Barnet 1-1 Norwich City: Paddy Davitt pre-season pointers

1. Wagnerball

As much as you can read into a first pre-season stroll in torrential rain against National League opposition, there was at least one discernible glimpse of a pattern of play you could identify with David Wagner's 'full throttle' mantra.

Fast, aggressive intent on the counter in transition, with pace in wide areas, merged in an excellent first goal of the Championship build up.

Jacob Sorensen’s intelligent turn lost his marker deep in his own half and there was an immediate response from Kellen Fisher and Jon Rowe to surge forward down the right.

The Dane’s clip on his left was controlled by teenage summer signing Fisher, who shovelled it onto Rowe to guide a low, angled finish into the bottom corner.

It was the type of incision Wagner built his reputation on in this country at Huddersfield.

There was some early positive signals, when he first arrived at Carrow Road in January, before reality bit hard and a wretched campaign went into a terminal tailspin. But the intent with which City players tried to get on the half turn, and then their first thought was to release speedsters like Onel Hernandez, Przemyslaw Placheta and Rowe in that opening period, was perhaps a sign of things to come.

That lack of penetration and a cutting edge was painfully evident as last season limped to a sad ending.

With base fitness clearly still the priority - as these early games compete with double and triple training sessions - it will take much more evidence to feel Wagner is embedding his philosophy.

2. Wide boys

With Borja Sainz, Christos Tzolis and Tony Springett to add to the starting wide mix Wagner is clearly restocking in a key part of his squad.

Milot Rashica’s future would appear to lie away from Carrow Road, with interest in Turkey, the Bundesliga and the Premier League, if well-placed sources in Turkey are to be believed.

Sainz’s pedigree, and a clear sense his career trajectory is upward, would indicate the Spaniard is likely to be at the forefront of Wagner’s thoughts.

But who else he drops into the equation is likely to be one of the more fascinating observations of pre-season.

Rowe delivered an early reminder of his potential with the composed manner he slotted the opening goal. Springett spurned a chance to do likewise when he was clean through inside the opening second half minutes. Tzolis looked lean and like a player who has worked hard through the off-season to return in top physical condition. Albeit he skied a chance to win the friendly in the final seconds.

The final answer, however, may still lie in the transfer market, with Norwich assessing further wide targets.  

One hopes for the collective pulse of most Canaries' fans the days of Josh Sargent or Adam Idah running channels in wider service are now over. Both are strikers by trade, and alongside Ashley Barnes, must carry that goalscoring burden.

3. Bawler Barnes

Perhaps with barely 1,700 braving the wet conditions at the Hive it was easier to detect the unmistakable vocal strains of Barnes’ thick West Country accent in his first Norwich cameo.

All those leadership traits associated with the experienced frontman, and talked up after his Burnley exit, were audible in how he cajoled younger attacking team mates and how he set the trigger for a high press, which was another notable feature during City’s better work prior to the interval.

One such action in the 12th minute saw both Placheta and Rowe directed by Barnes to harass the Barnet left back and win the ball back in a threatening position that came to nothing in the final analysis.

But it was clear already Barnes is the leader of this Norwich forward unit.

The enthusiasm with which he spoke about his first impressions of training with Sargent whet the appetite for the damage that duo could inflict on Championship defences within the right set up.

Barnes must realise part of his early remit is to bring a group together who looked rudderless at the back end of the previous campaign and inject drive, direction and focus.

In that same recent interview he spoke so glowingly about Sargent he also expressed concerns he might have been too loud in his inital bid to make a positive first impression on arrival at Colney. City fans will hope he is the one to lead from the front.    

4. False start

Marcelino Nunez was named on the team sheet produced before kick-off, but was a notable absentee when both sets of players walked in tandem towards the centre circle.

But any fears of a fitness-related issue were allayed when he took his place in a deeper-lying central midfield role at the start of the second period, alongside soon-to-be officially confirmed signing Adian Manning, who had been on trial with the Canaries towards the end of last season after coming through Watford’s academy.

Neither in truth were able to leave a lasting impression on this gentle opening tune up, which as so often happens after a raft of substitutions meandered for most of a bitty second half.

For Nunez the hope is after a debut season to adapt to the rigours of English football, and the language, he can build on the best parts of a showreel that included some stunning strikes in green and yellow.

The Chilean international is clearly a talent and a player Wagner feels can operate at the base or the point of his midfield pattern.

But too much of his debut tour failed to live up to the high moments. There will be less leeway and more expectation on his shoulders to try and hang onto Gabby Sara’s coat tails who, by the end of his first stint in England, was attracting admirers glances from higher up the food chain, according to Stuart Webber.

Nunez has to make up Wagner’s mind for him, and exert the influence his talent merits.

If he can replicate the second seasons of players like Marco Stiepermann and Mario Vrancic in Norwich colours, then it could be Nunez’s name up in lights.