The Season Ahead

Erith Addick Paul May sets out his views on the season to come

If you look at the views of the pundits, the consensus seems to be that it will be another mid-table performance by Charlton this season. This is often linked with the work 'mediocrity', although being mid-table in one of the best leagues in the world is hardly mediocre for a club the size of Charlton.

However, mid-table in the Premiership is no longer good enough for many of the Addickted. No doubt if that is where we end up, the knives will be out for Curbs with the familiar refrain 'taken the club as far as he can.' It may be that the club has reached a plateau of achievement, but as Maurice Chevalier replied when asked what he felt about old age replied, 'It's not as bad as the alternative.'

The New York Addick has an interesting report on his site about his visit to Watford when he noted that the plight of the former Premiership club was similar to many who fall back into the Championship. With insufficient resources to command good playesr, the team is made up of an ill assorted mix of ageing professionals at the end of their careers, young hopefuls and foreign imports no one has ever heard of. That's not somewhere we want to be.

For the New York Addick's report go to: New York Addick

I have never been so uncertain about what will happen in a season. On the plus side, there is usually not that big a gap in points betweeen 11/10th/9th and 8th/7th/6th and a possible European place. Equally, it would be easily to slip back to 13th/14th/15th, but I genuinely believe the squad is stronger than last year. I don't see a relegation struggle, anyway.

I do think that we look a lot stronger in midfield, with Smertin in particular likely to offer a lot. Of course, there are still question marks about whether Rommedahl can do something useful with the ball once he has got forward and whether Murphy can play to a consistently high standard for the whole game and not dangerously give the ball away through silly errors. Questions remain about whether Matt Holland's legs have given way, but Curbs is determined to hold on to him despite interest from Portsmouth among other clubs. But I reckon that Lloyd Sam will be the first youngster to break through into the first time for a long while which would be one in the eye for the moaners about the Academy.

Up front, Bent looks like a great acquistion. With 4-5-1, he will be up there on his own, but there has been much speculation about whether he could develop a partnership with Jeffers. What Bartlett's role will be remains an enigma. Will he be relegated to a super sub role? As long as JJ is limited to cameo appearances, I don't care. And I doubt whether Kevin Lisbie has much of a role to play, but I could be proved wrong.

Some people have raised questions about our defence, but, like most people, I rate Luke Young and still have faith in the Herminator. The central defence has always been the biggest concern, though, and we'll have to wait and see how things work out there.

One Irish site was saying that Deano's absence will trap Charlton in an early relegation struggle. Deano's experience is certainly invaluable, and Andersen's nerves can sometimes lead him to make errors, but I am pleased to see him given a chance to show what he can do over a sustained period. In Myrhe we have great back up.

So what will our final position be? There are so many uncertainties. But I don't think that we will be in the 9th - 11th range. I think that we will either click and get to 6th - 8th or slip back to 13th - 15th. Which outcome it will be depends (a) on injuries, (b) how well the new signings slot in and (c) whether we can avoid the end of season slump (which I am convinced won't happen this season).

Some of you have asked to be updated on my complicated personal life. As my long-term readers will recall, after my divorce, I was living in a basement flat in Westcombe Park. I then stayed on in Portugal as a barman on the Algarve after Euro 2004, returning to live with my parents in Blackfen. I'm now back in IT and put together enough money to pay the mortgage on a one bedroom flat in Erith. (PS, if there are any spare, fit, forty something Charlton supporting women out there who don't have an issue about horizontally and vertically challenged males, please get in touch).

Paul May will be providing an authoritative analysis of the Sunderland game tomorrow. There will be a small prize for the first person to spot him in the crowd, challenge him by saying 'You are Paul May' and correctly answering the question 'What is JJ's native tongue?