Chris Sutton: Why fans must keep patience with stricken Norwich City

It is the absence of Josh Sargent that is proving the most impactful, with Norwich looking toothless in Tuesday's defeat at Sheffield Wednesday. 

The club shouldn't have allowed themselves to get into a position where they only had two natural centre forwards in Sargent and Ashley Barnes. They've left themselves short, and the squad looks very thin. 

It is a lesson learned and, in terms of recruitment, it's proof that there is still a lot of work to do. 

Two natural strikers isn't enough, and Ante Crnac doesn't look like a natural number nine. That role is hard enough, let alone when you're young and adapting to a new league, club and country. 

Hopefully, Crnac can find a rhythm, but it's such a difficult role, and I hope that the support remains patient with him. It won't be alien to him, but it's a specialist position and if you're not used to playing it, then you need to learn the specific movements. It's hard on those individuals and they shouldn't have been burdened with it. 

All you can do is be patient. There is no point putting the boot into the younger players like Crnac, who is trying his best, or Thorup.

Norwich have to prove that it isn't Sargent or bust. There is always a risk with him that he will break down, and it is no surprise that they suddenly don't look as effective in the final third without him in the side. 

They have to find a way of muddling through until January, but it's quite clear they will need to add to their forward line when the window opens. 

In reality, the likelihood of Sargent playing 46 games with his injury record was remote. There is little point getting irate, but it's problematic that Norwich are staring at eight weeks without the best all-round striker in the division. 

If clubs are beginning to look at him and think he's injury-prone, that is good news for Norwich. He has really grown on me as a player. He's outstanding at this level and is much more than just a goal-scorer. 

I wouldn't be concerned from Norwich's perspective, but Sargent will need to shake off that tag. It may go against him when potential suitors look at him. It's a nightmare that they've found themselves in this position again. 

Norwich should have planned for this scenario and recruited another striker - in the final analysis it could be the difference between them reaching the top six at the end of the season and falling short. 

There are injuries in other areas - there is a big difference in quality between Angus Gunn and George Long and having a whole midfield sidelined is asking a lot of Thorup to find solutions to keep the team balanced, but it's Sargent's absence that is a major conundrum for Norwich. 

But there is a need for calm. Norwich have a new head coach and identity, and everyone can see what they're trying to do. Throughout the opening 14 games, they've looked pretty good at doing it. They just need to get on the right side of recruitment and injuries. 

It's a process and it's been a difficult start for Thorup. I do think we have seen progress, but the personnel need to be good enough to carry out his ideas, any team without their star striker or best midfield and goalkeeper are going to suffer. It's unfortunate. 

Thorup is only just in the door, and he's had a hell of a lot to contend with, from transfer requests to players withdrawing from matchday squads and now an injury list as long as your arm. 

It is a graphic illustration that there is more work for Norwich to do before they can be in a position to really contend. This is a squad that remains a work in progress and the need for better depth has been made obvious by this situation. 

Supporters will need to show patience, especially with the younger players, who will naturally peak and trough throughout this spell in the team. 

I believe the supporters will show a level of understanding towards Thorup and his squad, but I recognise why so many would be frustrated that they are in this position again. 

It does provoke questions. Most of the injuries are muscular, which suggests a load issue - are they training too hard? Is too much being asked of them? Could they have been managed better? Only those inside the club can provide answers. 

It does feel like Norwich are going through a transitional period; most of us expected that, but that's largely because they've left themselves short with their squad in key areas. 

That is why it looks like it will be smaller steps rather than a giant stride to get out of the Championship this year.

Losing the two away games at Cardiff and Sheffield Wednesday is tough to accept, but the reasons are obvious and that should provide some comfort for supporters. 

For now, all Norwich can do is suck it up, take the pain on the chin and wait for those frontline options to return after the international break. 

On this journey, there will be bumps in the road. It was a massive job to take over and Thorup is working to get the squad in order through the way he wants to play. The evidence of this current period shows it's going to be a multi-window process, if we're honest, we probably all expected that. 

Norwich are on the right path. It's now about trusting the process and finding a solution for that massive Sargent blow. 

Borja Sainz has made a great start to the Championship campaign. (Image: Paul Chesterton/Focus Images Ltd) SUTTON EXTRA

After the departures of Jonathan Rowe and Gabriel Sara in the summer, we were all waiting to see who would step into void and Borja Sainz has emerged as a real Norwich City star. 

All of his goals this season have been goal-of-the-month contenders; they are incredible strikes born from brilliant technique. Everyone is aware of what he wants to do when he cuts inside and fires at goal, but stopping it is proving difficult for Championship defences. 

As soon as he gets onto his right foot about 25 yards from goal, he seems to find the top corner. It's good for Norwich, and his numbers have skyrocketed compared to last season.

It's been a tremendous start, and another Player of the Month nomination proves his quality is being noticed outside of Norfolk. I'm sure plenty of Premier League teams are watching him closely.  

I would still like to see Sainz become more creative and add to his assists numbers, but to be talking about improvement from a player with 11 goals in 14 matches is a nice place to be for Norwich. 

Supporters will have been concerned when Rowe and Sara left about where the goals would come from, but Sainz has relished emerging as the star of this team. Norwich's challenge is to ease that burden on his shoulders by adding goals from different areas of the team. 

The issue is that Norwich's twin threat of Sainz and Sargent has now evaporated temporarily with the American's injury, and clubs can now concentrate on nullifying Sainz in the knowledge that they will struggle to find goals elsewhere. 

There needs to be a greater threat level from other areas of the team. Norwich's struggle to threaten from set pieces is a problem that desperately needs to be addressed—it is a part of the game they were so strong at last season under Andrew Hughes. 

But even in general play, Norwich need more than just Sainz to be contributing from an attacking perspective.

Nobody is denying that it isn't hard when the squad is thin and full of young players adapting to life at the level, but Thorup's mission is to lighten the load on Sainz because it's unsustainable to think they can rely on him to produce a wonder strike every weekend to bail them out.