Iwan Roberts on Jon Rowe, Sargent, Sainz and Barnes' door knocking

It's twice as hard for someone like him, with his pace - it's not as bad for someone like myself, who hasn't got that explosiveness. I wouldn't say he depends on that, but it's a massive part of his game.

If he is, as David Wagner said, out for possibly two months, then you’re talking an April return, when City have six matches, with just one in May.

Best case scenario is it then takes just a week to get back in the swing, but it's a massive blow – for the lad himself, because he's had a magnificent season, and for the football club. He has been a ray of sunshine, a shining light for the supporters the way he has burst on the scene, almost coming out of nowhere.

He’s the top scorer and he’s made it look easy at times. He plays with a smile on his face, enjoys playing for Norwich City and when things haven't been going quite well they've always had Jon Rowe to lift them.

Now that the club have got themselves in that sixth position, in good form - let's hope that if he does come back before the end of the season, he gets himself fully up to speed for a play-off campaign.

Borja Sainz (Image: Daniel Hambury/Focus Images Ltd)

City do have good back-up, though, with Borja Sainz, someone I really like.

I don't want to go over the top, but he really is looking the part.

I had a bit of a pop when he stupidly got himself sent off at The Hawthorns and I think I was right in doing so. I think it was stupidity on his part and it cost the club at least a point because there was not a lot to separate West Brom and Norwich on the day.

But the more I see of him - and I don't want to heap the pressure on his shoulders, I don't want people to think you're talking out of your heart - but he's got the look of Emi Buendia when he first signed - he's got that quick pace, he's busy, he's always on the move, he's got that pace, he's got that balance, got two good feet. I think he's got the same mannerisms as Buendia.

I was watching him run last night (against Watford) and he is very, very similar to Buendia – if he is half the player Buendia you’d be happy. And all credits to him because after that sending off, he has come back into the team and he’s a grafter.

He works hard, he does his defensive duties, scores goals which is always handy from a wide player. But the biggest compliment I can give him is that the more I see him the more he does remind me of Emi Buendia and his first 12, 18 months at the football club, and that's a massive compliment.

Josh Sargent (Image: Paul Chesterton/Focus Images Ltd)

Josh Sargent is a big bonus for Norwich with the way he has returned from injury.

It is huge - and he is a game changer. This time last season we were talking about how he’s not really started after coming back from the World Cup in November and a really slow second-half to the season. I think he only scored two goals.

Once again, it was a massive blow, not just for him, but for the football club, when he injured himself at Huddersfield. He's been out for three months, which tells you the severity of the injury that he got.

I don't quite understand when they say that he's not back up to speed yet. If he’s not looking right in training, he's that important, you just tell him to go and do his own thing or you just go and tell him to go and spend the day with the physio, get your body right, get a massage.

At this stage of the season, with nine games since he came back, he’s fit now. At the start of the season, it takes you between five and 10 games to get yourself up to speed and you're all in the same boat because you have all had the same pre-season and played in all the friendlies. So nine games he should now be up to speed. There's no excuse. And he’s a fit boy.

If you want to do the cotton wool thing, if you're in a good position in a game, if you're 3-0 up and you're cruising and the game is done and dusted, take him off and rest him. I would say that with the most important players in the team - if the games’ done and there is no coming back with the opposition, take them off, put some fresh legs on there.

The last two games have been tight at times, and you have got to be careful and I totally understand that because the science in the game now is completely different to when I played.

The analysis staff can tell with their computers and the technology they have got, when muscles get tired. You can pull muscles or tear muscles, so you have got to be careful. So if he wasn’t quite right that's why David Wagner took him off against Watford, because he was tired.

But he's needed – someone scoring as many goals as he has – five in five at Carrow Road.

Beware the Barnes-stormer!

Ashley Barnes (Image: Paul Chesterton/Focus Images Ltd)

Obviously there was a reaction from the fans when he took Sargent off, and then he didn’t bring Sydney van Hooijdonk on to replace him.

It makes perfect sense if you're taking your main goal threat off, the sensible thing would be to bring the lad that you have just brought in on loan – there is quite a bit of hype about it and the fans can't wait to see him.

They just don't want to see these cameo appearances from him, coming off the bench for two or three minutes. They wan to see him having a  decent go.

It was ready made for him to come on -  he must be frustrated. If I am him I am knocking on the gaffer’s door.

It's a hard one now because obviously Ashley Barnes scored and it would be harsh to drop someone after he scored a goal – I’d be fuming if that happened to me. I think Ashley Barnes is the type of character that wouldn't put up with that lightly. I don't think he'd be knocking on the door, I think he'd be kicking it down.

Look at the results - why change your winning habit? If it's not broken, why fix it? Maybe van Hooijdonk will have to be patient, but I do agree that if your centre forward is coming because he looks tired, you have to put someone else who's going as work as hard and work the channels and keep defenders busy and  I think that's what he does.

You’d rather have that than not enough options.

Home banker for me

I’ll be at Carrow Road tomorrow for the visit of Cardiff – who are in horrendous form. Their away form is better than their home form. They've won five of their last 17 games and four of those have come away from home.

They've scored one goal or less in 18 of their 32. Their top scorer is their right back, Perry Ng, with five goals.

It's been a bit of a struggle for them. They started off well, even though they probably didn't get results that the performances deserved, but from October onwards, it's been hard work watching them.

I just can't see anything else but a Norwich win to be honest.