Northampton 0-3 Norwich City: Paddy Davitt friendly pointers

1. Fast starter

The hunt for clues to unpeel what a Thorup Norwich City looks like did not take long. Four minutes in fact into his opening game at the helm at Sixfields. Jacob Sorensen’s raking pass was controlled by Jack Stacey attacking space deep in the Cobblers’ defensive third, before a cross met by a soaring Jon Rowe. Fast, flowing, incisive football.

There was another for Rowe before the 15th minute had elapsed, profiting from Jon Guthrie’s miscued clearance. At half-time Thorup replaced his starters with a youthful XI captained by Kellen Fisher, with Ken Aboh sealing the victory in the closing stages. That in itself a signal the direction of travel over the longer term revolves firmly around developing their own.

There was plenty of tactical nuance and clear points of difference with his predecessor – Christian Fassnacht central in an attacking three, Borja Sainz inverted on the left of a midfield, Fisher directing operations in central midfield.

Throup was a regular presence at the front his technical area. Much more so after the interval directing a side shorn of any real experience.

No demonstrable animated body language, but a clear focal point when some of City’s play inevitably frayed around the tactical edges.

But the 774 travelling supporters surely enjoyed a side, or two teams in this case, in green and yellow working in a cohesive, collective manner. A first pre-season hit, an exercise in match minutes and fitness, but underpinned by some encouraging early signs.

2. Guessing game

Take a look at Thorup’s first starting line up. Then try to work out how many of those will actually retain their place when the real Championship business starts away to Oxford on August 10? Jack Stacey, Borja Sainz, Gabby Sara, Jon Rowe would be on most lists.

Park the potential transfer window impact any firm interest could have on this equation and, dare one talk it up, an untimely pre-season injury or two, and you would expect that quartet to be in Thorup’s first league line up.

Which only serves to underline the seasoned players he has to come back into the mix. City’s Scottish Euro2024 contingent should link up with the rest of their team mates for next week’s Belgian trip. Add Jose Cordoba, Josh Sargent and Marcelino Nunez following Copa America duty.

Plus the likes of Ashley Barnes, Onel Hernandez and Liam Gibbs, who were absent here as they work on their fitness following season-ending injuries in the last campaign, and you begin to see the sifting process the Dane has to perform.

Although Thorup delivered a post-match fitness bulletin around Barnes that indicated he is still some way from consideration, after his muscular problems at the end of the last season. 

Not forgetting the one, possibly two, left backs/left-sided defenders they are actively looking to attract in a post-Dimi Giannoulis, post-Sam McCallum world. A search that appears to be ticking towards a positive conclusion.

Thorup’s thirst for being on the training pitches coaching his players has been a marked feature of his first two weeks at Colney. But his deftness at distilling his squad into a battle-hardened XI over the next month is the real challenge ahead.      

3. El Capitano

That armband looked a natural fit on Sara’s bicep as he led out the Norwich City side in the first half. Not that the Brazilian needs the added responsibility to be a leader in this collective. He emerged as a growing influence last season with each fresh goal contribution.

Little wonder this summer has seen him linked with, notably, reported Serie A interest from Roma. Clubs in the Premier League are well aware of the midfielder’s ability.

For Sara, like Adam Idah or Nunez, City have valuations that must be met for speculation to turn into movement. Should that not happen in this window then Sara is surely a player who could really move to the next level under Thorup.

The Dane referred to his professionalism after the game, and why such transfer distractions will not burst the Brazilian's bubble or harm his focus.

Even in 45 minutes against lower league opposition it was evident what a crucial link he is, knitting the play from back to front with that willingness and confidence to take the ball in tight spaces and find solutions.

Rowe’s second goal owed as much to Sara’s probing forward pass as it did Guthrie’s whack at fresh air. In a team configured to retain possession and probe for spaces created by clever movement and rotations, Sara looks a perfect fit.

Departures have felt inevitable since prior to the window opened, given the financial picture in a post-parachute world for the Canaries.

But retaining Sara and cashing in elsewhere could represent one of the best pieces of business sporting director Ben Knapper can pull off between now and the end of August.

4. Levels

Some eyecatching displays from young and old across two very different Norwich line ups at Sixfields. But as Thorup conceded afterwards the intensity will ratchet up next week when they face Belgian champions and Champions League hopefuls Club Brugge.

But you get the sense the Dane will enjoy testing his new charges in a much more exacting environment. The feeling inside the club is a pre-season programme which includes top tier opponents from Belgium and Germany presents the type of challenge that will stretch the Canaries. Not only in a physical sense but in a mental sense.

To hone ‘Thorupball’, as it no doubt has been christened already in certain quarters, the City head coach needs to find players who can play under those stress levels against opponents able to come up with answers to some of the questions Northampton’s players were unable to handle at times, especially in that first half.

But there is certainly a positive feeling around this group and a very real sense of renewal building, if you place the evidence on the pitch from a first 90 minute hit with the sound bites from Thorup, Knapper and Zoe Webber at the recent fans’ forum.