Paddy Davitt delivers his Middlesbrough verdict after Norwich City’s topsy-turvy latest Championship comeback.

1. Carrow Road rip snorter

Just another quiet Sunday afternoon following those in green and yellow. At 3-1 down, going in at the interval, Johannes Hoff Thorup’s pre-match eulogy regarding the threat posed by Middlesbrough appeared to have become a self-fulfilling prophecy.

‘When they are good, they are very good’. Aided in truth by some charitable defending from the hosts it must be said. From George Long’s aberration at his near post to Anis Ben Slimane failing to halt Ben Doak at source for Boro’s third.

But another two-goal deficit overhauled in the space of a few days spoke volumes.

Long denying Tommy Conway a hat-trick from the penalty spot, with another banger from Borja Sainz and Kellen Fisher’s shot squirming past Seny Dieng to complete a compelling week of Championship combat. One that may tell the Dane far more about those under his command than three routine wins.

Character, perseverance and individual quality interspersed with enough sobering evidence to dampen the soaring expectation this is still very early in the Thorup reign, and the head coach has plenty of rough edges to smooth.

Kenny McLean’s late red card for a scything Hayden Hackney challenge will have far-reaching ramifications for the battles ahead.

The suspended Scot will be a big miss, given fellow midfielder Marcelino Nunez is sidelined for another fortnight or so.

But those are strands to unpick at a later day. A fitting game and a fitting Norwich comeback to mark 12 months unbeaten at Carrow Road. There can have been fewer previous matches in this long run that carried as much jeopardy.

2. Sizzling Sainz  

League goals nine and 10 of the Championship season. Two more beauties from the sweet right foot of Sainz. When you have Michael Carrick positively drooling in his post-match media you know Norwich have a special talent in their midst.

That was never in doubt even during a debut season which had as many lows as highs. None more so than that red card, later over-turned on appeal, for tangling with Jonny Howson. A moment that was not forgiven or forgotten on his latest return to his old club, when the veteran midfielder emerged for some warm ups prior to a late introduction.

But what Sainz has added superbly in the opening 12 league games this time around is a level of consistency which sees him leading the Championship goal charts.

It can hardly come as a surprise to opponents when he pops up in those pockets of space approaching the penalty area there is only one thought in his mind. Take aim and fire. But the quality of these latest pair of strikes underscored he is a player who looks destined to fly far higher than the Championship.

Credit due also to Thorup and his coaches, who have appear already to have unlocked that type of productivity on a weekly basis.

Meld consistency to his natural ability and attacking instincts, and top drawer finishing, and you have a player who will be high on the recruitment radar of Premier League clubs and back in Spain.

Whether City’s resolve is tested in January or not remains to be seen. But continue on this trajectory and Ben Knapper’s phone will be red hot come next summer.

3. Long and short of it

Long’s penalty stop to foil Conway a hat-trick clinching penalty, and a goal that would have quelled any realistic riposte from Norwich, was a big moment in the final analysis of a wild game.

A fact acknowledged by Thorup afterwards. It should also take some of the harshest glare away from Long’s failure to keep out Conway’s finish that drew Boro level.

One hopes he is not a big user of social media. The reaction in the immediate aftermath was predictable, following on from his penalty concession against Preston. Thorup was quick to highlight the outfield errors in the build up that allowed Conway to escape detection.

He also made it clear when questioned directly on his keeper, post-match, any dialogue on Long’s display would be exclusively conducted between head coach and player. Not for wider public consumption.

Such is the life of a keeper. Dieng would have no wish to dwell on his part in Fisher’s leveller at the same near post Long was beaten.

Slimane’s failure to haul down the charging Ben Doak for Boro’s second proved no less a glaring error, but will attract far less attention. The Tunisian international did not make the same mistake twice later in the game with a yellow for hauling down the Liverpool loanee.

Long did also deny Finn Azaz twice, and Riley McGree with smart reaction first half stops.

The measure of your last line of defence should be stepping forward in the big, decisive moments with a result in the balance. That is what Gunn has produced countless times in his second senior spell at the club.

Long is not in Gunn’s class, but he delivered when all looked lost to set up a grandstand finish at Carrow Road.

Jack Wilshere was part of Johannes Hoff Thorup's backroom team for the first time in Norwich City's 3-3 Championship draw against Middlesbrough (Image: Paul Chesterton/Focus Images Ltd)

4. Wilshere watch

Quite what Norwich’s new first team coach made of this is anyone’s guess. Six goals, one penalty saved and one red card. It was a crash course in Championship cut and thrust for the former Arsenal Under-18 coach.

Thorup spoke in glowing terms on Friday about Wilshere the emerging coach, more than the player who graced the Arsenal and England midfield and, but for injury, may have soared even higher.

But that chapter is closed, and Wilshere clearly feels after a period of consideration Norwich is the perfect environment to develop his growing coaching reputation in the game.

Too early to draw any real conclusions and much too early to assess what impact he can have on this evolving backroom dynamic. But with the irrepressible Glen Riddersholm in the mix it could be quite the cocktail. Although the Danes will surely struggle to maintain their mastery of the Colney ‘wall’ game, which has made its way onto various club media social clips.

There was a public snapshot pre-match with Thorup and Wilshere in discussion just in front of the tunnel prior to the warm ups. The body language, observed from a distance, looked relaxed and comfortable between the two.

Thorup is clearly driven by the bigger picture, and driving this squad upwards and onwards. He was keen to move for Wilshere for what he can offer the group, rather than harbour any fears, given his standing in the English game, here is another highly-regarded young coach who could grab some of the spotlight from him.

Much in the way Thorup has spoken already this season about what matters is not who scores, but creating the best possible chances, it is the greater good that would appear to underpin his entire outlook at Carrow Road.