An improved second-half performance from the Canaries against Scunthorpe last Tuesday on what has generally been a bitterly disappointing showing in the majority of games this season has provided the tiniest chinks of light for City fans.
For once, we saw Norwich nearer to the positive, attacking outfit that they should be against Nigel Adkins' men, and although it didn't ultimately win them the game, at least it was a start.
Now considering the manner of the Canaries start to this 2007-08 campaign, there is obviously a risk of slightly overdoing the compliments here and deviating off the path of realism at the first sign of an improvement.
And it would indeed be remiss to ignore the fact that City didn't exactly rip Scunthorpe to pieces last week and but for the width of an upright could have easily lost the game in much the same manner that they might have won it had substitute Chris Martin's superb half-volley been an inch or so closer to the goal?
But ? and as only regular followers of Norwich this season will appreciate – it was a big improvement on some of the dross we've seen this term nevertheless.
But pulling the proverbial finger out and getting up a head of steam on your own patch is, as we're all well aware, one thing, whereas adopting the same approach and actually transforming it into a credible performance on the pitch away from home is very much another.
Norwich have only scored one goal from four games on the road this season, and haven't looked likely to trouble their opponents in all of their away matches in truth.
At Preston on the opening day of the campaign City spent almost the entire afternoon with everyone behind the ball and encamped inside their own half, likewise at Charlton, whereas the Molineux debacle needs no further explanation.
Only at Hull at the back end of August did City appear to be in with a chance of taking something from the game, and even then they were still decidedly second best on the day.
So the challenge is plain enough for the Canaries, and that is to see if they can take the positives from their improved second-half display from their last outing and implement them from the first whistle tomorrow night.
City boss Peter Grant has chopped and changed personnel and systems in trying to find a winning formula for his side, and after his impressive brief appearance last Tuesday night, Chris Martin must now be in with a chance of starting the game tomorrow.
Martin hasn't had a look in as far as league games are concerned this season, but showed on enough occasions last term that he's more than capable at first-team level.
Grant will have also been pleased with the contribution of Darren Huckerby and Lee Croft on the flanks last week, and if they find themselves in the starting line-up alongside Martin tomorrow, the Canaries should possess ample attacking options
Tomorrow night's opponents are but one of only two teams that have experienced a worst start to the season than Norwich, and after slipping to the bottom of the table the QPR board decided to act last week and remove John Gregory from the hot seat.
Mick Harford has been handed a caretaker role for first-team affairs at Loftus Road, and so it could be therefore that tomorrow night is the ideal time for City to travel to Rangers?
But then again, we seemed to have been thinking similar thoughts when Sheffield Wednesday visited Carrow Road nine days ago when they were propping up the Coca-Cola championship table and in a bit of a mess, and we all know how that turned out!
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