Gallowgate Toon

Oscar the giant scores from a corner.

What are you judging him on if not this season? He wasn't exactly the standout player at Ajax. You make it sound like we got the new Wesley Sneijder off them and subsequently benched him. He wasn't, isn't and never will be anything more than a fairly solid if unspectacular player. He wasn't what we needed in the summer at all, both in terms of position and required quality, and I said so at the time. I don't think I've ever seen a fan forum as gutted as theirs to lose a player (well a player signing for us). Didn't they say one of the big reasons they went on that title winning streak, was because they moved Anita to defensive midfielder? From what I read, he was no standout footballer but had become a big part of their side.

They always had a direct game plan, it was just far more focused in the second half. They stuck 2 big lads on our full backs and hit early diagonals to create one-on-one situations, picking up the second ball more often than not as they effectively had the extra man advantage in the middle (since Sissoko was pretty much operating as a striker before Shola came on).

Oh look, Sunderland scoring another long range effort.

Incredible, isn't it? I wonder what advice Pardew has given him while here? 'Put on some muscle Vurnon, try and grow a bit if you can'. I bet Anita could put together a better attacking strategy than AP.

Technically gifted, intelligent player doesn't look good under moronic dinosaur, who'd have thought it? He'll never flourish with this arse in charge, he just doesn't have a clue how to use him.

Aye, I thought so too, bar that one daft pass.

Yes where he can be more effective, dropping back into mid if necessary, with sissoko having free reign to break at will. I would have Cabaye and Sissoko alongside each other in front of a DM ( dont care who) in a 4-3-3.... basically bring Cabaye forward 10 yards where he is atm and bring Sissoko back 10 yards. Spot on. Switching Cabaye and Sissoko in the current structure would be a compromise really, having a genuine 3 suits all parties. It wouldn't be so bad with the way Sissoko's currently playing, in terms of actual positioning, but he's pretty much used as a striker. It's absolute madness.

Just still too high up, there's not enough protecting the midfield when we're against a middle 3. He's pressuring full backs and centre halves when he should be sitting in front of the other 2 central midfielders, let the wingers go to full backs. We try some modern football tactics but that oaf in charge doesn't have the foggiest in executing them.

He's delighted with the point... In isolation, it's a decent result but taking the context of the second half and our league position, it's just not good enough. This will be enough for those above him to justify keeping him, today has just papered over the cracks once again.

It's absolutely criminal.

I seriously dislike him, sheerly for what he represents in this current set-up.

Good game, scores a goal, substituted for Shola Ameobi

It's times like this that I really wish football wasn't so closed off from fans. We have a right to ask questions and people at the club should be made to answer them. Obviously the local media should be asking said questions but they have no clue.

Shola on at the first opportunity again, takes a genuinely threatening player off who's having a good game. Jonas going to left back as well, it makes me absolutely sick, I genuinely think I could do a better job than Pardew.

Has a shocker at left back last week and that window licker in charge decides it's a good idea to stick him there again.

Great first half in general, poor in the second though. That miss, just not good enough.

He makes me inexplicably angry, I have no felt such frustration over and over again for one person. Detest him and his brand of pathetic football. He thinks he's so clever as well, completely out of his depth in this division.

No, but you can blame him for that abysmal second half, where yet again he was shown up to be completely useless in the one area that's really important for a manager, tactics.

Utter fucking embarrassment to his profession. I now hate him. Piss off to League 1 and don't come back.

This has been a disgustingly bad half.

Look how deep we are, bunch of fucking cowards.

Honestly, Pardew is a rabbit in headlights. He's probably thinking 'fucking hell, they're good, we need to buy faster players' right now, he needs to go.

Oh fuck off.

The man is a joke and a fucking fraud. Fuck off Pardew and don't ever come back.