The College Dropout

Thanks for sharing. If it’s the same knee though l…

It seems different doctors said different things. They went with rest to see what it was like. He started playing again and seemed ok.

Yes. Elite foootball is about performance not about health. When both don’t work out the coach shoulders some responsibility. Wilson said he rushed back from injury too early this season too.

I would. He’s played most of his career at LB/LWB for a reason.

What has happened then? In your view of what you know what you’ve heard and what you can piece together?

Most people were done with him by Arsenal 7-3 and that was Dec 2012. 4 months into the season. And yes I’m talking about on here.

It’s the same injury. Poorly treated and misdiagnosed. Twice. Many on here suspected something wasn’t right with him and the knee.

Ridiculous.

We had just finished 5th tbf. He was initially disliked. Did ok. Did well. But as soon as he did poorly - the forum turned. A lot of it was down to him being unpopular in the first place. And a misdirected view that we should've been a top 7 team based on the squad filled with Anita, Gouffran, Jonas, Taylor's etc. It was 100% better than the squad Pardew left. The squad Pardew left was Riviere and co. was it not? Ashley did that thing where he brings in a new stooge and invests in a good few players in his first summer. Between Pardew leaving and Steve Mc joining we didn't lose any "purples" and signed some talented players that went on to have decent careers. Motivating players is a managers' job and I don't think they were disinterested. Just had a crap manager. Sissoko got lots of stick but to me he always seemed to try his best. He just wasn't a creative or clinical player. That Spurs doc showed he was a good professional. I might have my years mixed up. But is Jan 2013 not 4 months into his first genuinely bad spell at the club? I remember a strong narrative that the season we finished 5th - we were lucky and the players carried Pardew. Not everyone of course but it was there. We didn't like Pardew. As soon as he stunk people wanted him out. That's not unfair to say. It's human nature.

Rafa essentially called the club and offered his services. Maybe not so directly but it was that. No spark from Charnley or Ashley. And they soon held him in the same contempt as they held Hughton and anyone else with ambition and self-respect. I mean.... did Rafa essentially call Staveley or did I make that up?

Aye same criticism i've heard about Bruce. Avoids those conversations.

Totally disagree with this assessment. Pardew was deeply unpopular from day one because he got the job through being pals with a Ashley peon and he was willing to be a Ashley mouthpiece. He also took over a well-liked manager who didn't deserve the sack and someone who wasn't an Ashley stooge. So what you get is an under-appreciation of his positive spells hence "arguably punched above our weight" to finish 5th. And over-emphasis on the terrible spells. People used to act like Vurnon Anita was being treated harshly when reality was - he was shit. We signed a lot of foreign players not suited to the league or not very good like Davide Santon and thought we should challenge for Europe. The squad that McClaren relegated was the strongest squad we had for some time. Shelvey, Ayoze, Cisse, Mitrovic, Townsend, Sissoko, Gini etc. 18 months prior Pardew had the same squad minus Shelvey, Mitro, Townsend and Gini and left us midtable. McClaren was a bad manager. Ultimately it was all Fat Mike's fault. He never wanted European football unless it was CL. We didn't know his full MO at the time so many felt Pardew was holding the club back. But Pardew was doing what he was meant to do for his bosses. Finish 13th every season. Edit: Massive crime by Bruce & Rafa to not play a 4-3-3 with Sissoko - Shelvey - Gini.

Things were much worse here in Bobby last 6-8 months. He had few supporters on here. 95% of the forum are in support of Howe.

Don't think Pardew managed Schar. I've heard players talk about Bruce - mixed reviews but mostly positive. Nearly every player I've heard speak about Pardew (mostly Palace players) speaks highly of him. Both of them seem to lean on being personable and Pardew remaining personable even if the player is not in his plans. Conversely - most ex-players (mostly the scouse lot) don't speak that highly of Rafa and again - I think that's because he's not personable. So might not be worth very much at all.

You do know HBA played under Bruce right? Man management seemed to be one thing Pardew was decent at and is probably one of the main reasons he had a decent career.

There's a lack of quality in the team though. 7th and getting to the latter stages of the Europa would be a good campaign. In terms of results - Potter had a genuinely impressive 4 months last season. Otherwise he had Brighton roughly where they should be. Midtable. I thin we need a win if we are going to go on a strong run.

I'd take £10m and over.

You change the fundamental aspect of offside though. Players won't try to be level - they'll try to leave their big toe onside. It will always involve a small element of luck

Daylight lasted about 1 month in practice. What is daylight quantifiable? I like the fact offside is a hard rule. It increases consistency. It just needs to be done quickly at the highest level.

No you need a line for the part playing the player onside and the part of the player that looks to be offside. Only thing that changes is what body parts constitute offside. You still need lines.

If Haaland could be onside with his backfoot further from the goal than the defenders back foot - it fundamentally changes defending and it will make the game even more defensive. At worst the game becomes more like basketball

People always say things like this but players fall off all the time. And many never reach their potential. People sued to talk of Phil Jones in this way.

As long as you have an offside rule you'll need to draw a line somewhere. Whether it's armpit or heel, you still draw a line. And that implementation of the rule favours the attacker way too much. It will make coaches abandon offside traps and create a more defensive game.

It’s shit. It would ruin football.

In terms of injuries. It’s not run run run.