Hanshithispantz

I think he'll comfortably get 15 plus with (wait for it...) decent service. I think it's pretty much a given actually.

spot on imo. Even if his caution was warranted he took it to the extreme and we were worse off for it.

Really ? Isn't there a widely held belief in football that Pardew has handled Ben Arfa better than any of his previous coaches and that they they enjoy a good relationship ? I'd like Hans to say what was this horrific treatment? Not throwing him in the moment he was fit and easing him back after he recovered from a horrific long term injury? I've been through it before, as have others, but he didn't just "ease him in" he completely shut him out and relegated him to the odd 20 minute cameo every other game (if that) in favour of Ryan Taylor and Obertan because "his stats weren't right." He actually played about very well for 70 minutes against Man City ~3 months before the mackem match where he made it virtually impossible for Pardew to drop him.

But they were the people who never wanted him from day 1, many supporters he won over during that season and very few were calling for him to be sacked. Obviously the tragedy of last season just took people back to their feelings of when he was announced as our manager, which can't really be blamed for doing so giving actually how bad last season was. Then now there’s only a few who actually want him to have another crack at it. He definitely won a lot of fans over but there were still worrying signs there and a lot of people were questioning whether we were in the top 6 because of him or in spite of him. Well majority now saying this season that the players quality on the pitch as individuals is irrelevant as they can't get a manager out of trouble if they are poorly managed so it can't be spite of him. Pardew needs credit for finishing 5 points off being in the champions league regardless of how last season unravelled. I personally think it was a mix of both, don’t think Pardew was some sort of master tactician that got us there but don’t think it solely rested at the players ability. Thought there was a number of contributing factors and all of which I feel can still be brought back to the side next season. Personally I think we finished 5th due to his cautious playing style picking up an inordinate amount of points before Taylor's injury (and other teams sussed us a bit) and our individual players doing enough to win games that we weren't exactly dazzling in, that showed in our goal difference too. We saw the same last season only our defence was rocked from the start through injury and it was really just Ba who turned up for half of the year.

I was one of the ones who was happy with him like, I thought he had a great season personally other than his (imo) horrific treatment of Ben Arfa probably costing us a top 4 spot. There was a clear contrast though between us and the sides around us in the way we were winning points which was a decent indicator of it not continuing.

But they were the people who never wanted him from day 1, many supporters he won over during that season and very few were calling for him to be sacked. Obviously the tragedy of last season just took people back to their feelings of when he was announced as our manager, which can't really be blamed for doing so giving actually how bad last season was. Then now there’s only a few who actually want him to have another crack at it. He definitely won a lot of fans over but there were still worrying signs there and a lot of people were questioning whether we were in the top 6 because of him or in spite of him.

Living in a fantasy world. What decent manager comes anywhere near a club that spends no money, willingly lies to managers about transfers and sacks them for finishing 5th? At the time it didn't seem like that at all though, we were widely seen as some of the better dealers in the transfer market in the country, if not Europe. Obviously now we can see through that but that season would have been very encouraging for any manager until he actually turned up for the interview.

There was a few people who believed we should have upgraded him at the end of the season when we were 5th tbf and it was hardly a daft opinion. Maybe a bit harsh but the signs were there that the squad was outgrowing him, or at least looked like it was going to until Mike put a halt to it.

You know your manager is shit like when his positive points are things like "I think he threw the game there to show the owners just how bad things are."

Once bad season or not we've clearly had long enough to assess him as a manager and he's committing the same mistakes now as he was 2 seasons ago.

Aye me too. I think they've pulled the app from the app store now too so I guess they'll be uploading the newer one instead of just updating that one so you have to pay again.

Has Jonas been declared fit for City?

Either way 1 attacking/midfield player gets injured/suspended and Jonas is straight in the side without doubt.

I don't think he will be, he'll still be heavily involved throughout the season but he's by no means a gaurenteed starter. Remy takes his place on the left wing and he's not good enough to play in the middle with the standard of players we currently have. So you think we'll be playing 4-3-3 with Remy and HBA either side of Cisse? I hope you're right like, but imo it'll most likely be Remy & Cisse up top with Ben Arfa and Jonas holding the hands of Debuchy and Santon. For pretty much the entirety of last season the formation/team we should have played seemed obvious to the fans (whether we were right or wrong) but Pardew saw it a completely different way, unless he's genuinely changed as a manager I cannot see why this season would be any different?

Do people honestly not believe Jonas will be in the starting XI next season if we fail to bring in a left winger? I don't mean that in a shit condescending way, it's a genuine question.

Might switch Mig out just in case like

Aye I understood that but if they keep a clean sheet then you reap double the rewards? So over the course of a season it should by the laws of probability even itself out?

Why not Szczesny & Mertesacker? I read somewhere that you shouldn't pick your keeper and defenders from the same club like but never really understood why. Anyway I'm pretty torn between these 2 sides and then that's probably it bar maybe 1-2 changes. http://i.imgur.com/OKqq2L0.png http://i.imgur.com/5vNiKXP.png

Tempted to replace Ivanovic (£6.5m) or Kosceilny (£5.5m) for Kolo Toure (£5m) but I'm not sure if he'll be a regular starter? Also what's the score with your sub keeper? Is it worth spending an extra £0.5m on getting a shit keeper who will start (like Marshall) or just bring in someone like Harper who will probably never get a game but will cost £0.5m less?

Plan on giving this a proper go past the first week this time http://i.imgur.com/NgQWU5d.png Will more than likely change countless times before Saturday.

I appear to have walked into an orgy.

I hope he gets sacked just so this shit patter will end.

the Bolton goal displayed everything. Initial huge turn and burst of speed, prolonged pace and close control of the ball. That goal man It clocks in at 7 seconds from him receiving the ball in our half and the ball hitting the net

Noticed that

So why does OM barging into the deal mean it has to be off? Can we not just tell them to fuck off and continue negotiations or would that be far too sensible?