Dr Venkman

Feel the bitterness. Being honest, reading that whole thing and then seeing his short contribution underneath the quote had me laughing.

I did, the part i quoted was bollocks.

I think he prefers 4-4-2 and whacking long balls to the front man. If he was really a 4-3-3 man there's no way he'd have spent so long last season and tried to start this season playing that type of football. He wouldn't be much of a manager if he changed his formation and entire football philosophy to keep one player happy. Don't think 433 had ever been mentioned as a possibility on here up until that game That's bollocks

Since religion's involved in the debate why don't we see some figures on how many lives have been ruined by that?

If we'll only spend what we can generate, the money is does matter.

I think the truth is probably somewhere in between. He likes 4-4-2 and he's trying to keep Ba happy.

But he keeps reverting to the 4-3-3, and when he brought Shola on he put him on the right instead of moving Ba. Also, the interchanging that came with the front 3 last season hasn't happened this season, Cisse has started on the right and stayed there, Ba hasn't moved from the centre at all. Well Ba is scoring goals, why would he move him? Same reason we moved him last season, to improve the team.

But he keeps reverting to the 4-3-3, and when he brought Shola on he put him on the right instead of moving Ba (explain THAT one!). Also, the interchanging that came with the front 3 last season hasn't happened this season, Cisse has started on the right and stayed there, Ba hasn't moved from the centre at all.

I really don't think they're paying anything for the 'stadium rights'. It was probably used as a sweetener in the deal, by us. Saves us from having the whole thing be perceived as a 'failure' when we inevitably had to admit no one was interested. Seems about right to me, if they were paying anything for it the club would have said how much. More importantly if they were paying for it I find it very difficult to believe they'd call it St James Park

The main question Pardew needs to ask Ba is if he wants to play out wide (with all the interchanging that comes with it) for a great team or in the centre for a crap team.

It did last season. Cisse was bang in form Ba was bang out of form when we played that way, this time around its Cisse out wide right and Ba in the middle. Can't see them forging a great partnership with so much space between them, happy strikers are more likely to score goals and this is why Pards has not shoved Ba wide left and played Cisse central as he did last season. Ba wasn't bang out of form man, he played well and got plenty of chances, he just missed them all. An if form Ba would have taken the chances he had, I agree he had many but he was also unhappy at playing out there why risk causing issues with our inform striker by sticking him on the wing? Sure Pards is seeing it that way and is why he has left Ba central the obvious answer to that is so we can play some football and win some points

That's fucking great news about the stadium like.

It did last season. Cisse was bang in form Ba was bang out of form when we played that way, this time around its Cisse out wide right and Ba in the middle. Can't see them forging a great partnership with so much space between them, happy strikers are more likely to score goals and this is why Pards has not shoved Ba wide left and played Cisse central as he did last season. Ba wasn't bang out of form man, he played well and got plenty of chances, he just missed them all.

Are they just gonna wheel Pardew out for this press conference as well?

I'm not too bothered about the shirt sponsorship, the Wonga stadium would be a different matter though imo.

Last few have passed off without much incident, suspect with the changes it could open it up for bother again. PICKED OFF

Not make or break for him yet, he's too young for that.

Is it that gif on the previous page you're referring to? In that case - wow. Any player should be fined for dissent tbh. They're human beings man.

Completely irrelevant, Simpson has major major issues with being in possession of a football.

Fined? For over reacting due to disappointment? Are you serious?

Would like this but with Ba being our inform striker no way Pards plays it Krul Anita Taylor Colo Santon Cabaye Tiote Jonas Ben Arfa Cisse Ba I'd like to see Ferguson given another go tbh, i don't think he did anything wrong and he feel the Santon and Ferguson idea has potential to be potent, we lost due to being outnumbered in the middle and poor defending from set pieces not having attacking fullbacks. Otherwise i agree completely with your line up, it's more or less how Man Yoo lined up against us. I don't think Ferguson did a lot wrong but at the same time despite me thinking santon would be better on the right due to him being right footed i think he actually looked uncomfortable on the right and still cut in onto his left a lot. He actually looks more comfortable on the left and i think Simpson should have played right back after getting 90 minutes under his belt on thursday. Santon needs more games on the right to get comfortable imo.

Far too much pants shitting in this thread as per usual. They're shit, we're not much better, it'll be a draw.

Ba can play well out wide, we've seen it.

We don't need to accommodate Cisse, he'll play wherever the team needs him too. I take your point about the formation not having much of a chance to click, but Pardew needs to factor the squad make up into his formation choice, i.e. if we've mostly got players that fit a 4-3-3 then play it, because if the 4-4-2 falls apart as soon as you get a couple of injuries then it can't be relied on.

Fair points, how bad is Ellliot's injury btw?