Tiote didn't need games though. The critisism I seem to remember from the cup games is that he was pushed off the ball and lost the 50/50s, this won't improve from the stands, he needs to get a taste of the "physicality of the Premier League" /cringe
I am aware that any opinion I have is slightly void like, Pardew obviously knows a lot more behind the scenes than we do.
EDIT: Also we cannot just not play anyone incase they get injured or sent off.