The College Dropout

He's neither a midfielder nor a defender, tbh. He's a set-piece specialist who can occasionally fill a random gap in the team without ballsing up. This is accurate. He's useful for striking the ball.

He's a shocking defender then. Was horrendous defensively at LB.

Ryan Taylor is a midfielder.

No it's about constructive criticism. Constantly berating weaker players is stupid. Especially when they're playing close to their peak. They often get criticised for the sake of scapegoating. Others, deserve constructive criticism because they're not playing as well as they can. No point burying your head in the sand and pretending it's everyone elses fault. That doesn't benefit anyone. We are happy with less from our better players than they can give in terms of quality but demand more from our weaker players than they can give.

A selection decision that fans don't agree with? How many of those does a manager make every season, or even every month? Really annoys me when people use the Tevez/Mascherano example as if it proves that Pardew only likes cloggers. Jonas/Marv isn't really the same as Mascherano/Mullins, I can say that. But that has to be one of the worst decisions a PL manager has made regarding selection. 2 world class players on the bench for cloggers. Unbelievable. It does worry me like

Yep. Then it's the winner of this tie, Juve and probably Dortmund.

Same man who preferred Hayden Mullins over Javier Mascherano. Carlton Cole over Tevez. If it isn't broke, don't fix it is Pardew's approach to management.

The delviery is horrendous. then when the delivery is good. Nobody attacks it. I'm more concerned about his challenges. Seems to have a borderline red almost every league game now.

Cabaye looks a lot stronger and physical than Anita. He's certainly vicious in the challenge. But you know what, if it was down to Alan I really don't think he would've sold Nolan and brought in Cabaye. Really.

What agenda?

He just says "yes" because Carr highlights good players IMO. He gets more excited by some than others and he needs bodies. If he had a strong say and he could've chosen his own first team CM to sign. It wouldn't be a 5'8 lad from Ajax.

Piffle. You think it was his choice to sign Marveaux or Anita?

Depends how much control the manager has. Some managers are different. Marty at S'land is probably 70%. He has a dinstinct style of management and transfer policy. His team are purely in his image for better or worse. Pardew doesn't make our signings nor does he have a strong say. He is also a great man-manager so he's as good as his best players because he encourages them to really shine. A great chairman can do more than a great manager. A great manager can do more than great players. I do believe in that.

So we shouldn't criticise Shola? We should when necessary. Under-achievement is always worse than lack of skill/talent/ability though. Why criticise someone so harshly when they're playing to their level, they're not good enough and need diminished squad roles or sold. But someone with ability under-performs and everyone else gets the blame and the player at hand rarely receives constructive criticism.

Sensible.

At 12th, 6 teams have to overtake you for your side to get relegated. That just won't happen imo unless you crash like Hull almost did.

Always thought Redknapp would get them out of trouble. Their side doesn't lack quality and Redknapp knows his way around the PL. If they have found some heart they will stay up. Remy looks absolutely rapid.

That's what I don't understand. We expect more from Shola than he can give and we abuse him when he doesn't live up to it. Yet, Cisse under performs when we know he can play so much better but it is ignored and at worst, blamed on other less talented players.

So Bruce got them to 11th and then Martinez finished 16th, 16th and 15th. Interesting. Transfer market.

Bruce signed better players than Martinez on the whole. N'Zogbia, Palacios, Valencia etc.

Definitely the worst post I've ever read. Where am I wrong?

Cisse total offsides... 27 Benteke total offsides... 40 I realise you're trying to be all mischievous and contrary but that still doesn't excuse you from being able to create a coherent argument. My point was, he was just saying loads of things without much evidence. Nowhere did I say Benteke's positioning was good.

No not really.I could play for Barcelona and i'd barely get a kick at goal all game. Why? Too slow, crap first touch, crap movement. He himself has scored plenty in this team, as has Ba. Best scored 6 in 11 at one point. Carroll a dozen too. The team is good enough to provide for a striker in good/decent form. Yes, Rickie Lambert has played better than Papiss Cisse this season. He's been out of the team at times too. Can we admit that? Is Lambert a better player? I highly doubt it.

You've said Cisse's "positioning" is better than Benteke's despite Cisse being offside loads. You also said something about appreciation for space and others. Despite trying backheels when people are open. And maing idiotic runs from time to time right next to one of our players. And i'm the WUM? I like Cisse but he has been piss poor this year. It's not Jonas fault or all down to Pardew. Agreed.

And you don't think there's another reason that these 'inferior' players might have gotten more goals? The fact that the managers might play to said strikers' strengths? Wigan and Southampton play open and attacking football, I bet they've created more clear-cut opportunities over the course of the season than we have. I'd say Villa are more attacking too, they're another one let down by a poor defence. Let's not forget that Benteke and Lambert also take penalties too, as well as free kicks for the latter. I think there's blame on both sides, Cisse's poor form is partly down to rubbish management and partly down to him. We are 12th for GS. Way more goals than Villa and Wigan. 12 more than Villa ffs. We've 1 less than S'hampton. Maybe Kone's pace in behind has got him a few goals? Benteke's strength a few goals. Lambert ability to take a penalty etc. you understand?