Norwich City first team coach Mark Robson insists there is a positive upside to the Canaries' lack of match action on their Italian tour.

Robson was a key figure in Wednesday night's open training session at the club's Chatillon Saint Vincent training base, which replaced a scheduled game against Serie B side Livorno.

City hammered a regional select squad 13-0 in their tour opener after the part-time opponents stepped in at late notice for Serie C club Novara but Robson believes Norwich can hone their competitive edge in the final tour match on Friday against French top flight side SC Bastia before two Carrow Road home dates next week.

'You only have to look at Bastia's pedigree to know they will be decent and that will be a really good test for us, as will the two games at Carrow Road,' he said. 'Those three will be as tough as we could get in terms of the quality. Without being disrespectful we might not have the same quality in the league against us but we know there will be a big physical challenge.

'For me, actually not having a game is better in some respects because it gives me more time to work with them on the training pitch.

'We can do a little bit more tactical stuff, which we are drip feeding into them now, so that come the start of the season it is ingrained. We could take a lot of positives out of the first game, because we scored plenty of goals and from the physicality aspect and in terms of how hard the lads all worked and the amount of running they put in, that was first class.

'Of course we have missed out on a second but I see it as an opportunity to put more information into the players and make no mistake we have some tough friendlies coming up which will get us ready for Wolves.'

Robson is adamant this week's training trip to northern Italy, following on from the earlier fitness camp at St George's Park, will equip Neil Adams' squad for the serious business to come, starting at Molineux on August 10.

'It is all about preparing them for Wolves. We need to be ready from day one,' he said. 'The lads have been very good all week. Some of the work we've done in training has been excellent and the attitude has been great so we are really pleased with them. The boys' work ethic has been outstanding. They have got through a lot of graft and they are in a good position physically; that is the main thing about pre-season.

'The lads are also in really good spirits. There are a few pranksters around who are up to their little tricks and they can have a good laugh but at the same time they are working. They do not need to be told why we are out here and the importance of it.'