Six things you might have missed after City 4-2 Stoke.

Following Norwich City’s comfortable 4-2 victory against Stoke on Saturday, Connor Southwell highlights six things you may have missed at Carrow Road.

1 – Goal fest 

Norwich City has scored four or more goals at Carrow Road in all competitions for the seventh time this season. Six in the Championship and another in their Carabao Cup win against Stevenage in August. It is Johannes Hoff Thorup’s team that has been the most pleasant to watch this season. The truth is that Norwich should have been celebrating a higher score on this occasion; they created chances at will and even missed an open goal worth 0.96xg late on, courtesy of Oscar Schwartau. According to the amazing @NCFCnumbers on X (previously Twitter), Carrow Road has witnessed 64 goals in 17 matches this season, more than any other stadium in the top four divisions in the country.

The next closest is Walsall’s Bescot Stadium (61), followed by Home Park (Plymouth Argyle) (58) and the Toughsheet Community Stadium (Bolton) (57). No City fan can complain about the level of entertainment they’ve experienced this season. City (41) is four goals behind Leeds (44) in home goals scored and 11 ahead of the next closest team, Plymouth (30). The problem is the goals conceded column; only Sheffield Wednesday and Plymouth have conceded more at home than Norwich with 23. One clean sheet demonstrates the necessity for tightening at the other end.

2 – Sargent’s on Fire 

Josh Sargent is on fire, and Championship opponents should be afraid. Where should I start? What about the fact that he currently has 11 Championship goals? Only four players have more, including Wilson Isidor, Josh Maja, Joel Piroe, and teammate Borja Sainz. Considering Sargent has only played 20 games and missed 14 league games, this is an amazing result. There are some remarkable statistics about the American International. His brace against Stoke brings his total to seven goals in six games since returning from injury. Sargent has been the league’s leading scorer since January 1, 2024, with 24 goals. He leads Emmanuel Latte Lath (21), Sainz and Piroe (19), and Dan James (17). He has appeared in 41 matches throughout that time period.

Sargent also enjoys playing in front of the City fans; the number nine has 20 goals in his past 23 home league games. In 86 Championship matches, he has 40 goals and nine assists. If Sargent’s close-range abilities weren’t enough, his second goal with his weaker foot was his first outside the box since February 2023, when City defeated Hull 3-1. Norwich is always in with a chance when Sargent leads the line. There is little doubt that he is the finest in his position in the Championship. It doesn’t feel like a close race right now.

3 – Slow start, sprint finish

Much has been made of Norwich City’s response to concessions, but the statistics show that they end games stronger than they start them. Norwich City has conceded 23 goals in the first half of this season, while scoring 20. That is a minus three difference. At Carrow Road, 11 of their 13 first-half concessions occurred between the 15th and 45th minutes. Compare that to Norwich’s second-half record, which includes 32 goals and 20 surrendered. Their attacking production improves dramatically in the latter stages of matches, with 15 of their goals coming between the 76th and 90th minutes, more than any other Championship team.

If the table was constructed based purely on results from the second half, City would sit fifth in the Championship table on 53 points behind Burnley, Sunderland, Sheffield United, and Leeds.

Compare that to the first-half table, which has Norwich 15th on 42 points with a minus-three goal difference. That struggle to get going in the opening period is hampering their prospects significantly.

That disparity between halves is huge and something that Johannes Hoff Thorup will need to investigate. If Norwich want to be successful in their hunt for the top six, they will need to shake the tag of slow starters.

Kellen Fisher was deployed in a higher position at right back. (Image: Paul Chesterton/Focus Images Ltd)

4 – KingFisher

The key point of difference between Kellen Fisher and Jack Stacey this season has been their attacking capabilities.

Fisher has been used to invert and for in-possession structures rather than holding an aggressive position on the defensive line, which has often been left to Stacey to provide.

One of the key changes from two Carrow Road disappointments against Derby and Preston was the right back’s position. It felt like a well-structured and well-coached response to their struggles against a low defensive block.

Johannes Hoff Thorup pushed him notably higher up the pitch along with a shift in build-up structure from a three-two to a two-three shape.

City reaped the benefits. No player had more touches in the final third than Fisher’s 23. That total is his second-highest in that area of the pitch all season, behind Norwich’s Boxing Day victory over Millwall.

It is also up dramatically compared to those Derby and Preston games – where Fisher recorded 11 and four touches in the final third in those matches.

Fisher’s four successful crosses were also his highest total of the campaign, again behind that festive win over Millwall. It was a display that proved his versatility in his game and will serve as a further blow to Stacey’s chance at redemption.

Carrow Road hasn’t been a happy hunting ground for former Canaries striker Mark Robins. (Image: Paul Chesterton/Focus Images Ltd)

5 – Barren run

Mark Robins has achieved plenty in his near 800-game-strong managerial career, but beating Norwich City alludes him.

As a player, Robins netted 21 times in 78 games for the Canaries between 1992-95 but has found Norwich and Carrow Road a tough nut to crack as a manager.

Stoke is the third club that Robins has managed against City, with this his 11th meeting against his old employers. His record reads: played 11, won zero, drawn two and lost nine. In that period, Norwich have scored 24 goals compared to the eight for his sides.

It is a run that dates back to his time in charge of Barnsley in 2011 when Andrew Crofts’ double ensured Paul Lambert’s promotion chasers left Oakwell with three points.

This was only the second time that Robins’ side have managed to score more than once against Norwich after a 4-2 defeat to David Wagner’s men as Coventry boss in January 2023.

Of teams faced more than 10 times in his managerial career, Robins enjoys the lowest points per game record against Norwich, taking 0.18. The next closest is Scunthorpe United, but the 55-year-old has beaten them once in 11 meetings.

Robins’ barren run against Norwich aligns with that of Stoke, who have now gone nine games without victory. A 1-0 win at Carrow Road in October 2018 is the last time they tasted success over City.

Norwich City are set to reach a critical stage in their top-six campaign. (Image by Paul Chesterton/Focus Images Ltd.) 6 – Crunch Time Norwich City’s encounter versus Stoke had a sense of urgency about it. The play-off chasing group has begun to move, and win has helped them keep up. Post-match, Johannes Hoff Thorup believed it was a battle with themselves from here to the finish line to gain a berth in the play-offs, even if it wasn’t the be-all and end-all of their journey under the Dane. Regardless of whether it is too soon for City, they are ready to begin on a crucial run of matches that might decide whether this is a campaign that drifts to a conclusion or whether a top-six finish is credible.

It begins next weekend, when City go to sixth-place Blackburn Rovers, who are now four points ahead of them. Defeat and a seven-point deficit would be difficult to overcome. Next up is a home game against much-improved Oxford United, followed by back-to-back games against Sheffield Wednesday, who are two points behind them, and a trip to Bristol City, who are currently eighth and two points ahead, before West Brom visit Carrow Road, with a win this weekend moving them up to fifth place. If Norwich wants to make the top six, this feels like a watershed moment in their Championship season, especially with three of those games coming at Carrow Road, where they’ve played their finest football.

Nobody is getting carried away – but this run will be the ultimate test.

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