It would be hard to offer up valid argument against the opinion of many people who, after witnessing the Canaries disappointingly returning to losing ways on Tuesday night, will feel that City's stirring effort against Ipswich last Sunday afternoon was very much a one-off.
After all, it's hard to recall a local derby where either side has been basically guilty of not trying or at least attempting to give their very best, regardless of the eventual outcome, and last Sunday was certainly no different.
But as far as the Canaries are concerned, that fantastic effort in Glenn Roeder's first game in charge was light years away from what has depressingly become their normal standards this season – as we all know only too well.
So concern that everything will inevitably now fall back into what can viably classed as being 'the usual' on a matchday is completely understandable.
Against Watford in mid-week City simply couldn't get anywhere near to matching their derby-day display, albeit despite there being mitigating circumstances considering that they would have burned up a considerable amount of energy barely 48 hours earlier and had little time to properly recover.
Plus, of course, they were without two of their most influential players ? Dion Dublin and Darren Huckerby.
But Roeder's appointment should certainly offer up hope to the City faithful that Norwich aren't going to be allowed to simply turn up on a Saturday afternoon and wait for the inevitable defeat to ensue in much the same manner they had before his arrival.
The players have already responded by producing significantly upbeat performances in these last two matches and said that the new manger's arrival has lifted their morale ? although that was only to be expected.
And if Roeder can add more faces to the squad ? and equally importantly ensure that they are players who will improve the squad rather than just increasing its size ? akin to the calibre of Martin Taylor, then there will be every reason to be optimistic for the future.
While Roeder is left to do verbal battle on the telephone trying to convince reluctant, over-paid but under-played reserve team players that it might not only be in his interests but also their own to come down to little old Norfolk for a spot of first-team football, tomorrow's long trip to Plymouth might offer indication of what we can expect in the meantime.
And unless things have changed considerably down at Home Park and Pilgrims boss Ian Holloway become a soft touch overnight, I can only see it being a pretty tough test for the Canaries again tomorrow.
Argyle will no doubt be keen to bounce back to winning ways after securing just one point from their last three league games and accordingly slipping down to tenth spot in the table after riding high up in fourth place just over two weeks ago, but their performance during their 1-1 draw with Colchester in midweek was very good by all accounts and it was a game which they should have comfortably won.
Just like their manager himself was a player, Plymouth are a hard-working side that will fight for each other, and in players like David Norris, Lilian Nalis, Sylvain Ebanks-Blake, and Barry Hayles, they have enough quality to cause opposition defences plenty of problems.
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