Stoke City 0-3 Norwich City: Davitt Championship pointers

1. Mentality monsters

Cast your mind back to the end of last year’s disappointing season under David Wagner. The City chief made it clear ‘mentality’ would be front and centre of a summer transfer strategy designed to equip his squad with the ability to resist in the difficult moments.

That would translate into a series of experienced arrivals from Ashley Barnes to Shane Duffy, even you could argue Jack Stacey and Christian Fassnacht. In the following window came Danny Batth.

Yet in the most trying moments of this current Championship campaign, which is now firmly back on track after the dismissive manner the Canaries swatted away Stoke, mentality was a dirty word. It held negative connotations of too old, too slow, too many miles on the clock.

But maybe it is coming to the fore when it matters most. There has to be something deep within a group of players, and a head coach, to emerge from a pre-festive run of seven league defeats in nine.

Wagner batting away weeks of questions on his own future, and even as recently as that Watford watershed moment, the toxic reaction from some Carrow Road elements to his in-game decisions.

Maybe it has shown itself even in the elusive search for only a second away league win since December 4 secured in the Potteries. Mentality can mean many things in a footballing context. A pig-headed refusal to throw in the towel and accept this season’s stated aim of targeting the top six was too high a bar to clear.

When Barnes slammed home Norwich’s third goal to effectively seal this victory in front of the travelling support he was mobbed by his team mates.

Lest anyone forget, Barnes was part of a title-winning squad at Burnley last season who romped to the Championship title. In Cheltenham festival week, he has been over this course and distance before.

The pressure will only intensify from here. ‘Mentality’ may well become a priceless commodity among all those clubs chasing the same target.

2. Big helpings

Josh Sargent started this season for Norwich City looking a key player. But surely not even Wagner realised quite how essential he is to this Canaries’ class, and their promotion prospects?

A tenth league goal of the calendar year set Norwich on the way, after a near four-month lay-off with that ankle injury and subsequent surgery.

By his standards a routine close range sliding slot once Borja Sainz had drawn Daniel Iversen to roll in the unmarked American.

But the appetite to get up in support, that desire and greed to add to his ever-expanding goal tally told you everything again about why Sargent is arguably the biggest difference-maker in this squad.

You can of course highlight Gabby Sara’s escalating number of goal contributions, how Sainz has come to the party of late, even Kenny McLean’s consistent influence, but Sargent’s presence on the pitch is what is elevating this team and this season to such an exciting climax.

For him you would want the upcoming international pause to mean rest and recovery.

But his call up to the USA squad requires a transatlantic dash for potentially two very competitive Nations League deciders.

Setting aside Sargent’s obvious pride at representing his country, and that huge World Cup carrot on the horizon in a couple of years, from a purely selfish point of view a ‘niggle’ that kept him in Norfolk in the coming days would not be the worst outcome.

Wagner certainly appeared to lay the groundwork in his post-match media, when he made it publicly clear Sargent's management of that ankle issue is 'on-going', and the American is yet to complete a full week's training load since his festive return. 

3. Status check

Much as Wagner has opted to stress this play-off poker is as simple as Norwich win and ‘who cares what others do' this felt like a big afternoon in the big picture.

With neither Coventry City nor Hull City in Championship action the incentive was there to open up a three point gap, and let the others stew over this upcoming fortnight’s international pause.

The Sky Blues hit back in dramatic fashion to dump Wolves out of the FA Cup earlier in the day and set up a Wembley semi-final. That means another re-arranged league fixture – ironically Ipswich Town’s scheduled trip.

Preston kept up the pressure with a win at Plymouth but North End also have a re-arranged league fixture and a midweek trip to automatic promotion hopefuls Southampton to squeeze in down the stretch, after the recent league game was postponed due to a fire-related incident in the vicinity of St Mary’s.

All little strands to pull together. But Wagner and his confident squad can now rest up (internationals aside) and return for an eight game swing where they are now the hunted, and it is the others in catch-up mode.

Wagner may wish to retain the blinkers, and in that regard he is spot on – City continue to produce results and performances like this latest one at Stoke and it does not matter what the others in the rear view mirror can muster.

4. The clock is ticking

Dimi Giannoulis’ untimely hamstring injury has opened the door for Sam McCallum to make a final case for a new Carrow Road deal when his current contract expires in the summer. But Jacob Sorensen had another opportunity to showcase both his versatility, and his standing as a Championship-grade centre back in the Potteries.

No Shane Duffy, no Grant Hanley and Wagner clearly of the view again the Dane fits his eye, and his defensive template, better than Danny Batth, who was on the bench once more.

Duffy is expected to return from a calf issue the other side of this international break. Hanley is clearly being managed with a ‘no risk’ strategy, after his long lay-off with an Achilles injury that required surgery and ended his previous league campaign.

Wagner revealed in his post-match media the Scot will remain at Colney for a personal fitness programme over these next two weeks, rather than join up with his national squad, in a bid to rediscover that 'explosiveness' that makes him one of the best in the second tier.  

City also possess a heathy collection of young centre back prospects fighting their corners now on loan in the lower reaches of the Football League.

But given Ben Knapper publicly stated the age profile of the squad he inherited is a matter he intends to address in the transfer windows ahead, is there a place moving forward for the 26-year-old Dane?

Sorensen’s shift in the previous one-sided affair against Rotherham only told us what we knew in terms of his calmness and composure to step into his more natural midfield. He would have expected Stoke to test his physical powers to compete and withstand those personal defensive duels.

In truth, it was all rather too comfortable again until he took a whack heading a ball clear just past the hour mark, and departed a few minutes later. Albeit he was able to walk to the sidelines despite clearly looking dazed.

Wagner allayed any fears on Sorensen after the game when he disclosed the Dane had been suffering with sickness in recent days and had simply 'ran out of energy'. 

One hopes two weeks of inactivity will ensure he remains a viable option for the run-in. Maybe the final chapter is yet to be written.