Was a good cup tie, usual fare from the lower league side - knackered themselves out after an hour but got the goal which often doesn't come in these sorts of games. After that we could have had 4 or 5 if we could finish, Gosling trying to side foot in from 30 yards and Lovenkrands horrible scoop over the bar being the highlights. Positives were Krul, the centre halves, Cabaye, Marveaux and the cameos from Vuckic and of course Sammy.
Gosling got in some good positions but needs to be more composed, very Nolan-esque in his arrival in the box but without the finishing. The formation we finished with, a 4-2-3-1 sort of thing is definitely what we should play when Ben Arfa is back, I've no doubt that's what Pardew wants to play too but without Ben Arfa it probably wouldn't work. Marveaux looked tidy spreading the play against a knackered team but will be interesting to see how he gets on from here.
Ba looked off the pace, I know him, Tiote and I think it was Marveaux are fasting at the moment and I hope it is that that is causing him to be off the pace, early days yet though. No idea what we play against Fulham, Shola and one other I guess.