TRon

I'm starting to think maybe Alan Pardew is being thrown out there as as a softener by Ashley's PR people so we will eventually accept JFK back as a superior alternative.

or i've correctly remembered the start of last season. the players played for him because they liked him, i also still remember nolan calling for a sub for tactical reasons and it was done minutes later. You haven't correctly remembered the start of the season at all and as I said, completely underestimated the influence of the manager in football. You've trotted out the same cliches that the Hughton haters used. Claiming we had the best squad in the division blah blah blah. Football isn't won on paper and most fans appreciate this. i said at the time we had the strongets squad, backed it at the bookies and won handsomely. football isn't won on paper, what does this mean ? surely you look at othet teams an assess them accordingly. You don't know what 'football isn't won on paper' means? Regardless of whether we had the best squad, Hughton still had to manage us out of the division and he did so with flying colours. We didn't have the third worst squad the division when we went down did we? But as I say, football isn't won in paper. had to manage us out the decision yet we were screaming at him to drop alan smith cos he was playing s***. He did didn't he? 4, 5 month later ? While comfortably top, so what's your point? Take a look at our benches from last season up until January to find out why he played Smith. I hate Smith but f***ing hell, talk about twisting facts. "Fergie won the title with John O'Shea at left back, the useless c***" twisting facts....i was calling for smith to be dropped all season, many thought so too and in nolan, guthrie, barton.....smith came 4th. or does it mean he got everything right because we won the league ? He did get everything right because he won the league. More right than that cunt Pardew with his Mascherano/Teves destroying his his shit squad team spirit ever will.

tevez looked quality as time went on, mascherano looked shit. The fact Mascherano looked shit tells you all you need to know about Pardew. If you put Glen Hoddle in a Tony Pulis side he'd probably look shit too.

Anyone but Pardew.

Yes. He also failed to scotch the talk that Mascherano and Tevez had de-railed the spirit of his (shite) squad, and in fact seemed to encourage it. I find it impossible to respect such a tit and if he ends up here I think I'll just take a back seat interest until the club gets sold.

That would explain why he needed to be sacked then.

Jol was definitely interested in the job after he left Spurs, personally I think he'd jump at the chance of managing a big club in England again. The major doubt would have to be whether Ashley is capable of signing a pedigree manager. It's the only way sacking Hughton would make any sense, but I still wouldn't be surprised if Alan Pardew was at St James Park tomorrow.

It's a moot point seeing as we won't be trying to attract a decent manager. Hughton is out the door because he probably wanted a contract which made him higher paid than the janitor.

I hope he goes on to have a successful career as a manager somewhere else. Maybe he was unproven but there's more chance of him going on to great things than Alan Pardew.

It's looking like that from the inside as well tbh.

What annoys me about Guthrie is he has some ability but it's wasted because he has zero desire and a heart tiny enough to make the Grinch jealous. Even if he has a blinder next time he starts I would still rather get rid, because the sad thing is his gutless, hide from the action display was entirely predictable.

Fell over in the middle of the pitch, with hardly anyone near him (or behind him in our colours). They ran up the pitch and scored. It's the first time I've seen him get an assist this season.

My vote would be change it to Danny Gutless.

Those two good games got us 6 points which in this league isn't to be sniffed at. If there is a better alternative at this moment then I would be happy to hear the case.

He's in the first team because he's done reasonably well of late, although his last couple of games have been poor, maybe because he's not fully fit. It's not like we've got much alternative in any case. Best and Lovenkrands are worse, Ranger is raw and at the end of the day less likely to score.

Amended the title of the thread for those who can't be bothered to read the actual post.

The pressure in midfield came only from Tiote. Guthrie just dropped back into general spaces without pressuring anyone.

Point me to your last thread so I may learn.

As centre back I mean. That's why I named the other three defenders in the main body of the post. Apologies if that wasn't clear enough (you dunderheads)

Steals sweets too. Definitely a very good player in there, sometimes looks like he doesn't know what to do but that's natural given his lack of experience. He has a lot to work with and is still very young (which makes it even more mental a few seem to have written him off already), with games he has a lot of potential to be very good and would actually suit Carroll imo. Agree with both Cajun and Wullie. Say what you like about him but the lad's a good footballer, he brings other people into the game. Not many 6ft centre forwards would look good on the wing, which is where Hughton has played him in some games this season but he has still done well. He has presence.

He has only started a couple of games but he still looks top drawer. Coloccini and Williamson have done well, Steve Taylor had a decent game today but Sol is a still class apart. The other three should be fighting for the right to play alongside him for me.

I'm not a big fan of Nolan but I prefer him to Guthrie. Usually I would prefer technique players but Nolan just puts in a lot more effort and has more physical presence.

Agree, crazy to have mentioned that as a flaw when he actually crossed one with the outside of his foot today. Not many have the skill or confidence to do it, and I was surprised to see it from Routledge tbh.

Poor game today, didn't look like he wanted to be there. I hope that was just down to lack of fitness.

Sums up everything I thought about him previously and rubber stamped today. For a relatively young player he seems to have the lungs of a pensioner. Dominated and bullied by the Chelsea midfield. He's never been the athletic type, similar to Nolan in that respect. You just never feel that they're as fit as they probably could be. Nolan isn't quick but he does run, even if it's slowly. Guthrie just seems to be standing still a lot of the time watching others run around. There were loads of times I was just willing him to make a run into the box but he just hung back always just behind the play. If Tiote is there why is he still sitting back so much?