Something strange happened on Saturday. No, I'm not referring to the fact that City managed to keep a clean sheet, or won a game they deserved to.

By Tim Allman

Something strange happened on Saturday. No, I'm not referring to the fact that City managed to keep a clean sheet, or won a game they deserved to. Or that Glenn Roeder didn't have a go at the ref in his post-match interview, but that could be explained away by the fact that we didn't concede our customary penalty.

It was none of these rarities. I just missed out on my pre-match beers.

It wasn't because I was abstaining either. I was suffering with whatever bug was going round and decided not to go for the kill-or-cure alcohol option.

My bug and headache were even more galling as several of the Capital Canaries had been to office parties, and one of our group had come straight from his work do to Liverpool Street in his glad rags, and all appeared to be fine despite their Friday night excesses.

And so to Charlton, which was a difficult game against opponents who came for a point, and more often than not had 11 men back in their own half - at least until we scored.

They had done their homework on Norwich, doubling up on Croft and had a man on Hoolahan for a great deal of the time.

It was frustrating watching, and looked to be frustrating to play in as the game never got going.

It didn't help that the multi-ball system was not used and because of this, it took ages for the ball to come back into play each time it went off.

Added to this, the Charlton keeper was taking 45 seconds for each goal kick and free kick.

The ref finally worked this out and booked him early in the second half which helped to move the game along. The best way to liven up the proceedings was to score, and that's what City did on the hour when Clingan, surely destined for the Player-of-the-Season Trophy, played a sublime ball into Lita who showed great composure to score with a low shot that

showed what a lethal striker he can be.

If ever a finish showed what we were missing at the Ricoh on opening day it was that goal. How many would we have won by had Lita been playing? It would have been a cricket score, and Lita would have been returning home with a season's worth of match balls.

So come January 1, when Lita goes back to Reading who will score the goals for us? Certainly not Lupoli, who is now out of favour, and whose days at Carrow Road look to be numbered.

It is unlikely to be Jamie Cureton, another who no longer has the confidence of the manager. Is Carl Cort the man to fill Lita's huge yellow boots and will he provide that incisive cutting edge that Lita has? Maybe or maybe not. My money is on the “not.” That leaves the Wigan-bound Sibierski, Koroma and the youngsters.

We need Lita in the team on a more permanent basis as there's no-one else with his eye for goal.

And at the other end of the pitch who will keep the goals out for us? On our opening day fixture we had Stefanovic and Kennedy at centre back; but now our current two are Omozusi and the Doc, who by either luck or good judgement look to be a decent pairing.

In the intervening period we have lost Stefanovic, Kennedy and Shackell, so a replacement or back up is surely a necessity.

If the Board are serious about Norwich City staying in the Championship we are going to need find funds for both without weakening our squad. It's over to you.