City boss Glenn Roeder kept it short and not altogether sweet after Norwich's third straight defeat away at Sheffield United plunged the Canaries right back into the relegation mire.
And with the drop zone now just three points beneath their feet after a 'flat' period of results that has seen City prise just five points out of the last 24, the Easter home clash with Colchester United swiftly assumes huge proportions.
Likewise, given that Sheffield Wednesday occupy the top relegation spot with 43 points and have two games in hand on three of their relegation rivals that traditional, 50-point safety mark might not be enough this season – particularly when someone like Leicester can travel to promotion hopefuls West Bromwich Albion and win 4-1.
Southampton's spectacular collapse offers one saving grace; Darel Russell's return from his latest ban another. But if Roeder was hoping for a nice, calm end to the season with little but pride and league place to play for when Norwich travel to Wednesday on the final day of the season, on current results that ain't going to happen.
On current performances, the picture is distinctly brighter. But, as ever, performances mean diddly-squat if you don't come away with something to show for your troubles. Concede two goals in the space of three minutes in the manner that the Canaries did yesterday and you'll have plenty of troubles to worry about.
“We've lost a game that we shouldn't [have],” said Roeder afterwards, as he winced at the memory of Billy Sharp's 52nd minute opener and Matthew Kilgallon's killer second three minutes later.
Jason Shackell's misplaced pass set the first in motion as one-time City strike target David Cotterill darted in and sent an awkward little cross into the Canary six-yard box. Alex Pearce at least reached the ball ahead of Rob Hulse, but then saw his clearance smash into an unmarked Sharp who, through accident or design, bundled an instinctive volley back and beyond a stranded David Marshall.
Kilgallon's second was even worse as the one-time Leeds United youngster found no-one challenging him as he rose to meet David Carney's corner – no keeper out and punching; no marker leaping and clearing. Sloppy hardly does Roeder's mood justice.
“It's a mad couple of minutes – two rotten goals,” said the City chief, with Mamady Sidibe's softest of headers for Stoke's mid-week winner still fresh in the memory.
“And that sums up the last two games. A stinking goal against Stoke, but like against Stoke here today we missed chances that you expect players to score.”
Matty Pattison with a nasty slash over the bar from a slide-rule Darren Huckerby pass and side-foot effort into the side-netting from Huckerby himself stood out as the Canaries withstood an early United storm and began to make decent chances of their own.
A glorious turn and run capped by a curling effort that slammed into a stanchion from Kieran Gibbs might not come into the miss category; nor would a Ched Evans thunder-bolt from a second-half free-kick. But somewhere, in amongst it all, someone has to convert.
Both the bottom two clubs – Scunthorpe and Colchester United – have scored more goals than Norwich this season. Hence Roeder's urgent search for a loan striker continues.
Again, on the basis of never quite knowing what you've got until its gone, you look at Russell's red card absences of late and while events were hardly going with a bang at the Ricoh Stadium when the all-action Canary midfielder booked his place on the sidelines for another two games, he does bring a goal threat to proceedings – over and above the usual energy and industry.
That may well help. Because the Canaries need to nail all this relegation talk once and for all in their next two home games – at home to the seemingly doomed Us on Saturday and at home to Burnley a fortnight later. And while, in every likelihood, even 52 points might not be enough this season, two wins gives City the kind of platform belief and confidence-wise to go on and prise the last couple of results they need to keep their Championship status intact.
The nightmare scenario is travelling down the A140 and allowing Ipswich Town to barge their way back into the play-off reckoning at Norwich's expense.
“We've got to get back to winning a game of football,” said Roeder. “There were lots of passages in that game; lots of periods in that game where I thought we were the better team. We passed the ball better.
“And overall the performance isn't a poor performance.”
The manner in which the two goals certainly were. “That's individuals,” the City boss said, with the luckless Shackell being hauled off ten minutes after Kilgallon's second. “Individuals have got to do the jobs that they are expected to do. And not make mistakes.
“Because at this level, you will get punished. The first goal is ridiculous.”
With one win from their last eight games – the 1-0 win over Barnsley – was Roeder worried?
“That's almost a silly question,” he said. “Of course, I'm concerned. We're all concerned; we all want to turn it round. So I'm hardly going to say: 'No, it doesn't concern me…'
“We've got to win a game of football. We've just got to turn the corner by winning a game, taking three points and then move on.”
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