Should we expect another low scoring affair?

In February, it felt as if we were not going to have very many home games. Now March has arrived and we are at The Valley for the second Saturday in a row. This time, a week on from facing Wrexham, the visitors are Birmingham City.

It has the feel of a reunion. Last season these back-to-back games were League One fixtures. Now, all three of us are navigating the Championship in very different ways. Wrexham sit in the play-off places and dream of a second promotion. Birmingham, by contrast, hover around mid-table. Their own hopes of back to back promotions have not quite taken shape and their recent form speaks volumes - wins against Sheffield Wednesday, Oxford, Leicester and Norwich and a draw with Stoke but soundly beaten by Millwall and Middlesbrough.

That does not mean they lack quality. If anything, they may be punching slightly below their weight. In midfield they have the experience and drive of Demarai Gray. In forward areas, Patrick Roberts carries craft and movement. Jay Stansfield offers energy and goals up front. German international Marvin Ducksch has scored eight in 22 appearances and, although former Glasgow Celtic striker Kyogo Furuhashi has struggled for regular minutes, he remains a player with proven pedigree.

Although last weekend's fixture saw Charlton dominate the ball, we are unlikely to see that on Saturday. Birmingham average 54% possession and know how to use it. They have created the fourth most big chances in the division although they are firmly mid-table in terms of goals scored. A key part of their game is fouls to break up opposition momentum. The Addicks are unlikely to play free-flowing football but if they do, you can expect Birmingham's attacking players to leave one late on the defenders. A key battle to watch will be Lyndon Dykes against former team mate Christoph Klarer; both are big, aggressive, aerial players.

Recent meetings between the sides suggest margins will be tight. Back in December, we drew one all at St Andrew’s. That was an afternoon when Tyreece Campbell came off the bench to score his first goal of the season and halt a run of Championship defeats. It was a small but important moment in stabilising the campaign.

Home form now needs to follow. Charlton did not deserve to lose to Wrexham last weekend. There were enough chances created to take something from the game. Fine margins and a little misfortune made the difference. At this stage of the season, though, performance alone is not enough. Points are the only currency that count.

The table remains tight from 18th downwards. Norwich City created a bit of daylight last weekend and we need to respond. It is vital to stay clear of sides such as Leicester City and Oxford United, particularly with a trip to Oxford looming on 14th March in what already feels like another of those defining six-point fixtures. That makes Saturday important in its own right. A home win would ease pressure ahead of that Oxford encounter. It would also reinforce the sense that the Addicks are capable of edging away from danger rather than glancing anxiously over their shoulder right up to the closing weeks of the season.

Recent contests between Charlton and Birmingham have tended to be low scoring and tense and there is little to suggest this will be any different. At this stage we'd take a 1-0 and another three points in the bag, particularly with question marks over the fitness of Bell, Berry, Burke and Sichenje. We know what to expect from Birmingham, having seen them so often this past couple of seasons. However if everything goes to plan and we pick up the points needed for safety, they should feature in another of our match previews next season.

Nathan Jones is still upbeat: "We have a good group, we pick up points and we would like to get a run of wins together. There is a belief in the squad that we're going to be okay, we just need to be more clinical," he explained. "With the intensity of Championship football, we needed the week to relax. We trained today, and they showed what they needed to this week in the performance levels we got today. We go into another game coming up."