Dr Venkman

Worst post of the year, particularly 'no one has any idea what actually went on in terms of our play'. Congratulations, that's quite staggering. Blows my mind that people can watch football without actually watching it.

No offense, but this is bullshit, OK, you might not be able to play as tight and risky, but other teams with poor "footballers" manage to play it from the back ten times more often than us. I must be mistaken then, Please tell me how you are going to get the other half of our back four to play this creative football, I am keen to be enlightened further by you. By playing it to the feet of one of the midfielders? They can do that, it's a 10/15 yard pass, i can do that!

Just drop Ba back into Obertans position and start Cisse up top, we should have done it last night.

Whilst I have some sympathy with your point, it is quite easy to reverse your question and ask at what point do the players take responsibility for the football they play and how much control do you honestly think that a manager has over the mind and actions over 11 players? It is a bit of a circular debate - no-one knows what Pardew tells the players to do, but I just find it very hard to believe that Pardew has instructed the players to pump it long for 2 major reasons: 1) It is clearly ineffective and I have not seen any evidence in Pardew's managerial career to date to suggest that he is wedded to the long ball a la Allardyce. 2) We didn't use such a direct style in the first half of the season. I think the manager has complete control over how we approach games as a team and I think that the dominating tactic will out over the course of a season and when under pressure the team will revert to it no matter what, like last night. We do know that Pardew has no input on the attacking side of the game and that he spends 80% of his training time on stopping the opposition, that's a pretty clear indication of what he's telling the players if you ask me.

I wonder if the same people who watched Arsenal' slick one two touch passing last night think it's got nothing to do with Wenger's coaching? The difference in the two teams approaches was light night and day. Indeed, i imagine it's all down to the players. Keegan had Viduka, Owen, Martins, Geremi and Butt playing free flowing football at one point man

That would be your problem actually, he doesnt give anyone space, he's just not very good at stopping people, be it with a tackle or a block. You think we should try and cancel out our defensive frailties by defending, so does Pardew, I think it's completely backwards. "he doesnt give anyone space, he's just not very good at stopping people, be it with a tackle or a block" - and the end result is the opponent has spaces to run and attack Simpson directly. I repeat, I am ok with that, I am willing to take that risk, but on the other side it's Perch v Walcott FFS. You really think we could score a few goals and concede less, away at Emirates, with Perch, Willo and Simpson? Answer me, your answer is? Stop going on like Walcott's any good, he's not. To answer your question I think the performance last night is indicative of the way Pardew's got us playing, I don't think we should go toe to toe with Arsenal and try and beat them at their own game, but I reckon if he'd tried to coach a bit of attacking intent and nous into them that when we did have the ball we might have done a bit more with it as a team. He hasn't been at his best, but the same could be said for Rosicky till recently. Simply put, last night he got the man of the match which suggests that your assessment of how he played is way off. Wenger post match said it was one of the best games he has seen from Walcott, that he was outstanding. I'm in no position to argue with him. Fair enough, I was speaking more generally.

I'm not sure how much more I can read of people saying we didn't set out to hoof the ball, at what point is the manager accountable for how the team plays? And not just away at Arsenal btw, there's a bigger picture here that some people are completely ignoring. edit - and Obertan's pass to HBA deserves the same amount of praise as him tying his boot laces before the game, it was a ten yard pass on the floot into acres of space, we all could have done it.

So the shit Walcott costs us 2 goals last night. Thanks god he is shit. There is something you could criticize, like Cabaye's position and movement during the 1st half. The story is completely different for 2nd half though. May be we should blame Pards for not saying to Ashley "a new RB/LB and CB or I quit" during January. That would really solve the problem. Ok, ok, I hear you, it's not Pardew, it's the players. Been saying for months I'll finally make my mind up on Pardew next season when we've undoubtedly got reinforcements in defence.

fair do's, don't even know why i bothered to be honest, i'm just avoiding an assignment

Krul Santon Williamson Colo Raylor Ben Arfa Tiote Cabaye Jonas Ba Cisse Fucking attack them

That would be your problem actually, he doesnt give anyone space, he's just not very good at stopping people, be it with a tackle or a block. You think we should try and cancel out our defensive frailties by defending, so does Pardew, I think it's completely backwards. "he doesnt give anyone space, he's just not very good at stopping people, be it with a tackle or a block" - and the end result is the opponent has spaces to run and attack Simpson directly. I repeat, I am ok with that, I am willing to take that risk, but on the other side it's Perch v Walcott FFS. You really think we could score a few goals and concede less, away at Emirates, with Perch, Willo and Simpson? Answer me, your answer is? Stop going on like Walcott's any good, he's not. To answer your question I think the performance last night is indicative of the way Pardew's got us playing, I don't think we should go toe to toe with Arsenal and try and beat them at their own game, but I reckon if he'd tried to coach a bit of attacking intent and nous into them that when we did have the ball we might have done a bit more with it as a team.

We should've signed someone with a decent fitness record instead of Marveaux then.

People forgetting Simpson gifted the ball to Arsenal - setting up a great chance for RVP - by selling Ben Arfa short with a ludicrous pass along his own byline? HBA should have come to meet the ball. Wouldn't of needed to if Simpson just got rid. And Krul was going off with him aswell. you mean hoofed it instead of trying to play his/their way out ? there's a huge difference between clearing your lines 5 yards from your own goal line and surrendering possession endlessly and you know it

That would be your problem actually, he doesnt give anyone space, he's just not very good at stopping people, be it with a tackle or a block. You think we should try and cancel out our defensive frailties by defending, so does Pardew, I think it's completely backwards.

Unless I'm very much mistaken full back is the plan b? Not for us obviously but he's essentially a winger who got moved to full back?

If you want to be taken seriously don't start a post with a criticism of the tackling ability of our best creative player. Like two peas in a pod you and Pards.

what? sunderland have got average-poor players, they're just being carried along by new manager syndrome atm You were talking about the clubs 'around us' having plenty of average-poor players too. Liverpool and Chelsea are either side of us if you hadn't noticed. Name some of these players from the clubs around us to support you point. Our weak links are far weaker than those of the mentioned clubs, and you know it. Ok, if our weak links are in defence what's the reasoning for basing our entire game on being hard to beat? It worked earlier in the season, it hasn't been working for months and he's doing absolutely nothing about it. every good team bases their work off the ball in being hard to beat, then they become more expansive when they get possession. Yeah I know, I just think with the available players it's the wrong way to go for us at the minute, we have enough quality to beat the majority of teams if we attack them.

They'll all cotton on next season unless he sorts his approach out, can't see it though.

i completely agree

No, on the left is, but we don't do beating full backs and getting crosses in and he's had a few good performances there so he stays there imo.

Suppose a draw is best for us tonight, pretty likely too imo.

Lest we forget he's also canny good on the left, agree that given his form over the last two games we should keep him on the right though.

Considering we've been playing hoofball for those 5 games is it a surprise? didn't against the mackems, did against wolves, didn't have the ball enough v spurs to do it, didn't against villa, did at balckburn. Didn't against Mackems and Villa. What 1st halves were you watching...... Indeed

That goal against Blackburn man

Reached the point where i'll be canny pissed off if he signs a new contract. Not good enough, not getting better, get rid.