I think what last night did show was how far we have regressed as a club and thats not Darren Moore's fault.
Just over a year ago we were starting a premier league season as a stable mid table club who had finished 10th the season before, within twelve months we had finished bottom after a quite pathetic season (last 6 games aside) and last night Crystal Palaces backup team outclassed our backup team.
The majority of Palace backups players last night would get in our starting team, to put it in context this is Crystal Palace, not Man City or Liverpool, Palace are a nothing premier league team (as we were) but they are far far superior to us nowadays, we have fallen so much in the last year (though the rot had started before that)
Last night Palace didnt even need to break sweat, they played in second gear and if it wasnt for some good saves from Myhill it could of been 6 or 7. It showed where our squad is at, based on last night alone we have a number of players like Mears, Field, Harper, Townsend, Morrison, Robson-Kanu who can fill in as a backup but put them together as a team and it shows the lack of quality.
That said it was against premier league opposition and its not fair to judge based on been thrown together for a game once a month which is what has happened with the cup, but last night maybe gives a good idea of where we are as a club and what Mooro is doing.
Just my view but i would say Big Dave has been told by the owners to get us promoted by hook or by crook, get on the premier league gravy train again. Our squad should be very competitive at this level as its proving this season, our attacking firepower will blow away most teams and that will compensate for a lot of our defensive issues.
I think he is trying to implement a more passing style whilst trying to achieve the above and it is tough, but i think he knows the end goal from the owners this season is promotion, thats why he wanted to keep the bulk of last seasons squad as they should be more than good enough at this level, add the quality of Gayle and Barnes at this level and it bodes well.
With us signing Hoolahan (who looks good) and by the looks of it Sako on short term deals, it means we have took advantage of our financial position as a newly relegated club and gives us a strong chance of just over powering and attacking teams and just been too strong.
The downside to that is its a short term approach, its almost lets get promoted and worry about the premier league then, i dont think we are building anything at the moment, if we did go up, the only ones who you could say may even be premier league quality next year who we own would be Johnstone, Dawson, Gibbs, Phillips, Jrod, Livermore and there are major questions about all of them.
As a fan i would like to of seen us sign more players with a view to long term development and i would be surprised if Moore didnt think the same, as they get better, we get better, and they make the step up with us, like Bournemouth did, even if that means not going up right away.
However i understand the downside to that is you cant pick and choose if / when you go up and from the owners point of view they arent bothered about player development, progression, etc they just want to make sure we are back getting £200m a season for being in the premier league.
I think overall with all the above factors, Big Dave is doing a good job of whats asked of him, i do think the biggest mistake he has made is keeping the young players at the club when we were looking at signing experienced players on short team deals, those lads wont play now for a few months and based on last night, they arent good enough yet, they need to be playing reguarly elsewhere, where winning and losing means something.
I would imagine with Dowling coming in now there would hopefully be a bit more long term vision but i do think this seasons is just get up by whatever means possible.