"Transition season" in my mind is running into a few problems. I was actually happy seeing us change our style of play and become a more offensive team keeping hold of the ball and scoring a lot more goals. Over the last few games ( including the Southampton win ) we are going back to the way we played last season and not looking so good.
I think we might be better to be bold and try and outscore teams rather than be negative and play our midfielders in the same 1/2 of the pitch as our defenders, leaving Benteke up front alone.
It might mean we get turned over by a few goals by the top teams but it will help the learning process on how we need to defend without lots of deep lying midfielders. It can be done and we might need to press further up the pitch along the lines Liverpool play.

Pardew has tried that and we're one point above relegation. We aren't just being turned over by 'top teams', we're being turned over by most teams. As has already been suggested, we need a system that balances defence and attack. Keep on the way we are and we'll be able to carry on experimenting in the Championship.

Bexley Dave

Can you hear the Brighton sing? I can't hear a ******* thing!

"The most arrogant, obnoxious bunch of deluded little sun tanned, loafer wearing mummy's boys I've ever had the misfortune of having to listen to" (Burnley forum)

Then there's 'get relegated, regroup and bounce straight back'; just remind me how many times we've done that.

Apart from anything else, if we don't have a sustained run in the PL, we'll never improve the infrastructure of the club, and with the US investment this is a realistic ambition. Without that improvement in ground and training facilities, and ground capacity we'll forever be small fry in the big pond.

Bexley Dave

Can you hear the Brighton sing? I can't hear a ******* thing!

"The most arrogant, obnoxious bunch of deluded little sun tanned, loafer wearing mummy's boys I've ever had the misfortune of having to listen to" (Burnley forum)

Start of the season it was worth setting up to attack, we had an on form Zaha, Benteke, Townsend, Bolasie and Puncheon! When all of them were at their beat then if course you attack the opposition!
Those days are long gone, every player except Zaha looks poor and devoid of confidence so suddenly we dont look so good going forward.
Going gung-ho only works if you are likely to cause problems going forward. If you dont you are in big trouble, especially as every team has a decent attack now. We just stopped winning open games like we did early on...

Defend. Rule 101 football is about not conceding goals as a priority. If the madness that was November has taught us anything, not defending, costs you wins when you score 3 or more goals...

"One Nation Under God, has turned into One Nation Under the Influence of One Drug"
[Link]

Somewhere balanced between the 2 should not be beyond the capabilities of a manager.....but possibly beyond Partridge Pardew.