Much has been written about Johannes Hoff Thorup's possession-based game model at Norwich City, but he has also shown himself to be a pragmatist.
Naturally, especially after a thumping 4-1 home win over Watford, it will be the 20-plus passes before a goal and slick spells of dominance that leave supporters salivating from their mouths, having felt discontent about the quality of his predecessors' product, but it is also pragmatism fuelling City's improvement.
Thorup's game model is built around possession and designed not just to control matches, but to dominate them with efficiency and offensive purpose.
But dig a bit deeper beyond the surface, and City's new head coach has shown he can problem-solve with pragmatism to make his philosophy durable for each opponent while retaining those fundamental principles.
Take last weekend's victory as an example, when the subtlest of tweaks to swap Jack Stacey for Kellen Fisher to alter City's build-up structure left Watford's press disorganised and gave Norwich more control. It was introduced to push Ante Crnac wider against a defensive five.
On the surface, that call looked ruthless and bold. But it was actually nuanced, pre-planned and intelligent. It enabled Jose Cordoba to come into the team and that pushed Callum Doyle into a different area of the pitch better versed to extract his ball-playing qualities.
Or there is Swansea, when a shift to a back three helped Norwich create enough chances to rescue a point late on, only for the quality of their finishing to let them down. There have also been points where City have utilised a back three with Stacey providing width.
Thorup has built multiple structures for different uses. Head coaches are often accused of lacking a plan B, but the Dane has added multiple strings to his team's bow for differing opponents and occasions.
That level of depth and options will make it difficult for opposing analysts and teams to prepare a plan when facing the Canaries. This is now a team with real substance and proof he is pragmatic enough to utilise the tools available to him rather than crowbarring them into a style of play that doesn't extract their strengths.
If City need the vertical running of Stacey, then they can shift to accommodate that. If they need to chase a game with three central defenders, no problem. If they need to get Crnac closer to Josh Sargent, they can.
That doesn't mean it will equate to results every week, and not every experimental decision will pay dividends across a 46-game campaign. Likewise, given City's young age group and the manner of their recruitment, there are likely to be swings in performances as individuals adapt to life in a new country, league and culture.
But, to be frank, City are looking significantly better coached than last season and it now feels like their head coach's decisions and proactivity are winning points rather than the contrary.
Despite the sexiness of extended spells of possession and slick play in the final third, Thorup has got Norwich running harder. They win duels. They're aggressive, albeit not perfect yet, in their pressing structure.
Coventry boss Mark Robins mentioned how Thorup had got Norwich running. Park the on-ball performance, that is an illustration that his methods are cutting through in the dressing room.
All of this speaks to how Thorup has made his mark in the opening months of his Norwich spell.
Amid much disruption on and off the pitch, he has cracked on and failed to use excuses as a barrier to their progress. His communication style and delivery of improvement on the pitch have retained supporter faith.
Even though it's been a mixed start, there is a feeling that City and Thorup are on the up. The team has substance and a strategy that aligns with what most fans want their football club to be and represent.
That means nothing if there aren't games like Watford along the way. Those results are essential to build time and trust that things are moving in the right direction, however slowly.
It also explains why Thorup will be given more room for manoeuvre than his predecessors. There is a vision to get behind, something meaningful beyond three points on a Saturday afternoon.
Behind the scenes, there has been real gratitude to the supporters for their patience and willingness to buy into this new project. Thorup, at 35, won't get it right every week, but fans acknowledge that any mistakes are a process of his and the team's improvement rather than needing to factor them into their make-up.
Ultimately, it all means nothing if results aren't there along the way. That is the decisive metric when it comes to judging a head coach's performance.
It is too early to say with any certainty whether Thorup will or won't be a success at Carrow Road, but given the challenges he has been forced to confront, the pace at which City appears to be improving is encouraging.
Thorup's multifaceted nature as a coach is a strength for City in the long term. Now, the question is how quickly it will all come together.
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