BottledDog

Thank God, I'm finally going to be able to stick my catchphrase "NUDE ELASTIC NEWT" in big fuck off lettering on my roof.

He's off!!!!!!!

Gabbiadini.

Yet you can put Santon over EE. Come on.

I'll stick this here as there were some who questioned Pardews treatment of Harper.

9 points better off than last season.

No. well he's shit mixed with piss then No.

No idea what this means really, but just seems to me like it'll mean less money in the English league, and less people bothering to go to the games. Where's the benefit?

http://satgnu.net/upload/lavacroft/images/random/gif/how_to_slit_wrist.gif Noted. I'm willing to accept HTT in another of his many dips (Quelle surprise!) still harbours grudges against the owner and staff, even the game of football itself, but I have to say that we have the most likeable bunch of players I've known for years and years, so I'd be intrigued who the horrid half are?

The argument whether Pardew is a puppet is probably the wrong ground to pick for a fight for the Ashley bashers, there's probably more scope to focus on your last sentence there. I do get pissed off when we seem to let good deals slip through our fingers because we want to buy players at only bargain prices and low wages after selling players for big money ourselves. But then I'm a fan and the owner will see things differently. But the general model of shifting older, high maintenance players like Nolan and Barton, and replacing them with younger players with high potential is a good one IMO. Our last chairman was just as guilty of that, as all chairman are. Think back to Robson who wanted Miguel but Shepherd wouldn't pay the extra and went for Carr instead. At least now, as you say, we're driving a hard bargain and more often than not it seems to be paying off (and I'd like to think there is no way we'd prefer a Carr to a Miguel these days either).

Everyone obviously thinks this but my instinct is that its all Pardew. I have had the discussion on Toontastic with posters who claim that Pardew is just a puppet. The logical extension of that position is that Derek Llambias is a footballing genius. Llambias either allow millions of clubs £'s be spent (gross not net) on the advice of a scout (who has got it spot on so Llambias' footballing judgement is sound), takes the decisions himself or its Pardew. In the scenario where its not Pardew, you either have Llambias making the decision himself or preferring the counsel of a scout over a manager who is on close terms with the owner. Not wanting to get all Sherlock Holmes (eliminate the impossible etc) but i reckon its Pardew making all the decisions bar the financial ones. People create fictional narratives about puppet managers and evil plans when the reality is more mundane. Pardew is the manager and makes the footballing decisions, any other scenario is not credible as it means someone else is making some great decisions and the only candidate for that is Llambias. Why is there such fear in saying Llambias' footballing judgement is sound? I doubt he has much do do with the signings beyond the rather critical responsibility of initiating, negotiating, and finalising the deals alongside Charnley, but beyond that, in the last couple of years the staff appointed from the first team level to the kids all seem to be sound, as is his willingness to invest in facilities and even allow little things like putting the development squad on a private jet to swansea rather than the usual day on a coach. Few would say he's an endearing character (putting it mildly), but it may be a little churlish not to acknowledge that his handling of the football side of the club since the drop has been sound, if not more than sound. I wasnt trying to do down Llambias am just saying its far more likely he has delegated footballing decisions (like signing Cabaye!) to Pardew. I'm making the point that the accusation of him being a puppet dont stack up otherwise you have this very vague notion that the final decision to sign Cabaye was taken by an ex-casino manager. Fair do's. The rubber stamp on any deal remains with the chairman or owner obviously, but yes, I agree that it's Pardew that will have made the final recommendation to sign a player/players (Carr himself has given us a detailed run down of the process).

Everyone obviously thinks this but my instinct is that its all Pardew. I have had the discussion on Toontastic with posters who claim that Pardew is just a puppet. The logical extension of that position is that Derek Llambias is a footballing genius. Llambias either allow millions of clubs £'s be spent (gross not net) on the advice of a scout (who has got it spot on so Llambias' footballing judgement is sound), takes the decisions himself or its Pardew. In the scenario where its not Pardew, you either have Llambias making the decision himself or preferring the counsel of a scout over a manager who is on close terms with the owner. Not wanting to get all Sherlock Holmes (eliminate the impossible etc) but i reckon its Pardew making all the decisions bar the financial ones. People create fictional narratives about puppet managers and evil plans when the reality is more mundane. Pardew is the manager and makes the footballing decisions, any other scenario is not credible as it means someone else is making some great decisions and the only candidate for that is Llambias. Why is there such fear in saying Llambias' footballing judgement is sound? I doubt he has much do do with the signings beyond the rather critical responsibility of initiating, negotiating, and finalising the deals alongside Charnley, but beyond that, in the last couple of years the staff appointed from the first team level to the kids all seem to be sound, as is his willingness to invest in facilities and even allow little things like putting the development squad on a private jet to swansea rather than the usual day on a coach. Few would say he's an endearing character (putting it mildly), but it may be a little churlish not to acknowledge that his handling of the football side of the club since the drop has been sound, if not more than sound.

Not really wanting to defend it too much, but at Wolves when they're on the front foot there is an argument for preferring lads with experience in the English league. It certainly wasn't a game at that point to bring on HBA.

And first time we've beaten Wolves at theirs in 16 fucking attempts bears repeating. Horrific 2nd half. Great result.

http://westham.wordpress.com/2009/01/11/pardew-slates-eggert/

No.

Agreed. Feel a bit sorry for Marvaeux as well, but that's competition for ya. :-)

http://img823.imageshack.us/img823/3644/58794803.jpg Can't believe we're 2/1 to win this like. We have a far better team and they've lost their last 2 home matches convincingly. Weve not won in fifteen attempts to be fair, so I'm fully expecting the wheels to fall off and us to get soundly thrashed. In fact I've put money on it. /because if anything is going to get us a win, it's not the players, it's me lobbing a £2 fortune on the opposite result.

Now, I rarely (vanishingly rarely) bother commenting on here these days, preferring other forums. But I'm with Colocho on this. Why is the other comment more valid ? Its his opinion, with no proof attached. Doesn't mean he's wrong. But most certainly doesn't mean he's right either. I'd prefer to view Ben Arfa on his antics here, though. What has gone before is done and finished. There's no "dispute" with Colocho here, we're debating. What I wanted to say is that HBA's hystory is much more complex than the Colocho's description. It's not exclusivly black or white. There's really no reason to choose "a camp" - with or against - here I'm very much in the hatem garrincha camp on this one.

Thought he's been better than Woodgate for a while now. Woodgate was brilliant, but the way people talk about him it's as if he's completely faultless. Sorry like, but until Colo came along Woodgate was the best CB we'd had in the Premier League IMO. The talk was justified. Saw some unbelievable performances from the lad. Colo is fantastic, but I still think Woodgate is the best natural defender I have seen for us, just pissed it all up the wall.

Not as exposed as he was in that Chinese restaurant. I'd reckon the security in Aspers is scary enough to put off most people.