Pieces start to fall into place for pardew

Those victories - along with two in the Carling Cup - indicate Pardew has discovered both a system and a lineup that will work in this new division, combining the quality of players such as Darren Ambrose, Andy Reid and Jerome Thomas with the combative assets required in the Championship.
The deadline day signings of Danny Mills at right-back and Sam Sodje in the heart of defence will add a bit of the resilience that was missing in those early games and give the squad extra strength in depth, which could be crucial when fixtures begin to pile up.
The team will also be boosted by the return from injury of key players Matt Holland and Luke Varney. Holland was the most consistent and committed performer in last season's relegation campaign and will add experience to an otherwise young midfield. Varney, meanwhile, has yet to make a senior appearance for the Addicks after his #2million move from Crewe over the summer but should revel in a role as a partner to a more conventional target man such as Svetoslav Todorov or Chris Iwelumo.
Both players should be in with a shout of being fit for this weekend's trip to Colchester, while Pardew also hopes to have full-backs Ben Thatcher and Yassin Moutaouakil available for selection in the near future.
In Reid, Charlton can also claim to have the country's best player outside the Premiership. The Irish international has already scored three goals this season from a wide position and seems to be raising his game against weaker opposition.
But perhaps the biggest change at the club since the end of last season is the return to the type of loyal, honest and hard-working player that established the club in the Premiership in the first place.
Players such as Hermann Hreidarsson, Darren Bent and Luke Young never gave anything less than 100 per cent to the Addicks' cause and could not be blamed for wanting to remain in the Premiership. Others, though, were poor last season yet still wanted out as soon as possible.
By bringing in the likes of Paddy McCarthy, Mills and Chris Powell once again while retaining people such as Holland and Thatcher, Pardew has built a squad that is capable of challenging for promotion without jeopardising the club's financial stability and rid the dressing room of a whole lot of attitude in the process. The club may be in a different division but the fact that the Iain Dowie and Les Reed eras seem but a bad dream can only be a good thing.
There are worries for Charlton, though. The defence has looked vulnerable, particularly at set-pieces, and Pardew still appears unsure of his best centre-back pairing. McCarthy, Jonathan Fortune and
Madjid Bougherra have all started Championship games so far and the arrival of Sodje will ensure further disruption in the short-term. There are similar selection issues upfront.
Yet for all the changes that have taken place, both the manager and the players know that the main aim is to make a quick return to the top flight and Charlton need to put a decent run together between now and Christmas to ensure they are well placed come the start of next year.
The old adage that you can't win promotion or titles at the start of a season is true enough. But you can certainly lose them and failure to mount a successful challenge could consign the club to years stagnating at this level, or even lower.
It may only be September but the pressure for Pardew and his players, old and new, is already on.
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