Tachikoma

Man, I've forgotten just how unreal he was back then.

I call it karma.

I think giving Sissoko a box-to-box role would help to mask his technical deficiencies somewhat (kind of like Ramires), and make full use of his ridiculous athleticism. Not that this is anything that hasn't been discussed a million times over by now...

I'm so desperate to see Ben Arfa get more game time that right now, I'd be happy if Pardew would just stick him upfront to partner Remy.

Well... I remember that Suarez couldn't buy a goal just a couple seasons ago.

By playing Shola up front on his own? Absolute shite. Well, last 30 minutes then if you need to be picky. If the goal was to shut the game down, it would have been MYM coming on for Shola instead.

I thought Pardew approached the second half as positively as he possibly could, Cisse was a dud but bringing him and Ben Arfa on clearly indicated that we were going for the win. We weren't defending deep out of choice, our midfield was completely overrun until Ben Arfa gave them something to think about.

Wow, it felt like we were playing a derby in the last 30 minutes.

Woohoo, now I can pretend the midweek match didn't happen

Dammit, benched Cabaye

Probably lucky that I only went down by one place after today's games :|

He is very capable of changing a game, actually. Never for the good, I'm sorry but Pardew is the worst in-game manager of all times. It's unbelievable how he has no idea to change around from his pre-game plan. Don't be If there is one thing that would improve Pardew to no end, it would be to understand that no battle plan survives contact with the enemy.

In fairness, Debuchy could have been sent off as well.

He is very capable of changing a game, actually.

We can though Neesy. We definitely have the team to. Whether we do is another matter. 1st 11 yes, squad not a chance. The depth we have in the centerbacks and strikers isn't great, but how many teams have 2 good players in every position outside the top 5? Very debatable as to what our best 11 should be anyway.

That's just how a Pardew team sets itself up, every single game ever. It does work sometimes, if the attacking players can provide a credible threat (i.e. magic) without disrupting the setup/formation/shape too much. Today, it was obvious that we just didn't know how to get through the Swansea defence, especially after they set themselves up to defend their lead. Do we have a Plan B to deal with that? Fuck no!

Not captaining Suarez tonight is going to be the worst mistake I've made this season, isn't it

In a universe where Hatem has the flu and not on the bench. It still happens even when he is fit.

Do we have exactly the same team

We'd have a 50-50 chance of scoring from that if it was Remy on the receiving end, so I don't really blame Obertan for fucking it up.

Har har. Spot on son, was the only possible outcome. It really was, we were pushing higher and higher without getting anything out of it, while Swansea had their minds set on countering us. If Debuchy hadn't pulled off that tackle a minute before they'd have scored from that instead.

Har har.

Sigh.

Can't see this game going anywhere but 2-0 to Swansea at some point.

Has he caught the flu too?