I think we were a bit unlucky in the fact that GMac was injured and then Olsson his replacement went off early doors, they are the two defenders we have who can compete with Lukaku for strength.
The worry is that through all our signings (not just Pulis) it still comes back to us needing those two, they have the odd bad game but i think Olsson gets a lot of unfair stick anyway and GMac just is Mr consistent.
What is a worry is that most Premiership clubs now have one dominating centre half, Evans is a class act but he isnt a dominator, the ones we rely on we have had for years and with the way Pulis likes his defenders, it begs the question, why sign Chester? Not writing the bloke off yet as you dont become a bad player overnight and under a different manager he will probably be better, but in no way shape or form does he fit a Pulis defender type.
We played okay last night, similar to Chelsea though when teams hit us on the break, we are knackered, Yacob is good at what he does - breaking up the play, but very limited in pretty much everything else and once somebody goes past him, he is out the game, Fletcher is steady but not the box to box midfielder he once was which again begs the question, why let Mulumbu go or if not sign a box to box midfielder? Yacob and Fletcher are fine away, they do a good job but if one of them gets injured, we have no replacement and our system goes t**s up, where as at home it would be good to have one of Fletcher or Yacob and somebody more energetic and creative paired with them.
Our squad looks very unbalanced at the moment, its too early to say who has been a good signing and who hasnt, but at the time of writing, Evans looks good, Fletcher steady but does offer leadership, McLean and Rondon work hard but dont really add any threat or quality and the rest offer nothing so far.
The next few months will be interesting, i have said in a different post i dont think Pulis will see the season out, but if it was January now and the above signings are still in the same poistions now, ie only really 2 been any good, if i was JP and Pulis came to me asking for more money or putting snippets out about how the summer wasnt enough, i would be asking a lot of questions as to whats happening with the players we have signed because at the moment, we are relying on the old guard who have been here a few years, but as i say, that could all change the next few months.
