotherham United stadium, however. “I just think it’s a blip,” said Norwich fan Ollie. “Every good team plays rubbish football.”
“We’re always going to have defeats throughout the season,” said another fan, as if he were trying to reassure the rest of the City faithful. “We’re not going to go unbeaten!”
What was clear was that Wagner’s men did enough in their first five games to convince supporters of the side’s long-term credentials.
In spite of a near-spotless pre-season campaign and a series of experienced summer arrivals, few were expecting 10 points from the first five games and even fewer anticipated 13 goals in August.
Early predictions regarding the season were wide-ranging and settled mostly on failed play-off pushes amongst Canaries fans, while national expectations reached as low as relegation battles and 19th-placed finishes.
But the reality has been much different thus far, with electrifying football reigniting hopes of a promotion push amongst an increasingly joyous supporter base.
A summer of business once written off and underrated had become symbolic of a turnaround shocking externally but of no surprise to those within the Colney walls. “During pre-season I already had the feeling something was growing quite quickly,” said Wagner ahead of that Millers trip.
“Obviously it’s been good so far, but it’s so, so important for us to continue what we have done performance wise, and to be hungry and greedy for the next win.”
Ashley Barnes surprised those expecting a traditionally physical and immobile English striker with technical ability to match his trademark nouse, while Christian Fassnacht’s circa-£1million signing is looking more like a bargain with every passing moment.
Shane Duffy took time to acclimatise but is comfortably first-choice defender months after he was broadly written off, and young Kellen Fisher has already made a senior impact despite being signed from non-league for the under-21s.
Messrs Batth, Hwang, Forshaw and Long will aim to repeat the feat, but Wagner’s players must heed his advice before the Rotherham game, even without the momentum they had going into it.
Staying focused on what’s next is what all great teams do, even if, as Ollie says, they also play poorly at times. With two tough tests on the horizon in Stoke and Leicester, Norwich now have the chance to prove they’ve got what it takes long-term, rather than simply a surge of success that carried them through the term’s first month.
The German will know that all too well after his start in the Carrow Road dugout faded so quickly. Still in his mind will be the electric performances at Preston and Coventry, the delightful win at Millwall before a run of one win in 11 killed the club’s play-off hopes.
Paul Ince’s Reading topped the table early in the same season before being relegated to League One under Paul Hunt.
He’ll be keen to avoid the same fate in his second year of leadership, and he’ll be staying on top of his players to ensure they maintain the same mentality.
There are reasons to believe in a second push despite the blow that Sargent’s four-month absence will be; those new signings, and returns from injury for Jacob Sorensen and Borja Sainz.
The signs of a promotion-challenging, even promotion-winning, side have been shown in the opening stage of City’s Championship assualt, but carrying them forward is another task entirely.
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