If you look at the table all the teams below us have scored fewer goals and Wolves, who are generally agreed to be entertaining, have scored two more than us. Exactly how much more entertaining do you expect us to be?

This is very true but I suspect those that are complaining are basing their opinions on our dire home form and performances.

We have scored 13 Home goals the second worst (Huddersfield worst) and quite a few have been penalties.Wolves by contrast have scored 24 home goals.

Edited by Willo (06 Apr 2019 9.36am)

Of course there is a practical argument.

And it's based around people having an inflated view of the abilities of the squad and the merits or otherwise of Max Meyer, and the way they are managed.

You use the top 2 clubs as a comparison to the way Palace play. Are you being realistic in doing so ? The Premier League has become a League within a League. Take a look at the table and the gap between the those top 2 and then the next 4 clubs. Then look at the gap between 6th and 7th place. The top 2 have the resources and players available that make their systems work for them.

Like it or not, the Pardew and FDB argument is relative to this discussion. Those appointments were both made with the intention of changing the style of football. Pardew had limited success and FDB - well, not given a real chance but recent history suggests that Parish was right to take early action.

I'm encouraged by your acknowledgement of Hodgson's defensive organisation. I don't fully agree that he is stifling talent. AWB is progressing well. Townsend has performed far better under Roy than he did under the manager that signed him, Pardew. Zaha would have had a more consistent season had he not have been played out of position when required. We lack flair players in midfield.

The jury is divided when it comes to Meyer. But his inability to hold down a regular place is being blamed solely on Hodgson which I think is unfair.

Hodgson is by no means perfect. Could he do better ? - Yes. The home form and overall performances have been dire overall and I think this is clouding people's judgement. The 2 performances against Brighton were hugely disappointing.

But I'll say it again - the dividing lines in our part of the league are thin. If we had taken 6 points from Brighton we would be above West Ham and 11th. And Brighton would be in the bottom 3.

If Steve Parish decides to part company with Roy in the summer, that's his decision to make. Ultimately he is a businessman with a lot of money at stake. And that's when the emotion has to come out of it. He may well decide that his investment is in safe hands under Roy....

Old, Ungifted and White

I hear that Brighton are casting eyes in his direction.

And which I know not to be true as well.

Old, Ungifted and White

There are probably only six managers in the PL whose job description is 'get a place in the top 4 and look like we might be in with a chance of winning something.' The other fourteen managers have a job description that reads 'for God's sake don't get us relegated and a cup run until we come up against a top six club would be nice.'

Obviously there are teams in the fourteen that over achieve from time to time: Leicester (spectacularly); Burnley last season, Watford this season. Everton and West Ham would like to be over achievers one day but haven't made it at all or for a while.

I know a Sunderland fan who says that he is enjoying going to football this season for the first time in years. Even before they were relegated, the constant grind of fighting relegation every year simply wasn't fun. We are probably now in the same boat (in terms of the annual grind and not having much fun) and there isn't much doubt that one year we will draw the short straw and go down.

Roy is fulfilling his job description and I suspect will stay in the job: as long as he wants to; or until it looks like he might take us down. Watch his press conference this week and see how much importance the club attaches to not getting relegated (hardly a startling revelation).

Playing in the Championship (or even League One) might be more entertaining (it might not of course) but, as long as we are in the PL, I think 'entertainment' will be in short supply regardless of who the manager is (you're wasting your time if you think Benitez is the answer) - a fight for survival is rarely pretty. I know that's gloomy and pessimistic but it's the way I see things now.