[Ska'dForLife-WBA]

On the subject of exciting attacking football, we played a style not far off in the early months under Clarke (autumn 2012) which left us in the top 4, albeit briefly. We also played that style under RDM and in the first few months of Hodgson's reign, and to be quite honest, that was the most enjoyable to watch we've ever been in the Premier League. It wasn't the champagne total football stuff of Big Ron or Vic Buckingham, but the intent was definitely more attack-minded, the tempo high and the passing crisp and accurate (I still have fond memories of the winning goal we scored at the Stadium of Light in 2011, passing our way through the entire Sunderland team and then into the back of the net). It's a complete myth that staying in the Premier League and playing a decent, entertaining style are mutually exclusive; ask any Swansea fan.

For that reason, in the long-term, I don't want us to turn our backs on that style in favour of a weekly war of attrition. It would be a mistake. Other clubs are showing us the way: Southampton, West Ham and Swansea are proving that good football will push you higher up the table.

Obviously I appreciate and accept that in the short-term, with the players we've got at our disposal, we need to get those results however they come. We've sleepwalked into this situation after two years of stagnation, and we've regressed to the point where we may as well be a newly-promoted side just trying to survive and build all over again. But building requires a long-term plan, and to me, that long-term plan should place emphasis on a positive, attacking style.