The College Dropout

I wouldn't. No one really deserves to be dropped after wins against Chelsea and Spurs, but imo the same starting eleven is more suited to counter attacking than breaking teams down like we'll have to do against Norwich if we wanna make it easier to win. At half-time we could drop Anita at CM, take Tiote off... play HBA, Cisse whatever. I'd wait for it to stutter before changing. We make too many changes and concede 2 in the first half and we'll be back to square one.

i'd have Anita in there. Keep the rest the same.

I reckon we'll look to bring Ba back in.

You don't help yourself like. Not quite sure why those three have been bolded? If hardly did a thing = goal, assist x 2, goal respectively I'd hate to see what players who put in average performance do. 'Hardly did a thing for what they are actually capable of'....Gerrard/Suarez tore Fulham to bits at the weekend and Suarez scored a hatrick prior to playing us, was up agaisnt 10 men agaisnt us for 45 minutes and he got an assist, it was hardly the performance from Suarez that we all know, why was this? Any credit to any of our players for this? Or did he just not really fancy it? I honestly can't remember a single thing Dzeko did in the 90 minutes, just remember him scoring a goal in extra time once his side took the lead. Perhaps they didn't play a their best ever game but to say they hardly did a thing when all 3 had a direct impact on the result is absolutely absurd in my opinion. I've said repeatedly I thought we've done alright/well in all our recent games too but obviously you're incapable of understanding that because you're too busy twisting the truth to fit to fit your own weird agenda where everyone is out to get you but that's irrelevant in this instance. Will he do the same against Norwich or will he be brave and go for it against an out of form team we should beat though? IMO he went for it against Spurs. I don't think you can be THAT defensive with 2 strikers on the pitch. We'll have more of the ball so we'll be forced to be more progressive. There's only 1 issue and that's upfront. And it's not like Cisse or even HBA have done anything in recent weeks to play over Shola.

Actually agree with this. Not really sure where people get this notion of us 'building' on these type of performances though. 7 points of Pool, Chelsea and Spurs is fantastic and Pardew will see noe reason to stylistically change our approach on the back of that. We will struggle against sides who play it tight but that's what you get with Pardew. If things are going well, we'll out battle the better sides and hopefully get a goal and a result as space opens up as they try to play around us but we won't be the type of team who can break down teams with clever movement and passing. Agree with your last point. We'll take the confidence in attack. Remy, Cabaye, Gouff especially will feel they can make it count in the final third but that's it. But passing moves in the final 3rd? That'll remain rare

I think he is benefitting from having a competent footballer on both sides of him now, as well as Cabaye and Tiote playing better. He hasn't even had to hoof it much the last few weeks. True. He and Danny next to each other playing launch the hot potato

Yep. The problem with he and Colo is a lack of pace but Mapou helps out greatly in that regard. Problem with Mapou & Colo is a lack of aerial/physical strength, Willo covers that. Any partnership with Saylor involved brain farts and Willo is a steady eddie type. I'd keep this CB pairing for the near future. Right now if we where to push any CB it would be Saylor not Willo. Love Willo's style of leadership too. I was one who wanted Saylor to start if everyone was fit. Not now.

I don't want to fall in love with this fella but it's hard not too.

We rode our luck against Spurs. But we deservedly won against Chelsea and deserved our point against L'pool. Niether L'pool or Chelsea carved us open and probably had 4 clear-cut chances between them, if that. A good Alan Pardew side is going to be largely cautious, solid and reliant on "moments of magic".

Honestly, I think we are re-building our solid platform. The spine is largely playing well and should remain. I would stick with the 4-4-2. Only contentious point is starting Shola and tbh, I would. We'l have a bunch of options on the bench. In recent weeks we've looked much more solid.

Said earlier on the only negative is he always looks like picking up at least a yellow.

We've dropped Hatem and looked a better side instantly. Have to applaud Pardew for that. We are building that foundation that took us to 5th. Hard working, sitting in deep, 4-4-2 with a deadly striker up top

Who says he did? People have very selective memory. We dropped the 4-3-3 when we got tanked by Wigan and we beat Chelsea 0-2 in a 4-4-2. We started the season playing 4-4-2 and Ba scored the opener against Spurs. Our form dipped, so did Cisse's and Ba's and Pardew gave Ba the bench and we went 4-5-1 against Everton. Ba scores a brace off the bench and he earned his run through the middle. Cisse had yet to register single Premiership goal at that point. The next weekend Cisse skies a penalty but Ba had already scored. At that moment Cisse started to play a FEW games wide and that's it. Cisse's been shit because Cisse has been shit.

Ba was no more greedy than Cisse is. Unlike Cisse he knew where the goal was.

Never, I still hold my breath when he is passed the ball and he still 98% of the time clears it to the other team. He was out jumped by smaller players a few times yesterday too. He does give 100% and he is clever but he is still too slow and nervous on the ball. 4th choice is fine. I think he is looking better because the other 3 recently are not playing as good as they have done, Taylor especially. He wins more headers than any of our defenders regardless. He is a central defender being crap with the ball isn't the worst attribute to have. He is too slow (so is Colo) and poor on the ball and he has other issues tbf but that still doesn't mean he deserves all the extra stick he gets.

I look forward to you saying the same exact thing when Cisse starts scoring again (if he does, that is). Willo's criticism was anything but over the top, but coming from someone who's taken on what seems like a personal vendetta against Cisse, it sounds lush. Cisse has scored 6 league goals in 2013. Cabaye may have scored more than that. Cisse's general play was never very good and now his finishing has been of for 18 of the 23 or so months he's been here. Williamson is a limited defender no doubt but he's not terrible. As we have seen, he is capable of putting in solid shifts. As a back-up player he's decent enough. Add that he's a good character and a leader the criticism has been OTT. I don't understand vitriol against players that clearly give it 100%. Save that for your Cisse's.

His footballing skills aren't impressive imo. If he's not making those powerful runs often, he's not worth having in the starting line-up. Not sold on Sissoko at all. Still, plenty of time. And he's been moved around a lot.

Exactly, the game is about the bigger picture. Yep. Debuchy suddenly looks a player now HBA isn't in front of him.

Nah its not its that he allows himself an extra yard or two instead of thinking he can make runs forward and recover.... he's realised in this league he doesn't have the pace to allow defenders to have a yard on him and recover. He also doesn't get himself involved in too many foot races. He'll put in a challenge before the man gets to full pace, very refreshing compared to old Daniel. But like I say, this sometimes leads to freekicks/yellow cards.

The criticism of him was always OTT.

Don't think he fell asleep against City tbh. Great movement led him unstuck.

Wilpou for the win. Have looked good together. Always said he and Colo have too many of the same weaknesses to be a good partnership. The Wilpou tandem has looked much better.

Matthieu Debuchy has been playing like brave heart for what seems like a month. He's learning you have to be a tough bugger in this league and he's adapting very well. Think it's made a massive difference not having HBA in front of him. The one time where someone jumped over Debuchy Siss took over and made the tackle. That wouldn't happen with HBA Only negative is that he always looks like he'll get a yellow.

His last few appearances then. Was very good against City too.