Dean Smith said before the World Cup break that Norwich City needed to return as a 'different animal', he will be hoping to prove that a leopard can change its spots as the Championship returns. 

A trip to Tampa Bay will hopefully have re-focussed minds with improvement very much the name of the game after an inconsistent start to the season. 

Supporters will be hoping to see change after Smith's closing words before the Championship hit pause - starting at Swansea on Saturday. 

Swansea are an excellent footballing team who enjoy having the ball but do leave space on the counter attack for teams to exploit - given how Smith has tried to make that facet of the game a real strength for his team, it may well be a game he relishes. 

Then there is the small matter of a reunion with former Norwich captain Russell Martin. 

He clearly has a positive relationship with Canaries supporters dating back to his playing days in Norfolk. Given how supporters are feeling about Smith currently, it does feel like another important game for the Norwich head coach.

If Norwich travel to South Wales and end up losing the game, there will be plenty of negativity and a lot more fans would lose their faith in Smith, even though it feels like the majority have made up their minds already. 

Martin has been touted by some as a desired replacement should Norwich opt to make a change, that will only grow upon a negative result on Saturday. 

The Pink Un: Russell Martin is waiting for Norwich City as they return to Championship action this weekend.Russell Martin is waiting for Norwich City as they return to Championship action this weekend. (Image: PA)

That should add an extra edge to what is an already important game for Smith before a Carrow Road return against my former club Blackburn the week after. 

In my view, it helps nobody if there is a negative atmosphere at Carrow Road - particularly if they are turning up to matches ready to voice their displeasure at how the season is unfolding. 

It is a view that creates debate. Fans are entitled to their opinions but the bigger picture this season is trying to get the club promoted. There are enough players who have had their confidence affected. 

But supporters can only respond to what they see on the pitch - that is where the ball is in the court of the players and Smith to deliver a level of performance that offers encouragement and get fans behind their efforts. 

There is still a long way to go this season but Norwich must find a consistent level of performance that has so far eluded them. 

That comes from many factors - a clear way of playing, a continuity in team selections and, of course, winning games all helps to create a rhythm. The challenge for this Norwich team is showing they can perform greater than the sum of their parts for longer than 20-minute bursts in matches. 

Isaac Hayden will have utilised the break to step up his fitness levels and I hope he comes back looking stronger because I still believe that he can prove himself to be an integral player in their system.

Norwich have an advantage over many teams in the Championship because they have battle-hardened players who managed to get themselves out of this division before along with a head coach with a promotion on his CV. 

But there is no value in sitting around in the dressing room hoping that is enough to get you out of the league - you need your leaders to turn up on the pitch and take responsibility. 

Smith needs to find a solution to ensure there is greater cohesion in their play in the final third. 

I was concerned about that area of the pitch after watching Norwich play Celtic in pre-season and my fears have been proven correct as the season has developed. 

There has been a lack of creativity since the beginning of the campaign and despite flickers of improvement in that area from the likes of Aaron Ramsey, Onel Hernandez or Marcelino Nunez at different points in the opening 21 matches, they are yet to ignite from an attacking perspective. 

The aptest description of Norwich within matches this season is patchy. Their inconsistency has been one of the few consistent elements of their game. 

Smith has often acknowledged that in his post-match assessments, but recognising those shortcomings and addressing them are different things entirely.  

The Pink Un: Norwich City enjoy an array of quality options from their substitutes bench.Norwich City enjoy an array of quality options from their substitutes bench. (Image: Paul Chesterton/Focus Images Limited)

If you want to get out of the Championship, then you cannot be a team that plays one half over 90 minutes. There will be other teams who will achieve greater levels of consistency than that, as proven in the first portion of the campaign. 

Fifth in the table, at this stage, isn't a disaster and remains retrievable. This team can still get promoted and everyone pulling in one direction will undoubtedly help with that. 

If you look at the Championship as a whole, only Burnley have proved that they are a marginal step above the rest so far. Everyone else has been much of a muchness. 

It is up to Norwich to burst out of that pack and show that they are the team to beat.

A lot of people outside Norfolk felt they were favourites to come back up - but those who know the club a bit better saw how tough it could become after the scars of last season.

With Smith, there is a time when the talking must stop. He knows the heat is on him and that is now. He needs to get results and the team needs to show improvement.

Park all the mitigation - now is the time to judge Smith. This looks to be a near fully fit squad. The pressure will intensify with every passing week that Norwich fail to show progression.

This is his team. They are a team that is capable of being in the automatic places. The talking must stop, now they need to get out there and prove it themselves.  

Look at the game against Middlesbrough - Todd Cantwell, Dimi Giannoulis, Jordan Hugill, Hernandez and Nunez all on the bench. Compare that to other squads and they are in a great position. 

The Pink Un: Norwich City supporters are hoping to see improvement from their team after the World Cup break.Norwich City supporters are hoping to see improvement from their team after the World Cup break. (Image: Paul Chesterton/Focus Images Limited)

But now they stop talking about how good they are and go and show it. With that will come harmony and the pressure will ease. 

Going to Swansea is an important game - the result will help set the tone as to whether the break as acted as a reset for Smith and his side.

But arguably the performance is of greater importance, if they get a strong display then that will help bring back some of the feel-good factor.