I can't see anything changing anytime soon either, in fact, at all under Roy. Don't get me wrong, I like Roy but this team should be exciting me for once.

I think I am suffering from that age old Palace Problem, "We can do this, look at at the team we have.. Woops, no we can't.

I should know better by now but it's that hope that gets me every time. I thought I would be happy to just stay in the league as I normally am but I find myself disappointed looking at the team we have.

I'm pretty confident we won't go down but losing at home to a Tottenham team for the 7th time in a row, that have just played 9 million games in a week and no Eriksson in the team, ruined my day, despite the fact that I am on the other side of the world, 12 seconds from one of the best beaches on the planet, pretty girls like dirt as well as the most beautiful of all (my wife), and yet I'm still pi55ed off.

Only Palace can do that to me. I tell myself that I wouldn't have it any other way but actually, right now, I would.

COYP, oh wtf, I'm going to bed....

"You can lead a horse to water but a pencil must be lead"

Stan Laurel

It comes down to one single transfer error, pure and simple: we didn't buy a striker. We've been performing pretty well and have the best squad we've ever had - but for the centre-forward position, and all those losses or draws to nil tell you exactly what the problem is.

Roy quite clearly isn't past it or has lost the players - he just doesn't have the final piece of the puzzle at his disposal. Poor from Parish, who once again thinks we can cruise by after a great escape only to run into reality.

wish I could say the same, the form says otherwise, we have been dragged back to edge of the relegation zone thanks to the ineptitude of SP who has been well aware of our striker problems for over a year now and yet he has done nothing about it to date. The team we have at present cannot keep a clean sheet and with our inability to score, frankly I can't see us getting away with it this season (lets hope I'm wrong!).

After a miraculous recovery last season and finishing 11th, we all hoped that we wouldn't be put through the wringer once more and that we would be much more comfortable this campaign.

Hopes were raised after the opening game win at Fulham but all that positivity has dissipated rapidly and the general feeling is that yet again we will be in a dour relegation battle.

As I mentioned on another thread, I heard a lot of disquiet after the game yesterday and this will continue unless we start to score goals.Outside of HOL. I have had some derision hurled at me for continuing to suggest Rondon as a possible option - I note he scored both Newcastle's goals yesterday !

I have always believed that playing players out of position doesn't generally work. Though sometimes necessary.

Yesterday was a case in point. We started with a winger up front and four centre midfielders playing across the midfield. 2 out of position in Meyer and MacArthur

Whilst roundly booed at the time swapping Meyer for Schlupp a genuine left sided player and MacArthur for Sorloth (who then swapped with Townnsend)and balanced the team with players in their most effective positions. We bossed the game from that point.

I also believe we can be more attacking minded along the lines of Shearers comments from MOTD. By being cautious we are not getting enough players forward. Seeing that we are losing most games anyway we may as well try and do something different as its clearly not working as it is.

Spartakev’s team is exactly the same team I’d pick and go from there. It should be obvious to Roy or someone in the coaching team that this is worthwhile trying and we won’t know unless we try it.

COYP