Lotus

Can't really remember tbh, just remember watching him and thinking we've dodged a 12 million pound bullet with this lad. He was breaking down his teams attacks rather than being on the end of them Sorry Brett, i meant 'unless he's strong with his back to goal'. I really haven't seen him myself. I'm coming to the conclusion that the only Pardew will play attacking players like HBA is if there's a guy he feels confident the ball can stick to up top. Give the midfielders and defenders the option of a ball a forward can control and bring other players into the attack. If De Jong can't do that then i see no point. Will just be another player given to Pardew that he doesn't really want.

Unless he's strong with his back to goal i really can't see the point to this.

I've seen plenty of grief over the players he IS picking.

Jonas is a shrewd loan for Norwich. He will win free kicks and help to run down the clock in games they are hanging on for points in. He fits the situation they are in very well. Plus it's not like they paid any money. They need to attack teams and give it a go. I love Jonas but the last thing they need is him lumbering around on the wings, not providing for their strikers. Norwich are all huff and no creativity, pace or excitement as it is. I doubt very much Jonas will start on the LW for Norwich.

Being questioned to why he's moving on without Jonas and not explaining the situation. Can't make this s*** up I'm no fan of Jonas and i'm not that bothered with Pardew being ruthless, he ought to be with a few others but, a model pro like Jonas probably deserves an explanation don't you think? Doesn't that just seem like common courtesy? Yes, the issue is we don't know what was said between them or how it was said. Not that it matters either way like, but still think it's a bit harsh considering up until a few weeks ago people were slammed Pardew because Jonas was going to be picked as soon as he was fit. Edit: or what Brett said. I have no idea what you're on about and Pardew can be slammed for a fair few other decisions over the past few weeks, can't remember any for him 'probably picking Jonas'. You're just being defensive.

Still don't think Anita will get an extended run in the side over Tiote and Sissoko.

Being questioned to why he's moving on without Jonas and not explaining the situation. Can't make this s*** up I'm no fan of Jonas and i'm not that bothered with Pardew being ruthless, he ought to be with a few others but, a model pro like Jonas probably deserves an explanation don't you think? Doesn't that just seem like common courtesy?

It strengthens us if De Jong can regain his Dutch league form though... What is Cisse finds his EPL form though ? His Bundesliga form would be more than good enough tbh.

To do what? Nobody moves or makes runs.

He just doesn't go looking for the ball enough imo.. He's got very good control, excellent in fact, doesn't need time and space to pick a pass and has good vision and technique. Sorry to say, somewhat wasted in our team as we don't play quick, incisive passing around the opponents box and in the famed 'zone 14' progressive coaches always go on about. He would be good for teams like Liverpool/Swansea, etc. We're a very different outfit. Rather players like him moved on for the high energy types we need to make up for our lack of tactical nous.

Isn't Fabregas basically a replacement?

2 blokes on the left are clearly having fun. You only see the worst in people don't you?

W.T.F. is he wearing? Emo bitch

UV, interesting reading.

Guess the Man City fans have forgotten about De Jong on Ben Arfa. Wankers that they are.

He did have better players around him, for sure. He never really brought the ball forward though iirc. When Madrid sold him they said they wouldn't miss him: “We will not miss Makelele. His technique is average, he lacks the speed and skill to take the ball past opponents, and ninety percent of his distribution either goes backwards or sideways. He wasn’t a header of the ball and he rarely passed the ball more than three metres.” They missed him a lot though! I don't think Tiote has Makelele's positional intelligence and calmness but, there is a role for that type of player. It's just that when you have that type of player it's meant to give license to your other players to attack but Pardew doesn't have the stones to allow that. Chelsea obviously played a transition game and used him as the main recycler of possession in the opponents half. If you're going to play that type of game you need a hassler in there. When you've got an uncreative midfield and attack to begin with I just think we're compounding the problem in playing a DM. There's a place for him against City and the like and I said that at the start of the season, but at home he'll hold us back more often than not. Thing is, we don't look quite as useful when Tiote's not playing (this season). We should be more creative but that's squarely down to the coaching and preparation. We're not a pass and move team despite having enough players to be so.

Can't stand Nasri. Nastly little tyke. He's Da sounds like a right ponce as well.

He did have better players around him, for sure. He never really brought the ball forward though iirc. When Madrid sold him they said they wouldn't miss him: “We will not miss Makelele. His technique is average, he lacks the speed and skill to take the ball past opponents, and ninety percent of his distribution either goes backwards or sideways. He wasn’t a header of the ball and he rarely passed the ball more than three metres.” They missed him a lot though! I don't think Tiote has Makelele's positional intelligence and calmness but, there is a role for that type of player. It's just that when you have that type of player it's meant to give license to your other players to attack but Pardew doesn't have the stones to allow that.

I'm not joining in on this but out of curiousity, did you rate Makelele?

Actually, i was rather slow to call Tiote out for being rubbish last season. In the end i couldn't avoid it, he was woeful. Soooooooo much better this season though. We look worse without him. I also said i didn't really see what qualities Anita had to force himself into the team (last season). He's looked very good in a 3 man midfield though this season (as long as Tiote is playing). We all make wrong judgements about players. No biggie.

He has to be one of the best paid players at the club. We can't afford to have that kind of outlay on a bit part player. We need to find a replacement that Pardew likes.

Norwich handed us both goals in our win. Cardiff we had a deflection for the first goal, and against Stoke we were woeful until they started losing players through players getting sent off for no good reason. if we do it it's not because we were unlucky, it's because we f***ed up. luck is when an outside agency affects the game in a cackhanded mannner. like I say today wasn't bad luck, that decision would never have gone against man city. Well I thought we were talking about luck. The incidents I mentioned were about luck, whereas the Tiote goal being chalked off was anything but. the incidents you talked about weren't luck then. they were poor play from the oppo. (I'll include cardiff as we had been the better team) How often will teams hand you points through incredible defensive gaffes? Enough to ensure a mid table position I suppose. If you want to finish higher then you need to make your own luck. everey week. don't you watch games ? Yes I do. What's your point? the point is it happens every week. we haven't got where we are, or where we ended last season through other teams defensive gaffes etc, should we look at every other team and examine if they are quality "can't stop them" type goals against defensive gaffes ? maybe give extra goals for non defensive gaffes, have a defensive gaffe panel to sort things out ? Well where are we exactly? Out of the cups and lost 4 consecutive games. Maybe it's just bad luck. would you say it's bad luck ? We were extremely lucky against Stoke. Ref had an absolute homer.

I think Ashley's biggest problem looks like he's a poor judge of character. He doesn't know what's needed to make a successful footballing club, fair enough. He doesn't have the knowledge of who to appoint to run things, fair enough. He doesn't have the judgement to know who's a chancer and a prick and who's maybe got something about them. That's a flaw.