The College Dropout

There's a lot more to defending than 1v1. His positioning is not great. When he's caught upfield he jogs casually back.

Benfica looked a class above us at times. Squad wise we are a long way from SBR's team IMO. Including the one Souness started with. I'm not sure how much of that is due to Pardew. The man doesn't know anything about winning titles or European competitions. Or even just competitions.

I'm not sure MYM is great in the air. Colo isn't either. Saylor's comfortably the best in the air in the whole squad.

Colo has no pace and is often victimised by fast strikers when we play a high line. MYM was poor on Thurs imo but he's got quality.

i think Pards could give him more responsibility kinda like how he did with Ben Arfa. Big him up a bit, tell him he's our dude and he's important. When he came on against Stoke he looked more authoritative.

Couldn't the same be argued for Hatem though? Yes. What's your point? He/we should look to minimise those spells but they will happen every game. Even still he creates more than any other player in our side.

Like a lot of managers, Pardew has a Plan A but doesn't know how to really affect games in play tactically. He can make subs etc. but that's personnel.

I agree and I've been one of the more critical players of Santon since he joined. Some of those comments about him not being a natural defender I agree with and he appears to be very much a confidence player too and one who maybe struggles under pressure a little bit. Thankfully all of these can be worked on, whether we have the coaching staff to do so...I'm not so sure. Would still in the long term prefer a leftie at LB though if we going to persist with inverted widemen. Agreed. I've long said the lad can't defend. But there's potential for a class player there imo. Selling him would be stupid.

We do need more from Marv but he should definitely start every game he's fit for. He's the type that's always going to be in and out of games though. If he was able to maintain for 90 minutes he would be a literal world beater. He's probably our most intelligent skilful/pacey player. He knows when to dribble or make the right pass better than anyone in our team.

Had 3 excellent opportunities and scored 1. So I wouldn't say he was brilliant. Desperately unlucky I must say. The second opportunity I thought was in. Time his runs like he did away we'll have a chance at home.

True. Created 2-3 great moves/chances though.

Immense finishing talent is a bit strong.

If he would come on the deal we gave him before, sure. All football players are mercenaries and all fans are fickle. If he joins and he bangs them in, lovely. Looks more of a natural finisher than Gouff and he has the physical attributes Cisse doesn't.

Football is about people, history, politics, everything. Newcastle United reflect the city and the North East. The mackems whole inferiority complex is economic. Newcastle has done far better than S'land has as an area. It's more of a forward thinking cosmopolitan city and it's reflected in the football.

This the Gareth Bale who stopped a goal against Spurs yesterday in the last few minutes? The one who pulled out a fantastic block in his own box? Yes... in the last few minutes. For the majority of the game, he's not tracking midfielders.

Messi also runs a lot less than he used too. RVP too. Since then their injury problems have subsided.

Cronaldo doesn't track back a lot of the time. He stays high up the pitch for the counter attack. Same thing Bale did earlier this season and now as an AM he has to do track back even less.

I think Pardew's safe until next Christmas at the very least. I haven't said others shouldn't speculate go 'head. I just think anything short of a relegation position next Xmas he'll be in a job.

Siss does need to work on ball retention. He maye helped if he's moved deeper or possibly wider. Marv creates when he's central. But he doesn't defend much which he needs to work on. Doesn't need to e a workhouse e just needs to try.

Honestly this is how I feel.

I can understand why sometimes he should sit on the bench. At home to Stoke is not one of those occasions. I think Pardew must know we have a small number of match winners. Cisse, Gouff, Cabaye, Marv and Siss. Creatively there's only the last 3.

Huge. They are an odd side like. Sometimes they look really solid and te football is great. 10 minutes later everyone looks scared of the ball and they defend like they're blind.

That was class. Both the original header and the clearance.

When they are bad, they are very bad. We are more consistent in our shiteness.