Dr Venkman

We should have been tighter on Lukaku but that cross should never have come in, it was from the edge of our box ffs.

I'm not even buying this 'good games in Europe' thing tbh, it's the same as when Simpson played that game against Chelsea a while back. There's a difference between putting in a good performance and just not being totally shit.

I'm still hoping we'll improve when we get a better right back btw, so much of Pardew's mentality seems to be about covering for our deficiencies and I think that's the reason we don't get midfielders beyond the ball very much, if at all.

Thought we were good first half to be honest. We really need to work on the middle 3 passing and moving up the pitch though, it's ultimately still either a Ben Arfa dribble or a kick up the pitch, and that's not enough.

He's piss poor this lad.

Me too, and that's exactly what Pardew should be telling him, just keep the ball moving. The way he tried to win a free kick in the corner instead of doing something with the ball was pathetic.

He makes a massive difference in games like this.

He got a good assist but him and Jonas stick out like a sore thumb today in terms of being able to keep the ball moving quickly. We've been canny, Ba's playing very well, glad we've not gone 4-4-2 as we have played a bit of football. I think Ben Arfa needs more support from the middle 3 when he's on the ball mind.

Sat in my seat in St James' it looks a 4-3-3 to me. So much for the reliability of the official twitter account. We've been good imo, I still think the middle 3 need to offer more support to Ben Arfa though.

Starting games against Sunderland & WBA I don't particularly have a problem with. We're going to be playing 50+ games this season, Cisse's not in good form at all... If we go to Anfield next week however and see Shola ahead of Cisse. That's different. They have 4 centre-backs across their defence today, I don't have a problem with two wide men trying to expose a potential lack of pace in those areas and using Ba & Shola's physical presence today. Generally agree. If we were playing in the Champions League, we'd be mad not to start Cisse. But in the context of an individual game against WBA, Shola and Ba is a decent enough strike partnership to get three points. I still think Cisse should be in the team, but it's not an offensively bad decision. I'd like to think you're right but I'll be thinking of this post when Shola falls over the ball in their penalty area.

What do you think of the lineup? Wouldn't have been what I would have gone with but will see how we go. Speaking without saying anything, no offence like. Not sure what you want me to say? I would have gone for a different formation but won't throw myself on the floor kicking and screaming because we have gone for something else? Instead I will see how it pans out? Or have I still not said anything? No I get it, I just don't see anyone else kicking or screaming, given the circumstances I think frustration is perfectly understandable.

At least with Williamson/Taylor there's the fact that Taylor is just back from injury. Starting Shola ahead of Cisse based on playing long ball is very concerning.

I'm getting more livid by the second thinking about Shola starting like, I need a pint.

If you're a West Brom fan and you turn up and see Shola on the team sheet and Cisse on the bench you're laughing to be honest.

I didn't say it wasn't up to Pardew to sort it out. It's just irritating that some people think if we switch to 433 it will automagically make us play better. There's definite intention behind both formations when we deploy them though. One of them's based on long ball, not conceding and hoping that something goes in, the others based on playing football and not conceding by being in possession of the ball, plus fluidity and movement. I honestly don't understand your problem here.

What do you think of the lineup? Wouldn't have been what I would have gone with but will see how we go. Speaking without saying anything, no offence like.

Why aren't we building a system around Cisse and Ba? It's laughable this man, we've watched Shola for years, WE KNOW HE'S NOT GOOD ENOUGH.

Worried, again. Spent the first half of last season concerned about Pardew getting us playing football, he totally won me over and now it feels like I'm right back where I started.

Indeed, what could be more fluid than a constantly changing formation?

Enrique looks like something out of Con Air.

Not if I have anything to say about it. Good luck with that!

:lol: Yes, it's exactly that simple. Jesus wept. That kind of stuff is exactly the reason that I can't be arsed to post on here at the minute. I agree the "system" isn't working but it is as much to do with movement as it is to do with the actual formation. I guess football fans always think they know better than the manager though. To be fair when we play a 4-3-3 we do move a lot more than in 4-4-2, so you're correct in what you're saying but so are the people hankering for the 4-3-3, imo.

This thread is about love, joy and the celebration of Hatem Ben Arfa, stop this nonsense.

We will be losing our leading goalscorer for £7m, I will be gutted. I have little confidence we will get someone anywhere near his ability for that. That's fair enough, I don't want us to sell him, far from it. What I want to happen is for Pardew to tell him where he's playing, there's an argument that that isn't happening at the minute for whatever reason. I just happen to think that if its handled correctly him moving on could move us on as a team.

Depends on the replacement I think, we've always known that clause was there so it's nothing to be gutted over imo.