CHARLTON manager Alan Curbishley insists a lot of his team's old characteristics are beginning to show through as the side struggle to produce their best form after a stuttering start to the new campaign.

Charlton have been less than convincing in five of their opening six games leaving the manager to present his side with a poser as they face up to an especially hard October against champions Arsenal, Newcastle, Liverpool and Middlesbrough.

Curbishley said: "What I've asked the players is this. Does confidence breed results or do results breed confidence? We'll find out in the next month or so.

"I've also reminded the players that it is a long, long season which gives us time for improvement. I accept that we didn't turn up at Bolton and Manchester City but in Saturday's draw at Birmingham I thought a lot of our old characteristics returned to our play.

"I hadn't seen them up until the Birmingham game but we certainly got more than a few of them back. I would have taken the point before the match so I have to be satisfied.

"We can take heart from our first away point and move on, hopefully to better performances. I asked the players to stand up and be counted and they did."

He added: I know, and the players know, that we're nowhere near where we were last season.

"My biggest disappointment on Saturday was that we failed to create a decent chance after Birmingham had been reduced to 10-men. But I won't be down and I won't be negative.

"The first thing for the team at Birmingham was to stop the rot and put an away point on the board. They did what we asked for in the first half because Birmingham is a difficult place to come to."