Parky

fantastic ball from Hatem.

Problem with our 'direct' play is that it's very straight. Also, if Ba or Cisse do manage to get it they need a midfielder running towards them to play it off to. Our instructions are clearly though for the midfield 2 to remain deep at all times. Makes it very difficult. Correct. It's made worse caue there is no contact with the CM's.

There is 0 link up play, just long hopeful punts down the middle. Shocking stuff.

No service, no creativity, no width so far.

Let's do this!

We can't play 433 till we have a proper right back.

Good news if he means what he says.

11pts But Ba captain now.

Aguero too.

Hate the sight of Carra.

Ba has been doing NEARLY ALL the converting alone, out there...Deep in enemy territory - keeping in contact with the midfield via satellite phone.

When we started to realise that the side was doing quite well (winning games/keeping it tight) I think only naturally it started to raise expectations. It's only natural at that juncture to start to look more closely at the tatics and as the team gelled (some players were revelations) we were expecting the football to improve. It's just human nature that we wanted to see better football to go along with the wins. When we started to identify the more direct approach and little player movement/freedom on the pitch and the inflexible tactics, still for a while winning was enough. But then we started losing a few games and playing badly in others we had expected to win. There in lies the catch. If we didn't have some really good players that other PL clubs clearly now covet ( and I'm sure we'll lose a couple in the summer), the methodical and practical football would probably be overlooked. But the facts are that we now realise have the core of a pretty good side and in part due to Pardews abilites (he worked wonders with both Taylor's) and the world class finishing of Ba we ALL probably want to see more from the side. Cabaye moving futher up the pitch, HBA getting a few games in a row, Krul rolling the ball out, a bit more posession football and so on.... That's where we have been mentally as suppoerters for a couple of months now, but it is partly due to Pardew that we are here and he has to live iwth that and learn form his mistakes and show us he can futher develop the side and the football. If he doesn't then there will be problems cause sometime the wins will dissapear and all his pr stuff about 'front foot football' will sound hollow.

Is there any need for this kind of cruelty?

The idea is to hit Ba early dumbo.

Viana wasn't a Dm, Luque was injured in the war it seemed and Xisco was gay.

Apparently there's some cockney down the front shouting Hit Ba! Hit Ba!

Does no one remember the bad run we were on at the time of Pardew's sacking ? A terrible run of defeats including a cup loss at Chesterfield and then a battering at Bolton. I was glad he left. He had one good season when he was at the club which was the year we were back in the Premiership and took the game to teams....like Newcastle are doing now." "Fuck knows how someone who did nothing but fail and get sacked whilst stepping down the football league ladder then blagged himself a job in the Premiership again. Seems bizarre. " I think he knew Ashley beforehand. Not sure how but he had a connection to him and Dennis Wise. In any case, I don't think he got the job because of his managerial record, whatever you think about it." How they would fit into the team? Here's how: Tevez - up front Mascherano - in midfield They're both world class players. Pretty much better than anyone we've had in the last decade. You put them in their correct positions, then build the team around them. Or you play Daily instead. I have different memories of Pardew.... Pardew took over from Brooking who had us in the promotion places at the time....and he strenghtened the team with some good Championship players but somehow finished a few places below from where he took over after some bad form The next season was much the same, he had the best squad and very nearly fucked it up and finished outside the play offs...if Zamora hadn't had so many death threats from Brighton fans and rejected Dowie and Palace when Pardew tired to flog him......i dread to think where we'd have ended up. (Zamora away to Stoke anyone?) The next season Pardew did very well, his tactics and signings were spot on. Unfortunately all that hard work in his 3rd year was undone the season he was sacked because he didn't have a clue what his best line up was and must have tried about 4 or 5 fomations at the start of the season (for example we played wing backs at Watford away) He had a decent squad at Charlton but he kept buying the wrong players (Izale McLeod cost them a lot of money and he did absolutely fuck all) I knew a Charlton season ticket holder and he hated Pardew for that. At Southampton he took over after the takeover and spent a lot of money. I got chatting to some southampton fans on a train once and they told me that Pardew's squad was one of the most expensive in terms of wages outside the Premiership yet he struggled to mount decent form to push on for automatic promotion. I know they had points deducted but they didn't even make the play offs! KUMB

Kill the fukin lot of em.

Think we might need to check the ole hammers forum.

Care to point to some examples where he hasn't worked hard for the team? Wasn't really the point - more pointing out that it is perfectly acceptable to expect talent and industry. I don't expect the good looking players to work as hard tbf.

We should nuke the site from orbit tbh.

It must be impossible to get ahead of a head like that as it were.

Tsk Tsk...You'll be branded a negative doom merchant.