David Cuffley City boss Glenn Roeder has predicted “thrills and spills” from striker Arturo Lupoli after witnessing his first 45 minutes of action at Carrow Road.Clearance came through from the Italian FA in time for the 21-year-old, on a season-long loan from Fiorentina, to face Colchester United in Saturday's final pre-season friendly.

David Cuffley

City boss Glenn Roeder has predicted “thrills and spills” from striker Arturo Lupoli after witnessing his first 45 minutes of action at Carrow Road.

Clearance came through from the Italian FA in time for the 21-year-old, on a season-long loan from Fiorentina, to face Colchester United in Saturday's final pre-season friendly.

A groin strain sustained in training almost made the paperwork academic but Lupoli recovered to play the first half of City's 2-2 draw with the League One side, partnering Jamie Cureton in attack and showing some deft touches with his bright red boots.

Said Roeder: “He is definitely going to cause defenders trouble. What I have found with him already is that he is an amazingly positive striker. If he gets faced up in the final third he's only looking for one thing and that's to get past the final defender in front of him and get his shot away.

“It will be thrills and spills with him this year - sometimes it will be frustrating because the defender will stop him and other times he will be exciting because he has skipped past a defender and he will hammer the ball in the back of the net.”

Roeder's delight at getting clearance to play Lupoli was almost cut short by injury, he revealed.

“He picked up a very slight groin strain in training so it was ironic that when the clearance came though it was touch and go whether he'd be able to take any part in the game. Overnight he felt a lot better, but I told him whatever happened, he was only going to play 45 minutes,” said Roeder.

“He is a good lad to work with - he definitely has the Italian professionalism in him. He enjoys his training, he enjoys hard work and he put a lot of energy into that 45 minutes, but it was the right thing to do to take him off at half-time and not risk him irritating a next-to-nothing groin strain.”

Lupoli admitted he was only at two thirds of match fitness but enjoyed his first outing in front of City fans.

“I feel about 60, 70 per cent fit but in two or three weeks I can go to 100 per cent,” he said.

“I was expecting to play against Spurs and I didn't so it wasn't the best start for me. But it was a great feeling. It was my first game for Norwich and also my first game of the season.

“I am a striker so I need to score goals and today I didn't, but I did a few good things so I just need to keep playing well and good performances will come with goals as well.”

Lupoli, formerly with Arsenal and Derby, said he preferred English football to the Italian game.

“I felt that the manager and the club really wanted me and that is why I chose Norwich. A few clubs in Italy and one or two in England wanted me, but in the end I chose Norwich because I really felt it was the right one,” he said.

“I prefer English football really because it suits the way I play so I would like to play in England for more than a year and maybe get in the Premier League with this team. It would be a dream.

“There are a few good young players and a few more experienced players so it's a good mix and we can achieve a lot this season, I think.”