It only makes you wonder where we'd be had Glenn been there from the off…

The Canaries went into the game with Southampton at St. Mary's last night unbeaten in nine league games.

And of those nine matches, I don't think it would be unfair to suggest that only in three of them had Norwich disappointed with the manner of their performance.

Aside from the clashes with Colchester, Charlton and Wolves, City had delivered a notable array of qualities to their game, ranging from a defensive resoluteness not witnessed on too many occasions in recent seasons through to an evident increased desire to give a decent account of themselves.

And it resulted with the general standard of their football hitting impressive levels.

Their displays at Crystal Palace on New Year's Day and at home to Leicester 11 days ago in particular would suitably fall into the highest of categories here at Championship level, and it would have ensured that as far as confidence, self-belief and morale was concerned, the Canaries would have understandably been quite content on all of those fronts.

And at St. Mary's last night it certainly showed.

Now this wasn't a performance akin to that against Leicester last time out whereby City were fully in control of proceedings from the first minute until the last, but what it certainly was though was as good an example of just what can be achieved when you have a side that is prepared to give everything for eachother and a steely determination to get the job done.

It was an entertaining affair last night with chances at both ends. And, yes, City did ride their luck at times, none more so when Stern John ballooned the ball over the crossbar from the penalty spot after Gary Doherty had blotted his copybook with a needless handball.

But there's also valid reason to suggest that given the whole-hearted attitude and approach from the Canaries, they had earned themselves that large dollop of good fortune.

Individually and collectively City's defensive attributes shone through like a beacon last night.

The Canaries did give more than a decent account of themselves going forward it has to be said, but considering that they found themselves on the back foot for long periods in the second-half in particular, the fact that they limited their opponents to relatively few genuine goal-scoring chances and eventually begin to frustrate the life out of them was testament to their ability to maintain their defensive shape and discipline more than anything else.

Jason Shackell produced an almost faultless display at the heart of the defence, as in fairness did Doherty aside from his moment of madness.

In midfield, and after taking ten minutes or so to get fully up to speed with the game Darel Russell was as combative as ever, as was Lee Croft who once again caught the eye with his energy levels and positive running on the right flank.

And in attack Dion Dublin was a constant threat to the Southampton rearguard every time the ball was played up to him.

Solid, energetic, disciplined and thoroughly professional from one to 11 last night, and that's the unbeaten run into double figures now – mightily impressive for any team, let alone one that was once doing its best imitation of a pub side every Saturday afternoon.

Of course we mustn't forget the perilous situation the Canaries had placed themselves in back in October and the fact that nothing has been achieved just yet.

But it doesn't half make you wonder what might have been had Glenn Roeder arrived here at Norwich three months earlier than he did…