Norwich City 0-3 Burnley: Paddy Davitt Championship pointers

1. Going up

Alas, that was the refrain from the Burnley away support as this routine win meandered to the final whistle. The home areas around Carrow Road had long since started to empty. An unwanted echo from the end of Dean Smith’s tenure.

But the problems did not start and end with Smith’s exit. Burnley are top for a reason, yes, but they were gifted all three goals.

City had a strong penalty appeal rejected, when Marcelino Nunez’s low cross reared up against Ashley Barnes’ arm on the blind side of the official. But the game was up by then.

Norwich were second best in all the decisive elements. David Wagner already knew the scale of the challenge, but given he implored home fans to bring the intensity and energy to match the output of his charges the manner of this surrender may prove the biggest frustration when the dust settles.

Norwich had a real chance to turn the dial, and build on those stirring away league wins at Preston and Coventry. Beat Burnley and it would have sent a clear statement of intent to those clubs in and around them in the Championship.

In a season of missed opportunities, and mis-steps, this was another one. The first on Wagner’s watch that mattered if you discount an FA Cup defeat to Blackburn. Now we await the reaction and the response.

2. Cruelly exposed

No hiding place for a keeper when you gift Burnley an early lead with a sloppy diagonal pass that never had the power to even exit your penalty area. Oh Tim Krul.

The recalled Dutchman escaped with a similar aberration at Coventry City. He can expect that to be pointed out liberally in the days ahead.

With the focus firmly on the experienced keeper since Wagner opted to demote Angus Gunn for his first Championship outing at Preston, any error was going to be magnified.

But this one was blown up in full focus.

Krul was still shaking his head minutes afterwards. He will be attuned to the debate outside the bubble around a widespread feeling that Gunn was harshly replaced, after emerging as arguably the most consistent performer in a season of thin gruel under Smith.

Gunn watched this game from the dug out area, after Wagner revealed he would miss out with a hip issue that required further assessment.

The German explained his original call was a ‘hunch, a sense’ with little to chose between both. But the clamour for Gunn to return, fitness permitting, for the trip to Bristol City will now go into overdrive.

Wagner will need more than a ‘feeling’ to resist a groundswell among fans to reverse his initial selection decision.

3. Burnley benchmark

No need for a lengthy inquest. The Clarets showed what the league table is now demonstrating, they are the stand out team in this second tier.

A ninth straight Championship win was achieved with the minimum of fuss. Against a team 20 points behind them at kick-off.

The power, the intensity, the cohesive way they moved a laboured Norwich midfield around in that opening 25 minutes made for uncomfortable viewing for those in green and yellow.

Kenny McLean inadvertently set the tone, when he dropped into that deep position between centre backs that had been a focal point under the Wagner revival, only to turn the ball over to Nathan Tella, who was thwarted by a superb diving block from Grant Hanley.

But the equally limited influence of Gabby Sara, Kieran Dowell and Josh Sargent was also graphically apparent.

Vincent Kompany is doing a fine job that looks nailed on to end in an immediate Premier League return.

Perhaps this setback should really serve as a reminder Wagner is barely inside the building. That rising tide of optimism after goal fests at Preston and Coventry will not have fooled the German or his coaching aides.

City looked well off what is required in Burnley’s best spells of control. The leaders were ruthless when they sensed vulnerability. Like all the best sides careering to promotion.

But it is not the Clarets Norwich need to worry about from here. It is imposing Wagner’s philosophy on the rest of the division to secure that top six berth, and then take their chances in the fraught play-off swirl.  

4. Carrow Road curse?

It might be time to get the incense out and perform a ritual ceremony to cleanse the negative spirits circling Carrow Road. This defeat prolonged a wretched record this season that has now seen home fans witness one league win since September 14.

It hardly needs to be stated such a paucity of victories in ‘your own living room’ has been a major barrier to getting in the shake up for automatic promotion, and will continue to jeopardise more modest ambitions if Wagner is not able to address why this group of players have found it so hard to perform in front of their own.

The head coach has already made it clear previously when questioned about the renaissance of players like Dowell, what happened in the past stays in the past. He brings a fresh pair of eyes, and a naturally optimistic outlook.

The impact on the road was instant, uplifting and reinvigorating. Burnley were tough opponents to alter that regressive home trend for his first league game in charge at Carrow Road, but finding a remedy is now a top priority.

5. Tzolis watch

Merely an aside now but it was interesting Wagner opted to turn to Christos Tzolis, and not Marquinhos, as he forlornly tried to find a way back into a game that ran away from his side with two cheap corner concessions early in the second half.

The Arsenal youngster left a Premier League title challenging squad to arrive in Norfolk in the closing phase of the January transfer window.

With that pedigree, albeit a lack of first team minutes in the Gunners’ ranks following his move from Sao Paulo last summer, you might reasonably have expected the teenager to be the first cab off the rank.

Maybe the lack of training time, and a chance to adapt to his new surroundings, tipped the balance in favour of Tzolis.

He was once a teenage wide prodigy when he pitched up at the Canaries.

As Wagner sagely remarked in the build up, the now 21-year-old has learned in the past season or two in England the rollercoaster can bend downwards as well as soar upwards.

But Wagner clearly sees something in the Greek, and fully endorsed the plan to cut short his intended season long stay at FC Twente.

A 20-minute cameo here in a lost cause might just give Tzolis the confidence boost to step up over the coming weeks, and finally start to deliver in a green and yellow shirt on the promise that heralded his signing.