This might be a bit contentious, but when I look at the players we have in this squad, aside from being thin up front, I don't remember us ever having anything like the depth and quality we have now throughout the Premiership era, even under Sir Bobby or Keegan. To list what we currently have:
One of the best keepers in the league.
Three decent-to-good Premiership centrebacks, two of whom are internationals for the bigger footballing nations.
Two very decent attacking fullbacks.
A ridiculous amount of quality in midfield (Cabaye, Tiote, Sissoko, Marveaux, Anita, and squad players like Bigirimana, Jonas, Perch, Obertan).
One of the most gifted players this club has had in Ben Arfa, up there with Beardo and Gazza.
Two good strikers in Cisse and Gouffran.
In all honesty, I reckon we're one world class striker away from having a better squad than both Keegan and Sir Bobby's teams - Colo alone is better than any of the defenders we had under Keegan whilst we had s*** defenders in Sir Bobby's peak side (prior to Woodgate's arrival, and even then he was a crock so that doesn't change things), I'd argue Cabaye is on a par, if not better than, Rob Lee, and definitely better than Speed, Ben Arfa is comfortably better than Ginola and Robert, Sissoko and Tiote have no equivalents in both teams, and beyond the first eleven we just have much more depth (in all honesty, Perch > Stevie Watson as a utility player). The only area, again, where both Keegan and Sir Bobby had it better was up front (Beardo + Cole/Ferdinand/Shearer, Bellamy + Shearer).
Even if anyone wants to disagree and point to players who were good and not bettered in this squad (Gillespie and Dyer at the peak of their powers maybe), can it really be argued that it isn't very close between the 3 squads? Putting performances aside of course.
Point being that whilst it's fair enough that this squad has only been "completed" a few weeks ago, if between now and the end of the season we don't start to see a gradual improvement in our teamplay, passing, movement, the types of chances created, the lesser players phased out and a system found that works (and incorporate as many of our best players as possible), and more importantly, at least a couple of games where we absolutely dominate a team from start to finish (not just thrash them in terms of a scoreline where we finish off a bunch of scrappy chances whilst they miss their changes, but rather we rape them in terms of possession + pegging them back in their own half + good chances created), if we don't improvement in those areas then I want Pardew gone, as the guy will only be wasting what on paper is a squad I'm sure most managers outside of the CL clubs would dream of having.
