Lotus

Thought Mascherano was absolutely class last night. Was Argentina's best player. Dunno if Messi was injured but he was a complete passenger. Walking about while his team mates closed Holland down. Wouldn't mind if he was saving his legs for something special but he just did nothing.

That's fine as far as speculation goes, all we can really judge him on though is how he uses the players he's got. Carr's signings aren't really suited to playing defensive football with one isolated forward, and Pardew prefers Obertan and Gosling to Marveaux and Ben Arfa. Ashley could always try backing Pardew's judgement and give him players he does trust, but then he'll be going head to head with Pulis and Hughes and they can probably do that job better. Just trying to bring something different to the thread. NPW

If we're honest, he's a professional so he must see and understand these points. It seems that he feels the risks of playing a more possession type football and pushing more midfielders into advanced positions outweighs the benefits. That might not mean he doesn't believe in them in principle, it might be that he just doesn't trust the players he has. I imagine if you sat down and watched a game of football with him he would have a fair few insightful POVs regarding tactics, strategies, players good and bad habits, etc. I think though that, if has a decent degree of perception (and i'm sure he must) it gets clouded prettily heavily when he's the one who is ultimately responsible for the decisions, i.e. the manager. He might make a good assistant manager. I just don't think he has the granite in him to manage a high level football team (by that i mean Prem division). Kind of like the guy who's full of good ideas when watching someone else play chess, can see the openings, see the potential threats, but when it's him in the chair he gets a bit clammy, then fixates on something ultimately not proving very relevant while losing the bigger picture.

I'll guess at Will Hughes.

"I'll never go hungry again!"

When you listen to the England players it's all about working hard, leave everything on the pitch, putting in a good shift, etc. We just don't out think teams. There doesn't seem to be much on the field intelligence. Working out how to pull a team around to create space in difficult areas. We're not a cerebral bunch when it comes to football

There has been really quite a few excellent Prem division forwards who never really did it at the Int'l tournaments. Rooney is in that catergory. Certainly NOT one of the 1st names on the England team sheet imo. Defence i agree with on the whole. Could see Jagielka's place under threat from a couple of CBs tbh.

Wouldn't get upset if the press links us with these players. It's as likely as there agents just trying to drum up some interest or hope for a better deal from their current club.

Odd thing to think seeing as it's been contrary to all evidence.

Tbf to Ron he reckoned Gosling would turn out to be a very good player. So far, that looks very, very far from true. We've all done it one way or another, calling a player out as potential sh*te or genius. After seeing Carroll's limp substitute apprearance against Man City a few years ago i said the long streak of p*ss would never amount to anything. Even i can be wrong.... hard to believe. Gosling will turn out to be a limited player but a good PL midfield goalscorer. It just won't be here. Like, 10 goals a season?

I'll also go on record to say that Dummet won't 'make it' at this level and i reckon Sammy Ameobi will. My arse could be bit big time here

Tbf to Ron he reckoned Gosling would turn out to be a very good player. So far, that looks very, very far from true. We've all done it one way or another, calling a player out as potential sh*te or genius. After seeing Carroll's limp substitute apprearance against Man City a few years ago i said the long streak of p*ss would never amount to anything. Even i can be wrong.... hard to believe.

Not a great fan of Tiote but we've looked decidely worse without him. Would be great to get someone better than him but that's true of the other 10 positions too. Don't know anyone who is a fan of Jonas in football terms.

It's like watching an updated version of George Graham's Arsenal. Dull as dishwater tbh.

Think we'd be unlikely to replace him with a better keeper. He may have had a very average season but so did Cabaye last year. Didn't mean he was sh*te, just that he'd had a below par season. Same with Krul.

Clearly remember a large group of away support (think it was at Fulham) going for some lads who were giving Souness some stick. That element has and always will be there.

Laudrup with Colo as player coach. Colo to take over after 2 years when Laudrup has his seemingly obvious downturn. This is based on nothing but footie wanton daydreams

I'm with Brett on this. The sooner we can get players like MYM, Anita, HBA, Marveaux, Cisse off our books the better. They've just been an anchor around Pard's neck. He needs to able to choose from players he actually wants so he can shape the team with his own vision in mind!

Remy? Hardly a flair player tbh. Give over, course he is. Well he's a player with flair who is a piece of p*ss to manage. He even looked handy in that God-awful QPR team last year, in his first half-season in the best league he's ever played in. Well the question wasn't 'name me one flair player who is difficult to manage but Pardew has managed him well?' You got an answer to your question then twist it around and say he's p*ss easy to manage so that don't count Remy's got as much 'flair' as Gouf. It's just that Remy has got a little bit more in every dept. over Gouf except perhaps out and out workrate. Sammy's got more flair than Remy. Just lacking all the other things

I wouldn't consider Remy a flair player. Very athletic, yes.

Sounds like him criticising Ashley to me...

He seems very 'inbetween roles' to me.

Not really, Colo is quite probably leaving in the summer and he'll be first choice. Nah, think not myself. We've already been told that Colo's replacement has been lined up for this summer. Whoever he is i imagine he'll partner Willo/Tayls/Someone tall.

Pardew hadn't even heard of him when we signed him, apparently. Ridiculous system we have if true. He certainly doesn't look a 'Pards Player', that's for sure. Along with Marveaux, HBA, Cisse, Anita, Gouf (he doesn't play him as a striker...).