Cronky

It looks like he's going for containment and then hitting them in the final 20 minutes. I can't blame him. After all, they are better than us.

I don't fear Walcott. If someone gets close to him as he receives the ball, he struggles. Santon tends to stand off his opponent. Haidara is the most nimble of our left backs and is the one I'd most fancy in that situation.

Santon is extremely slow on the turn and will have no chance if Walcott gets him on a one-on-one. Time to put some faith in Haidara.

The ref is there to administer the laws of the game, so unless someone is saying that Whelan didn't kick the ball away, and didn't have a kick at Cabaye, there's no grounds for complaint. Seriously, what's the problem here?

This is what he's said - "The performance of the referee and his officials was a disgrace, and we will certainly be complaining to the relevant authorities. "We cannot accept what happened to us at Newcastle without making some form of representation. "It's then up to the officials what they do, but we found it hugely disappointing because there were so many poor decisions. "There was no common sense applied and I don't think either of the yellow cards for Glenn Whelan were deserved. "For one of the goals I could clearly see the ball was out of play, sitting high up in the stands. "The sendings-off completely changed the game. We were playing ever so well up to the dismissals, leading one-nil, but when you're down to nine men you've got no chance. "It's not a case of sour grapes, we simply cannot accept what happened." This kind of thing really makes my blood boil. I can understand how difficult it is for players and coaches to be objective, because they're so intensely involved in what's going on. But when a club Chairman responds in this utterly pathetic way, I just despair. Referees have a difficult enough job to do without this kind of idiotic and selfish intervention by someone who should be showing an example to his players, his coaching staff and his fans. Shame on you, Mr Coates.

The return fixture at their place is going to be a bit tasty.

Linked with Arsenal - http://www.caughtoffside.com/2013/12/27/exclusive-arsenal-have-deal-in-place-to-sign-12m-striker-loic-remy-next-summer/ - but I'm not convinced. Remy's first touch is erratic and Wenger does put a priority on technical ability. Am I the only one who's going off Remy a bit? At first, I was impressed and I was looking at QPR's results, hoping they wouldn't be in line for promotion, so that we'd have a good chance of getting him on a permanent deal at the end of the season. Now I'm a bit more philosophical about how things turn out. I'd still like us to sign him, but I can see why the CL clubs haven't been in for him. I don't think he's been giving us 100% of late either.

Absolutely. When exposed, his defending becomes very tentative, and that side of his game isn't improving.

Quite right too. How managers can expect their players to behave with discipline when they themselves act like brats, I'll never know.

In terms of skill on the ball, I'd say he's ahead of Beardsley and at least the equal of Gazza. But the other two earned their places as automatic starters because they made a better overall contribution. Both applied themselves with effort and concentration over the whole 90 minutes. Ben Arfa still seems to operate in flashes. But thinking of yesterday, what a shame it would be if we didn't see this lad fulfil his potential. He's touched by genius.

I can't see the issue with the first red. Whelan saw Cabaye running up to the ball to try and take a quick free kick and then kicked it away. Whelan and Cabaye have words, and then shortly afterwards Whelan is still in a temper and has a little hack at him. Two perfectly good decisions. Managers really need to grow up. Instead of moaning at the ref, Hughes should be having a go at Whelan because he let his team down and threw away a good situation.

Well we wouldn't. That's what I was saying. Unless your comment was directed at someone else.

Fuck me, I only thought it was until the end of the season I can't recall a similar contract. Presumably they're hoping to combine the advantages of a caretaker appointment (ie testing the water) with the advantages of a longer commitment (continuity). They could easily end up with the disadvantages of a caretaker post, stretched out over a longer period. Let's hope so. Mwahahahaha.

These kinds of appointment don't seem to work out at major clubs. The 18 month contract looks a bit odd as well, and in ordinary circumstances you'd question how easy it would be to attract new players when the boss isn't a long-term appointment. Spurs have this DOF / Head Coach system which presumably they think will overcome that problem. I'm not so sure, and unless the two men are thinking on the same lines, there are other disadvantages in the system. We should know.

It really is very hard to pick the winner out of the top four. You can make out a case for any of them. Suarez is in such magnificent form that, unfortunately, he could carry them to the title. Ultimately though, the title goes to the squad that is most reliable at picking up three points at the likes of Stoke, West Brom etc. There are signs that Man City have started to find that consistency, so they are rightly the favourites. I'd really love to see Arsenal do it though. If they add another striker and get Wilshere fully fit again, with the return of the Ox that could give their campaign the lift it needs. Getting knocked out of the Champions League would help as well.

Merry Chrimbo to everyone. 2014 will be our year.

He's certainly proved he can have an impact coming off the bench, when the opposition has slowed down a bit and there's plenty of space. What he hasn't done yet, to a manager's satisfaction, is show he's the best option over 90 minutes. Those mazy runs of his, where he's changing pace, stopping and starting and changing direction, are quite tiring - more so than a straight sprint. He does look bigger than when he arrived and you wonder about his fitness, or even his attitude to his fitness. He's a player that can't afford to be unfit.

Tbh, I don't think our football was all that great, but we're organised, hard-working and can produce the moments which open up a defence. I was very disappointed in Remy though. It didn't look to me like he was trying hard enough.

Considiering he doesn't look that tall, he's been surprisingly good in the air. That's been an unexpected bonus. Every aspect of his game has improved after a nervy start.

A very good analysis. I commend him for what looks like a genuine commitment to good causes, but the over-the-top adulation of him as a footballer has always been a bit irritating.

Pardew has strong Palace connections and it looks like he's keen to land Zaha, fuelled by recommendations from there. Zaha's game seems to be going backwards at the moment. He built an early reputation, which then slipped, and too often now he tries to do something spectacular with the ball, just to prove himself. He's playing far too much as an individual. I still think Sammy has what it takes and Zaha would only block his chances. No thanks.

You have to say they broke very well for their equaliser, but in that situation Mapou's pace would have been very handy. I didn't want to see him dropped, and he would have stood a much better chance than Colo at snuffing that out.

Wouldn't want him, not a chance we would sign a player in his twilight, next... I'd take the chance, I just wouldn't be able to resist it. When he's motivated, he's a brilliant player and our club has always had a place in his affection so that might just make the difference. We don't have a lot of subtlety in the final third, and he'd provide that.

Krul Debuchy MYM Williamson Dummett Sissoko Tiote Cabaye Remy Shola Gouffran Not a front three that I'd have picked at the start of the season, but somehow it works. I'd have liked to have found a place for HBA and / or Marveaux, but you have to say we're functioning as a team much better as we are. For the time being at least. Left back is a bit of a problem position. I can't see Santon improving much, so from the point of view of the future I'd go for one of those with more potential. It's hard to pick between Haidara and Dummett because I haven't seen a great deal of either, but Dummett has a bit of steel about him.

Pole jimmies! Bloody hell. I know things are H and S silly these days, but that really does look dangerous. Ah, the good old days of personal responsibility.