Without the option of including a big target-man against Blackpool in the first home game of the season, Glenn Roeder may be considering the possibility of pushing Darel Russell forward, in the hope that he will be as effective against the Seasiders as he was against Colchester in the pre-season, friendly when he came on as a substitute and scored both City's goals.
The inclusion of Rusty would create another option for an attack, which has relied heavily on Wes Hoolahan's ability to thread passes through to the feet of Arturo, Curo, or OJ; and playing against his former club may not be all that easy for Wes, since his erstwhile colleagues will no doubt have a game plan intended to stifle the threat he poses as a play-maker.
It is an old cliché, but in this instance it is fair to say that the home side will need an early goal: to boost the confidence of the players and to settle the nerves of their fans, who will naturally be anxious after two away games without a goal.
If the Canaries fail to score against Blackpool, or to finish the game with three points, perhaps it might be time to panic, because there are some potentially difficult games to come in the next few weeks. However, thanks to MK Dons, the players will not be distracted by side issues in the form of Carling Cup ties...