Norwich City: Pink Un Podcast reporters on Borja Sainz

Host Connor Southwell was joined by Paddy Davitt, Adam Harvey and Samuel Seaman to discuss a wide range of topics, including Borja Sainz's season so far and why some supporters expect even more from him.

Watch the latest episode in the video above, listen via your favourite podcast platform or read an excerpt on the Spanish winger below.

CS: Most people have probably felt in parts quite frustrated with Borja Sainz, and I feel that's a positive frustration. I think it's a recognition that you've got a brilliant talent there, who's clearly very capable, clearly very technically proficient. He can produce moments within games and win them.

But the flip side of that, and maybe this is just where he is at this stage of his development, is maybe an inconsistency. It feels at times like he wants to take on everyone twice before scoring a goal, and there's not the quality in the moments that matter.

There's been a little bit of frustration, not huge amounts. What have you made of his start to the season.

AH: A bit of a mixed bag. As you saw against Watford with the way he took the goal, there's clearly confidence within the lad. He's now trying to step up to the mark in terms of goals after Gabriel Sara and Jonathan Rowe left. He scored six goals in the Championship last season, and he's already got three this year, so it feels like he's building in the right direction.

But it's now about consistency. He needs to be producing the same levels week in, week out, and probably take away some of the emotion that riles him up at different points. I understood his little swipe back at fans during the Swansea game, but ultimately he wasn't performing. The fans had probably travelled for 12 hours and spent north of £100, and they can have that frustration when he's being a little bit greedy or missing chances.

He's got to harness his emotion in the right way and use it to his advantage. As we saw at different points last season, when he is in that mood then he almost takes it upon himself to try and produce. You saw the celebration when he scored, the shushing and cupping his ear.

I think he just needs to ignore it and let his football do the talking. The fans will back him, because there's clearly a talented player there.

Sainz has already scored three times this season (Image: Paul Chesterton/Focus Images Ltd) PD: It's probably a bit early in the season to make any hard or fast judgements. His numbers are very impressive already, to follow on from Adam's point. There's no doubt that the assist element needs to improve, and that in itself cuts to what the issues are in his game.

You don't want to accuse him of being selfish, because it's that selfishness that's getting him in those positions. But he does need to be more rounded. It's much like Johannes Hoff Thorup said after Jon Rowe scored in Austria in pre-season. He was excellent that day, but he needed to get more involved in the game, creating other things for his team-mates.

For me, that challenge is now for Sainz to pick up and run with. He needs to be better at connecting the dots and servicing Josh Sargent primarily. If he adds that dimension to his game, on top of what he is, then the sky is the limit.

SS: In a sense maybe he has to take the criticism as a compliment, but you also get the sense that he's someone who's motivated by wanting to prove people wrong. I don't think it's necessarily a coincidence that he feels a bit irritated by some of the criticism he gets in the Swansea game and then in the next one goes and scores a pretty good goal.

So maybe he needs that a little bit to motivate him. But that isn't always the best situation, because you want somebody who is able to perform when everything around them is good, and who doesn't need that tension or friction to be at their best.

For him it's about finding that balance between making the most of the edge he's got, and also making sure he keeps a cool head and doesn't get too carried away with it. That isn't anything knew, it's something that we've talked about loads of times.