Memphis

I don't think you can put much stock in what current players say about the situation, to be honest. Unless the relationship is a complete nightmare, players will generally back assistants publicly. Not much else Janmaat or Colo could or would say, especially without knowing what is to come. They may well have to work under Carver/Stone for the rest of this season, so no sense poisoning things in public. I feel quite confident the players' opinions are quite different away from the press.

Haidara for Gouffran is right up there with any of Pardew's dumbest substitutions. Holy shit that was idiotic. Carver looks thick as concrete and manages that way too. Tactics - what tactics? On this evidence any plans to try and hold out until the summer for a permanent appointment would be disastrous. Sean Dyche is doing an excellent job with a poor squad. They deserve major credit for fully punishing our incredibly stupid second half.

Can't believe Carver is only 50. Sir Bobby looked younger when he managed us.

Some of the fan quotes following him leaving Toronto are fantastic:

Must have been a tearful goodbye with Gouffran. http://strackattack.com/gifs/_soccer/2010-2011/materazzi%20mourinho%20crying%20depart%20milan.gif

I wish I shared your optimism. I'm probably completely delusional and overwhelmed by the joy of this whole thing. But - over the last couple of seasons, there has been an increasing predictability to Ashley's decisions. Basically since Kinnear was sacked, the moves have mostly been predictable, even if they haven't always made a lot of sense. The entire Pardew situation has been quite predictable, Ashley wasn't going to sack him unless he deemed us to be in irrational danger of going down and Pardew wasn't going to leave. Ashley shit gold yet again when Palace made this bizarre move. Moving HBA and MYM along were predictable if not necessarily smart. His transfer activity has been very predictable - Janmaat for Debuchy, punt on Perez, big money only spent on under-25 types with potential for sell-on later in their tenure. I say he'll go foreign not for any reason other than Ashley's expedience. Foreign managers do tend to be cheaper and they do tend to be more willing to work with flexible and at times idiotic management structures. Seems to me those things will appeal. Graham Carr's influence will likely increase the chance of a foreign appointment, too, given his role and experience. It also doesn't hurt that such a move likely would irritate certain sections of the media, Ashley likes to do that too.

Weirdly, I feel kind of confident that we're going to make a sensible appointment here. I'll try to explain why: Ashley's a bit different now than when he hired Pardew four years ago. Not better, but different. His commitment to the continental-style managerial structure is stronger than ever and will immediately eliminate Tony Pulis. It likely would eliminate Steve Bruce, too, although common sense should do that for him. In fact, I'd go so far as to say it would eliminate almost any British manager with the possible exception of Steve McLaren, who himself is probably not a legitimate candidate due to compensation requirements. The fact that the club has made it immediately clear that Carver/Stone will serve on an interim basis bodes well in my mind. A quick process of hiring a permanent manager would likely mean a Pulis/Bruce type appointment, but there's no need to hire so quickly. Ashley/Charnley's horrible relationships with the media will actually work well in this search because they aren't likely to be influenced by all the calls for a quick appointment and a domestic manager. There's a decent chance that we hire a foreign manager here. It makes sense. Ashley knows they're likely to be cheaper and much more willing to work with his structure. A manager like Galtier or even de Boer knows full well how things work when it comes to buying and developing young players and selling them on. Their careers could well be enhanced just as a player like Cabaye's was, particularly in the case of Galtier. Also, pretty much all media reports - especially most local rags - should be judiciously ignored. They will know nothing of what's really happening. I'm cautiously hopeful and to me, many of the signs point to a foreign appointment coming in at least a few days' time, but perhaps not even until summer.

What we know about the personalities involved makes me think this will happen -- and it's just a matter of time to sort out the negotiations. Pardew has a massive, gargantuan ego. It will have forever been dented by the protests and having come to the realisation that his derby record will be an albatross around his neck with us forever. He knows he's not good enough. He also knows he'll get a hero's reception at Palace, money to spend in January, and the chance to be a huge fish in a small pond, while still getting to be a "Premier League" manager. Ashley doesn't care about Pardew one iota on a personal level but Pardew's done what was asked of him and taken a bucketload of shit while defending the regime publicly. Ashley rehabilitated Pardew's career and image to a degree (at least outside of Newcastle) and feels that Pardew owes him. For Pardew to try to angle his way out of the deal will feel like a slap in the face to a temperamental bully of an owner. Getting compo from Palace would be a masterstroke of negotiation, something that appeals greatly to Ashley. Who would replace Pardew long-term is a different issue altogether -- and logic of the past dictates Ashley sees it that way too. He has no trouble sanctioning outgoing players without immediate replacement if the deal fits his criteria. This would be no different. I think people should eliminate that as a factor in whether or not Pardew leaves. Long story short, I think Pardew ends up at Palace with them paying like 3 million in compensation. Still an amazing thing to think about -- that someone would actually pay us to get rid of Pardew -- but a lot of things point to it happening.

Golfmag posts, now it's real. This could really happen.

Thought once again Ayoze was fantastic, considering his age and inexperience at the highest levels. Did so well to keep the counter attack alive under heavy pressure that set up the second goal, ran the channels tirelessly even with no service in the first half, then did a job out wide. A snip at 1.7m, such a smart, hardworking little player.

I'll quote myself from last August: Ticks every box for number 2. Good age - 24 - check, unfancied league/team - check, last year of contract - check, cozy agent relations - doesn't hurt

http://www.statto.com/football/stats/england/premier-league/2011-2012/table/2011-11-21 Even in 2011 at the same time we were actually a +7. This year is a super fluke thanks to a completely average middle of the league.

When I hear 4-3-3 at WBA, all I can think about is Ba/Cisse/HBA tearing them apart on the counter 3 seasons ago...

ABEID'S PASSES MADE: http://i.snag.gy/ywETK.jpg ABEID'S PASSES RECEIVED: http://i.snag.gy/Emsmh.jpg Keeps it so, so simple. All bar one pass made and received in those boxes right in the centre of the pitch, very disciplined and gave a lovely platform for us to work from.

Ayoze's already too purple to play here?

Love a classy CB. Watching a ball-playing CB spray a beautiful pass forward right after a smooth tackle is fantastic. When he makes the tackle then, instead of hoofing the ball into the stand like others would, he plays his way out of the tight spot -- I love that.

There is no more apt scoreline than 1-0 over Leicester with an Obertan deflected goal as the winner. Sums up the situation nicely. Awful player scoring goal to seal an uninspiring win - first in ages - against a team somehow worse than we are to save the skin of an awful manager in a spectacle delayed by further incompetence. As indicated by this win, we will only survive due to three teams amazingly being worse than us, but our Premier League survival will only extend the longstanding slow death of the club.

It's been said before but the standard of punditry in England is shocking. There is so little actual opinion that's expressed it's stunning. There is not a normal human being who would look at the job Alan Pardew has done with this team - even if you exclude the atrocious man-management and suicidal decisions regarding Yanga-Mbiwa and Ben Arfa - and conclude that he deserves to keep his job. The only ones who could come to that idiotic conclusion are in the media. At no other job could you be as shit as him for as long as him and not only keep your job, but also be praised for "bravery" amid rightful protests. It's so dumb.

"We were really good at times today, I hope our fans see that." -Alan Pardew, after a 2-2 home draw with Hull

This is so deeply depressing. I had much higher hopes for our fans but it's clear the largest portion of the matchgoers are compliant, beaten-down, dead-eyed empty hulls of what were once the best fans in the country.

Not only that but the fans were actually clapping them off, satisfied and relatively happy. Amazing. What would Sir Bobby think?

Literally the worst result possible. An "inspiring" 2-2 comeback draw means that people will think that not having Cisse was the issue, the "excitement" of the comeback means the fans were mostly placated on the day, and we only get 1 point -- not even the fucking three we should be easily getting against a shit hull team at home. Those fans who are enabling this man deserve what they will get.

That was pitiful. I am so disappointed in our supporters. Can only hope it gets miles better. If we score it's going to be like we're top of the league.

Would have been better if Colo and Williamson were holding up an arm looking for offside. Maybe put a little logo in the armpit so you can celebrate the futility.