Cronky

Yes that was very evident in the bolton match - didn't play particularly well, could've conceded first, but the overwhelming quality of the front 3 plus Cabaye's return to creative form is enough to pick up points as long as the rest of the side keeps it solid at the back. Also got a feeling that both spurs and chelsea may very well lose their next league games - tough away derbies for both of them against sides with something to play for. We have conceded what...one goal in the last five games? With Tiote and Coloccini back after the break we can definitely keep our defence rock solid for the run in - and we have a front three which can always snatch the win with a bit of magic like on Saturday. This is where I think Pardew's focus on defence might well turn out to be the difference. We've seen how flashy Spurs and Man City have crawled into their shells when the heat is on. Are we now playing exactly the right type of football for the crunch games? I reckon we are. I think that's right. A conservative game is less likely to crumble under pressure. The Cockneys may as well give up now.

I'm being persuaded that we've got at least as good a chance as the other two now. I can't see our form dipping because it's not as though we're playing that well at the moment anyway. It seems to me that two or three times a game, some combination of Cabaye, Ben Arfa and Cisse will open up a defence and we score. It's not as though we're relying on luck or hoping the opposition are going to make a mistake - we're creating our own chances even if, on balance of play, we look very far from dominant. As others have said, Chelsea have a busy schedule and Spurs seem to have lost focus since the Harry-for-England bandwagon started. Two of our tough fixtures - Man City and Everton - are likely to be against teams whose league ambitions are over. So our current form and style - not brilliant though it is - may well be enough.

That was one nervous looking keeper. Everton will fancy their chances.

Hard to be objective on this. Apart from my normal emotional investment, I've got £5 at 100-1 on us finishing in the top four. I think we need three wins and a draw, which isn't out of the question. We'll probably need to beat Everton away in the final game.

Don't want to jinx it, but he's made a really telling contribution over the last few games. He could yet haul us over the line into that 4th place.

and get rid of the seeding. if the top rated spanish team gets drawn against the top rated german team then so be it. But the whole thing is structured so that some weaker teams in Eastern and Northern Europe get a few good paydays against bigger clubs, and therefore it won't change. It ends up with too many games involving too much travelling, and our clubs end up playing weakened teams to conserve their strength for the league. If we qualify, we won't be an exception to that. You can forget about going all out to win the thing. The CL is the competition that really opens doors for a club and that has to be our priority. My thinking is that if we can get this close with the team that we've got, if we can strengthen our weaker areas then we should be in with a solid chance next season. you see it as opening doors, i see it as pulling up the ladder. I think it's a shame that the CL has achieved such importance. The huge financial bonus of qualifying tends to create a self-perpetuating elite. If someone can impose a fairer distribution of revenue between the CL teams and the rest of the Premiership, and between the Premiership and the other divisions, then great. Until such time, clubs are going to continue to prioritise promotion to / remaining in the Premiership and getting into / remaining in the top four - all at the expense of other competitions. That's the reality, and if we qualify for the Europa League, we'll be playing the same game.

Yep. In that respect, he reminds me of Shearer. One minute he's next to a defender. Next time you look, he's in two yards of space, and you wonder how he's done it.

It is, like. Man City are fucking rotten. Mancini looks like he's having a mini-nervous breakdown. One minute he's ranting at his players on the touchline, next minute he's Mr Cool in front of the cameras. He tinkers with the team for no apparent reason. He tries to maintain an image that he's still in control of things but he's anything but.

and get rid of the seeding. if the top rated spanish team gets drawn against the top rated german team then so be it. But the whole thing is structured so that some weaker teams in Eastern and Northern Europe get a few good paydays against bigger clubs, and therefore it won't change. It ends up with too many games involving too much travelling, and our clubs end up playing weakened teams to conserve their strength for the league. If we qualify, we won't be an exception to that. You can forget about going all out to win the thing. The CL is the competition that really opens doors for a club and that has to be our priority. My thinking is that if we can get this close with the team that we've got, if we can strengthen our weaker areas then we should be in with a solid chance next season.

Pardew isn't the first manager to express mixed feelings about the Europa League. I think it was Hodgson, but I'm probably wrong on that. A Thursday night jaunt to Azerbaijan before a game on Sunday is a serious pain in the arse, even if you take your reserves. It's not all about games against Valencia or Roma.

The last thing we need is another Number 9.

The big potential plus in qualifying for the Europa League is that it (allegedly) can help attract new players. I'm not sure it's quite that big a selling point, but if it is then that's a clincher. If that's not a factor then I'm not bothered about it. It's the European equivelent of the League Cup, with the bigger clubs fielding weaker sides to avoid burnout. There are too many games, too much travelling and until the final stages it seems to be more of a money spinner for minor Eastern European clubs than anything else.

Never assume anything. Playing wide left crosses for Cisse against Norwich. Knocks a lovely ball through for Ben Arfa for the first against WBA and has a really good game. Next match, left-back against Bellamy; does enough. The next match, back into midfield and is excellent throughout. A consummate professional. Not the most talented player I've seen for us but one of the very best. Can I assume you started following us in the Championship season? Or spent the duration of the last twenty years in an injury related comatose condition? I like Jonas very much and I think he is would be a wonderful player to keep around here for many years as a squad member due to his relentless work effort and versatility. However, he isn't actually incisive and threatening enough to play wide in a 4-3-3, he lacks the requisite close control and consistent passing to be a starter in central midfield, and he isn't up to par defensively as a leftback. Ideally, he would be a highly used reserve. Playing wide left crosses for Cisse against Norwich. Knocks a lovely ball through for Ben Arfa for the first against WBA and has a really good game. Next match, left-back against Bellamy; does enough. The next match, back into midfield and is excellent throughout. A consummate professional. Not the most talented player I've seen for us but one of the very best. Can I assume you started following us in the Championship season? Or spent the duration of the last twenty years in an injury related comatose condition? I like Jonas very much and I think he is would be a wonderful player to keep around here for many years as a squad member due to his relentless work effort and versatility. However, he isn't actually incisive and threatening enough to play wide in a 4-3-3, he lacks the requisite close control and consistent passing to be a starter in central midfield, and he isn't up to par defensively as a leftback. Ideally, he would be a highly used reserve. You can assume as you wish. 'He isn't actually incisive' - the ball for Ben Arfa for the first against West Brom. 'He isn't threatening' - the cross for Cisse against Norwich. 'He isn't up to par as a left back' - No s*** Sherlock, but he does it. Buffoon. You admit that he isn't up to par as a left back, but then mention two decent pieces of play that occurred as a left back as evidence of him being a good enough centre midfielder and wide forward? He isn't prolific at all in terms of goals and assists (except against Wolves). This is fine as a wide man in a defensive minded 4-4-2, and he has performed admirably in this role for us before. In the 4-3-3 we play now, all of the front three have to be goal threats, imo and he is not this. In the centre, I just don't think he really has the skill or physicality to consistently compete there. He can compensate for this at times (especially against inferior teams) because he does a lot of running, but this is not the best position for his abilities at all. I agree with Baba on this one. If we progress with the 4-3-3, I think he'll end up as a back-up utility player. His strength and athletic qualities will always be useful, but with that long stride of his he can be a bit clumsy and he doesn't pass the ball with the speed and precision that we need to aim for in midfield. He might be better off playing wide in the front three, but even then I think he'd struggle. I'm not saying he'd do a rubbish job. But wide in a 4-4-2 is where his ability is best used.

He's really found his role in the side now, and he's doing his share of the work when we don't have the ball. He's playing with a lot more discipline and Pardew's patience has been rewarded. His passing inside from that wide right position is also very effective now. He's finding men in a lot of space. Even if he only gets past his man 2 or 3 times a game, that's more than enough. Once he's able to run at a defence, the opposition is fucked and they have to hope we make a mistake.

He looks ready for his chance now tbh. He won't be the best LB in the league but neither was Ashley Cole when he first played for Arsenal.

f*** me is this for real? You're actually comparing the two clubs in that way? New forum trend: Swansea are s***, Barca are good. And to think most of us would have been happy with a point before the match started. No, don't get me wrong, i'm not comparing them as teams, just the style of passing game they play and Barca were naturally the first ones that popped into my head. They both play a passing style of football but Swansea's passing seems to be more focused on keeping the ball away from the opposition than penetrating and scoring. You could compare them to many teams who play a passing game but a different kind of passing game. Maybe a comparison between the Arsenal invincibles and the Arsenal side of recent years might serve better. The invincibles played some lovely pass and move football but the passing had a penetrative purpose whereas in more recent times Arsenal have seemed to be passing it for the sake of it. Again, it's not a great comparison but I hope it illustrates the point a little. Yes, but you've got to think of it in context. From their point of view, they are a small club, first go at the big time, and now that they are here need to make the most of it. Playing their passing football the way they do is IMO primarily a form of defence. If the opposition can't get the ball off us they can't score etc.. They couldn't breach a very well disciplined and determined defensive unit yesterday, as our back 7 did not give them the space or the time, hence the sideways and backward passing. But I don't think anyone can deny that they are a well drilled side, who have played football in the right spirit all season long. They are lively and spritely, and have scored some lovely goals. They have not resorted to dirty tactics either. That's got to earn some respect IMO. I'd agree that we can hardly blame them for playing to a style that suits them and has helped them to stay in the division. But it's not great to watch. Part of its effectiveness lies in starving the opposition of the ball, but because they're quite slow in getting it forward, we end up watching a lot of passes between the midfield and the defence. Despite the fact that they had 75% of possession, the stat for possession in the final third was fairly even. I also wouldn't say they were a particularly 'clean' side. I felt they did a lot of diving and holding etc. They had twice as many fouls as us.

Hoilett we could all be confident about. Moses isn't such a sure fire bet but he's improved a lot this season, and I'd take the chance on him. Young Zaha at Palace probably isn't ready yet but if he became available I'd snap him up as one for the future. But whille we can debate how good these alternative players are, what I think a lot of people aren't acknowledging is just how poor Ba looks in that role. It's not just today, it's been apparent for the last few games. His movement isn't good enough for that position and more nimble players are just nicking the ball off him.

Yes, seems a sensible suggestion, let's replace him with a worse player. FFS. That said I'd love to have either of those players in our squad though. Precisely. Don't think Bob's saying they should be a direct replacement. If one of our front three was having an off-day, either of those two (particularly the former) would be great options to have from the bench. I appreciate your support, but I was actually saying that if we're going to stick with this formation and have Cisse up front (where he should be), I'd rather see Hoilett or Moses in that wide left role than Ba. It's not a matter of who's the 'better player'. Just who would offer the team more in that role.

Stick Hoilett or Moses or some such into the role that Ba had today, and we'd be looking dreamy.

He's a far better player than I was expecting, because he's not just a finisher. He works hard, he has pace, brains and a decent touch on the ball. I suppose he's not great as a target man, but we don't have to use him that way.

A real captain's performance, lots of effort and helping out of the defence. So no serious complaints. I think there's a problem in fitting him into a midfield three though. The ball often seems to get caught under those spindly legs of his and he doesn't move it on very quickly. I don't really know how best to fit him into a 4-3-3. I've wanted us to move to that formation for a while, but he's one of the players that may drop down the pecking order as a result.

Since Cisse's arrival, he's generally had to play deeper and he's looked ponderous. In fact, today he looked like a liability, he was losing the ball so much. Sticking him up front and getting Cisse to drop back made us look a bit less vulnerable, but that's robbing Peter to pay Paul.

Ba off. Correct decision. He's really struggled.

A lot of the Swansea passes are to players running backwards from more advanced positions. Yes, they're keeping the ball but zzzzzzzz....

We're struggling to get and keep hold of the ball, and no-one is struggling more than Ba. He's had to switch positions with Cisse, and whilst that means he's not having to do so much defending (where he's off the pace), it reduces our chances of getting another goal. You really have to question what he's offering us at the moment, with this system.