What is different from last season

[Count Berbatov]

I think defensive wise, very organized. Disciplined.

Youngsters are emerging

Taarabt will prove to be a great signing. A more direct Ruiz type of a player. Therefore better. I think by the end of the season, we'll see him both, behind the striker, but also pulling the strings frome behind. He loves to have the ball. I'm excited

The squad is stronger.

... What else?

[Barrie]

Two defensive midfielders gave us a much stronger defensive look.

[fulhamben]

Two defensive midfielders gave us a much stronger defensive look.

? we always play with 2.

[Barrie]

True, but only for 45 mins or as long as Kara's legs lasted.  Boateng's younger legs made a difference,  allowing Kasami to join in with Tarabt and Berbs.

[MJG]

Too early to say, in the end we had one shot/header on target and did not create much more. That sounds a lot like last year.

[filham]

Too early to say, in the end we had one shot/header on target and did not create much more. That sounds a lot like last year.

Yes, that stat was worrying me too. No use having signed all those big named attacking players if we are
not going to get shots on target.

[Count Berbatov]

I didn't say the attacking was beyter/any different. I pointed the defense, the youngsters and Taarabt.
These are all improvements over last season

[Holders]

It was a smash-and-grab, effective, away performance like other teams have done to us in the past. We were on the back foot most of the time but the defence held out better than last year. Briggs did pretty well and Stockers was sound, what little he had to do. Still not sure about Sidwell and Boateng needs time to adjust. Although we only had the one shot, it was a more offensive line-up overall, particularly for an away game. It would have been interesting to have seen Jol bring on Bent and Ruiz (as I think he would have planned to) but of course he didn't get chance.

Here's hoping the various injuries aren't serious.

[Bracken White]

With Kasami we just might have a 'Dempsey type' player - if he can get in the box & score goals to augment the forwards then things will be rosey. However, we are still crying out for a couple of CM marshalls. Sidwell always gives you 100% but more guile & class are necessary.

[Bassey the warrior]

The main difference I noticed is that Berbatov didn't drop deep like he normally does, not until we were defending our lead. That helped maintain our shape, and it was very disciplined of him because it meant he saw much less of the ball than he's used to in the first half.
Also Stekelenburg kept possession better than Schwarzer would've.
Kasami's hard work was very effective defensively.

[Count Berbatov]

The main difference I noticed is that Berbatov didn't drop deep like he normally does, not until we were defending our lead. That helped maintain our shape, and it was very disciplined of him because it meant he saw much less of the ball than he's used to in the first half.
Also Stekelenburg kept possession better than Schwarzer would've.
Kasami's hard work was very effective defensively.

Berba did move and stayed higher true. It was a very team oriented performance by him, like the commentators said

[MasterHaynes]

I think defensive wise, very organized. Disciplined.

Youngsters are emerging

Taarabt will prove to be a great signing. A more direct Ruiz type of a player. Therefore better. I think by the end of the season, we'll see him both, behind the striker, but also pulling the strings frome behind. He loves to have the ball. I'm excited

The squad is stronger.

... What else?

The one thing watching the Betus and PArma games was that we looked better as team defending, having said that we gave away two goals against Parma that could have been easily prevented. What both games showed along with the Sunderland game we need to be able toscore more than one goal a game which leaves us with the problem we had last season. Even with Tarrabt we looked no more creative. Here's hopig that Kaca, Ruiz and maybe a cameo from Bent will address this against an Arsenal defence that seems incapable of handling players that run straight at them.

[filham]

A fullback crisis is of course just waiting to happen.
No cover for Reither, Riise in sulk mode, Richardson injured already which puts big pressure on Briggs to improve on last season's form.

[mangoputney]

I didn't say the attacking was beyter/any different. I pointed the defense, the youngsters and Taarabt.
These are all improvements over last season

+1

Rather than Berba Ruiz, options of rotating all of Bent Berba Ruiz Taarabt and Kasami... Liking it

Please a decent CM and Enoh on loan