afar

I was thinking the same thing, he actually did very well until the last kick of the game. I'd be asking more questions why he switched off if it we weren't desperately trying to flog him and make it clear he's not wanted. It'a these mental lapses that have plagued his career so far with us, much like, and I really do not want to compare him to this guy but I have to, Titus. Titus could look like a beast for 89 mins then just have a major drop in concentration and it would cost us the game. MYM really needs to work on this, I'm pretty sure that's why pardew doesn't trust him.

There's some interesting decisions for Pardew, we do actually have options. I've no idea right now which way he will go, but I think you can say the following are certain to play if fit: Krul Janmaat Colo Tiote Sissoko De Jong Cabella The big decision is does he go 4231 or 442, if he goes 442 can De Jong play in that system ? That's why he'll probably go 4231, with one of Rivere or Chucky missing out. Some competition really is: LB - Haidara or Dummett, I know which one most of us would go with but Pardew is likely to farvour the other. CB - Taylor/MYM/Wilo, Taylor and MYM have done themselves no favours whatsover at this tournament, so easy decision for Pardew to go with Wilo, unless we can sign someone but I doubt they are looking. DM - Colback/Abeid/Anita, this one shouldn't be much of a competition, but it's pardew we are talking about, Colback will beat Anita. So I predict he'll go with: Krul Janmaat Colo Wilo Dummett Tiote Colback Sissoko Cabella De Jong Rivere (Unless Chucky tears it up in the remainder of the preseason games) Now he may want Gouf in the team, to accommodate him he could switch drop Colback and switch Sissoko back in his more natural position of CM. If you look at our squad it's pretty strong in the midfield and even the forwards are looking way better, what we are lacking is quality at the back. I doubt they will address that this summer though, along with our incompetent numpty in charge of team affairs, that's why we will struggle to get higher than the place we finished last year.

Only saw the 2nd half but that was much better than yesterday. I think there would be a lot of potential in our squad with the kids we have coming through, if it weren't for the coaching they will receive

Is Williamson that much better ? The players may not be great but the mistakes and lack of cohesion find the roots in something else, we need a scapegoat and Taylor is as good as any, but MYM and Colo were just as bad today.

After today's performance, surely they have noticed that we are downright terrible at the back, that wasn't a young defence either (which of course was Pardew's excuse for the the first half performance), that was close to the first choice defence, Janmaat for MYM and that's the likely back four for the first game of the season. Colo and Saylor were abject, MYM was better going forward than going back and he wasn't very good going forward, played out of position of course but some of the stuff he did like for the third goal, it made no difference where he was on the pitch if you do that you deserve to be punished. Hadiara was probably the pick of an awful back four. So we clearly need to buy, but it's more than that, defensive coaching at the club right now has to be downright terrible. The stuff we witnessed at the end of last season and resurfaced again today just is not acceptable for a professional football club, never mind one in the top division in one of the world's top leagues. Thank goodness we showed imagination flair and guile going forward...not. Preseason results, as we all know mean nothing, but preseason performances can be telling and that was as abject an overall performance as you could ask for. It's not all the players fault, the group of players is a lot better than that, it's something more worrying and less likely to be fixed. He's killing our football club and no matter who we sign this off season, this club is going nowhere under him.

The cost really doesn't effect us supporters, it's really immaterial. But if it prevents us from buying other players then it's a factor. 13 million is probably a fair price for him tbh, especially when you look at other deals for strikers, this guy has proven he can score goals in this league. The thing that muddies that "value" of course is this 8 million release clause that Liverpool triggered. I'm of the opinion if we can get PEA and Remy for about the same price we roll the dice on PEA being able to adapt to the PL rather than Remy but if that's not an option Remy would be a welcome addition.

You kind of contradict yourself here, but I tend to agree with the first thing you said, he did do alright, finishing with only 14 goals though was somewhat of a disappointment after the start he made. Injuries obviously played a part in that but that's also got to be a concern, his durability to me, despite what Harry says is suspect and not likely to get any better the closer he gets to 30.

We fly out to Germany tomorrow. There is no way we are signing anyone until after we come back on Sunday/Monday. I thought Charnely did all the negotiations what part of the process is Pardew and the team needed for ? I said Ideally, I don't think it will happen either though but not for that reason, tbh as long as a striker and Grenier are signed before the window closes I'll be happy.

My biggest concern here is that this will distract us from other targets like PEA or whatshisname at Lyon. Think either of them would be a better investment (and lets face that's what our players are to our owner) than Remy. I would like to see us wrap up a striker plus Grenier by the end of this week, to give the whole squad time to gell for the new season.

LOL, so true

The more I think about this, the less I want him back, unless we've exhausted all other possible avenues. 27 is close to the top of our age range too, if there's a health issue his resale value will be hit, and we know that's the biggest driving factor in our purchases. I can't see Ashley sanctioning over 10 million plus 80-100k in wages.

Plenty will, including my mum to send me one in the mail

Living abroad and not really aware of the Wonga company, the patch really doesn't bother, in fact I find it a bit more palatable than the BET <Insert Chinese lettering> sponsors a lot of prem clubs have. The chevy sponsorship on the Manure tops, although a much more respectable company just looks uly I dunno why, that big gold logo of theirs just doesn't seem to fit on that shirt.

I don't actually mind it, prefer to last year's kit but that was a really low bar. One thing I am noticing though is, the stripes are getting in the way of kit design for these manufacturers, they are doing their best to remove them, West Brom's kit this year follows Southampton's decision to doaway with their stripes, I wonder if we will follow suit some day ?

I've been asked it a number of times mostly from people (generally women) with no interest whatsover in sports. I do tend to wear away shirts more than the black and white stripes for some reason, whether that's my subconcious telling me to not let people think you are a referee or not I don't know. I wear last seasons blue denim away shirt way too often, love that shirt.

I think the unproven in this league is a bit silly tbh, so too were Ginola, Robert and Cabaye and it didn't work out to bad with those guys. We were never going to sign a million players this close season, 6 is already a pretty huge jumped from their stated policy of signing one player a season. I would be happy if the added PEA and Grenier to the signings made so far, think that would make it a pretty darn good window. The centre backs are still an issue and buying an upgrade for Wilo/Taylor while letting one of them go would make it a perfect window IMO.

Weren't we paying his wages last year ? Had a sneaking feeling all close that we would end up with Remy.

Oh fuck off you boring cunt

Yes, fuck off Sissoko haters

Fuck off horne, his hands are above his head, clear yellow

If he had just stayed on his line, he could have dropped his cap on that header

Just what we didn't need, terrible by Krul

N-O tailgate for next year's accounts? I can't wait to feast on boiled sausage and tinned beans. They don't do tail gates over there but it is like the cup final for a lot of people on the board isn't it ?

We are so fucking ungrateful and delusional of course, here's a comment from that sky piece: "All you Geordies need to get off Ashleys back.... i can't believe he's put up with you for all this time. He plough's his own money into the club, you have no debt and are secure in the Premier League.... take a look around at what some chairmen are doing at the likes of Hull (changing their name) and Cardiff (playing in red) etc.... There's clubs that have their very future in doubt due to being millions in debt due to bad management and/or going into administration" http://www1.skysports.com/football/news/11678/9184452

Think that it's very good tbf. Maybe the third best after Remy and Debuchy. That chance that he had at Chelsea would have been a classy goal if he could finish it off. Agree, this blind Sissoko bashing is just boring as fuck tbh.