thenige

MOTM for me by a distance. Thought Haidara did a pretty good job down the left too.

Just got back from the game, stating the obvious, very impressive first half, dreadful second. Think it was more to do with WBA changing things and our lot having no idea how to counter it other than the 'famous' Plan B of putting Shola on and hoofing it. Desperate stuff. Some really cringeworthy stuff from some of our lot too. Some bloke behind me was cheering Lukaku on as he ran at Jonas, hoping that Lukaku would score so Pardew would see how crap Jonas is at full back. Lost count how many times Jonas and Elliott were called c**ts by our own fans. Bit pathetic really.

Surely the whole point of people howling with derision at a linesman who's flagged one of our players offside (when he clearly is) isn't so much about football fans stupidity, but about applying more pressure on the linesman to not give one of our players offside next time? Likewise I'm assuming people shout abuse at other teams players to put them off rather than some irrational hatred. Although there are of course exceptions to this rule. Saying that, I'd prefer if our lot concentrated more on getting behind our team rather than spending time shouting at Di Canio etc. Nothing better than the roar that generates when we're on a fast attacking break. And not much worse when it breaks down horribly and there's the collective groan which inevitably follows.

Seeing as most of the pinpointed culprits have been described as idiot kids who can't really remember when Newcastle was a proper industrial city, I have to say there's not much merit in that. Think the Di Canio facisim thing is completely irrelevant and has only been jumped on by people willing to make something out of nothing (Milliband included). Basically our fans were crying about such a poor result and performance and felt seeing as we couldn't beat them on the pitch, we'd do the mature thing and try and beat them and the police senseless. Absolutely disgusted by the actions of these 'so-called' fans and the club 100% did the right thing stating these people are the absolute morons they are. Much like that Darlington pre-season game. Some of our fans are nothing more than idiots, who barely should be allowed to go out of their front doors, let alone allowing them into public places with other human beings. And to be fair, the press rather than the club have made a hell of a lot more out of these 'fights' than the result. I don't think the club are hiding the on-field troubles behind this in the slightest. I also think this forum isn't portraying the overall 'footballing' opinion about how at risk Pardew's job is at the moment and how dissatisfied people are. His long 'sacking' odds backs that up.

Bookies odds for him to be sacked next? 66-1.

And has Everton playing far more like a Stoke than a Swansea.

Crossing the ball in early and hoping it lands favourably off Cisse/Ameobi's head shouldn't be our primary strategy. Don't think he's weak, either. This. Those bloody diagonal crosses from deep into the box are absolute toilet.

This to be honest. Last thing we all need after a result like that is the 'I told you so's' joyously dancing on their keyboards. Bollocks. Complete bollocks, considering some of the holier than thou sneering we've been putting up with for over a YEAR now. If you thought this guy was good at his job you were fooled, drink your f***ing medicine. Is there enough to pass round to the panel that appointed him Manager of the Year last season?

Christ, people now suggesting we replace Pardew with Harry. I've heard it all now. Go put your heads back in The Sun and get some more footballing opinion ffs. People complain about naive tactics Pardew and they want captain 'go out there and just play lads'? Let's think about the long-term by appointing a 66-year old who looks like he's about ready to keel over.

No offence, but a great number of people who moan about Pardew do so because of his negative tactics and unattractive football - then you suggest we go out and appoint someone like Moyes? Do you watch Everton much?

He didn't. When he came back on the bench Thursday he was playing Fifa on his phone.

This to be honest. Last thing we all need after a result like that is the 'I told you so's' joyously dancing on their keyboards.

Rose is a decent player but a bloody liability. Just doesn't know how to make a slide challenge without maiming someone.

Considering Hiadara is only just back from injury, played 90 on Thursday and may be wary of crazy challenges I can see why Pardew didn't pick him today. Still bloody wish he had mind.

Absolutely dreadful today. In fairness was played 'out of position' but some of his passing was horrendous wherever he would have been playing. Just looked shattered from Thursday.

Thought he was probably our best player out there today. Won challenges, went up for every header with conviction and always made himself available for the ball.

I don't understand people saying things like this, that would be the worst time possible to replace a manager. Yeah you're probably right, we did it once with Bobby and it was a shocking decision. Not really thinking straight about it after that performance. On the one hand I really do think finishing 5th and signing the players he has deserves to give him more time. On the other, given how we've played for the majority of the season (even taking injuries and not really replacing Ba into account) I wish we had a manager who could get us playing in a more entertaining fashion. Basically what I'd like is a real life Football Manager holiday scenario where we could holiday for half of next season and if the players have gelled and we're doing great keep him, if it's this same old clueless nonsense, get rid and start the season again

Did I want Pardew in the first place? - No Do I think he sets his teams out of play attractive football? - No Do I think there's an obvious man out there to replace him? - No We've chopped and changed so much in recent years and it's got us fuck all. Rebuilding processes that never get done before the next man is sacked. Given the squad he's built (or Carr has), I'd look around for a potential replacement in the Summer and give him the first 5 games of next season. Failing that, see if Laudrup is a sadist and wants the job.

Players can take a lot of blame today too. Everyone got it wrong. And that fucking linesman. Not many can come out of this with a head held high.

I really thought he was poor last night. He just doesn't seem to be penetrative enough with the ball and for someone who is so well schooled you'd expect him to look less nervous when on the ball. He rarely seems to win a stand up challenge either. I think he could become a good player given time and despite saying all this he did have a brief run in the team where he looked a proper player. Just haven't seen much of that recently when he's been given the chance.

Big picture is he's not good enough agreed, but is there a replacement out there who would want to come to us and could make us play better football? Especially considering the financial restrictions we're under compared to sides people expect us to be competing against? We don't have London as bait, we can't pay players £80k a week because we're highly unlikely to break into the top four and get all the money that comes with it and Ashley clearly has faith in the man who got us to 5th last season. I just think constantly griping about every single thing he does just isn't worth it. I think when he gets things right he should get the credit for it and when he gets things wrong he should get blamed for it. It's just being a football manager isn't that clear cut, a player won't always do what you tell them. And do you really think he wants Shola as his 2nd choice striker? He's not that deranged.

See this post epitomises the Pardew lovers view. Your post is so contradictory that it makes me want to vomit to be honest. You want to defend him trying to contain Benfica while still playing to our strength which what you posted wasn't defending or containing. Go take a walk and then re-post because that is absolutely dreadful. And as for Anita, he was actually having a decent game. You do realise you defend as a team right? He picked a side to contain a free-flowing fast paced attacking side. He knew very well the game would have been dead had they scored first, not only from a perspective of being that many goals down, but from the fact both the crowd and the team would have been completely deflated. So pushing on early with a weakened back-line would have invited Benfica to come back at us on the counter - which they had the exact players to do. With only a fairly limited defensive line to protect Krul would have been a crazy gamble. Containing the a very strong opposition then bringing on two creative outlets and more attacking threat for the last third of the game made much more sense. Being fresh, Marv and HBA had much more time, space and opportunity to create havoc with the game still in the balance and the Benfica players being tired. He picked Anita to contain but I don't felt he performed well enough. It basically meant Sissoko dropped deep and Jonas spent the entire first half protecting the full back. If Anita would have done his job a bit better we perhaps could have more space to create more going forward. Likewise Bigi aside from one decent clipped through ball didn't really justify his selection.

I really think some people really have an overinflated opinion on how good some of our players are. We started a game with a back four which included Simpson, Williamson and Hadiera and people expected Pardew to go for broke with only Cabaye as real protection? Thought Anita looked dreadful today unfortunately. He's not penetrative enough with his passing to sit deep, nor is he great running with the ball and he seems to lose nearly every tackle he goes in for. Still have hopes that he'll get better mind. We missed Tiote today, even if he's been all over the place this season, at least when he goes in for a tackle he'll win the ball or take the man out.

Love this kid, just kept going and going tonight.

I love the way people blame Pardew for how everything that happens in all our games. Did no one see Benfica harassing us and getting pretty much everyone behind the ball every time we even looked to attack first half? I swear some people just see a football pitch with only our players on it and just expect us to tear teams to shreds. We lost this tie because of two brain lapses in the first leg from players. We had a game plan, scored two (rightly) offside goals and had a side who have been on an incredible run completely under the kosh, hammering the ball away in a panic. I personally think we can be proud of how we played tonight and Pardew deserves credit for picking a side that kept us in this tie until it was there to be stretched. Tired legs were much more at threat for the likes of Ben Arfa and Marveaux tonight.