Paddy's Pointers: Five observations from the Canaries' 3-1 Premier League defeat against Brentford

1. Must not lose

Those pre-match words from Dean Smith look very hollow now. Many felt it was more in the ‘must-win’ category, given Norwich City’s position propping up the rest of the Premier League. Add in a Brentford outfit who pitched up at Carrow Road having lost eight of their last nine and surely this had to be the day City turbo-charged their relegation bid.

They conceded in their brightest first half spell, from yet another corner routine. Then Ben Gibson coughed up not one but two second half penalties emphatically despatched by Ivan Toney.

Even at 3-0 down, Milot Rashica’s low finish was over-ruled by the video assistant, after Teemu Pukki was adjudged to have strayed offside in his near post flick from Kenny McLean’s corner. It was as if the fates had conspired.

A miserable, empty feeling inside Carrow Road. A day that promised so much but which may have confirmed the inevitable.

Bees’ fans broke into chants of ‘we are staying up’ after Toney completed his hat-trick prior to the hour mark, before serenading their former boss Smith. Bryan Mbeumo’s ‘fourth’, another eventually disallowed by VAR, still proved too much for some City fans, who took it as a cue to head to the exits.

It was not the defeat alone, to return to Smith’s pre-match mantra in the wider context of the Premier League scrap, it was the manner of it that was so dispiriting.

2. Events, dear boy, events

Whatever Smith and Craig Shakespeare said at the interval to try and coax a comeback from the Canaries, following Toney’s opener, it was rendered largely meaningless in six minutes of madness.

Gibson’s high boot, in attempting to clear his lines, ended with Pontus Jansson taking a blow around his neck area as he stooped to meet the incoming delivery. Referee Anthony Taylor did not see the incident in real-time, but there was an ominous sinking feeling when he was advised to consult the pitchside monitor.

Thus far for Norwich in the Premier League, that has never ended well. Toney held his nerve, despite Tim Krul’s mind games, and repeated the trick when Gibson mistimed his sliding challenge. Game, set and match.

Smith spoke on Friday about how when the heat had come on in those previous big days against Everton and Watford, his players had embraced the challenge. Here it was Brentford who kept their cool.

Norwich unravelled once Toney had broken the deadlock.

Smith had been at pains in recent weeks to insist he cared little what others were doing down the bottom end. The implication being Norwich had to control their own destiny. When it really mattered they came up a long way short.

That feeling they imploded – and in such graphic fashion - will sting in the hours and days ahead.

3. Oh Milot!

Academic now in the shadow of Brentford’s comprehensive victory, but Rashica may struggle to lay his head on the pillow on Saturday night when he replays that massive second minute chance.

Billy Gilmour slipped him in perfectly, and with David Raya to beat seven yards out or so, he opened his body and telegraphed a tame sidefooter at the Bees’ keeper. Goals change games. Norwich found out to their cost when Toney moved centre stage.

But can you imagine the lift it would have given Smith’s players and those home fans. Not to mention remind Brentford they were on a prolonged losing run and a long way from home.

Rashica did find the back of the net in the second half, chalked off by the video assistants, but when he needed that cunning, clinical edge he was found wanting.

The Kosovan’s first Premier League goal at Liverpool recently felt like a watershed moment. The quality is not in doubt, nor the attacking threat that he has offered with his pace and ball-carrying thrust.

But after being withdrawn by Smith at Southampton, and now spurning such a golden chance in such a huge contest, the lack of end product in a side struggling to score goals has contributed to weigh down the Canaries.

4. Home truths

Given Norwich have struggled all season to muster any sort of residual goalscoring output, is it any wonder each concession at the opposite end feels somehow ever more damaging. This is the Premier League, these are some of the best teams and forward players in the world.

If Norwich were getting picked off by moments of individual brilliance then you could accept it far easier than the chronic inability to stop shipping goals from corners.

For Toney to profit in the same manner both Liverpool, albeit in the FA Cup, and Southampton did over recent days is scarcely believable.

Particularly in an era of data saturation. You can be sure Brentford were fully briefed, when Christian Eriksen floated a ball to the near post for one-time City transfer target Kristoffer Ajer to flick the ball towards the back stick.

Toney’s predatory instincts did the rest, as he advanced to crash home a close range volley before Brandon Williams had a chance to engage.

In such a massive, momentum-changing game at the bottom of the Premier League it was a pivotal moment.

Smith arrived at Carrow Road with a brief to tighten up the Canaries’ porous backline. But old habits die hard. The last three games from set pieces is every bit as weak as it was under Daniel Farke.

5. What next?

Smith will need all his man-management skills to lift this group after such a damaging result. For those who had already consigned them to the Championship a long ago it will hardly alter their opinion. In which case, Smith and his coaching team have an extended period between now and the end of the season to put plans in place for the fightback.

It was telling Jonathan Rowe replaced Gilmour for the final quarter, and conjured an assist for Pukki’s scant consolation. Gilmour will not be here next season, Rowe most certainly will.

Smith is a huge fan and as he said in midweek, as long as the teenager continues to learn and work hard the sky is the limit. There is one surefire way to signal to City fans there is a glimmer of hope on the horizon by giving raw but exciting young talent a chance over the run in.

Smith, of course, will continue to insist the impossible is possible. Even from this dire situation. Once the boos and the frustration from those who remained at the final whistle drifted into the night sky there is the small matter of the world club champions Chelsea to come at Carrow Road. Followed by a trip to Leeds.

Norwich meekly waved goodbye to the top flight two seasons ago in a campaign completely over-shadowed by global events. You sense there will be much less leeway this time around if they go quietly.