I've commented many times in this column on the absurdity of the process which works out football fixtures.

We're told there's a complex computer system which is supposed to come up with an even spread of matches for teams during the season.

Well, call me a cynic but something has gone badly wrong.

Even taking into account the disruption caused by two international breaks already this term - and another to come in November - there's a crazy imbalance in matches.

Before the latest enforced pause of domestic football, City played twice at Carrow Road in just four days.

Early in the campaign we had consecutive Saturdays of NR1 action.

Yet in a period between early October and late November, Johannes Hoff Thorup's men only play twice in front of the home faithful.

And to add an extra surreal element to the mix, five out of the Canaries' next seven fixtures are away from home.

I'm no mathematician, but I've done a rough calculation and estimate that City - and their loyal fans - will travel more than 2000 miles to and from matches over the next month and a bit.

(Image: Martyn Haworth)

The grand tour of the nation kicks off at Stoke this Saturday.

Then there's the mouth-watering prospect of a 520-mile round trip to Preston on Tuesday night.

After the home game against Middlesbrough, the longest journey of the autumn period comes on November 2 with the trek across the border to Cardiff.

Bonfire night will be marked for City at Sheffield Wednesday and then following the visit of Bristol City, the Canaries head back to the West Midlands to take on West Brom.

There may be those who are of the "you play everyone twice in the season so get on with it" school of thought.

But surely even with a back of a fag packet and a pen, things can be much better organised for teams and supporters?

Anyway, my moaning won't change anything, so Thorup and his men will just have to get on with it.

The away form so far this season has followed a pattern - lost at Oxford, won at Coventry, lost at Swansea and won at Derby.

The old adage is if you win away and draw at home, you're in a good position.

So the haul of six points on the road from four games so far is pretty acceptable.

The long, long unbeaten form at Carrow Road is very encouraging and if the boys are to mount a serious promotion challenge, that must be maintained.

A fortress in your own back yard is so key to a successful team.

So can City complement that with joy on the travels?

Last year things were pretty average away from home.

Norwich's sixth place finish in the regular season mirrored where they came in the home table with 15 wins, four wins and four losses.

But when it came to the away table, the Canaries were a lowly 19th with just six wins and six draws, alongside 11 losses. Add to that the humiliating 4-0 play-off semi final second leg reversal at Leeds.

That has to improve.

On paper, despite the huge distances to the outposts over the next period, City should fancy a decent haul of points.

Stoke and Preston are 17th and 19th respectively in the Championship table and have both won two of their first four home games.

Cardiff are currently rock bottom, with a win and three losses at home so far.

And Sheffield Wednesday are in 15th after their mixed opening to the campaign.

The final of the five games before the end of November looks much trickier with West Brom firmly in the play-off spots.

We all know football isn't played on paper and form can go out of the window.

Thorup is showing us his adaptability to different opponents and circumstances.

By the time his team leave The Hawthorns at the end of autumn, we will have much of an idea about how this campaign is likely to pan out.

And one day the fixture compilers may develop some common sense.....

OTBC.

City double acts

My colleague Samuel Seaman penned an excellent article earlier this week looking at great City double acts down the years.

It was prompted by the way Josh Sargent and Borja Sainz have really clicked so far this season.

He looked at Emi Buendia and Teemu Pukki, Grant Holt and Wes Hoolahan and Adam Drury and Darren Huckerby.

It got me thinking about my favourite Canary duos in my 45 or so years.

Duncan Forbes and Dave Stringer were a formidable force at the back when I first started going to Carrow Road.

Robert Fleck is one of my favourite ever City strikers and the link up he had with Robert Rosario was special.

In an interview I found, Fleck said: "Up front with me was Robert Rosario. He was the most unselfish player I ever played alongside and he didn’t get the credit for what he did."

And that is at the heart of what makes partnerships so key in football.

I could also throw in Malky Mackay and Craig Fleming.

I'd be interested to hear your choices.

Fascinating insight

During the international break, our team of Norwich City correspondents have written some superb content.

I've already mentioned the piece on the partnerships and we've also been treated to long reads on Christian Fassnacht, Ryan Bennett, Kellen Fisher's former coach Steve Aris, Alfie Hewett and Aaron Wilbraham.

Also, our football editor Paddy Davitt had a rare sit down with the club's head of recruitment Lee Dunn.

If you haven't already read it or listened to it, I'd thoroughly recommend it.

The interview really opened my eyes into the forensic planning which goes into searching for players and then bringing them in.

The club haven't always got things right - and we could all reel off the names of players who haven't exactly set the world on fire.

However, looking at the likes of Callum Doyle and Jose Cordoba who are really whetting the appetite and we have to be confident in the system.

And Dunn should give us excitement about the plans in place to hunt the world for even more talent in the future.