And with that one performance you can now understand why it's been so galling to have witnessed what we have for past three months.
What can you say?
OK, so you'd expect the Canaries to want to roll their sleeves up in this game of all games, and particularly so considering that their new manager was watching from the sidelines and about to form his first impressions of his new charges, but this was still something pretty special all the same.
Talk about wiping the slate clean…
Surely even the most diehard of Canary supporters wouldn't have dared hoped for a 90 minutes display packed with such commitment and energy as that on show at Carrow Road this lunch-time?
It quickly became apparent that not only had all the self-doubt and indecision that has beset City this season been removed without trace from their performance, but that finally we were about to witness the Canaries in full flight.
New boss Glenn Roeder had said earlier this week that his primary task was to try to instil some confidence back into his players, but he was wise enough to accept that until that time arrived City might need to play 'ugly' if need be in order to achieve results.
Well, on this showing it takes no more than five days to restore confidence into players that had previously looked like they'd never played together before, because right from the first whistle City didn't stand on ceremony and set about taking the game to Ipswich as though it was they themselves who were riding high at the top end of the table rather that being rooted to the bottom of it.
This was anything but 'ugly'.
In fact, it was everything and more that 20,000-odd fans have been crying out for longer than anyone cares to remember.
Indeed as anyone who was present at Carrow Road today would have to concur, Norwich were undoubtedly the best team on the day, and had they converted any one or more than the numerous excellent goal-scoring chances that they created would have comfortably won the game.
True, Jim Magilton's team did look dangerous in the final third themselves. And had they been afforded more possession might easily have fancied their chances of scoring more than just the two, first-half goals they grabbed.
But the reality being that they were forced to play for a considerable slice of the game on the back foot such was Norwich's dominance.
It was a dream start for Roeder despite the game ending all square, because he'll have realised that what he witnessed provides him with everything he needs to begin turning this season around. The quality was there, the desire and passion was there and the determination was there.
Now to harness it.
You talk about benchmarks in football and levels that you strive to attain, and as pleased as we all are at today's display, no-one will be foolish enough to think that this one performance alone will set Norwich off and running and racing up the table.
Unless, that is, it can be repeated on a regular basis.
And that's the crux to all this.
No point in getting excited at a one-off, derby-day, five-star show if that's all it's going to be ? a one-off.
But continue like this, however, and there'll be no problems whatsoever this season.
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