If the Canaries are about to embark on the type of season that everyone at Carrow Road is quietly hoping for and expecting, there's one major question that the team needs to answer above all others tomorrow.
Forget about systems of play, who plays where and whether or not City can create and subsequently convert enough goal-scoring chances over the course of the next 46 league games in order to make a decent fist of things at the top end of the table for a change, the one thing that will be plainly evident regarding whether it's present or not soon after the first whistle sounds at The Ricoh Arena tomorrow is also something that can't be measured.
Here's a clue.
A certain Simon Cowell regularly used the term when ripping some poor pop wannabe to shreds with his critique of their performance a few years ago, and he then even went on to make it into his own award-winning TV show.
It's called the X-Factor.
All well and good assembling a new look squad with a summer intake of signings that reaches into double figures; fine hearing most of the players saying how ready for action they are and how remarkably fit they feel; and as laudable as some of the pre-season performances have been, as well we all know, it'll all count for diddly-squat at three o'clock tomorrow afternoon as well as for the ensuing ten months if the team doesn't really have what takes?
That certain something – the magical ingredient, if you like ? that always separates the willing, honest, and hard-working from those that also share those qualities, but ultimately win the prizes.
Some of the new arrivals do look promising, I have to say.
City boss Glenn Roeder has added a combination of youth, experience and flair to his pool of players this summer, and the potential for big things to happen here at Norwich this term is undoubtedly at hand.
Wes Hoolahan, Dejan Stefanovic and David Bell would add quality to any Championship side, and the likes of Sammy Clingan, Elliot Omozusi, Arturo Lupoli and John Kennedy will help create a healthy competition for places in the staring line-up ? something that was badly missed last season.
Now for the difficult bit though, and whether or not Roeder can wave the wand and gel it all together into an outfit that not only believes in itself and can back it up with results, but one that can also do so on a consistent basis ? through the good, bad and ugly times.
As always at the start of the season, it's difficult to tell which of the 24 Championship teams will emerge from the shadows and deliver a campaign that makes people sit up and take notice.
Last year Bristol City, Hull and Stoke surprised everyone with their consistency and capability to hold their lofty positions in the table once they had got there, and ? like everyone else ? tomorrow's opponents Coventry will feel that there's no reason why this season it shouldn't be their turn.
Like his opposite number, Sky Blues manager Chris Coleman has made some shrewd summer signings and, after successfully managing to steer the Sky Blues clear from the relegation zone last season will no doubt be expecting a much-improved effort from his team this term.
That's to be seen, but my guess is that Coventry won't prove any great shakes again this season despite the undoubted talent of their manager, the club announcing it's record season ticket sales and the arrival of a few quality players to the squad.
So Norwich therefore, have to travel to Coventry tomorrow fully expecting to win the game.
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