So, it's basically the same team as Allardyce's but with a different center back as right back (Tomkins instead of Kelly) and the same right footed Ward as left back.
Another center back at right back position is going to be just as awful as Kelly is.

Heck, not even Ward is good enough to play there anymore. They should just make Lee a right back and hope he crosses more than he screws up.

The players in front of Kelly & Ward were worse today. Sort of agree re Townsend. What use is a winger who wants to cut in and swing the ball towards the goalkeeper 90% of the time?

Kelly is not anywhere near premier league standard, and how he ever got an england cap is beyond me. Mutch is not good enough, puncheon has lost a yard of pace. For me Ward is good enough as a right back, but not as a left back.

It wasn't so long ago that many on HOL were lauding Dann's leadership qualities and suggesting he should get an England call-up.

Edited by Willo (02 Jan 2017 8.18am)

Ward gets a raw deal from some on here. He's no left back, and the defence looks so unbalanced when he has to play there. And although Zaha's defensive work has improved, Ward hasn't had the best of assistance in that area over the last couple of years, when playing on the right.

The squad is littered with poor signings....Fryers, Mutch, Campbell being the prime examples. Kelly in my opinion has been a good squad member, but he's not worth a regular starting place if we had Ward available at right back.

Pardew moved on some strong personalities when he sold Jedi ( in particular ) and Murray. And then failed to adequately replace them.

I applauded the signings of Townsend and Benteke but I've been disappointed with both of them. Townsend I would sell asap - he doesn't want to play on the left and he certainly doesn't merit selection ahead of Zaha on the right. Why did we sign him in those circumstances ?

Benteke looks a threat in the air ( and should have scored yesterday ), but his hold up play is poor and his work rate questionable. He doesn't strike me as someone you would want ' in the trenches ' alongside you.

On a positive note, Sam Allardyce will not see things through the same rose tinted view that Pardew had. He will get to the root of problems and sort them out.

Old, Ungifted and White

Fell apart when Jedinak went. The heart of the team was torn out. He was heartbroken. His wife was livid. They'd spent a fortune doing up their house. He told us he wanted to stay for good. That's how AP repaid his loyalty