ElDiablo

Got a few quid on Arsenal QPR Watford Bolton Milwall

Awh, really?

Last season's success has come back to bite us on the arse this summer, Ashley will have assumed we're good enough to be able to repeat the feat again without major investment. But, when you factor in the inevitable loss of luck regarding injuries and Ashley's policy of buying good investments rather than players to fill a squad and ideology, this malaise was always just around the corner. It's also why I have an ounce of sympathy with Pardew and think everyone's jumped on his back too quickly. (Wigan is huge for him) This requirement to do everything on the cheap and Ashley's treatment of players as investments and stock, rather than what they are, footballers who are part of a team that requires a deeper thought and recruitment process, will always be main thing holding us back as long as he's here.

Nobody worth having would come to work under Ashley. The only ones would be lower league managers and there's no way Ashley would go to the trouble to sack Pardew only to replace him with someone unproven.

So glad I'm so busy at the moment so I don't have time to dwell on us doing so badly. Nearly collapsed at work when I checked the score on my phone and it refreshed from 1-0 to 2-1, felt like I'd been gut punched.

Fancy a Harvester.

He's always been good at identifying issues, but not as good at finding ways to resolve them. Nevertheless, "we have looked at all the problems we have had" is slightly encouraging.

Krul Simpson Williamson Taylor Santon Tiote Anita Obertan Jonas Ferguson Ba

At work.

The annoying this is, I don't mind longer ball football, if you get players in and around the ball for the knockdown, players know where to stand etc. We lump it to Ba and no cunt is within 10 yards of him. Someone, usually Anita or Bigi, then rushes to close their player down, they pass it round them and they're away. We not playing anywhere near as a team and it's fucking horrific to watch. To compound this, we're fucking diabolical in possession, on and off the ball. So this process gets repeated time and time again. EITHER ALL PRESS, OR SIT BACK COLLECTIVELY. It's so fucking obvious which is the most annoying thing.

Ban this sick filth.

Madrid should play a reserve side against Ajax for the craic. Wouldn't put it past Mou.

Bit ott in the language a few times, but generally sums it all up really well.

We're gonna win the FA Cup.

The team is so unorganised, for so much defensive work done in training we're piss poor at winning the ball back and have no idea what to do when we lose it. Losing faith fast.

Apathy descends.

This is....

We're disorganised as fuck when running towards our own goal, Taylor runs all over the place and Williamson drops off 10 yards leaving an acre for them to run into. Need to stop them running at will at the defence.

Saw Woodman wandering about in the main square in Bruges as we were having lunch. Came and sat in our restaurant and had a coffee. Possibly NWOAP.

Massive game for Pards, we've been playing badly yet picking up points, until last week when things took the turn they were heading for a while. This week he has to respond because last week's game was finally conclusive proof that something's wrong with tactics, whilst before there was a lingering doubt thanks to our points tally. Fwiw I think we'll respond well and get a win. The West Ham game might be something we've needed in a bizarre way. We need to start pressuring higher up the pitch and give the front six more creative license. 2-0

Ruddy Sagna Skrtel Ferdinand N Taylor Granero Fellaini Dembele Ben Arfa Tevez Hazard Subs Al Habsi O'Shea Diame Lambert Ruiz Morrison Bent