Dr Venkman

Aye it was mint, felt like a lot of relief mixed with joy and a bit of a surprise for a lot who'd never heard of the new lads. My dad commented that you'd think we'd won the league at the end, all of the players doing laps and everyone staying to cheer them off. Was fucking ace.

He's got a great first touch.

This fucking guy.

I'm hoping all our players have their headphones on at half time....

I'd be very happy with a draw today, I'd even accept a defeat, my only hope going into games like this is that I don't have to watch us get Pardewed.

Out of interest, what will your thoughts be on Pardew if he starts Jonas again? I remember you saying a while back that it was an issue for you.

It's a pretty short debate imo.

Just Pardew.

These posts are from 12 months ago. We've now got the upgrades in the first team, let's see how he gets on. I agree, which is why I've accused him of bottling it a few times this season, Liverpool was the worst. Like I said elsewhere it's only gonna take one or two upgrades to the first team for Pardew to look like the weak link every single week unless he changes his mindset.

Krul Debuchy Mapou Colo Santon Goufffran Cabaye Anita Sissoko Obertan Cisse

You don't, but you'd need to be "in the business" to make that judgement worth anything. If you have seen anyone who you believe can't act, on TV or in a film, (and there are a few I would agree with the sentiment) you (and I) are wrong, they may not act as well as some others, but they can absolutely act, otherwise they wouldn't get "the gig" and even if "poor" they are better than whoever else was available. I'm assuming you are in the business as you are very dismissive of other opinions here so fair enough, I'll respect your professional opinion. Can you explain to me the value of centre forwards being pushed to the right wing when the main threat is coming from the opposition winger down that flank? I'm not dismissive of opinion, I am dismissive of hysteria. I understand my "opinion" holds little water and that in the scheme of things I know ferk all. Won't stop me having said opinion, but certainly stops me getting upset about stuff, because as fans we REALLY don't know what we are talking about. You dismissed my comments about Krul above (or on a page or so ago), was simply stating a fact, a goalkeeper making saves is what he's paid to do, the fact he does that should not be classed any different, or as exceptional, to players making tackles or acurate passes in terms of contribution to a result. IF the keeper is left with "no chance" by the team/defence that's different. The team won, be happy. this guy's great

You don't, but you'd need to be "in the business" to make that judgement worth anything. If you have seen anyone who you believe can't act, on TV or in a film, (and there are a few I would agree with the sentiment) you (and I) are wrong, they may not act as well as some others, but they can absolutely act, otherwise they wouldn't get "the gig" and even if "poor" they are better than whoever else was available. Early contender for worst post of the year.

It's the opposing teams though wullie. I mean really, WHAT are we supposed to do when they get a head of steam up? Hit back at them with better players? (like Man U and Arsenal did to us and we could do to most of the league). Don't be ridiculous, everyone knows that you're completely at the mercy of what the other team will allow you to do. You just go with the flow and react in this football lark, it's easy.

So why can't Pardew change game's at HT then as clearly proven by the stats? Why can't he counteract to when the opposition make changes? why would he change things at half time in a game we're dominating? He didn't his team talk was " more of that". Lambert changed things because he had to. Pardew struggled to come up with an answer to their changes....but the best alternative I have heard is Sammy Ameobi would have made all the difference. Clearly that is bollocks. He clearly did change things as we sat about 10 yards deeper 2nd half, like we did against West Brom, Swansea, Reading etc this season and the tactic was to kick it longer. Just because Villa went for it doesn't excuse why we utter shite all 2nd half, he's paid as manager to sort that out and his answers to it were utterly predictable and made no change whatsoever. it was backs to the wall after villas resurgence. Not a defensive change that invited villa into the game. I was disgusted with Pardew changes against Reading. But this was nowt like that. He does it in every game man, every time we're ahead, what the fucks going on here?

Pardew blamed for the second half but not praised for the first half. The inconsistency of an agenda laid bare right there. He doesn't deal in breaking down the opposition, he deals in stopping them. When the opposition have little to offer in attack you get first halves like that, then Pardew gets to them and you get second halves like that.

Us sitting back is the common denominator, it simply happens far too regularly to attribute it to the opponents.

tactics probably the same as the first but they never responded from the whistle in the second half. the players never responded to the higher pressure and tempo. Probably the same? Or looking at all of our other performances under Pardew, were they probably different? Given that we almost always concede initiative if we're winning. looking at today we didn't have the ball enough to see if we'd changed tactics. one thing for definite, cabaye and sissoko had nowhere near the movement looking for the ball and working in the second half, or was that pardews tactic, stand still 35yds out and don't even trail back ? I don't know what his exact instructions are, but we can all see the effect of them, can't we? and if the instructions were "just keep it going, more of the same" but we couldn't live with the tempo ?, we were without an effective central midfield for the last 35mins. I'm talking about the big picture here, which I did with my first post but you seem to just be ignoring it. I don't think it matters what the instructions were. We can all see that whatever instructions Pardew gives to the team when we're ahead results in a collective shitting of pants and handing over of initiative. It's been one of the main themes of his time here. So when it happens again tonight specifics don't matter imo, it's just more of the same management.

tactics probably the same as the first but they never responded from the whistle in the second half. the players never responded to the higher pressure and tempo. Probably the same? Or looking at all of our other performances under Pardew, were they probably different? Given that we almost always concede initiative if we're winning. looking at today we didn't have the ball enough to see if we'd changed tactics. one thing for definite, cabaye and sissoko had nowhere near the movement looking for the ball and working in the second half, or was that pardews tactic, stand still 35yds out and don't even trail back ? I don't know what his exact instructions are, but we can all see the effect of them, can't we?

tactics probably the same as the first but they never responded from the whistle in the second half. the players never responded to the higher pressure and tempo. Probably the same? Or looking at all of our other performances under Pardew, were they probably different? Given that we almost always concede initiative if we're winning.

I can see his thinking playing a tackle instead of Anita, ultimately we need to accept that we're lumbered with a safety first manager. He will not change.

Agreed but unfortunately the line up will probably dictate the result. Of course you're right, it always does. I just mean it's probably best not to worry too much about the lineup at this stage.

All accounts suggest he's pretty brilliant with the players behind the scenes. Easy to doubt it when we're losing obviously. I pretty much just posted this for you, should have been a PM really

It's all about the result tonight, the line up is neither here nor there tbh.

sounds like Pardew's done his bit, credit where it's due

I do know a bunch of sunderland lads who play semi regularly, they're a canny bunch. Could set it up. As long as it's nowhere near derby day we'd be fine, maybe in the middle of the summer so tensions are at a low?