toptoon

Obviously disappointed we didn't sign de Jong however if we sign debuchy douglas and hoilett I'd be happy and excited. Add Anita and I'd be very very happy. The development players seem promising too. Krul Debuchy. Taylor. Colo. jonas Ben arfa. Tiote. Cabaye. Hoilett Cisse. Ba Or Krul Debuchy. Taylor. Colo. Santon Cabaye Tiote Jonas Ben arfa. Hoilett Cisse

I'd personally not get too greedy and snatch someones hand off for fourth spot. We have to go to Chelski yet and could easily lose that one (half expecting a bad ref decision, Drogba dive etc, or possibly to be outplayed). The possibility of us 4th with a 5 point lead over chelski and three point lead over spurs would be off the scale amazing enough at this stage. Chelski were fortunate to win against Barca and i expect Barca to raise their game and beat them comfortably on their own patch (2-0 or 3-1 at least). I'd hapily let Arsenal have 3rd if it increases our chances of fourth spot. If Chelski beat Arsenal we still have more chance finishing 5th or 6th in my opinion. For now, come on Toon, Arsenal, QPR and Barca !!! It would be great to have our destiny back in our own hands too and not have to rely on other results.

Great if we win and arsenal beat chelski & spurs get beat @ qpr. We then go fourth 3 points clear of spurs and 5 clear of chekski. So even if chekski beat us they do not go above us. Hopefully spurs continue to drop points. We have been getting fantastic results in a 433 lately and I am a fan, but last time we played Stoke pardew got his tactics bang on cutting stokes supply with a 442 with jonas acting like a second left back and therefore nullifying any threat down their right. Woulden't be surprised if we revert back to a 442 just for this one with ba and cisse operating as a pair and HBA down the right. Interesting to see our tactics and formation.

Krul Santon Willo Colo Ferguson Jonas Tiote Cabaye HBA Ba Cisse Would love to see this team given a chance just once at some point. Not sure this is the ideal time to try it, but can't think of a better line up for us. Nice to have full backs who can handle pace. Ba may have to play deeper. Woulden't be shocked if Pardew put 5 in midfield for this one after Spurs.

Rules are rules and if you punch/thump someone it's a straight red. Pathetic thump to be fair and i really hate all the playacting. Undoubtably a red card. Playacting and cheating is becoming a bigger and bigger part of the game. This needs to be stamped out as it is clearly pathetic. Unfortunately it's set up so those players who do not do it will be at a disadvantage to those who do. The only way round it is more retrospective punishments which i would be in favour of. i.e. panels review games and if some player rolls round claiming he was fouled when he clearly hasn't been touched/hardly touched in order to get someone sent off or gain a freekick/penalty then ban him for a game or two and fine him to finance the panel with any excess going to football charity's. This would change it from being advantageous to make it a big disadvantage to cheat. With Blatter in charge there little chance. We one of the few major sports without some sort of replay technology making the ref's job near impossible to get right. They would have to be superhuman ffs. This is a man's game and this kind of thing ruins it. If your going to get sent off for thumping/punching someone you may as well make it a good one and save it for someone who really deserves it. Can't really remember the last good dig someone got in the premiership. All fairy flicks. Pretty disappointing really Zidane's headbut was typically sheer class. Odious 'victim' insulted Zidane's sister and mother. Duncan ferguson headbutt also sticks out in the scottish premier league no idea what that was about. Cantona's kung fu kick on that gobby t*** also top class. *Puts tin hat on and prepares for the self righteous PC brigade's lecturing. Yes really i know its not a good example for the bairns.

I'd love to see that tbh. I agree we'd muller them as well. Not worth hoping for it though, we all know it's going to be 4-4-2 with Taylor on the right. Indeed best to accept it now and spend some time getting used to it. I have already accepted Raylor will start on the right in the derby. Hopefully the 2 1/2 weeks between now and then will allow me time to come to terms with it, but I will still be pretty annoyed when I see the team sheet on the day and his name is in the starting lineup. I mean the kid couldn't get in our side when we were in the championship FFS. That 433 would be deffinately be interesting and should deffinately consider that if we are struggling against another team who has gone 433, or in hindsight we could have tried that against Spurs. I do like width though when possible I don't think Ben Arfa is any worse than Obertan when it comes to tracking back and gives the ball away less than him too. We need to find a place for HBA, his goal scoring, all round threat and creativity is a fantastic asset we are just not using. We had Taylor on the wing when we beat Man u 3 - 0 and we played well in that game so it woulden't be the end of the world. However the thought of the two Demba's + HBA on the same pitch really is exciting. I think we have to try it as Jonas is very deffensive nowadays anyway and with the immense Tiote back and cabaye as well we should be able to compensate. As has been mentioned though i doubt pardew will go for this: Krul Santon Williamson Coloccini Ferguson Tiote Cabaye Jonas Ben Arfa Ba Cisse Pardew needs to drum into HBA he needs to track back.

This team for me too. Great to have Tiote and cabaye back, will make a huge difference. Simpson has been very inconsistent for me this season. Good some games and poor the next. HBA is so creative and ba & cisse's movement should bring out the best in him and his passing game. Ok HBA has been giving the ball away at times but no where near as much as obertan. HBA is by far the better of the two, far more likely to score or assist. Should be able to terrorise wolves.

Obertan did alot better yesterday but he is still no where near as good as Ben Arfa. Obertan can't seem to pick out a simple pass at times and passes to the opposition. Ben arfa is the one we need to persevere with. Ok he gets caught in possesion too much but that should improve. Ben Arfa's all round skill, vision and passing is awesome. The movement of the Dembii is also awesome and will surely bring out the best in Ben arfa. The thought of the three of them on the same pitch is mouth watering. Ben Arfa through balls for the Dembii instead of Strolla and best !!! Ben Arfa's future looks bleak under Pardew unfortunately, hope i'm wrong. I just hope Pardew tries this: Krul Simpson Willi Colo Santon Ben Arfa Guthrie Mehdi Jonas Ba Cisse Woulden't be gutted if we played Perch but want to see more of Mehdi, looks very promising.

He did alot better yesterday but he is still no where near as good as Ben Arfa in my opinion. Obertan can't seem to pick out a simple pass at times and passes to the opposition. Ben arfa is the one we need to persevere with. Ok he's getting caught in possesion too much, but Ben Arfa's all round skill, vision and passing is awesome. The movement of the Dembii is awesome and will surely bring out the best in ben arfa the thought of the three of them on the same pitch is mouth watering (add to that Tiote at some point in the future) and wow we have a brilliant first 11 now. I just hope Pardew tries it Krul Simpson Willi Colo Santon Cabaye/Guthrie Tiote Jonas Ben Arfa Ba Cisse Want to see more of Mehdi too, looks very promising.

Would absolutely love to see this. The movement of the Demba's could really bring out the best in HBA. Not holding my breath though. As expecting Raylor and or Obertan + Shola or Best to start Villa like to keep it very tight. If we go for the team above the Demba's goals could edge it for us.

I'd just start Cisse but know that is not going to happen so: Krul Simpson Colo Williamson Santon HBA Guthrie Mehdi Jonas Shola/Best Ba Can't decide who is worse out of Shola and Best from the last game. Obertan is even worse though. Ryan Taylor to come on for Shola/Best if the above team doesn't work and move HBA central. Play Jonas on the wing ffs and let him run at players not sure where or what Pardew had instructed him to do last game. It didn't work whatever it was.

We are mega desperate for a CB. I'd be seething if we get no one as that would be plain mis management and could easily ruin this very promising season of ours. I'd be relieved if we managed to get someone but a bit underwhelmed by this signing If it's Williamson who gets injured we would have the smallest CB pairing in the league. 6 foot Colo can really struggle against the bigger more physical forwards as it is. Not seen much of Mariappa but at 5'10 i doubt he's going to be alot better than Colo in that particular area. Teams like Stoke could have a field day. Hopefully this could be to tie us over until the summer. Good that he can play Right Back as well though as Simpson has had a strange season and can be good and can be poor at times too though. We could certainly strengthen that position.

Agreed. Ok signing Cisse was an unexpected fantastic signing. Over the moon with that one. But where the hell is our new CB? Leaving it a bit late again aren't they? If Colo and/or Williamson are injured /suspended we are going to be s*** at the back again. Goodbye UEFA cup and could ruin what has been a decent season thus far. We could be neck and neck with Chelski for fourth if we'd had a decent CB pairing for games v Norwich, swansea, West Brom etc Perch at CB (or Full back for that matter) dear me What has Kadar done to upset Pardew anyone know? Looked really promising in his few run outs last season.

We can't afford to mess about. We should go all out for the cup. Start with Strongest availiable side imo: Krul Simpson Willi Colo?/Perch Santon Ben Arfa Cabaye Guthrie Jonas Best Vuckik Bench: Harper, Streete?, Ferguson, Taylor, Mehdi, Gosling, Shola Shola has been piss poor in last two so lets give Vuckik another chance, although these are sometimes the type of game Shola does well in and i'm pretty confident Pardew will play him. Vuckik had next to no service at all in his last run out. If we are winning comfortably protect our best players.

He's a bit .....small for a CB! Very underwhelmed with this potential signing. Him and Colo could be the smallest CB pairings in the Prem and would struggle with the bigger center forwards.

He's a bit .....small for a CB! Very underwhelmed with this potential signing. Him and Colo could be the smallest CB pairings in the Prem and would struggle with the bigger center forwards.

Gosling? Yes. I have lost all faith... Not knee jerk at all. Haven't 100% written off gosling yet but he has been poor. Prefer to see Mehdi if possible as he looks pretty decent. Need to see more of him. Ben arfa needs to start prefferably ly on the right wing. Shola was poor last game. Maybe start with him again and if it looks like more of the same try Vuckik again or put ben arfa central Krul Simpson. Willi colo. Santon Ben arfa. Cabaye. Guthrie. Jonas Best. Shoal Harper perch ferguson Mehdi gosling obertan Taylor We need to another CB asap, ridiculous if we don't get one before the window shuts. Ridiculous we didn't get one in the last window. Don't want another repeat of the norwich game where we have perch and simpson at CB : ( Simpson

Krul Simpson. Taylor. Colo. Santon Tiote Cabaye. Jonas Ben arfa Ba Cisse Harper, Willi, guthrie, abeid, marveaux , best, shola/ sammy Great signing in kiss well done to mike derek etcThe finishing and quality of the front three is immense. If you were playing against them you would have to try and stop the supply at all costs because it is lethal. We need a decent promising cb and then if we managed cissokho (dreaming i know)as well as not selling any decent players what a January!

If simpson is out team i'd like to see is a creative one without obertan. We should win this one. ...................Krul Taylor. Willi. Cool. Santon Ben arfa. Cabaye. Mehdi/guthrie Jonas Best. Ameobi

This team for me. Pardew deserves huge credit this season but is he really going to start Obertan or Taylor over Ben Arfa after Ben Arfa's world class performance against Blackburn. We have all been a little mystified by this for a while, surely he won't .........will he? QPR murdered us at loftus road in all but the scoreline and it was a minor miracle they some how didn't put the ball in the net with the chances they carved out. Hopefully Santon against SWP instead of Taylor and a better all round gameplan by Pardew + the huge confidence we have at the moment this time round will make this a completely different game. Mehdi did very well and deserves to keep his place, but Guthrie has been very good for us too and we need to sign him up asap so thats a tough call by Pardew. I expect him to go for Guthrie if fit. Think we'll win this one.

Prefer this tbh. Me too looks an awesome line up and just what we need. Massively creative, a goal threat and quick (and can pick a pass unlike Obertan). But he's not in the bargain basement section in my opinion. Even though he's right at the end of his contract there will be a few decent offers coming in for a player of his quality. Love to be proved wrong but just can't see us shelling out the necessary money for him. Blackburn would have to replace him you would think to which isn't going to be easy. No point letting him go on the cheap and not replacing him as relegation would be a near certainty then.

Looks about right to me bar i'd possibly go with Sammy over Raylor, although hard to drop Raylor after last night. HBA and santon definately need games. Would also like to see Ferguson at some stage. Expect to see Best, Obertan and Perch though unfortunately and no HBA :'(

Krul Simpson. Williamson. Colo. Santon Sammy. Cabaye. Tiote. Jonas Ben arfa. Ba

Thats the team i'm expecting if colo makes it, bar possibly Gosling in for Mehdi. I'd like to see Mehdi. Raylor although he deserves credit for his goals and sheer effort, is clearly a round peg in a square hole, slow and any quality winger can exploit this. Santon should at least be tried there. Hopefully he'll free up Jonas and the two of them can go on the attack more. Obertan i find the most frustrating he can't pick a simple pass half the time so its Ben arfa or Sammy RW for me. If Colo plays then Perch is the one that scares the hell out of me everytime he's near the ball, keep Kadar whose looked decent. Of course i would be surprised if any of this were to happen. Pardew has been brilliant. There's always room for improvement though and the one critisism i have is he needs to be a little more ruthless in team his team selection. His Loyalty to some players (Obertan and Raylor especially) has not been in the best interests of the team at times.

I'd probably go with: Krul Simpson Perch Kadar Santon Ben Arfa Cabaye Mehdi Jonas Shola/Best Ba Subs: Harper, Gosling, Raylor, Obertan, Ferguson?/Vuckik, Shola/Best , Sammy Ben arfa needs more time on the ball and Obertan frustrates the life out of me not being able to pick a simple pass half the time he is on the pitch. We need to ATTACK alot more in this one especially if we have Jonas with Santon behind him and Ben Arfa on the wings. In saying this i fully expect to see Raylor, Gosling, Obertan playing. Ben arfa up top if he plays at all. Have seen Smith's name mentioned too now Guthrie is injured.