After the heart breaking late reverse at Wigan on Saturday, Chris Powell has a week to gel his new players into a cohesive unit to face Birmingham.

The recent takeover, flurry of departures, influx of largely unknown players plus continuing poor form, have ignited speculation about the manager’s future. Such is Powell’s legendary status at Charlton, that for many he, rather than the team, has become the main focus.

What is far more important is arresting the current run of just one win from the last eleven league games. The Addicks now need to average 1.5 points per game to reach the accepted safefty mark of 52 points. Though teams have survived with less, sometimes 52 is not enough. Last season for example, 55 points were needed for Championship survival.

It is unlikely that a side will need that many this season, but Charlton will have to average the equivalent of winning one game in every two to reach the normal safety mark.

That will be a tough ask given the upcoming fixtures and the task is made even harder by the arrival of so many new faces.

Add to that the hamstring injury sustained by Rhoys Wiggins at Wigan and the magnitude of the task ahead becomes stark.

The week ahead at Sparrows Lane is vital, the new arrivals will need to hit the ground running to get the results Charlton need.

On the bright side, the Addicks have three more league games this month, all of which are home games.

First up is Birmingham on Saturday. Lee Clark’s side are currently in eighteenth place in the table, six points clear of the drop zone.

Their problem has been an inability to win at home, the Blues have recorded just two victories at St Andrews all season. They would be in the relegation places if it was not for their good away form. Birmingham have won five and drawn another two of their games on the road.

This is obviously a must win match for Charlton but it will be far from easy.

Following the cup match at Hillsborough, the Addicks return to league action on 22 February when Harry Redknapp’s high-flying Queens Park Rangers visit The Valley. Any kind of result in this game will be considered a bonus.

Three days later, the rescheduled fixture with Barnsley takes place. Again, this is a match of vital importance to both clubs. The Tykes are currently one place and three points behind Charlton.

Unlike Birmingham though, Barnsley have a poor away record, winning one, drawing three and losing nine of their thirteen games away from Oakwell.

The Addicks will fall a match behind their rivals due to the cup game at Sheffield Wednesday. On that day, Addicks fans will have one eye on events elsewhere, namely the following fixtures:

Doncaster v Barnsley

Millwall v Bolton

Wigan v Yeovil

There are a couple of games in that lot that qualify as ‘six pointers’.

So a hugely important month beckons. For those that like to look a little further ahead, tickets for the first match in March – the trip to Leicester – go on sale from The Valley on Tuesday morning.