Tactical gamble backfires in the extreme for once
Chris Powell is praised for his ability to adapt, alter and assemble his side to face different Championship sides and, indeed, different challenges.
And with good reason, given some of the results he has masterminded during his time at the Huddersfield Town helm to date.
But he was the first person to admit that his decision to bring on Paul Dixon and haul off Nahki Wells in the process represented something of a risk on his part and, within five minutes of the second half, the point was rammed home to him in brutal fashion by a overwhelming Norwich City side.
Dixon failed to offer the requisite defensive protection that Powell had identified as something his side were in urgent need of, particularly as the Town coaching staff anticipated the arrival of Nathan Redmond at the break, but in bringing off Wells the team effectively lost quality at both ends of the field.
The Bermudian may have missed another presentable opportunity early on, but he worked tirelessly on the left flank to track his runners in front of Jack Robinson and he surely could have offered Town an out ball they so desperately craved and lacked in the second period as Grant Holt tired and toiled on a nightmare return to Carrow Road.
The transfer window can't come soon enough
The Town manager admitted after the five-goal drubbing that his side would not have secured a result at any level with the lack of game intelligence shown at the beginning of the second half, particularly against Premier League calibre opposition.
Perhaps the most pertinent of Powell's post-match comments was just that, because the Premier League-worthy players in the Norwich side punished a poor Town display ruthlessly, not least Redmond.
Town came up against a side punching well below their weight in this division in the Canaries and when you consider the quality Neil Adams has at his disposal - added to Murray Wallace's early red card - the gulf between the two sides became alarmingly apparent.
How Powell must have wished he could have called upon a midfield destroyer in the mould of Alexander Tettey, the Norwich midfielder who dictated the tempo of the match with a nigh-on perfect display at the base of the Canaries' diamond, or a striker with the hold-up play but also, crucially, the poise of Gary Hooper, even after his inexplicable first-half miss.
Injuries and now Wallace's suspension mean Powell will be on the lookout for players in various positions ahead of the January transfer window but this crushing defeat has exacerbated his need to bolster his squad throughout.
A central defender is an absolute must given concerns over Joel Lynch's groin injury, while the dearth of central midfield options below the first-choice trio of Jonathan Hogg, Conor Coady and Jacob Butterfield and the lingering question marks over Holt's future at the club after the expiry of his loan spell mean Powell will have to plug several gaps within the core positions of his squad.
But Town fans must keep the faith in Powell, who has yet to truly stamp his authority on this Town squad and will require a January window at the very least to try and rectify some of the obvious deficiencies in the team.
Fringe players not counted on in hour of need
You only had to glance at the respective benches to see the Premier League quality Norwich have been able to maintain even in relegation from the top flight and how Town continue to swim against the tide with regards to clubs like the Canaries, who benefit from parachute payments, in an extremely tough division.
Redmond responded to being dropped for two games in succession with a performance full of speed, verve and dizzying trickery, Wes Hoolahan added a creative dimension when he came on and Lewis Grabban got in on the act with the fifth goal to underline his goalscoring prowess.
Yet it is becoming increasingly clear that the options available to Powell beyond his starting XI are either deemed not ready or able to make a contribution to the level of performance he demands from his players.
It would be unfair not to factor Wallace's red card into the context, which clearly was a decisive moment in the match, and as such, attacking options such as Adam Hammill and Danny Ward were never likely to be considered when damage limitations was the primary objective in the second half.
But the most glaring example was the the decision not to bring on Anthony Gerrard who, for his lack of first-team fitness, at least possesses the know-how as a conventional centre-back to perhaps have given Town's fragile backline some more stability and experience.
Coady central defensive experiment provides one silver lining
In Powell's defence, his decision not to bring Gerrard on as a like-for-like replacement allowed him to test Coady's suitability to the role and the fact he was handed some praise for acting as a square peg in a round hole post-match was significant on a day when few, if any, Terriers emerged with any credit still intact.
Coady slotted into the heart of the backline with minimal fuss and what was most impressive was his positional sense as Norwich targeted full-backs Robinson and Tommy Smith as potential weaknesses in order to load crosses into the box.
He appeared to have a natural understanding with fellow Liverpool academy graduate Robinson on the left-hand side of the back four and it epitomised his efforts that as soon as he was moved back into midfield at half-time, Town collapsed at the back.
That owed to various aspects, mainly the devastating Redmond's introduction, and the former Sheffield United loanee was let off the hook with one momentary lapse when Hooper somehow tripped over the ball when faced with a one-on-one against Smithies.
Yet this test of his ability in the role for Coady acted as one key positive on an otherwise awful afternoon and offers the manager food for thought as his central defensive resources continue to dwindle.
Captain's dip in form becoming a big worry
Mark Hudson has been a brilliant addition to the club and has led the Terriers by example with a series of commanding defensive displays full of passion, commitment and desire - qualities which have been appreciated by all after such a testing start to the campaign.
And it is because of the high standards he has set himself during the early stages of his Town career that any performances which fall below come under scrutiny more than for most.
He struggled in the physical battle against Craig Davies in defeat at Bolton Wanderers but he turned in a much-improved display at home to Brentford to help lead his side home and there were signs of a potential partnership between himself and Wallace blossoming until 15 minutes into yesterday's clash.
The young Scot can feel rightly aggrieved as it was a poor piece of defending from his experienced defensive partner that he was ultimately punished for as Jerome pounced on an uncharacteristic piece of play from Hudson before being clumsily brought down by Wallace.
It set the tone for a nervy second half from the skipper and as the defence reverted to a three-man backline, Hudson's confidence continued to sap with Smith and Robinson either side of him.
Norwich sensed blood and mercilessly disposed of Town in emphatic style.
