Cronky

Its definetely one of those 'big man' striker cliche's, for us he was everywhere linking up the play really well. Now, especially with the fact he's playing under Allardyce, people forget he showed in his time here theres more to him than just standing upfront waiting to flick the ball on with his head. Tbh i think Carroll and Cisse can work and one thing that makes the Ba and Cisse not even close to being comparable is at least Carroll can hold the ball up. I just worry with how Pardew will use them and the rest of the team for that matter, but i do think he's coming back so it looks like we will find out. Well we know that Cisse has to play in an advanced position, so basically we’d be buying Carroll and asking him to drop deep and/or wide. We can debate how good or bad he might be in that role, but that’s not playing to his strength and therefore it doesn’t make sense. Relying on long balls and one striker getting hold of another one’s flick-ons as your basic strategy won’t get us anywhere. It’s good to have the option when certain situations arise, but it’s not the route to success. That’s aside from the issue of whether Cisse is the right man for that kind of style (and I don’t think he is)

Carroll has his good qualities, but I don't think he could partner Cisse. We'd be back in the Ba-Cisse situation with two strikers neither of whom are much good at dropping deep or wide. Carroll plus AN Other and trade in Cisse I could live with.

Fair point, but the big picture is that both sides had their chances, and it could have gone either way. I just worry that if all this negativity is typical, it might get through to the players. It wasn't our day. Let's move on.

Well we improved after January because we brought in some new players and effectively had a different team. We were in a slump before that and confidence was ebbing away. I don't see why people are dismissing the tiredness issue in such an aggressive way. The team was playing its 5th game in a fortnight against a team that was playing its 3rd. We had played three days before. Any opposition in that situation will be at an advantage. That's not the only reason we lost. But it's the reason why we were unable to make use of our superior squad. Stats don't mean everything, but they do reinforce my own impression of an even game. They scored at the right times, we were unlucky in having what would probably have been a game-changing goal wrongly chalked off.

This was a bridge too far? What about the other games before that? My point was that the mental and physical fatigue might have accumulated over the last 2 weeks and yesterday it caught up with us. The particular player I was thinking of is Sissoko, who we've relied on a lot to give us impetus. I think he's played practically every minute of every game over the last 2 weeks, and he's steadily looked more and more tired. Not that he looked that bad yesterday, he was just unable to offer as much. Supporters in the North East will be hurting over this, so I can understand the anger, but we can expect better performances from here on in.

I'd agree with that. The 5th game in 2 weeks turned out to be a bridge too far, especially with the pressure of a derby on top of it. We lacked energy. I'd also agree that Sunderland didn't look that great. With an ordinary amount of luck, we'd have come away with a draw.

Not our day. If the equaliser had been allowed, we'd probably have gone on to win. They scored at just the right times. Some of our players looked tired. Sissoko was one of our better players as usual but he has been over-played and looked like he could do with a week's break.

Fairly even game, in that both teams have looked like scoring. Obviously they have, due to mistakes on our part. We just need the run of the ball in their penalty area.

8 goals in 30 Premiership games this season, 13 in 41 overall. Is that enough for you from a lone forward? How many of those were as the lone forward? probably like 10 How many of those were as a right winger? Probably like 5 How many of those were as a forward, be it a lone forward or as part of a front 2? Probably like 25 8 goals in 30 is not enough, whatever way you look at it, for your only striker in a 4-3-3 in a team aiming for European qualification. I find it funny that the people who are most critical of Pardew are the ones who are most forgiving when it comes to Cisse's underachievement this season, considering the fact that if Cisse had anywhere near the same chance conversion rate as last season, we would be comfortably sitting in the top half of the table. On your last point, the reason you should be critical against Pardew is because you have to be a pretty rubbish manager to not get a player like Cisse to score. Loads of us were saying in the first half of the season that we should be playing to his strengths, which was pretty much the opposite of what we did. We have started doing it a bit since Ba left and to no one's surprise both us and Cisse have improved. We have improved lately, but that's probably as much to do with our January signings hitting the ground running as it is with Cisse playing up top on his own. Of course Cisse has also improved as we have started playing to his strengths as you say. I'm not denying any of that; on the contrary, I have praised him in recent weeks for getting us the goals that win games. What I am doing is expressing a (valid in my humble opinion) concern whether it is enough. If you play a 433 and your sole forward has a 1 in 2 goalscoring rate (and that's being very generous as his goalscoring rate for the entire season stands at 1 in 3.8) based on a below average conversion rate, and then you combine that with there not being that many goals in other areas of the team (especially with HBA injured), then you'll be lucky to score a goal on average per game, which will see you draw or lose more often than not. The 433 may suit Cisse down to the ground, and indeed a number of our other players, but I'm worried about the number of goals we score in that system with Cisse (in this season's form) as the focal point. In there is the key point that what matters is the team winning games, not how many goals Cisse is scoring. Many seem to be saying that the way to improve is simply to get the rest of the team to make more chances for Cisse. A striker in his position should also be taking part in the creation of chances, and we may be able to land a striker who offers a better overall package.

NSIS I'd have said Cabaye but while he disappeared over both legs Cisse turned up. Why only consider the two matches with Benfica? How about the likes of Ben Arfa, Mbiwa, Cabaye (indeed) or Krul? If anything I'd say the big clubs will look at Cisse's lack of consistency and steer well clear. Ben Arfa, too injury prone. Mbiwa, hasn't shown enough yet. Cabaye, too many times he has games like against Benfica. Didn't think about Krul, maybe. Cisse is the most likely, Bayern were strongly interested before he came here. Well, if I was the manager of a "top club" I would look at the chances Cisse missed in those two matches you conventiently use to discard Cabaye as a stronger candidate to succeed at a higher level and think his 'erraticness' may have cost us the tie.. Yeah but you have an agenda. He had two excellent all-round games in both legs and was desperately unlucky not to score more than the two he got. What is my agenda? You don't like him. Because he's an erratic instinct goalscorer rather than a shilky Dutch mashter with great allround technical ability you will consistently criticise him. I do like him. He seems a good character, and he brings important qualities to the table, especially for a side like us that isn't exactly overflowing with attacking talent. People who have been saying he needs to be played centrally in 1 4-3-3 have been proven correct, that appears to be his best position, and I can even stomach the stereotypical "give him service and he will score" to an extent. But I also have big worries about him, the main ones being: - he doesn't score enough and neither do our other players to be able to afford to play a 4-3-3 with him as a lone striker for us to challenge for Europe consistently, which is where I want us to be. This season his own chance conversion ratio is nowhere near good enough, and it's cost us many valuable points. - he is purely a converter of chances, not a creator. He seems unable to fashion a chance for himself out of nothing other than by speculative long range efforts, or to create chances for his team mates. - he seems to lack intelligence in certain situations, i.e. staying onside or showing composure by laying it off when somebody else is much better placed, which often breaks down our play. - physically he isn't exactly commanding, meaning for example he is hardly ever a threat from set pieces or gets into a goalscoring position unless he isn't tightly marked. Now I know this goes against popular opinion, but it's the way I see it. We heavily rely on him, because we have no realistic alternatives, and I hardly want him gone or anything, but I do feel he is overrated by many on here.. Good summary. The last point doesn't get aired enough. He doesn't relish a physical challenge. Maybe he's just playing to his strengths, which is seeking gaps between defenders, and it least it means he's hardly ever injured. But situations do arise when you want a striker who will put pressure on his opponent physically. Which is exactly why we need to get one in the summer. Someone to turn aimless rubbish into half-chances for him. I like the formation we've got, and wouldn't want to change it to suit Cisse. Try and get someone who's better at that lone striker system rather than go for two strikers. We've seen how that worked with Ba and Cisse.

NSIS I'd have said Cabaye but while he disappeared over both legs Cisse turned up. Why only consider the two matches with Benfica? How about the likes of Ben Arfa, Mbiwa, Cabaye (indeed) or Krul? If anything I'd say the big clubs will look at Cisse's lack of consistency and steer well clear. Ben Arfa, too injury prone. Mbiwa, hasn't shown enough yet. Cabaye, too many times he has games like against Benfica. Didn't think about Krul, maybe. Cisse is the most likely, Bayern were strongly interested before he came here. Well, if I was the manager of a "top club" I would look at the chances Cisse missed in those two matches you conventiently use to discard Cabaye as a stronger candidate to succeed at a higher level and think his 'erraticness' may have cost us the tie.. Yeah but you have an agenda. He had two excellent all-round games in both legs and was desperately unlucky not to score more than the two he got. What is my agenda? You don't like him. Because he's an erratic instinct goalscorer rather than a shilky Dutch mashter with great allround technical ability you will consistently criticise him. I do like him. He seems a good character, and he brings important qualities to the table, especially for a side like us that isn't exactly overflowing with attacking talent. People who have been saying he needs to be played centrally in 1 4-3-3 have been proven correct, that appears to be his best position, and I can even stomach the stereotypical "give him service and he will score" to an extent. But I also have big worries about him, the main ones being: - he doesn't score enough and neither do our other players to be able to afford to play a 4-3-3 with him as a lone striker for us to challenge for Europe consistently, which is where I want us to be. This season his own chance conversion ratio is nowhere near good enough, and it's cost us many valuable points. - he is purely a converter of chances, not a creator. He seems unable to fashion a chance for himself out of nothing other than by speculative long range efforts, or to create chances for his team mates. - he seems to lack intelligence in certain situations, i.e. staying onside or showing composure by laying it off when somebody else is much better placed, which often breaks down our play. - physically he isn't exactly commanding, meaning for example he is hardly ever a threat from set pieces or gets into a goalscoring position unless he isn't tightly marked. Now I know this goes against popular opinion, but it's the way I see it. We heavily rely on him, because we have no realistic alternatives, and I hardly want him gone or anything, but I do feel he is overrated by many on here.. Good summary. The last point doesn't get aired enough. He doesn't relish a physical challenge. Maybe he's just playing to his strengths, which is seeking gaps between defenders, and it least it means he's hardly ever injured. But situations do arise when you want a striker who will put pressure on his opponent physically.

He's got his qualities, but I don't think we should settle for him as our main man into the future and build a team around him. His all round game isn't good enough for where we're hoping to go and we should try to bring in someone better. If that means trading him in, then so be it.

Sorry, but I have to bite on that one. His touch on the ball is very unreliable. It's the weakness in his game that's defined the level in which he can play. It affects both his finishing and his link-up play.

He doesn't look strong enough for the DM role, not in the Premiership anyway, and he doesn't look skilful or quick enough to be a good attacking midfielder down the centre. He looks a useful utility player, but not much else.

He looked nervous in the first half, but seemed to get his confidence and aggression back in the second and defended well.

Personally, I think players who moan excessively are just a bit up themselves. It's nothing to do with desire to win, or quality. I get the impression that he's deliberately taken on a more aggressive attitude. Maybe Pardew wants him to get fired up, because there have been times when he's looked too laid back. That rant at the lino was just stupid. He was a yard offside, and after running over like that there was no way he could escape without a booking.

Basically, we were up against a better side, so slugging it out toe to toe from the off wasn't likely to succeed. We tried the football equivelent of rope-a-dope and it nearly worked. Anita is a disappointment. He hasn't convinced in any midfield role, and looks best to me at right back.

He needs to stop moaning at his team-mates. It's a bad habit that's recently crept in whenever the ball doesn't go where he wants. Just forget it and concentrate on your own game.

Our combination play is practically non-existent. We're looking for one single quarterback-type pass to open them up, and that won't work. Perhaps the masterplan is to bring on a bit of skill with Marv and Benny with 20 minutes to go. '

No, he isn't.

Bayern spend a lot on transfers, yes they've got a massive fanbase, they are basically the Man Utd of Germany. Dortmund on the other hand I'm incredibly envious of. On a related subject, it's interesting that the major European Leagues - England, France, Germany, Italy and Spain - have turned into one-horse races this year. I think that more work needs to be done to ensure proper competition in the future - like a more even distribution of TV money, and a more robust FFP system. A forlorn hope, I know.

It was still a remarkable contribution, considering the injury. He changed the mindset of his team. In all sorts of difficult situations, he's able to turn and get defenders moving backwards and out of position. That made all the difference.

A non-starter according to this - http://www.chroniclelive.co.uk/sport/football/football-news/newcastle-united-rule-out-new-2573617

So would Kluivert - Bellamy, if we'd given it a proper go.

English football is a bit different in that Centre Backs have to deal with more aerial set pieces. You can't afford to be weak in that area.