Manic compression

For reasons ill-understood, I have come across a disproportionate number of Sheffield United fans during my life.

My step father-in-law is one for a start having been brought up in the city, although he has long since moved to London, got rid of his whippet and has generally integrated well into the more civilised half of the UK. Indeed to the best of my knowledge, he does not beat my mother-in-law.

At university meanwhile, I was friendly with a Blade with whom I struck a special deal in the college bar. I would join him in a drunken rendition of The Greasy Chip Butty Song, and in return he would join me in a similarly proud rendition of Valley Floyd Road. He's since gone on to get a PhD.

All Charlton fans will appreciate the significance of tomorrow's game given that The Blades would move seven points ahead of us with a victory. However we need also to emphasise that every one of our remaining 24 games is huge because we will have to pick up points against more than just our relegation rivals to stay up. Indeed I am starting to fear that the number of points that we will need to accumulate has risen because the Premiership table is so compressed.

The same number of points (11) currently separate Portsmouth (3rd) and Chelsea (2nd), and Portsmouth (3rd) and Sheff Utd (18th). If this trend was to continue then it implies that the total points required for safety and the points required for European qualification will be higher and lower respectively.

So before all of that turns us all into manic compressives, let's focus on getting Charlton into double-figures at least and hopefully even on their way to ending their miserable away run without victory that has now entered its 14th calendar month. Les Reed has a near fully-fit squad to choose from which is likely to ensure Diawara returns at centre-back with either Hreidarsson or more likely Traore, dropping to the bench. Meanwhile further forward Reed will have noted the improved play against Everton once we moved to 4-4-2, but this would surely require our most creative player (Reid) to play in a roaming but left-sided role, with Rommedahl left to hug the right flank and two holding midfielders in between. Since this might stifle Reid's creative instincts, don't be surprised to see the gaffer opt for 4-5-1 once again.

Derek 'Killer' Hales (KillerWatch© -£232) insists that 'less than 2.5 goals' is a gift at just 4/7 which just goes to prove he's not the sharpest tool in the box (outside of the penalty box that is), regardless of whether he wins or not. For Killer's benefit, I'll confirm that of the 139 matches played this season, 79 have seen less than 2.5 goals (or 56.8%). Hence the 'true odds' (all other things being equal) should be approx 4/5 and not 4/7. If Killer thinks this is a 'gift', then I'm glad I'm not going around to his for Christmas.

NY Addick predicts: Sheffield United 0, Charlton 0 (thus temporarily rewarding Killer's irrationality)