Robin Sainty: Wagner has a clearer picture of Norwich City issues

Inheriting a team which has to all intents and purposes managed to beat itself in its last two games through individual errors, and which as an attacking force currently has the cutting edge of a butter knife, means he has some major problems to deal with.

Decision making against Blackburn, particularly in the final third, was poor and everything seems to happen a second later than it should because players bereft of confidence are afraid of making mistakes, yet that very hesitation is leading to them.

Twenty five shots, of which nine were on target, and with only one seriously extending the visitors’ keeper, along with 19 corners carrying minimal threat, tells its own story of a game that City may have dominated statistically, but in reality never really looked like winning.

However, none of that can be laid at the door of the new head coach, who did more to engage with the fans on Sunday afternoon than his predecessor managed in 14 months.

It was always going to be a big gamble on the part of the club to stick with Dean Smith over the World Cup break and with the benefit of hindsight the board may now feel that giving a new man the chance of what was effectively a mini pre-season with the squad would have been a better option.

Of course, we can all be wise after the event, but there was scant evidence available at the time that Smith was going to turn things around, and as it turned out we saw no sign at all of the “different animal” that he had promised before the break.

An earlier decision would also have avoided the two games under interim management which saw another five points disappear down the drain as a result of unbalanced formations failing to generate the intended attacking spark while leaving the team wide open to counter-attacks and poor use of substitutes.

That makes it more difficult for Wagner, but also in some ways reduces the pressure in that the automatic promotion spots have now disappeared into the far distance, so the play-offs seem the only feasible way for City to achieve promotion.

I think that the vast majority of fans realise both that it may take some time to turn things around and also that, with numerous players out of contract in the summer, it may, at least in footballing terms, be better for City to remain in the Championship next season for a rebuild, even though that would appear to be perilous from a financial point of view.

It's quite clear from the following quote from Wagner’s first full press conference that he has a very clear idea of what he wants from his squad, and that it will be very different than what we’ve seen this season: “It’s time to leave the past in the past. We have to make sure that we’re the fittest, most energetic and most aggressive team in the league.”

While that’s great to hear, fitness levels can’t be increased quickly in the midst of a busy programme and greater aggression will require a significant change of mindset from players who’ve been consistently outbattled this season, so patience will be required.

First impressions suggest Max Aarons is happy with David Wagner's requirements (Image: Paul Chesterton/Focus Images Ltd)

However, there were a few positives on Sunday in the form of a clear desire to play through midfield quicker as well as signs of a more effective press. The fact that both full-backs played significantly higher up the pitch was also good to see, and, judging by his post-match interview, found favour with Max Aarons, a player who often looked disgruntled under Smith.

It may not have been much, but every journey starts with a single step.