Lenny

How fucking unnecessarily difficult.

Thank fuck.

This is a fucking cunting joke, Pardew has fucked this royally.

What the fuck is Pardew playing at.

Yeah that's true. You could get round that by offering a lower basic wage then an appearance fee that bumps it up. That way it's still a reward for the players performance, and a bit of security for the club if his legs fall off.

Maybe we could give him a 2 year extension where he's paid his current wage for the next two years and then a new reduced wage for a further 2 years. I know we're a club with what seems like a very strict wage cap in place, but in pure employment terms, a pay cut as a reward for consistently performing better than your peers is a really shitty incentive to carry on giving your all. He should be rewarded for how outstanding he's been and at least stay on his wages. Not likely I know but still...

Based on Pardew's comments.... Tevez

Great news..... potentially.

I always thought Nolan's technical skills were of a Premier league standard. His first touch, short passing and ball retention were all pretty decent in my eyes. I can't say I saw him often give away possession cheaply anyway. It's (obviously) his physical attributes that are of a lower pub league player that limited him.

Yep, same here. My friends think I'm insane when I tell them I think he's world class.

Saw that. This post in particular made me chuckle. "Gardner, Vaughan, Colback and Cattermole are all better than Cabaye and Tiote." Good one...

The flair went into overdrive the moment Ben Arfa came on yesterday. Tiote in particular took the piss at times with some of his flicks.

That's the main problem with Taylor at full back, his defending when someone is running at him isn't great but it's not a great deal worse than Simpson's and he can do good things - he made a great goal saving header at the back post when it would have been easy to head it past Krul, think it was just before Yakubu hit the bar - and his offensive capabilities are obvious... but he is the most likely in the team to drop a complete bollock and cost us a goal. Yeah, the back post header was what prompted me to make the comment.

Just watching the game back now. Apart from his pass that essentially cost us the goal, Ryan Taylor had a decent game. Some very good last ditch defending. Still want him out of the team sooner rather than later mind.

Another great game yesterday, as highlighted above, the way he worked the ball out of defence in the corner was class. I also loved the absolute beast of a sliding tackle he did on Hoilett (I believe it was him).

We have got some talent in this team.

Ben arfa putting the defender on his arse!

We've been class today.

Obertan is BUSY!

Tiote playing well

We look more composed than them. Class bit of play just then to work the ball out from the back.

Torn between taking Jonas or Obertan off for Marveaux. Angling towards Jonas.

The replay... Best

Tiote did well again.

We needed that.