In many ways Norwich City's loss at Birmingham was a reminder that you don't know how good something is until it's gone.

Steamrolling past every opposition side below them had become a casual pastime for the Canaries, as had scoring goals and cultivating vibrant away ends.

A dull and disappointing afternoon on the road was the ideal way to ensure those travelling fans appreciated what those things meant, and it also meant an increased appreciation for the root cause.

What was different at St Andrew's compared to previously, tactically at least, was the repositioning of someone who's become a key, if understated, cog of the play-off charge wheel: Marcelino Nunez.

So routine have his metronomic performances become, fans have become used to the Chilean and his specific strengths in a unique deeper midfield role. It's rare he receives as many plaudits as the likes of Josh Sargent and Gabriel Sara, but perhaps he'll earn more after that.

Jacob Sorensen, Nunez' midfield replacement as he played a temporary 'number 10' role, is a perfectly acceptable footballer. He's reliable, works hard and makes the simple passes. At one point that was exactly what Norwich needed.

But in a world where they're pushing for promotion to the Premier League, Nunez has made his Danish team-mate's skillset look rather basic. There were no discernible issues with his performance, there was just a clear hole in the shape of the 24-year-old.

What that included was the zippy energy he brings to the position, the well-coached blend of progressive and secure that makes for one of the Championship's most consistent performers.

In an advanced role there was no opportunity to show that skillset, rather Nunez spent the afternoon chasing Birmingham defenders and looking for the space he desired where there was none.

He had one snapshot and then a wide free-kick that briefly teased the travelling fans, but in truth John Ruddy was never in any real trouble.

That’s not to say that he couldn’t be retrained as a 10. He has the low centre of gravity, flare and technical ability that many of his predecessors have put together to thrive at the front of the midfield.

With two games between Norwich and Wembley, however, and an Ashley Barnes replacement needed in the interim, now’s not the time to make that happen.

Nunez’s brief deployment there in the 2-2 draw with Swansea suggested as much, and David Wagner doesn’t need much more evidence after the Birmingham loss; not only does he fall short of the physical profile required, it takes a key player out of a key position in which he’s comfortable.

As far as what that means for Sorensen, Wagner has made clear his preference to delay contract talks. But with such an apparent gulf between him and the German’s first-choices, why it’s taken so long to decide on a simple one-year option is becoming clear.

Josh Sargent is another interested party in the complex situation unfolding across various positions for Norwich. The American's display was perhaps his least involved since returning from a long-term ankle injury late last year, highlighting the importance of Barnes in his recent success.

The trip to Birmingham was reminiscent of times without Sargent, and given the results achieved in that period Wagner will be keen to find a solution.

Those could include playing Gabriel Sara behind the striker and choosing between Christian Fassnacht and a not-totally-match-fit Jonathan Rowe out wide, or even playing Rowe there as has been the case in fits and starts.

If one thing's clear after Birmingham it's that Nunez is not the play-off 'number 10' solution, whatever it ends up being.

Verdict: A difficult afternoon for the Chilean international, whose unfamiliar position made it very difficult for him to get involved. Throw in all the circumstances that all of his team-mates appeared to be struggling with, and it was a tough afternoon for Nunez.

Rating: Five out of 10.