Carrow Road at 4.55pm last Saturday was not a pleasant place to be.  

Having witnessed their side lose to a last-minute goal by resurgent Middlesbrough, Norwich fans vented their anger. 

Their fury was directed at one man - Dean Smith. 

It had all started so well when Josh Sargent (more about him later) fired Norwich deservedly ahead with his ninth goal of the season in 19 appearances. 

Sadly, that’s as good as it got for the Canaries. For 30 minutes they were excellent and had Michael Carrick’s men just where they wanted them. 

But they took their foot off the gas and their intensity dropped, which invited Middlesbrough back into the game. It was an invitation Boro duly took. 

Sometimes, even as opposition fans, you simply have to admire a thing of beauty - that was Riley McGree’s equaliser. I have to admit, it was as good a goal as I’ve seen in the Championship this season. 

It was a magnificent strike, which was always going away from Angus Gunn. McGree’s technique was simply outstanding - it was a very awkward ball to hit. 

It’s now three wins in Norwich’s last 12 league games and the manager will be under pressure when the season resumes on December 10.  

We are 21 games into the season, with Norwich six points behind second-placed Sheffield United and nine adrift of top of the table Burnley. 

I have seen some people say ‘be patient.’ But we’re now nearly half way through the season and the club isn’t where most of us expected it to be. There’s a lot of work to be done and it should be starting now, during the break for the World Cup. 

Dean Smith is a man under pressure and needs to turn things around, sharpishly, when the season resumes. 

The Pink Un:

Back to Sargent – he's been excellent for the club this season. He has proved what hard work and determination can do for a player. He’s forced himself into Gregg Berthalter’s USA squad, and rightly so. 

As I write this column, I’m in the air flying to Qatar, where I fully expect to see Josh lead the line for USA against my beloved Wales on Monday night. 

The boy is a grafter and will work his socks off. He will put defenders under pressure and won’t give them a minute’s peace. He is in decent form and had he played as a centre forward for the majority of Norwich’s games this season, I believe he’d have more than the nine goals he currently has to his name.  

But, hopefully, he won’t be scoring his sixth goal for team USA on Monday!  

A few weeks ago, I said how Gareth Southgate simply had to make room for James Maddison in his 26-man England squad. Thankfully, he saw sense! 

It appeared every English fan in the country could see that James deserved to go Qatar, apart from the one whose opinion counted the most - the manager. 

Maddison has had a fantastic 12 months of football. His seven goals this season make him the third highest English scorer in the Premier League behind Harry Kane and Ivan Toney, who both take penalties. James doesn’t. 

His goal at the London Stadium last weekend was his 11th in his last 19 league appearances for the Foxes. 

We shall have to wait and see if James starts England’s first game, against Iran on Monday afternoon. 

My hunch is that he won’t, as Southgate likes his five at the back, which means there is no place for a number 10, which is James’s best position.  

Given his form over recent months, I would suggest he’s the best number 10 England have. 

We - Wales - play England on November 29, in our last group game. Having seen plenty of Maddison’s performances over the last year or so I really do hope he doesn’t start against us!