Paddy Davitt delivered his Spurs' verdict after Norwich City's 5-0 Premier League defeat.

1. Lapped

Dean Smith and his players congregated in the centre circle at the end of a torturous afternoon, and Premier League season.

But they had to suffer the sight of Antonio Conte and his Tottenham players serenaded by the away support, after cruising to their Champions League qualifying mission at Carrow Road, before they could embark on their own forlorn lap of appreciation.

There was a smattering of boos but those who stayed applauded a squad who have beaten into submission.

You suspect the frustration is being channelled in the direction of those above Smith and a group who were palpably ill-equipped to offer much more than fitful resistance, in pockets of Premier League light amid the gloom.

This match was effectively up when Harry Kane pounced on another horrendously charitable concession from Norwich. A running sore on a campaign where this was supposed to be different from the ‘Project Restart’ interrupted Premier League season of 2019/20.

The record will state Norwich mustered one extra point second time around, but this feels worse. Much worse.

It also feels at this stage a much tougher turnaround. The post-mortem will need to be swift, surgical and followed by a summer of feverish activity to refresh the squad and energise a fan base who feel flat, disinterested and disconnected.

2. Webber watch

Now we wait. Expect to hear from City’s sporting director following the full stop on a diabolically inept season.

What went wrong on the park, what went wrong in terms of recruitment, whether he is on board for the next stage, and how the Canaries can convince the doubters and the disaffected another abject showing at Premier League level can lead to another Championship promotion push.

Smith, Dean, has had to front up ever since relegation was confirmed on a weekend that took him back to his old club, Aston Villa. That November job switch feels an eternity.

Stuart Webber made the call to dispense with Daniel Farke, and pledged his replacement had a squad good enough to arrest the decline.

Smith was not afforded the opportunity to freshen a group listing badly in January, nor get much more from the constituent parts than Farke did. Which is not a stab at revisionism.

City’s top flight tour was heading in the same downward direction under the hugely popular German.

Webber is rightly feted for the transformation he drove upon his arrival in 2017; in bricks and mortar, on the balance sheet and on the park at Championship level with a thrilling brand of title-winning football. But at Premier League level the gulf is a chasm.

Those questions have now reached a decibel-piercing level. Webber has to come up with enough answers to try and at least to shift the toxic narrative, ahead of the start of a new season where patience will be wafer-thin.

3. Desperate

For those of a nervous disposition, look away now. Norwich finished on a minus 61 goal difference. They leaked 84 goals, scored 23 (nearly half of those from Teemu Pukki) and won five Premier League games all season.

Even that ‘race’ to avoid finishing plumb last, which as Smith pointed out carried a financial inducement not to be dismissed lightly for a self-funded club, proved beyond City. Albeit Watford succumbed at Chelsea.

But there is one statistic perhaps above all the others that should sting. Norwich finished a distant 16 points from the team who finished in the final survival spot.

That should hold up a mirror to those who shaped the direction of travel, and those they in turn entrusted to at the very least this time around turn Norwich into a competitive entity. Not a laughing stock.

The slew of national media soundbites and verbal barbs that so irked the sporting director earlier this season have proven to be correct.

It will take plenty of sweat, toil and quality from here, back in the gruelling terrain of the Championship, before they can be rammed back down throats.

4. Thanks Tim

If it was Tim Krul’s final outing in Norwich colours the Dutchman deserved so much more than to be involved in another cheap, self-inflicted concession that brought Kane his stooping first half header.

Krul clearly felt the blame lay heavier in Mathias Normann’s direction, given the manner he charged after the Norwegian international in the immediate aftermath. Normann was certainly on his heels when Rodrigo Bentancur pounced on Krul’s roll to square for Kane.

But it bore an uncanny echo of Krul’s rick in the recent home game against his old club Newcastle.

Smith had seen enough and recalled Angus Gunn, who did nothing in the intervening games to lose his place.

Which is why the conspiracy theorists felt Krul’s return to the XI for the final home game had more than a touch of sentimentality and farewell about it.

Krul has already been linked with a return to Holland, which in turn would no doubt enhance his chances of making a World Cup squad later this year. We will find out in due course over this abbreviated summer. But if it is goodbye, what a servant the free transfer has been.

In the interests of balance as the goals rained in there was a tremendous reaction stop to foil Son.

Krul talked fondly after the faith shown in him by Farke and Webber and how the Canaries had rescued his career after that long injury interlude. But Krul has been even better for Norwich. He would be a tough act to follow, on and off the park.

5. Jigsaw pieces

On a similar theme, ahead of a summer transfer window which takes on added importance after what unfolded 12 months ago, any signal or gesture, however, big or small, may have taken on greater significance in the final home game of a forgettable campaign.

Max Aarons appearing to linger a touch longer than normal in his pre-match routine to acknowledge the Barclay was one. He was also the final player to depart the Carrow Road pitch at the end.

Milot Rashica has already been touted with a summer departure, after failing to add the productivity he was recruited for amid much excitement.

Normann will not return the other side of the break. Billy Gilmour and Brandon Williams were absent from the squad but part of the sad, slow trudge after the final whistle.

Pukki will undoubtedly attract admiring glances from abroad this summer. Grant Hanley, perhaps closer to home, after a level of consistency from the pair that marked them out as the only serious player-of-the-year candidates.

The only certainty in such a guessing game at this stage is we have seen the last of a number of this squad. Some will not be missed, or fondly remembered.

But if indeed it is so long to a player like Aarons this summer then he can go with his head held high.

The academy-produced talent has been a loyal servant and an integral part of the two memorable Championship title wins.