themanupstairs

To be fair we did put in a fantastic performance at Spurs last season. Up until we scored in the 13th minute of course.

Do fullbacks ever play well on the wing though? I can't think of any real examples. A lot easier to attack coming from deep on the overlap than it is starting as a winger. Garef Baiu

I think I'm the only man on the planet who preferred the other goal Cisse scored that day. From a technical perspective it definitely was the better goal. The second goal just looked better.

Some of the most audacious Rabonas I've seen have come from Quaresma, but even then, none of his that I can remember were executed quite so perfectly! This is up there with Ginola's outrageous goal against Ferencvaros in terms of lush goals in obscure Euro game.

Agree completely. Should be left side of a front three in a 4-3-3. The very position he did so well from to get the goal. Willing to bet good money that if used in that position consistently, then he would dramatically increase his end product in terms of goals and assists for us in our current situation. Pardew is too short-sighted and ignorant to see it though.

Sorry like but he isn't a winger. He is a 433 forward. Nathan Dyer and Jesus Navas are orthodox wingers. Gabriel Obertan is a channel forward made to cut inside and provide a few tricks. He doesn't have the directness of an orthodox winger. Edit: He could easily have the physical attributes to be a winger of course. What I mean though is that throughout his footballing education he hasn't been moulded or groomed to be a winger. Pardew is just completely mis-using him.

That's new. Apart from his slip last season he's been anonymous for the best part of 3 years.

Completely unfounded bollocks. I wasn't at the match so I couldn't see his full off the ball movement, but what I did see on the box was definitely nothing like a brilliant defensive shift. He stood around with his mouth gaping watching Nugent waltz past him and put in a glorious cross for Ulloa. David f***ing NUGENT! You do realise Gouffran is a striker don't you? Not a winger, not a central midfielder - a striker. This guy has been Pardewed more than any other member of our first team FFS! No wonder he's standing around not knowing what a defensive wide player should do, he isn't one. Oh I realize that believe me! Just making the point that he's so poor defensively and we can all see it, yet al pards continues to persist with him there because he gives us a "solid honest effort" and "tracks back" and "puts in a tackle". He clearly does none of those things, yet the radio seems to think he put in a brilliant defensive shift.

Completely unfounded bollocks. I wasn't at the match so I couldn't see his full off the ball movement, but what I did see on the box was definitely nothing like a brilliant defensive shift. He stood around with his mouth gaping watching Nugent waltz past him and put in a glorious cross for Ulloa. David Fucking NUGENT!

Yup

depends on your outlook and what you want the player to do, if it's track back and cover the fullback and have virtually zero attacking impact then there's certainly a choice to be made between the two That is a complete fallacy though. Gouffran runs around a lot but gives his full-back no actual protection whatsoever. I don't blame him because he's not a defender, but our left-back is as exposed now as he would be given zero protection from anyone else. Gouffran in this role has one trademark move and one trademark move only, to come short infield, give it back, turn and run forwards. He literally contributes nothing else apart from being the 11th player on the pitch. Pardew knows nothing about football so he simply cannot spot this it seems.

Gosling? Obertan achieved far more scoring the winning goal for NUFC last weekend than Gosling ever did in his time with the club. Obertan is shit but not Gosling shit!

Krul getting sold for about 10m will get it to make sense in the mind of the owner.

This. It's not rocket science. It just continues to re-affirm that Pardew is a cowardly impostor who will play his favorites no matter what, putting his ego ahead of what's best for the team.

Stevie Jizz is finished man. Contributes absolutely nothing unless it's a penalty kick or Everton are the opposition. Rodgers should have the balls to "rest" him.

http://i.imgur.com/gECGEMk.png?1 Although that's 9 played and there are still others with 5 or 6. Aye but most of those I leaped above in my mates league have Costa as captain and A.N. Random as vice. I don't think I'll stay in the top 100 after the week's done, but it's a very good week nonetheless to make up ground on the Costa © twats.

Went from about 300th place up to 67th in the NO league this week

99% of the "good" moments he produces come when he's on the left and can cut in. If the fucker must play, he should play there ahead of Gouffran who is shockingly tragic at left midfield.

Alongside Aguero and Welbeck

I have absolutely no idea why the stupid c*** (al pards) doesn't see that the only good things Obertan produces come when he's playing in an advanced position on the left hand side. He just seems a million times more comfortable there than anywhere else on the pitch. For some reason his dribble and vision on that side can really do some damage to the opposition that he just doesn't show on the right wing. PLAY HIM ON THE f***ing LEFT!!! ENOUGH GOUFFRAN! That's if he MUST play of course. Obertan is a left forward in a 433 and nothing else. Rant over.

76 pts before bonuses with Di Maria and Sigurdsson to play.

He just scored? has he? livescore is so fucking shit

gift keeps on giving lolz

Aguero and Pelle © doing the job this week. Welbeck has to go now. Useless.

This. Utterly embarrassed and gutted at what it has become. Hopefully this works in our favor and we play really badly. The fans could snap having their patience already been tested by the long queues outside. Fingers crossed.