I'm still of the view that Pards is not our long term answer. The win was great, the performance was great, and he said good things. So he did move up in my estimation but what will really convince me is if we don't go on any really long not winning streaks.

If you want to live in a world full of kindness, respect and love, try to show these qualities.

I wouldn't expect you to understand

What like not winning for 4 months?

COYP

My point is that Stoke had a crap start, and everyone now says of course Palace was going to beat them, but Palace still suck.

Stoke lost to ManCity, Spurs and Everton currently 1,2,3 in the league table --do we expect to beat those teams? They finished 9th last season, much better than us, and have been in the prem a long time. A bad start doesn't mean relegation, just like a good start doesn't mean Europe.

Stoke fans expected to beat us, which it what pisses them off, because we are a weak team. But maybe, just maybe, we are actually getting decent.

To those who feel that Pardew is not a long term answer, it's worth taking a step back and asking yourself what you mean by such a statement. Look around. Wenger has had umpteen years and massive resources to win things and yet the cabinet is bare of the important titles. Pulis gives you survival football but how long can you put up with watching that and where is the ambition to get better. Ditto Allardyce. What about Benitez and his credentials? Hardly pulling up trees in the Championship despite a massively superior squad.

So, what of Alan Pardew? For certain he has faults and at times to me has appeared tactically inept. Perhaps he's been a tad lucky that Cabaye hasn't been available and finally he's reverted back to an effective and balanced midfield trio without doing so intentionally. I was doubtful of the Townsend signing but the guy may yet win me over. Benteke is a great asset and Tompkins has a bit about him. STEEEVE looks to give the whole team an air of confidence (has the Hennessey injury promoted him more by luck than judgement?) And the addition of Flamini is quite an astute bit of business. All in all, it looks very rosy and we appear to be heading in the right direction. Whether Pardew is smart and takes advantage of this good fortune or decides to balls it up with unnecessary changes remains to be seen. But as supporters we have to be realistic. Boro and Stoke were there to be taken and the team did so to great effect playing some very tidy football along the way. We will play better teams. There will be games where we don't see so much of the ball. How Pardew adapts our style for these games if he has the same squad available will allow a further assessment of his capabilities. He ain't ever going to be a world beater but neither would Mourinho, Guardiola et al if they didn't half a billion to spend on players!

Before you criticise someone, you should walk a mile in their shoes. That way, when you criticise them, you're a mile away and you have their shoes.

2 things wrong about this post.

1. Nobody has said we suck even though we beat Stoke cos we expect to. You have said that, nobody else. Some of us are being balanced about it rather than swinging from being amazing to utter sh1t. A decent average return of points over a series of games is what we're talking.

2. Did you see the odds on Stoke? I thought they were very generous until it started. Only one chance for Bony and no service. Our players unchallenged at set pieces. 2 players going right for Townsend's dummy run. They were a bit of a joke in all honesty and I won't be surprised if that's the worst performance of a a Prem team at Selhurst this season.

COYP