Norwich City need a nasty streak to become serial Championship winners.
Liam Manning’s squad went into the international break with hard-fought league victories at Portsmouth and Blackburn, but self-inflicted early Carrow Road setbacks to Millwall and Middlesbrough.
The next stage of Manning’s makeover is developing a steely edge on a consistent basis to turn City into top six contenders.
Norwich, under his predecessor Johannes Hoff Thorup, were widely viewed as soft touches last season, bar former Watford manager Tom Cleverley’s surprise ‘dark arts’ claim to win at Vicarage Road.
“We need to be a bit more streetwise,” said Manning. “We’re what, five games in, I think in terms of a new team with lots of change. We have to learn quickly because we want to win. Sometimes you have to suck up those frustrating, difficult results to actually develop that toughness, to learn how to be resilient. To learn how to win.
“Blackburn was what we needed, for the lads, in terms of validation for how we’ve performed to date. It was another experience that will allow us to develop trust, forge connections and tighten the group.”
The Canaries return to action next weekend at promotion contenders, Coventry City, and Manning is convinced his squad is on the right track.
City’s top brass kept hold of star striker Josh Sargent in the summer transfer window, while the likes of Papa Amadou Diallo and Mathias Kvistgaarden have been added to the attacking mix, along with central midfield duo Mirko Topic and Pelle Mattsson.
“If I was coming away from games we’d lost going, ‘We’re a million miles behind the opposition’, I’d have been a bit more concerned,” said Manning. “But I think the fact that, performance-wise, we dominated for large periods is actually a positive, because it is on us to change that. Not giving goals away or making sure that we’re ruthless at the other end.
“It’s great playing a certain style, but you’re doing it to win a game so in those transitional moments how are we harder to beat? How do we not turn the ball over easy? How do we collectively cope with pressure?
“When we speak about pressure, it’s not ‘them and us’ because we’re in it together. I think that’s the key bit. The players are desperate to do well, and our jobs are to steer them and educate them. In terms of the direction the group is going there’s loads to be excited about.”
