Norwich City column: City are missing leaders on the pitch following a double blow to Championship play-off hopes

Look, there is no hiding from the fact that the last week has been extremely damaging to Norwich City’s play-off hopes.

Disappointing results against Sunderland and Huddersfield have quashed all the momentum gained by the fantastic win at Millwall just two short weeks ago.

In truth, I don’t really know what to say about David Wagner’s side at the moment. I feel utterly confused by the extreme nature of our performances.

When we are good, we are excellent. There have been times over the last few months when we have simply torn teams apart.

I think of Preston away, the first 20 minutes at Coventry and the second half at Millwall. There are few – if any – teams in this league who could stand up to that level of intensity and quality.

Conversely, when we are poor, we are abject. Wednesday night’s 1-1 draw at Huddersfield the prime example of that.

It really is like the Strange Case of Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde – impossible to know which side is going to turn up from game to game.

As for the reasons why, I’ve been left scratching my head like all Norwich fans. My main feeling is that there is a severe lack of leadership on the pitch.

When the going gets tough, I don’t see anyone out there willing to grab the game by the scruff of the neck and drag us towards three points.

On a similar note, we lack a player brave enough to put their foot on the ball and take control of proceedings, in a way that the likes of Tom Trybull and David Fox used to do so effectively.

All that to say, I don’t think it’s an overstatement to suggest our play-off ambitions depend on the outcome of tomorrow’s trip to Stoke City.

We head to Staffordshire four points outside of the top six with just nine games remaining.

If that gap gets any bigger, we can wave goodbye to an instant return to the Premier League.