Six things you might have missed from Coventry 0-1 City

1 - Lift off

Norwich City’s first Championship win was much-needed and has now encouraged supporters to view the start of the campaign through a significantly more positive lens.

After a concerning start against Oxford, City have improved week on week. Even in the 4-0 defeat to Crystal Palace, there were rays of light that provided hope for the long-term.

But supporters can only cling to performances for so long. Even Thorup has spoken about the need for results, which were delivered at the CBS Arena on Saturday afternoon.

Borja Sainz’s goal was City’s only shot on target of the contest. As per @NCFCNumbers on X, it is the first time they’ve won with that few efforts since victory over West Brom in 2016.

While work is required on converting large spells of possession into clear-cut chances, there is a feeling that City are building. The noise and celebrations of the away end showed that they are enjoying what is being produced.

The victory also continues the Canaries' long-running record over Coventry. They’ve had dominance over the Sky Blues in the last 11 matches and haven’t lost to them since 2009.

As for Mark Robins, a one-time City favourite, he joins Mick McCarthy as managers who have failed to beat the Canaries for eight consecutive matches in the last 50 years.  

The feeling heading into the international break is positive. With two more weeks on the training week, the hope is that Thorup can continue to oversee improvement.

2 - Hoff and running

If Johannes Hoff Thorup had failed to win again, he would have joined an unwelcome club of Norwich City head coaches.

The Dane would have become only the second Canaries boss in history to go winless in his first four second tier matches since Lol Morgan in 1966. That, clearly, would have been something Thorup was keen to avoid.

Despite some positive performances and green shoots in the opening month of competitive football, Thorup has been at pains to stress throughout that results were needed to retain that buy in.

After City’s players broke away from celebrating with the away end, Thorup stepped through the crowd to punch the air in celebration. The overriding feeling will have been one of relief to shake that particular monkey off his back.

The manner of the result will have pleased Thorup more. It arrived off the back of a bold half time call where he hooked both Amankwah Forson and Ante Crnac owing to the level of their performances.

That increased City’s control of the fixture and led to them achieving victory. Thorup has been dealt a tough hand in his early spell as boss – be it with transfer requests, players withdrawing from action on the day of a game or losing key players.

He has operated with calm and stuck to his strategy. It feels like he is getting buy in from supporters and players alike.

3 - Super Shane

Shane Duffy has been much maligned during his time at Norwich City, and not always just for his performances on the pitch.

Since Thorup has been at Carrow Road, the Irish international has been the preferred right-sided central defensive option alongside, of late, Callum Doyle. His experience and qualities are seen as important to the consistency of the side given the amount of younger players.  

After City’s opening day defeat to Oxford and draw to Blackburn, Duffy was getting criticism for his performances – but the last two have silenced the doubters.

Despite getting caught out after Haji Wright galloped beyond him in the first half, Duffy was composed and produced a number of blocks, interceptions and clearances that ensured City left the West Midlands with a clean sheet in their back pocket.

Duffy produced 10 clearances, six more than the next closest City player, three blocks and won four aerial duels. His resilience helped protect Angus Gunn in the goal behind him.

By his own admission, his early season performances were not at the standard he demands, but Thorup views his role as key in his set-up this season.

Duffy will now need to convert these performances into consistency, but much like City, his levels are showing reason for optimism.

Ben Knapper and Neil Adams joined the celebrations post-match at the CBS Arena. (Image: Paul Chesterton/Focus Images Ltd)

4 - All smiles

After the ground had emptied, unused players were being put through their paces, and Thorup had begun his post-match media duties. Both Ben Knapper and Neil Adams made their way from the directors’ lounge to the side of the pitch.

City’s sporting and technical directors, fresh from the closing of the transfer window, were quick to embrace assistant head coach Glen Riddersholm as they waited for Thorup to conclude his interview.

When Thorup did join the huddle, embraces were followed by a dissection of the performance before some praise for Marcelino Nunez’s outside-of-the-boot pass to Jack Stacey in the build-up to Borja Sainz’s deflected strike.

This isn’t a common occurrence, not in public sight anyway – and these scenes weren’t replicated between Knapper and David Wagner after victories last season as the City chief remained distanced.

It was only a snapshot, but it speaks to the alignment and togetherness building between City’s top brass – characteristics that are pivotal to the overall success of the operation they are leading.

For Knapper, the emotion would have been relief. After a summer of big decisions, there are tangible signs of improvement and, now, a victory.

Given the events that have unfolded off the pitch this summer, that bond will be intrinsic to the development of City’s culture and direction in the future.

Callum Doyle was given a less than warm reception upon returning to former club Coventry. (Image: Paul Chesterton/Focus Images Ltd)

5 - Pantomime villain 

Callum Doyle was once a fan favourite at Coventry but found cast in the role of pantomime villain during Norwich City’s victory.

There is a lot of context to add into why perspectives on the Manchester City loanee have altered since he played a key role in their play-off final losing side two years ago when he was a popular figure in the West Midlands.

Key to it was the decision to join Coventry’s rivals Leicester on a season-long loan – but it was deepened by his ‘antics’ that irked his former supporters.

First was a strong tackle that saw him leave a bit on Milan van Ewijk before a legal, but full-blooded challenge on Tatsuhiro Sakamoto that irked Mark Robins post-match.

Whilst boos greeted his every touch from those in the home end, City fans continue to swoon for a player who looks the part at Championship level. His heart-of-sleeve approach, combined with his composure in possession, makes him a real asset for Thorup’s style.

Beyond Marcelino Nunez and Kenny McLean, Doyle was once again one of City’s most progressive passers – but his relationship with Shane Duffy is continuing to flourish in the heart of defence.

Doyle seemed to relish that hostility instead of cowering in the face of that reaction.

Oscar Schwartau was Norwich City's youngest summer recruit. (Image: Paul Chesterton/Focus Images Ltd)

6 - Baby faces

Much has been written and analysed about Norwich City’s summer transfer window – but the pivot in direction is stark.

Norwich have targeted a younger profile of addition, that is reflective in the incomings that have arrived in NR1 this summer.

The statistics show that, since transfer windows started in 2002, this is City’s youngest group of recruits with the average age of signings this summer sitting at 20.5. It’s the first time since 2006 that no player has joined over the age of 23.

Here is the entire list of incomings based on their respective ages.

Anis Ben Slimane – 23

Jose Cordoba – 23

Amankwah Forson – 21

Callum Doyle – 20

Ben Chrisene – 20

Ante Crnac – 20

Kaide Gordon – 19

Oscar Schwartau – 18

It was eight in and nine out in total. Those who called for major change after last season have got their wish.

The shift is representative of Thorup and Knapper’s wish to tell a new story at Norwich – one about handing agency to young players in a structure that will aid their development and unlock their creativity.

Within that will be errors and moments of frustration, as Forson and Crnac experienced on Saturday, but Thorup feels he is armed with the necessary tools to oversee progress and implement his methods.

Now the window has closed, there are no more distractions. Thorup and co can now attack the division with vigour.