Form and confidence can do funny things.
Say your spine is Krul, Tiote, Cabaye, Colo, Saylor (not so much I have to say), Ba with Colo being the most vital obviously, followed by Cheik
Spurs - Colo - Played well overall against a good side
Chelsea - Tiote - Played as well as can be expected given their form
Villa - Tiote - Pretty average
Everton - Krul, Colo, Ba (benched) and Tiote - Great point despite not being our best performance against an in form side
Norwich - Krul, Colo, Tiote Not amazing but a good solid 1-0 win
Reading - Krul, Colo, Tiote - Poor performance and although a good point as a result showing great heart, still disappointing
Man U - Krul, Saylor, Colo - Not horrendous once we got past giving away silly goals against a class side
Sunderland - Saylor, Colo both unfit but available, Tiote in but sent off. 65 mins with 10 men, I thought we were terrific and kept the ball well. Unlucky not to take all three.
West Brom -Saylor, Tiote - Look a good side this season and they deserved a point if truth be told. We weren't poor in this one but we werent at our best
Liverpool - Tiote - Good performance in a traditionally difficult game for us. Kept the ball after a dodgy 15mins.
West Ham - Colo, Tiote - Poor performance, still should have won/drawn but Ba left his good boots at home. We just didn't pass the ball well at all
Swansea - Colo, Cabaye - Poor again, again a game we should have taken something from for me but not our best football
Southampton - Colo, Cabaye - Awful
So we've never had our complete spine. One out of complete spine is something we should cope with, Two is tricky but still we should get by. Three and above is very difficult for me personally. We're not one of the top side who can just drop top quality straight in. Also if it is the same guy that helps too because someone grows as they get more games. Colo is our captain and runs the team. He's played 5 games (one when not fit). Tiote our next most important for me because he drives the midfield, collects the ball from defence and breaks down the opposition. He has played 6.
That to me is tough for any team.