Paddy Davitt delivers his Stoke verdict after Norwich City’s 1-1 Championship draw.

1. Hard yards

Norwich oozed swagger and control for all bar the final seconds of a lengthy first period. But after the break it was a grind. There was a weariness to some of the international contingent, even allowing for Johannes Hoff Thorup seeking to freshen things up from the bench.

Add another injury scare, and now inevitable assessment required for the stricken Marcelino Nunez, and Million Manhoef cancelling out Ante Crnac’s landmark first goal in Norwich colours and you could be forgiven for feeling frustration was the overriding emotion.

Thorup settled for a 'no comment' response when pressed for the reasons for his animated reaction towards the officials as he headed for the dressing room at the break, following Manhoef's 51st minute leveller - after the fourth official had indicated a minimum of five additional minutes.

But as he himself outlined on Thursday, this was the first of four away games in the next five, where City could expect plenty of uncomfortable moments and periods, when endurance rather than attacking excellence were the gold standard.

So it proved when Stoke, under Narcis Pelach and captained by Ben Gibson, strived to move through the gears at the start of the second half. George Long denied Andrew Moran and there were some nervy defensive set pieces to deal with.

Borja Sainz and Callum Doyle had sighters on the counter, but this was another performance that underlined there is more substance to what Thorup is constructing than simply thrilling, entertaining football.

In the Championship, you need to display both faces. Preston will be no less of a grind in an upcoming midweek trip to Lancashire.

2. Up the Ante

The beaming smile said it all from the 20-year-old Croatian as he slammed home his first goal for Norwich City since his big-money move from Polish football.

Crnac’s general play was showing positive glimpses of potential the other side of the most recent international break, but for an attacking-minded player with that price tag around his neck he would know the currency of choice is goals and assists. Particularly when you see the way Sainz has plundered on the opposite flank.

Yes, Crnac needs time to adapt to a new country, a new culture and a new football environment but along the way he will have felt the burden perhaps starting to weigh on his shoulders.

Quotes surfaced over the international break attributed to those in and around his old club expressing a measure of surprise at the aggressiveness of Norwich’s pursuit in the closing days of the summer transfer window, and the scale of the fee they committed too.

City’s head of recruitment, Lee Dunn, gave a fascinating insight into the forensic nature of the club’s scouting and talent identification process when he sat down with the Pinkun recently.

For Crnac to arrive as the headline summer signing underscores those calling the shots behind the scenes at Carrow Road believe Crnac could, like a Jose Cordoba, prove to be an undervalued purchase if he really takes to English football.

Given his youth and his position on the pitch and with an astute coach like Thorup to mould the raw material he could possess a high ceiling. This was a timely downpayment.

3. Masterful Marcelino

A hamstring-related injury for Nunez, after the Chilean’s starring role in the 4-0 Championship home romp over Hull, had some inside the club fearing the cultured midfielder could be ruled out until beyond November’s next round of internationals.

Those fears proved unfounded when Nunez returned to training on Thursday and was included in the starting line up in the Potteries.

Only a smart close range stop from Viktor Johansson denied him a second consecutive league goal. While Johansson’s reflexes clawed out Kenny McLean’s header from another pinpoint Nunez corner. But five minutes prior to the interval, Nunez dropped to the turf, and it was clear from the reaction of his team mates his race was run.

A cursory assessment from the Norwich physio saw him walk to the sidelines to be replaced by Oscar Schwartau.

As always with these matters the hours and days ahead will confirm the severity of the problem and the potential length of lay-off. But even at this initial stage an outing at Preston on Tuesday would seem wildly optimistic. That was the messaging immediately afterwards from Thorup.

Nunez’s brand of midfield craft has fitted the Dane's masterplan beautifully. If Stoke was a reprieve, the head coach may now have to come up with a creative solution to offset the loss of Nunez’s passing range, set piece accuracy and his calmness and control, in congested areas of the pitch, to inject dynamism into Norwich’s passing motions.

4. Talent search

Mention of both Nunez and Dunn highlights again the truly global nature of City’s recruitment strategy. Nacho and his fellow South American, Gabby Sara, were the first two products of a painstaking process to establish a firm presence in the region.

Sara was a revelation in green and yellow, before his big-money transfer this past summer to Galatasaray. Nunez, on his current trajectory, looks an upgrade on Championship level.

Dunn spoke over the recent international break about the ‘bravery’ it took from the club’s decision-makers to go to the other side of the world and trust the data, trust the scouting and open up a new front which remains very much a viable market.

Dunn also referenced the Far East as well as this past window’s foray into all parts of mainland Europe to underline there is no point on the map off-limits.

The strategy now led by sporting director Ben Knapper requires City to be clever, to be innovative and to try and out-think, rather than out-spend, similar scale rivals.

In the coming days it is reasonable to expect ratification of the final shareholder transfer of power from Delia Smith and Michael Wynn Jones to Mark Attanasio and Norfolk Holdings, from the ordinary shareholders at a scheduled extra general meeting.

Do not expect a dramatic shift in outlook or approach from those inside the club thereafter, but with Attanasio and his group setting the tone from the top, as was demonstrated in the summer window and perhaps by the latest set of published accounts, Norwich’s astute work from the ground up will be underpinned by financial support to maximise those marginal gains.

These feel like exciting times ahead at Carrow Road.