ExiledGeordie

Yep the brutal truth from Martin Jol back there. Maybe Pardew should have changed things sooner but atleast he's acknowledged he got it wrong. Thing is going away to play one of if not the best midfield in the league without your two starting beasts in midfield was always going to be a huge factor. Maybe we didn't realise how much of a factor it was going to be. Sticking Tiote and Cabaye back into that side will make all the difference and there's still plenty of games left including those against the top sides for us to have another go with all our big guns. Sometimes you just have to take one on the chin and accept a hiding.

Win lose or draw I'm actually looking forward to the match with our front two. A Best/Shola combo here would just result in a non-plus feeling

Can see him scoring today, still an unknown entity for defences. Ba already commands plenty of respect and tight marking. Can see Cisse sneaking in for a goal or being given enough room for a shop from a knock down from Ba.

He's almost guaranteed to start Obertan

Great post from Sewelly. Agreed will be good to see potentially our strongest 11 with the exception of Saylor.

I cannot for the life of me understand how anyone can be throwing the plaudits at Allardyce. I remember going to Reading away when he was in charge playing a defence that consisted of Michael Duberry. With N'Zogbia and Milner available to offer some width he played 4 centre midfielders across the midfield and basically said "I'll take a draw". He might have kept us up that season but the football and tactics under him was some of the worst stuff I have ever seen. In fact had he kept us up we would probably have been stuck watching that shite for a couple more seasons before someone finally got rid. Awful bloke, awful football, jesus

Either way just having those two up front for us totally changes the complexion of the game. Spurs will have to be absolutely on their guard for 90 mins and they give us a chance to get something when normally you'd expect a routine loss. We may well geat beat but its great having the weapons in the side to cause them some real shit.

I think Pardew knows what a difference this season plus a proper pre-season will have. Just look at the difference in Steven Taylor coming into this season after a full pre-season, totally different player. Good teams don't just stick with the same system/tactics game in game out, they change it where necessary so he;ll come into the team at different points. The team is still evolving and with the addition of the two Dembas up front that will really stretch midfields and defences. Throw Ben Arfa into that mix and he'll have even more space to operate and run at people, a frightening thought really. I'm still confident that he'll have a big impact here.

With Tiote and Cabaye back in midfield and Cisse/Ba up front I'm confident of doing these at home but it will be very tight.

I think he'll get more playing time with Best out injured. I'd also be more happy with him in the side with Tiote and Cabaye back in midfield and the control/protection they offer the defence.

Lets go and have a go at them, nothing to lose. I'd like to see Ben Arfa get a run out but I think he'll definitely start Obertan to counter or help with Bale's threat.

Defeat, we'll get done in midfield. The only thing is that with the two up front we can really cause them problems on the break and score a few goals to get a draw at best. Would like to see how Ben Arfa links up with the front two but Pards will go with Obertan I reckon. Krul Simpson Will Colo Santon Obertan Perch Guthrie Jonas Ba Cisse

Did alright, needs to just make decisions faster and he could be really effective with his pace. There was one point where Cisse knocked it out wide for him and it was crying out for him to really take the left back on or just whip a cross in. Think he'll play against Spurs though, his pace with the pace of the front two could be really effective at Spurs and we'll need his pace v Bale.

Thought Perch and Guthrie did really well. Throw Cabaye and Tiote back into the fold and we're looking proper strong. Awesome finish from Cisse, him and Ba seem to comppliment each other perfectly. Pace, touch, movement, must be a nightmare to play against.

The high line issue worries me but I'm also bothered about our midfield in this game. Can see Ireland having a good game typically. We need to have a proper go at their defence though, its not up to much imo. It'll be tight, I hope Ba can swing it for us or Cisse coming on for a 30 min run out second half to really inject some pace and clinical finishing when they might be tiring a bit.

I still have a feeling that if someone waves a fat contract worth thousands under his nose he'll be off. He's happy here, Cisse has been brought in to play with him so thats a big factor and we may well re-negotiate his contract but I'm not naive in thinking that if someone comes in and offers him 70k ore more a week there's no chance he won't be off.

Yeah I think he'll start Best with Ba and Cisse will come on second half. Bit worried about being overrun in midfield but if its tight Ba and then Cisse 2nd half could just tip it in our favour. Their fast on the break but defence can be got at. Hate this shower (states the obvious)

Krul Simpson Will colo Santon Raylor Abeid Guthrie Jonas Ben Arfa Ba

Best is a wolves type player. In reality he should only ever be back up for us and that will probably only wash with him for so long

Offered to Citeh eh. Clearly Kenny has run out of patience.

I think it's totally fair to question some of Pardew's tactics and formation especially in recent games. However he's gone a long way to sorting out the backline something nobody has done in years. We haven't seen this "free flowing" football he kept banging on about before the season started but if he'd got that going and sorted the back line we'd probably still be in the top four. With much more movement up front with Ba and Cisse I think we'll see things open up a bit again. I'm glad he's built from the back and the team is still evolving. Considering where we thought we might be and where we are I think people are getting ahead of themselves. I also agree with the "who else could we get" But yes yesterday was a complete shower of shit.............

Pardew got it wrong yesterday but christ there's some massive overreaction about him imo. Look at the bigger picture.

Why change a formation thats essentially been working? Jonas in that "free" role was a complete and utter farce. Waddle was right about how much space there was between Best and Ameobi up front too. It was all very awkward and smelt of caution with a "lets just get this game out the way and then get em back to St James with our big guns to put em away". Major cock up that we didn't simply go for it. Alright we were unlucky with the deflected goal and should've had a penalty but the fact we just didn't put their defence under pressure at all is pathetic really. In fairness though Best had a great chance in teh first half with that header, a top draw striker would've buried that we'd probably have won 1-0 and nobody would've said anymore about a quite frankly awful game.

He's a decent lad but average at "Best"

100%, I couldn't deal with losing to them cunts in the final