Revitalised side ready to face the future

Those six fixtures - starting with this weekend's tricky away trip to Wolves - will go a long way to shaping Charlton's season and, with further trips to Bristol City and Southampton during that period, the Addicks will be pleased to emerge in asimilar position to the second place slot they currently occupy.
Yet Charlton's recent form has shown they have got to grips with life in this division and the side now appears settled and solid after a shaky first few games. The loan signing of Danny Mills has added some grit and experience to the back line, while bringing Chris Powell back to the club for the third time has also paid dividends in the absence of regular left-back Ben Thatcher.
Goalkeeper Nicky Weaver has also been in top form this season and central defenders Jonathan Fortune and Madjid Bougherra have now struck up an understanding that was missing while Pardew experimented with different combinations earlier in the season.
The midfield, too, has benefited from a settled partnership with young Portuguese midfielder Jose Semedo growing into the holding role and club captain Reid in outstanding form since dropping down from the top division.
If there are slight concerns for Charlton, they are on the wings and up front. Pardew has played Reid, Zheng Zhi, Jerome Thomas, Lloyd Sam and Darren Ambrose out wide so far this season, although he appeared to have settled on Zhi and Sam before the latter's harsh dismissal at Hull earlier this month.
And while Luke Varney's belated appearances this season have given Charlton another dimension in the striking department, there remains doubt over whether Svetoslav Todorov or Chris Iwelumo should partner him.
Pardew has gone for the former Colchester player for much of the season and has been rewarded with four league goals to date but recent games have highlighted the need for Charlton to take their chances and to kill off games in which they have taken an early lead.
One thing that will please the former West Ham boss, however, is that goals have been spread throughout the team. In addition to Iwelumo's four, Reid has struck five times, Todorov and Zheng three, Sam and Varney twice, while there are a further four players with one goal to their credit.
Having a goal threat from midfield and the wide positions as well as the strikers makes it far harder for opponents to stifle Charlton and should also make life a bit easier for the main goalscorers.
This weekend's clash at Wolves, however, will be no easy game. The Molineux club are now four games unbeaten - with notable victories against both Norwich City and Coventry City in recent weeks - and Mick McCarthy's team currently sit just outside the play-off spots.
The game will also throw up one of those uneasy situations where Charlton find themselves up against a former colleague; this time in the shape of striker Jay Bothroyd. Former Addick Kevin Lisbie netted for his new club Colchester against his old employers earlier in the season and Pardew should be especially wary of another Charlton reject with a point to prove.
But with players fresh after two weeks off and still on a decent run of form themselves - despite a disappointing home draw against Barnsley in their last outing - the Addicks will be optimistic of picking up further points.
The international breaks have carved this early part of the season up into manageable, bite-sized chunks and if Charlton can maintain their recent run over the next six games, they will be in a very strong position for the run-up to Christmas. 
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