Fair points, but I still think these players all have great potential even if we overpaid a little. If the team's still playing badly in 5 games then worry.

(If we get relegated, the wage bill we have will induce a fire sale that in compound the loss of the PL TV money greatly. The consequences of that in turn, could send the club into freefall. That is of some concern, but until then, keep the faith!)

Edited by FairweatherEagle (06 Feb 2017 8.34pm)

We've lacked any sort of consistency in midfield for so long.

That underpins everything and Saturday was the ultimate example. We couldn't protect the defense, and we couldn't support Benteke/McArthur.

We either rolled it to Wilf and expected him to do something, or just lumped. There was a moment in the first half where McArthur broke with the ball. He had Benteke (rightly) in the box, Wilf on the opposite flank but no other support. Ledley and Punch just trotting across the halfway line.

When we play with Cabaye it's frustrating because he's got no one else to pass to who can keep the ball moving. He either has to go sideways to Jimmy, back to the defence, or he has to go more direct. We're desperate for someone to play in that link role and I think Remy has looked decent there.

We need to combine Luka's (hopefully effective) defensive presence, with either Cabaye's passing or McArthur's work rate (depends on the game probably). We have to play Remy so that Benteke isn't just surrounded by two defenders and competing for headers that he can't flick on to anyone anyway.

Employee of the month is a good example of how someone can be both a winner and a loser at the same time.

Dowie would be able to sort this lot out with his motivational approach to management. Surely enough water has passed under the bridge for us to welcome him back as Sam's no.2.5.

He'd get the lads swimming, boxing and playing cricket to bond them all together and restore team spirit, meanwhile Big Sam and Big Sammy can mastermind our tactical approach to Premier League survival.

IMHO We have been in trouble since Pulis left, even my memories of the 5th Place at xmas under Pards was marred by the thoughts that we were very Lucky to be where we were. Often Punch pulled out a winner from somewhere, Bolasie created something or the other team imploded. Zaha hadn't yet got his confidence back from ManU, but was showing Promise again...

Hindsight is always 20/20, but at the time the Signings last summer - and the signings of this window appear(ed) to be the correct ones. Jedi out was the only piece of business that never felt correct.

To criticise that business screams of 'i told you so', even though no-one foresaw it happening.

We've had a lot of sh*t luck this season; eg Every team always get decisions against them, but this year those decisions have cost us points at crucial moments. Or even Mili and Sakho not being available for the sunderland match

I still hold hope that Mili and Sakho are the missing pieces - they feel the perfect fit for this team. A base for us to push up the field, and for us to play more cohesive football again. I just fear it's too late, and that just as we start seeing results, we'll already be too far away from safety. Just as the team gels it's ripped apart by relegation.

"It was a Team effort, I guess it took all players working together to lose this one"