He'd pick Colback regardless of what anyone else was doing like, we all know that.
That's sort of my point. Anita has done nothing this season to give Pardew even a decision to make. Colback has been poor, Anita's shown nothing to change Pardew's mind on the two.
What motivation does he have to do well? He knows that he can play a blinder and Colback can continue to be Colback and he's still gonna be the one who loses out.