Interpolic

I don't see how they were the only tactics we could have employed and we just got unlucky. We could have tried to attack them without going fucking apeshit and putting Rob Elliott up front but we didn't, we held on like fuck for nearly the whole first half without trying to score a goal ourselves. There are other ways to overturn a first leg deficit, in fact nearly every time you see a first leg deficit overturned in Europe it's as a result of a team getting after the other from the first whistle, taking advantage of complacence and scoring goals to get them shellshocked. We undersold ourselves by waiting so long to even try.

I really don't think there was any excuse not to have one attack of note in the first 40 minutes of a game we needed to win 2-0 like. There is a balance to be struck.

I think Benfica would have something to say about that like, since they did more than enough to win both games. You don't think we could have won both games? Cisse hitting the post twice first game, two offside goals this game, Ben Arfa putting over from about 16 yards out, the two massive individual fuck ups costing us two goals... Fuck it, not going to bother. Pardew's fault, his tactics didn't give us a chance etc.. Sentence I've bolded, will you piss off with that rubbish - I'm sick of trying to have sensible conversations about this and having that kind of shite thrown around. First bit - I'm saying on the balance of play they deserved to go through, no bother. Also, if I was a neutral I'd say I was glad to see the far more positive side go through.

This is getting staggering now.

I think Benfica would have something to say about that like, since they did more than enough to win both games.

We barely even tried to win the game tonight, man.

Oof, was convinced that would go in.

Would rather watch the game mate

M'Biwa playing like an idiot twice in a minute there.

Go away.

Intelligent play there, got us out of a risky situation.

Fuck, I was having a piss - come on!

Stop fucking about you Portuguese twats, you're going to eat into the 20 minutes we've allocated to try to win the game!

Fuck off, it's a sore subject.

Soooooooooo offside.

Ask your brother, I'm a hater so my opinion's probably worthless.

Aye, the lions would maul the sheep basically. You've had a mare (harrrrrrrrr) there like.

Exactly, either some people are thick as s*** or they're deliberately choosing to whinge for no reason. blinded by hate tbh. what's your excuse then? im not whinging mate. I was referring to the blindness bit. Im not blind Im seeing us doing what Pardew said we would do, and im waiting to see how it pans out- I think its a sensible approach. Well, I hope you're right. I'm not sure how it is a sensible approach, I've been watching European football for a long time and can't recall many losing teams ever doing this in the 2nd leg - they'll normally try to score, because like, they need to score to win. Pardew's just a pioneer though, no bother. Nowt to do with his overriding negativity at all. Hard to disagree on the night like. Never seen anything like this before in a knockout tie.. Exactly. Thanks, I'm not going mental.

They were calling for him after half an hour.

Exactly, either some people are thick as shit or they're deliberately choosing to whinge for no reason. blinded by hate tbh. what's your excuse then? im not whinging mate. I was referring to the blindness bit. Im not blind Im seeing us doing what Pardew said we would do, and im waiting to see how it pans out- I think its a sensible approach. Well, I hope you're right. I'm not sure how it is a sensible approach, I've been watching European football for a long time and can't recall many losing teams ever doing this in the 2nd leg - they'll normally try to score, because like, they need to score to win. Pardew's just a pioneer though, no bother. Nowt to do with his overriding negativity at all.

Still being dominated.

Ian, you're a good guy, but honestly you'd sound less daft if you just said 'I agree with everything Pardew does' and leave it at that. I suppose other people just hate everything by default, so it's not that bad an idea. He set out his plan before the game, it's debatable whether it's the right one obviously. But it's not pathetic, mental or ridiculous is all I'm saying. If we'd conceded a goal from one of the myriad of chances they had first half, what would we have done then? Exactly, people are going on like we've played a blinder by choosing to have no attacking threat for 45 whole minutes, and we nearly conceded anyway.

Exactly. Fair enough some fans would rather we just went at them and fuck the consequences, but Pardew's approach is obvious. We'll see if it works. It's always one or the other. Aye, I wanted us to play 10 up front.

Every match is eye-wateringly shit to watch, and every match the same people are accused of being negative for saying so. I hope to God we get the 2 goals we need in the 2nd half but this really isn't the only (or actually the smartest IMO) way to go about it.

Exactly, either some people are thick as shit or they're deliberately choosing to whinge for no reason. blinded by hate tbh. This is such bollocks. Thoroughly negative first half and I'd say the same if I was watching a Ferguson Man Utd team or whoever. Our gameplan is always negative, I have a problem with it and so do others, get over it.