Hughesy

What a strange thing to say. First, is it actually that easy to pinpoint what any manager is good at? Especially when you then try and pull apart each quality and attribute it to someone else. Do you think Wenger scouts all the players he buys himself? No, he has a scouting team for that. However, ask people what Wenger's qualities are and the first thing people will say is his ability to buy young, unproven talent. Second, you don't think he got all the substitutions right today. Show me a manager who does? You seem to be expecting a 100% success rate. It isn't a science - you can see why Pardew didn't change anything at half time bearing in mind we could/should have been 3 up by then. We could go round in circles on this one - but seriously, we've had two dodgy results all season (one of which was understandable given our lack of options) and people are having a go at Pardew?!?! We are in 6th place for God's sake with a pretty small squad! Where did you expect us to be? What does Pardew have to convince the doubters that he is doing a good job? And you wonder why NUFC fans have a reputation for being deluded? Absolutely staggering overreactions.

Agreed. Agreed

100% agree. Never really did it for me that goal. Still can't quite see what people think is so good about it.

That's why he is wearing a sports bra.

I had wondered what that creature was... http://www.canaries.co.uk/page/NewsDetails/0,,10355~1466346,00.html

Still think the second one was a better goal than the first.

The stats of ben arfa is good for mifdfield or winger but he plays not lot of game in season 25 (perhaps the coach don't like a player who say shut up pardew bitch never ben arfa had played season clash with coach every time) 109 games holder 63 x decisive (30 goals and 33 assists ) For 120 min play/ one goal or assist for example nasri 300 min plays for one goal or assist example sanchez 130 min play/for on goal or asssist.Every year ben arfa plays >= 8 goals 8 assist for 25 games The only problem he comes back injury if he not plays he is not recovery Yeah Hughsey. Shut up. I would love to shut up - but I just don't understand a single of word that has just been said. Currently trying to follow that post through word by word and saying it out loud to see if it helps..

Although I realise that stats do not tell you the full story in football, I was a little concerned to look at HBA's stats for goals and assists in his career. As a quick disclaimer - I am not jumping on either the 'HBA is rubbish' or 'HBA is amazing' bandwagons.. more just an observation.

Is that what you want to happen or what you think will happen? Either way - it is wrong.

We wouldn't be struggling to do anything if we don't get 4-6 points from the next 2 games, except maybe struggling to stay in the top 8.

Sums it up for me. It's not even a lack of application I don't think - it seems to be a complete lack of confidence.

Well - that's just not true. You either didn't watch the match or watched it with your eyes shut.

Shola played well yesterday. Ball through to Ba for the second was very good. Quite like it when Shola drops in the gap between midfield and the strikers.

It's the media's fault for making out Beckham scored with every attempt. Does get on my tits how predictable it is though, it seems a rare event these days for teams to try and work something clever from such good positions. I guess the egos on the players don't help, all thinking they're going to score. Is the conversion rate of trying to build up play from a FK that much better though? At least you're guaranteed a shot on goal under controlled conditions, which isn't a bad thing to do. Exactly - what kind of chance are you going to create if you have a free kick 20-35 yards from goal within the width of the penalty area? There is no angle to cross the ball, so a shot on goal is easily your best chance of a goal, even if that is from a resulting goalmouth scramble or a corner.

Absolutely shocked and devastated at this sad news. Loved the guy and thought he was brilliant. Hope he gets a minute's silence on saturday and the tributes he deserves.

To be honest - I am not even sure why we are having this discussion. I thought both players were exceptional with different skill sets and I thought they were both massively underrated by non-Nufc fans. Obviously Robert was the better athlete of the two, pacier and more direct. Solano had better vision, technique and passing. I never liked Dyer much as a player, but it is no coincidence that he looked his best when had Solano's intelligence and technique creating space for him and bringing him into the game. Dyer relied on Solano a huge amount. Their stats ultimately are very very similar so I don't think you can point to them as being conclusive evidence of anything. And yes - I was at the games. Happy to leave the discussion there.

Because I haven't got time to go through the matches in the first half of 2003/04 and work out what Solano's contributions were. I can list Robert's stats if you would like. Robert - 35 games - 7 assists, 6 goals. It looks like Solano played 12 games for us and 10 for Villa. Don't think he scored any goals, but made 5 assists. Could have been all for us or all for Villa. Not sure what this really adds though. For the 2 full seasons that they played together for us - their stats were pretty much identical. And - as I said earlier, Nobby's overall contribution to the team was greater.

Not according the Premier League official stats he didn't. 2001/02 Robert - 36 starts - 16 assists, 8 goals Solano - 31 starts - 11 assists, 7 goals 2002/03 Robert - 27 starts, 5 assists, 5 goals Solano - 37 starts - 5 assists, 7 goals Pretty similar stats. And I would argue that Solano had a better all-round game ie tracking back. tackling etc. In addition, Solano was far more important in terms of the way he linked our play together. So I am not sure it is accurate to say Robert did pretty much everything a bit better than Solano.

Do you think Solano deserves to be there instead? If so, why? Solano's and Robert's goal and assist stats are very very similar over the same time period. I thought both players were exceptional - but they had very different styles. So to say one was markedly better than the other is very difficult.

Those 2 goals against Spurs. Just brilliant. Think I prefer the 2nd actually (the non-volley).

I hope we lose to Wigan. Don't think you need to worry too much about that.

How good does the atmosphere sound in the Napoli game??

I actually thought he really excelled in the DM role for us - used the ball so well. Still dream about that crossfield ball to Shearer for the side footed volley past Schmeichel..

I often found it astonishing how underrated Rob Lee was by the rest of the country. When he was at his best, he was absolutely awesome. Brilliant brilliant player - even if his form tended to drop off a little by Feb/March time...

Always rated Watson very highly - almost feel he was an unfulfilled talent who promised to be better than he turned out to be. Never seemed to really kick on after he left us.