Dr Venkman

Same here. The group I was sitting with took the view that Ashley had hung him out to dry over the summer and there was little Pardew could do to turn things around with the players at his disposal. With respect, were any of them watching us at the beginning of the season? We've been shit for the entire thing so far, that falls at the managers feet imo.

I'm really holding on to the last of my patience with him now. It's so difficult when he does things like starting Shola and playing him for 90 minutes, keeping our lethal finisher out wide, and that's just the tip of the iceberg. We're constantly being told (by him) that because we're Newcastle there are a few teams we just can't compete with financially, and I accept that. There's even the fact that we're in the north east which could put players off who'd rather live in London, and I accept that too. The thing is though, we need to make up for these factors by having a manager who can make us more than the sum of our parts, the manager should be giving us an edge over opponents that we're fairly equal too, and giving us a fighting chance against the massive clubs. He's not doing any of that. I expect us to pick up a few results in the next couple of months, but I don't think it'll be anything to do with him.

I wouldn't have a problem with it if he took some of the pressure on himself and tried to ease it off the players. As far as I'm concerned if something goes wrong and you've done your job then you have the right to criticise others. He hasn't been doing his job for a long time now. It reeks of Souness.

Seriously? What did he say? 'They had more experience than us and it showed, Santon goes through on goal and if he squares it there we score and get a point.' Come on man, that's hardly blaming Santon for the overall result, just showing how quickly it could change. And to be fair he's right. Santon was awful tonight (IMO) and we would have got a point if he'd squared it. Nah, I'm not having that like. He was the only player mentioned by name and he's 1) a young lad 2) playing well this season. It was an easy excuse, just like it was an easy excuse to blame the kids last time. Where's the criticism of Tiote? Or Shola? Or more importantly himself, he needs to take some responsibility. I've had it with him now. Results may well improve a bit when we get players back but I'm beyond the point of believing it'll be anything to do with him.

Seriously? What did he say? 'They had more experience than us and it showed, Santon goes through on goal and if he squares it there we score and get a point.'

Blamed Santon on the radio. Fuck off Alan, you small time fraudster.

Delighted.

Hoping for 4-4-2 before the match, these are truly new depths.

We kicking him in aye?

Fuck off Alan.

Disgraceful decision.

I would stay back after the match and kick the shit out of Pardew, even he's not that daft though. I'm in.

was expecting 4 1/2 given his age

I don't know, did he?

I'm pretty amused by the ongoing assertion that Ba's agents are evil incarnate and that he's just going along with whatever they say. They've clearly got a lucrative joint venture going that's benefiting both parties.

the only post from the last twenty pages or so that has actually made me laugh. It'll be fucking mint

Is Anita playing tonight? thought he was still injured. I thought he was 50/50, haven't heard anything since.

Matt Debuchy on the right hand side.

Anita being involved is really important tonight, have he and Tiote played together in a 3 yet?

No, it wasn't totally wrong. 1st, he scored the goals while Cisse was (playing out of position or not) out of form at least at the start of the season. 2nd, the chance of Ba staying was always higher when he was happy. 1+1=2. You can never prove that Cisse's form would have dropped off as much if he'd been played as the middle striker of 3. Ba scored the goals, the team is 2 points above the drop zone.

I'm even more pissed off with Pardew over this pandering to Ba then I ever have been. It was never sustainable to try and keep him here by promising him his favourite position, and now he's wasted half a season trying to pull it off, just totally wrong.

Looking at the table I'm fucking terrified about this match.

Him and Saylor could be back for Norwich according to Pardew in local press this morning.

My hunch is that they've leaked that to bring all the other offers out, I strongly suspect he'll be going wherever the most money is, even if it's QPR.