Jack Stacey knows that Norwich City cannot let their poor form on the road become a psychological problem after falling to their fourth successive away defeat to Swansea.
In a game that was set up for the Canaries to secure three points, they conceded a late winner to continue a concerning trend on their travels that has seen them beaten by Rotherham, Plymouth and Fulham prior to Wednesday’s defeat.
Stacey admits that each setback has served as a fresh lesson of what needs to change in their approach to matches away from Carrow Road – but is determined to prevent it from becoming a major issue in their Championship campaign.
“It becomes a psychological problem if you allow it to,” Stacey said. “We have a strong dressing room and I don’t believe that is a problem.
“Sometimes when you come away from home you have to set up a little bit differently and maybe that is the difference at the moment between our home and away form. When you are at home in front of the crowd, then you are going to have the advantage.
“It’s about coming to places like this and getting three points – we have changed that, and every away game we’ve learned a different lesson within the group.
“We can take everything that we’ve learned from our last three away losses and put them into Saturday.”
Despite going a goal down inside the opening three minutes, Norwich worked their way back into the contest and had the better chances before Bashir Humphreys' sucker-punch on 84 minutes saw them return to Norfolk empty-handed.
Stacey was left to rue a lack of quality and has urged the squad to put it right in Saturday’s trip to Coventry.
“The way it started by going behind so early, we had a really good reaction to that,” he said. “We kept the ball, stayed calm and played our way back into the game. In the second half, especially the first part of it, we were on top.
“We created our own chances but it was probably about a lack of quality in front of goal, concentration and defending from set-pieces. It is such a small margin for error and that makes a big difference in this league.
“I felt like we were on top and that the goal was going to come. The fact that it didn’t – sometimes you have to go away from home and be able to dig deep to see games out if they don’t go your way.
“We have a chance in three days to put it right.”
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