Memphis

Don't know how in the world anyone could justify taking Jonas off before Obertan. Jonas has been double or triple teamed and has still won free kicks and been reasonably effective; Obertan's had space and time and done nowt. Marveaux for Obertan would do wonders.

Actually encouraged, really. We've been pretty crap, Cabaye's set pieces have been poor although I think his general play/passing has been OK, Obertan's been wasteful as usual. They took advantage of one mistake and scored but as bad as we've been, they've not looked like scoring. This is there to be won. But Pardew's got to reinforce the midfield and get the team playing with a bit more urgency going forward.

Ben Arfa for Best, Marveaux for Obertan - 4-4-1-1 please. They are there to be had.

Cabaye did scoop a gorgeous 25 yard lofted ball right over the Bosnian defence to Remy, setting up a good goalscoring opportunity, only to be given offside incorrectly. He was never a 3. Maybe a 5 or so. Ratings from 1-10 are so arbitrary. I'd say he was at least a 273 out of 520.

According to Simon Bird, Lovenkrands "pulled rank" on Ben Arfa, who wanted to take the penalty. Come on, Loven, let Ben Arfa do the business.

Relieved to see about 70% of last year's Tiote today. Will be even happier when the other 30% shows up.

Cabaye hits the ball with such force - every strike is just murdered with that right foot. Think Best was carrying a knock, that's why Shola came on with predictable effect. Pardew talked ad nauseam in the preseason about building a team that's able retain possession away from home and fair play to him, this team did exactly that. Most assured away performance in a long time.

If Ben Arfa was playing instead of Obertan or Jonas, we'd have a goal. Need someone to make that final pass.

We have been unbelievably dominant in possession. Cannot ever remember looking so comfortable on the ball. If only we had one more incisive player...

It doesn't matter how technically proficient your midfield is - and I suspect ours is quite good in that regard - if all you do is set up to lump the ball to immobile forwards. We set up to grind out a 0-0 today and so we did, but that's betraying a stunning lack of ambition and huge amount of fear, especially when facing a side that's not exactly Manchester City. Obertan and Cabaye are never going to look better than average when they play in this tactical setup. We move the ball so slowly and predictably we inevitably end up with three defenders around any player with the ball, they panic, give it away, and we're on the back foot again. Cabaye's passing demands movement off the ball - and Obertan needs to be able to use his pace. It's frustrating to watch them not be given a chance to succeed in a match like the one we just saw. Still, 8 points, no losses, etc. Not all bad. Could be so much better.

At least Marveaux and Sammy looked interested in moving. Cabaye would look at lot better with someone making a halfway decent run from time to time. Very concerned about Tiote's loss of form. He looks a shadow of last year's player. 4-2-3-1 still seems like our best bet with Jonas, Obertan, and Marveaux behind Ba or Best. 4-4-2 today was dire.

What is going on with Tiote? Gave it away a million times... Shit shit tactics and passing, of course. Hopefully that's it for R. Taylor. He was awful.

I was in Kansas City and saw the tackle that took him out - it was an unusually strong one, definitely from behind, definitely unnecessary. But it's reassuring because both injuries came on unusual tackles. This isn't someone like Kieron Dyer breaking down every time he gets on the pitch. Ben Arfa looked lively and strong in training - I watched two training sessions prior to the match and he was quite lively (at one point, during an exercise involving 7-a-side play and two very small goals, he threaded a brilliant ball through to Shola, only for Shola to miss from literally less than a yard out). In the match itself he linked up well with Marveaux and had the best chance. I'm always worried because of the injuries, but it seems to be far more about being unlucky than being injury-prone.

Do we? Two straight deadline days of chaos and misinformation and choppers would indicate otherwise. A statement clarifying that policy and the commitment to whatever it is we're actually committed to would have been far more welcome. These are just the ramblings of a smug salesman who's run out of product.

If there are two people in the world who know less about what Kaka wants than Iain Dowie and Dave Bassett, I'd be shocked.

http://images.memegenerator.net/instances/500x/9687126.jpg

Maybe it was fake accepted by the fake President of FC Twente - which in and of itself is a fake club.

Good thing the helicopter is manned. Be very embarrassing if Ruiz showed up to a pilotless chopper.

Don't we have a 25% sell-on clause? Would that then be 10.25m for us?

Hey Bryan Ruiz:

COPTER!!!!!!!!!

Given that food run, maybe Gignac's signing for the mackems, then?

Regarding Gignac: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LeyEK23I3GU From a few weeks ago... "What did Andre-Pierre Gignac eat?" Anytime you can sign a striker on deadline day who's been recently sent to "fat camp" and has been mocked openly on French TV, you have to do it.

Fucking Smith.

This ref is so bad.