Shak

3 year extension for Shola and a 5 year deal for Simpson, I'm hearing.

Thought Pardew said he thought we were good against Wolves? Anyway, hope Taylor does score another cracker if he does start this weekend, don't think he should be starting for us honestly but he's earned the affection of the fans with that goal in August. We better fucking beat these.

Raylor looking sad in the background.

Aye, I'll have to wait and see. I do think the amount of long ball increased significantly after Steven Taylor went down, which is part of the reason for my optimism in this regard. But yeah, I'm not massively confident, just think he deserves a chance before we throw him under the bus for his lack of style.

Like him a lot, wish he'd play a bit further forward though. He's being wasted playing so deep, especially when he has a colossus like Tiote playing in midfield which should allow him a lot of freedom to get forward.

We don't play a complete long ball style, I've seen people compare it to Allardyce football which I think is going way too far. I think the problem however is that we seem to be using more and more long ball as the season goes on. Pardew was full of talk at the start of the year about creating a pass and move style of football, but if anything we've gotten less fluid as the year has gone on. We seem to be regressing as a footballing side, which understandably has people frustrated. I think that Williamson and Simpson are big problems, they're both hopeless with the ball at their feet. Would Pardew instruct Krul to play it short more if we had a back four like Santon Colo Saylor Enrique for instance? I'm inclined to think he would, and I reckon he deserves time to show it next year with (hopefully) some better options than Williamson and Simpson in the team. I'm not excusing him for our poor football of late though. There are still plenty of good players in the team, we should be able to play much better stuff than we did last week. Cabaye is being horribly utilised, and the wide men aren't taking up good positions at all. Quite often there isn't much else we can do other than hoof it long, simply because our movement off the ball is so poor. That's on Pardew.

He'll be a very easy guy for people to turn on if the results do go to shit. Doesn't come across well at all in the press.

Jesus, that's some serious guff.

As if he gets jetlag anyway, if anything the planes probably need a few days to get back to normal after bringing him anywhere.

Got myself a ticket for the Ireland-Italy game in the Euros. Have one for the Croatia game too. I can't fucking wait for this.

Jonas, Colo, Tiote.

What a time for this game to come round for Pardew. First time in his tenure that there's been anything more than a hint of frustration from the fans towards him, a loss to this lot playing the same brand of shite we saw against Wolves would be a disaster for him. Hope he develops some testicles between now and Sunday and actually attempts to go at them.

Unless you're somehow joking or something, don't you know that Skysports is in the Uk too and not just Ireland? Sure he was asking what foreign channels and other media say not British ones, like skysports. http://www.gala.fr/var/gal/storage/images/les_stars/leurs_bio/cage_nicolas/images/nicolas_cage/218895-1-fre-FR/nicolas_cage_reference.jpg

Fucking Magaria more like. FTM

Sorry Pilkdave.

We get something called Sky Sports in Ireland. Most of the pundits seem pretty thick and don't really understand the meaning as far as I've seen.

They may be right about who has the better players and manager, tbf.

Sadden him deeply with his sorrowful expression?

It was one goal man, on that logic we should start Shola and they'd all commit suicide in the lockerroom beforehand.

That's a pretty convincing way to lose a shootout, 3-0 after three each. Good idea about the billboards, wonder if Llambias would veto it? Probably could if he wanted, do we always fill the boards with ads?

Do they not think he's shite anymore then?

http://farm5.staticflickr.com/4061/4669812732_5407c2534c_z.jpg

Who would people prefer on the right if it's a choice between Taylor and Obertan then? Shitbulb for me I think, at least he would give us some width and pace which obviously Raylor doesn't.

Better pull him out of it, he'll surely understand and be happy to stay here and focus on more important things than a stupid friendly.

Stinger. 8pm kick off for me, plenty of time to get drunk in the pub on my own, not looking forward to it.