Pata

Hard for them as they are not getting the ball in space.

This, it's extremely harsh to say he's had a bad season. I'm sure he'll be excellent next season.

True, but can you see it ever stopping? Just have to live with.

I would have been hugely p*ssed off if he hadn't gone down like a sack of s***, the game is built on cheating and diving at the slightest contact, Tiote didn't go down in siilar circumstances last year against Fulham (Murphy I think who then went on to run the game for them). I personally hate it, but it's part and parcel of the modern game, if someone is stupid enough to stick their head in your face you go down and make sure the ref sees it, no different to falling over when someone brushes past you. Exactly what I tried to say. Blame the game, not Perchinho.

I don't really see a problem with the reaction. Reina commits red card offence and if he would have stood up Reina could have survived with yellow. Can't blame Perch, that's just how it goes.

Jami Perchpiä

Spearing, Shelvey, Flanagan and co. What a good looking bunch of men!

Bielsa is amazing. Absolutely loved Chile when he was coaching there and now same againn with Bilbao.

he'd have got less time for ABH or 100 burglaries. This made me laugh, you sound like Ricky or Julian from Trailer Park Boys, when they know exactly how much crime they can get away with before getting sent down. No offence! OT: Trailer Park Boys is class. Have to go search for DVDs on Amazon.

Not really useful as a backup either, because this is the best he's ever going to be. Buy some young RB from Championship/Tavernier is better as backup. Not that Danny would ever accept being on the bench, would harm his England dreams. Pray he doesn't sign and we can sell him on profit in the summer.

His dad is a free agent?

Can't really fault his comments then as that was what most people here were thinking then. Just a shame for him he went to Liverpool and not some good team. Hope we kick their ass on Sunday and I see Jose crying.

Devastating, can't feel happy even after that display. He's just simply irreplaceable.

Only 7 behind Spurs.

Absolutely, he was great defensively for the first 50-55 minutes but ran out of steam. There's no way anyone can criticise his tracking-back today, especially if you are paid to be an expert.

Just watched the game after recording it. We were really poor in the last 70 minutes. Midfield wasn't there as a unit, although Perch/Guthrie/Cabaye all played quite good individually. Perch was amazing, was flying around the pitch and pretty good in possession too. Ben Arfa worked his socks off and looked tired when substituted. Cisse's movement was greatand was unlucky not to score more. Happy for 3 points.

What happened?

List of "most balls lost" in La Liga: http://www.superdeporte.es/deportes/futbol/primera-division/estadisticas/balonesperdidos.html Man, Pep should bench that Argie fella. And VI wins the discussion[/end thread] Again, the issue is not how much he loses the ball but where he has lost it & the situation that puts us in following that. At what point did he lose it dangerously today?

I didn't say he never loses it. But people only mention it when he loses it. For example Tiote lost it many times in far more dangerous positions today. And today HBA didn't lose it in dangerous positions.

He doesn't lose it any more often than the other fuckers, it just gets noticed more because of the expectancy when he has the ball, and because Pardew's drawn attention to it. He lost it countless times today, but like said totally outweighed by what he does when he doesn't miss control it, pass it to an opposing player, fall over or run into a cul-de-sac. It's a myth created by Pardew that he loses it so often. Seriously everybody loses the ball but people only pay attention when it's HBA thinking 'Hmm, Pardew has a point I guess'.

Absolutely. Ridiculous.

Yep, hoofing the ball to the front 2 whilst the midfield is sitting deep is s***. Once we started using Jonas and Benny on the wings and stopped hoofing, we were all over the tramps. First half was the worst we've played all season and shouldn't be forgotten. Real test for Pardew to get us play well for the rest of the season.

Were you even watching the same game? Santon did bugger all. The two wide players on each side, HBA/Simpson and Taylor/Jonas, all linked up really well and were the source of just about every one of our chances from there on. The subs were perfect. You can't have Simpson and linking well at the same sentence. It was all HBA and Simpson had no part in it. I was shocked when Santon was taken off, Simpson was booked and Santon did well first half. Should've been Raylor or Simpson coming off.

and so he should he's been useless since he came back from Acon You've been useless half a year already FFS.

It was a proper punch, not a slap so I don't mind the reaction.