Beren

Really good write-up IMO: http://espnfc.com/feature/_/id/1370078/timing-everything-again-for-toon?cc=5739 Read-worthy.

Soccernet team of the week Thought he looked the more senior of our two CBs today. Knew when to stay tight and when to give a yard

It's not just the personnel though, is it? He rightly identified a problem with us scoring/being a threat from corners/free kicks, and you have to admit, it's been a very long time since that admission and we've made little/no progress. I mean, okay, Williamson is out of the team now () but we're still as toothless as a new born baby. I accept it's only one aspect of football, but that's a little unforgivable IMO.

Worth a bump, I think. How long ago were Pardew's quotes about having centre halves who would chip in with a few goals (presumably headers on set pieces rather than screamers from our half ? Three quarters of a season, or so? No defenders have scored for us in the league this season unless I'm mistaken. That's a very long time to have identified a problem, and been ineffective/unable to do a thing about improving/changing it.

For now? Last time we played well and won for more than a game was nearly twelve full months ago, an it only lasted six or so games. If this season's capitulation from last season's dizzy heights proves anything, anything at all, it's that eventually results follow performances. We're safe from relegation this season and I'm thankful, but I see no reason to think next season will be markedly different from this season if we can't start to demonstrate improved performances. I see a better squad, and better players, but very similar performances so far. The above is nothing even close to to the straw man you've attacked here:

Tbh, Martinez's second-half-of-the-season Wigan can beat anyone.

Millwall, Blackburn or Wigan in the FA Cup final

http://25.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_m57v11sYYJ1r0z3y7o1_250.gif

Agree word for word. There was plenty that Pardew did well today as well as things that could be considered bad. Think some are using their general dislike for the man as a reason to bash him, but to be honest, today was an ok days work, nothing more nothing less. Nah. Worst N-O cliche going. Sort of implies we have days where we're not workmanlike against poor opposition.

Debuchy is ineligible, Nobody. I'd play Haidara, also.

Got all six results right. Not been done before that. Still only got 8 points. Hah. GW30: Everton v Man City Aston Villa v QPR Southampton v Liverpool Stoke City v West Brom Swansea v Arsenal Man Utd v Reading Sunderland v Norwich Tottenham v Fulham Chelsea v West Ham Wigan v Newcastle

Oh, and I don't want to comment only on the negative things - his freekick was incredible. His shooting from freekicks is the polar opposite of his corners. I feel so confident he'll at least work the goalkeeper, threaten the goal or score. This one seemed so deft and effortless. The short run up... just a mark of real quality which can't be faked by shit players.

I'd wager his passes completed to Begovic was higher than to Newcastle players. Not entirely his fault, the manager should have changed things tactically. He gave away silly freekicks, he didn't create anything (the chance Gouffran had in the first half only reached Gouff at all because of a massive deflection off a Stoke head), he shot wide/speculatively to win us corners too often instead of trying to actually pry them open (corners which he would help to spurn). Can't get away from it, for me. I think he's been sensational lately. The way he has been able to spray the ball about has been magnificent. Today he just banged his head against a brick wall for 90 minutes, and the freekick aside, the brick wall won easily. No hard feelings, he's part of the heartbeat of what is good about us, but today was difficult to watch IMO. My two cents, anyway.

Have Liverpool still got that "no wins against top half opposition" monkey on their back? Not counting Swansea who all but threw the game.

You bored of watching it now? This is what I forget in between games, how much I hate watching the games. Kind of hit home a bit today. There's no need for it to be this tedious. Feel quite disconnected if I'm honest. The Chelsea home match was exciting as fuck, the movement, the dynamism.. but it was very much a flash in the pan. Don't feel on the same wavelength as the forum any more, either. Barely celebrated the winner. Just prolonging the avoidable mediocrity/papering over the cracks. Escaping relegation for the season is so far below the minimum we ought to have expected given our personnel/resources, that I can't bring myself to celebrate that shit.

Terrible game overall, wonderful freekick. Been fantastic in the main since his return from injury.

7. Cabaye drew level with him with the freekick, but he edged back out ahead at the death.

It looked cool as fuck because it went in, but his first touch I'm fairly sure wasn't meant to see the ball bounce to chest height.

Anyway, decent first half - fucking awful second half. Pardew out Yay for the win. Feels very hollow to me but whatever.

Hope Haidara gets more game time in the Premiership. Santon is burnt out, looks jaded/short of ideas. Haidara is Clubber Lang, he's hungry and he has the Eye of the Tiger. Funny game, it really was. Especially the tale of Tiote and Cabaye. Cabaye was actually turboshit, apart from his peach of a freekick. Tiote was probably our best player, apart from his idiotic penalty-conceding challenge. Mistakes are apparently as serious as the consequences of being incurred, and Cabaye's daft challenge in the first minute went unpunished, and Tiote's penalty obviously was capitalised upon. Tiote will get a kicking on here tonight, and Cabaye will be lauded for his freekick :lol:

Shocking display, irrespective of the winner. He didn't get service until the 92nd minute, but the day of the service striker is over. More worried by the game.

We win - even more perfect!

If I had to pick a game which epitomises Alan Pardew, I think this would be it. Not even mad any more though. This is what we are.

Cisse Being a proper mug.

Game reminds me of that Pardew interview from last season - I think it was after the Wigan home game (1-0 Cabaye I think it was). Anyway, he said that we put pressure on the opposition, until they finally cracked and we got the goal we deserved. That's not how football works, even though Pardew sees it that way. A high volume of balls into the box isn't necessarily going to yield results or amount to meaningful pressure. I think he really does think that if you keep the ball in dangerous territories enough, you'll score/get results. Further, I think he believes (based on what I've seen/heard of him) that this is as much as a team/manager can do - there's no question of changing tack, or there being more than one way to skin a cat. What we're doing isn't generating chances, we're not carving them open. He doesn't have any other tricks other than this blunt force attack though Anyway, still half an hour left. Hope we nick a goal somehow.