M4

Nah, Sewelly's got this nailed. Zidane was class but he's also overrated in terms of the "best ever" debate.

For as much of a dick Pepe is, his red card was pretty harsh/unlucky.

Must be scary playing in La Liga as a defender. You can get sent off at any instant and by doing nothing

Motivation to do what? Hand in a transfer request?

For the Boxing Day match! But Bolton aren't the right kind of opponent for him to play against

Think we'll see Vuckic or Abeid in for Cabaye and that'll be the only change.

Missing out on the West Brom game will be the perfect motivation for HBA.

DS12?

Why did he change squad number then?

By the way, this was our first clean sheet in 8 games. Basically since the last time he played.

Every time I hear about him needing more time before he can play, about him not being ready yet it reminds me of that joke about a guy who buys a house near a rail road. He's told "don't worry, after three nights you won't even notice the trains any more". So he says "I'll spend the first three nights at the hotel".

All he needs is to play.

Shame. Could hear Alanis singing in the distance. She must have headed back now

45 decent minutes should be enough to see him guaranteed a start the next ten games straight

Good news - so he was going to be used, but things changed with Tiote's cramp and he wasn't.

Even then, the change should have come much sooner.

To think you could get sent off for doing what Cabaye did twice is pretty worrying.

Yep. We were set up well, we had a decent shape and played some decent stuff with only the goal frame and a couple of blocks/saves keeping us out. After an hour though we looked really short on ideas. They still weren't in the game but we just needed a spark, some creativity to stir things up a bit and open their defence. Ben Arfa would have been the ideal, logical choice. If it didn't work them fair enough, but to not even try it was farcical.

Exactly. There's no guarantees in anything.

Pardew was always going to have two tests today: What team he'd pick and then what changes he'd make if needed.

All in all he passed the first. But in the last 25-20 minutes when the game was dying he failed to do anything.

Having Ben Arfa ahead of Santon today would probably have been much more productive than having Jonas.

We didn't need a winger tracking back today, we needed somebody who could split the defence.

his stance HBA only play in no 10 position is becomming a joke...

Next game is his chance.

People will do that with most players they hope to see start. Of course he's not going to score every game or even play well every game, but it's about putting all the elements in place to make a good result as likely as possible.

Last couple of games it doesn't seem Pardew has done that.

If Tiote is available that means the player along side him will be in a position to play higher up, behind the two front men and as a real number 10.

Wonder who Pardew will pick to start.

No reason to start best today

Probably the only decision Pardew got right. (Seeing as the one to drop Raylor for forced).

Was he parodying himself today?

No excuse for making the same mistakes as last week.

Jonas has been pretty crap since Enrique left like. Seems unwilling to pass to anyone.

Jonas is amazing in games like Stoke. Games when we need more creativity going forward not so much.

Sammy "apparently he's amazing in training"?

It's an Ameobi trademark.

Why is Vuckic playing CM? When I've seen him he's nothing more than a behind the striker player. Would have put Abeid on personally if HBA isn't an option

He's decided he's not even going to play HBA in central midfield now

Sometimes, Pardew needs to grow a pair of balls. That time is now.

He has a mental block with the 80th minute. Infuriating.

Jonas ffs.

He's going to wait until the 80th minute again isn't he?