Beren

Hope you had the sense to captain one of them

I would say that's true, but only in disparate patches. A lot of the early games we had really good spells and capitalised on them well, but watch that first half vs Fulham. Watch the second half vs Wolves. Sunderland first half. Wigan first half. We won all those games, so it wasn't addressed (or even allowed to be recognised by the "but we're still unbeaten therefore you can't complain" sections). I understand you can't exploit opposition weaknesses all game long, and that if you have a lead there's a time to not go as gung-ho going forward - but just in terms of general possession - we were outplayed in games we won for significant stretches of those matches IMO.

Were good against Arsenal, but returned to dismal the next game. Slowly and erratically turning it around. Amassed a good deal of points while being shit first half of the season, too. Hope for a decent placing for them this season IMO. We were excellent against Arsenal and very unlucky, defended well at Stoke (where I'd have put money on a disaster from set pieces), and then played very well today. If I ever see Heskey in midfield again, I will kill myself. Football less soul-crushing over the festive period then. McLeish doing anything for you yet?

37 with Micah and Hibbert left to play.

Ask Shola.

Pleased Arsenal are back in the top four. Given we have to be realistic, would be happy if the table finished as is (though would love if we could jumpfrog Liverpool )

Btw, how can someone be a penalty specialist? (Re: Ben Watson)

Were good against Arsenal, but returned to dismal the next game. Slowly and erratically turning it around. Amassed a good deal of points while being shit first half of the season, too. Hope for a decent placing for them this season IMO.

Useful equaliser.

Drug test the twat. Come back positive for flavoured tobacco.

Darren Bent getting in on it for the lolz

Yeeeeeah... I'm gonna break from betting until the "good teams" are able to bear the "bad teams" again.

No, but seriously useful result. Hopefully they can hold on to/increase the lead.

Great news, Abraham. Tell the people.

Bale booked for diving earlier btw

Hope Man Utd win this. Don't want to face a backlash Man Utd. Would prefer a still papering-over-the-cracks Manure.

Berbatov is great .

Despite their form, they're really vulnerable at the minute and we're at home. Will be bitterly disappointed if he doesn't set us up with a view to having a go.

Really? Wasn't loud but you could definitely hear it. Might have been at Kean

They're passing so casually and lackadaisically. No concentration.

I wouldn't mate. They have nothing on the bench and don't look that threatening. Also soft at the back.

Agree David. Arrogance, methinks.

You've misunderstood the majority of posters if that is your interpretation of the criticism on here. Maintaining such a challenge with our squad was always going to be an uphill struggle, but the manner in which we set about it is something we have control over. Equally, the decisions made - some repeatedly so - are within our control. If everyone in the world can see Raylor regularly gets raped (to use a Pardewism) down our left and opposition teams astutely overload that corner of the pitch, should the decision-maker who stands idly by be immune from criticism? If he leaves out our most creative player while we stutter to a goalless draw with Swansea at home with half-truths about 'sharpness', should we stay quiet still? If he has us playing long balls game after game? Or are we really not allowed to vent exasperation and frustration just because we're currently "over-achieving"? Not having the resources to compete with the top 6 is one thing - which will be accepted by all but a very small minority on here, not using existing resources and having the intention to compete with the top 6 with what we have is quite another.