Lush Vlad

Townsend has 5 prem goals, doesn't he? Does sound a bit pathetic when you read it back but he has been a cup player and been on loan in the Championship a fair bit. No idea what his stats are like elsewhere. Aarons has 1 prem goal and 1 in the league cup. Good maths from you, Mojo

He definitely started to tire. Still, I'll take him playing like that at home most weeks, even if he mishits the odd long pass and tries the killer ball too often. Quite a few sat round me kicking off after his second or third long ball to Townsend, was slightly over hit and Townsend couldn't quite reach it. Not that I'm accusing you of this, but I'll never understand that mentality. I enjoy watching high risk players like him. We've tried playing with safety first, cowardly players. It's got us to the brink of relegation. Seeing someone like Shelvey in the team, is like a breath of fresh air (Partridge). His constant gesturing and pointing does get annoying, mind. It's good that we've got someone taking responsibility and control. But half the time, it seems totally needless and looks like it's for show

He is certainly pretty slow and seems to get gassed quite early. Not sure if the fitness thing is to do with not playing regularly at Swansea, or whether it's a case of him just generally not being very good at playing a full 90. Hopefully the former, as we don't really have anyone else to play his role.

The sleeves look like tea towels. Horrible.

A lot faster than WBA's team of cloggers. But he didn't look that fast going down the line and certainly not as quick as I remembered. Not sure if he was just low on confidence or what. But I thought there were a few instances where he had loads of space out wide to run into and he seemed a bit laboured, considering. Don't agree. When he got going he looked rapid as f***, faster than Townsend by a mile for example. Didn't think he looked faster than Townsend at all. Thought he looked miles off the pace at Everton and all. I don't think he looked slow per se. Just not as fast as I remember. I thought he played well.

Two shit away games, granted. But the whole team play negatively away from home and we've been shit on our travels all season. 90% pass completion in home games, including a lot of the Hollywood stuff and what should be low percentage, forward thinking passes. I hardly see that as him giving the ball away to much? I would rather he tried the higher risk, low reward stuff. As nobody else in our team can even manage that. McClaren really needs to grow a pair on the road and stop reverting to type. Sitting everyone behind the ball, not committing men forward and hoping for 1-2 chances a game, all whilst not conceding, isn't much of a game plan. It's exactly what we did under Pardew, but at least that fucker had some success playing that way, in comparison. It sounds ridiculous, but it's almost like it's impossible to factor in away performances when analysing our players. They all look equally shit away from home. Whereas some, look very good when we play at SJP. So surely that would point to tactics and most of the blame being put on the manager? Why is he not putting our players in a position to succeed? Surely it can't be that they're all gutless shithouses and can't handle a hostile crowd? Away record: P12 W2 D1 L9 F6 A26 6 fucking goals, man! We're going to have to be close to flawless at home if we don't sort that form out. Good second half at Spurs and maybe the odd unlucky loss, where we played well without creating much, aside . Apart from that, it has been brutal.

A lot faster than WBA's team of cloggers. But he didn't look that fast going down the line and certainly not as quick as I remembered. Not sure if he was just low on confidence or what. But I thought there were a few instances where he had loads of space out wide to run into and he seemed a bit laboured, considering.

Enjoyed the game. The atmosphere was better than I was expecting, the tactics were far better to watch than previous season and we have quite a few players who I was watching live for the first time, who impressed me. Hard to analyse, though. Just to repeat what everyone else is saying. WBA were absolutely awful and it is hard to gauge where we're at because of this. Darren Fletcher was playing as a no.10 in the first half I don't feel like I suddenly want to start going again, or that I'm getting another season ticket. But I did enjoy it a lot more than I thought I was going to and based on this game alone, it was a far cry from a lot of the shit we served up under Pardew.

I thought he faded towards the end. But I think it's a positive for us, that he's got two 90's in already. Testament to the player as well, as he's obviously kept himself fit and in good nick. Hasn't sulked and got all porky, he's played in the U21's and got his head down. Great to have a two footed player and a threat down both flanks. He's pretty rapid and direct, but does seem to get caught in two minds a lot of the time. Considering he must be a bit rusty, I think it was a positive performance. He looked better than I expected, so I'm hoping he improves from here or at least keeps up that level of performance.

Was that when Cabaye became our 'quarterback and Tiote became our 'Essien'. Good 'ol Pards

Loves a foul. Doesn't seem as quick as I thought. Did well under the circumstances, albeit against a team that didn't attack. I thought he was going to be a train wreck, like he was at Everton. So I was pleasantly surprised. Fair play to the lad.

His technique for a professional footballer is atrocious. Always looks like he's tripping over the ball, his first touch is heavy as fuck and he doesn't have any finesse whatsoever. All that said, he's great fun to watch and he's still our biggest threat going forward. He just plows through people or storms past them like they're not there. A real brute when he has the ball. He does bottle a lot of headers and challenges, though. I can't quite put my finger on why. But he is held to higher standards than most of our team and he just doesn't seem that well liked for some reason?

Aye, this was always the case. I don't buy he was always trying Hollywood balls alongside Cabaye. He mostly kept it simple. Anita & Colback play exactly the same way no matter the scoreline - pass sideways. If we are 1-0 behind, Tiote has always tried to drive the team forward. HIs biggest issue for me is the nervousness that almost getting caught in possession 1 or 2 times a game can spread among the team and early yellow cards limiting his ability to put a foot in. Fouls on the edge of the area too tbf. He was playing much higher up the pitch, taking on ridiculous long shots on a regular basis and never getting taken to task for them. There was some stats on here, where it kind of highlighted Pardew's game plan of get a load of shots in from a long way out and hope for the best. Tiote's shots per game had more than doubled under him, I believe. I also think he tried to force the game and certainly spent time ahead of Cabaye for long spells, which is just utterly ridiculous.

Positionally, I think Cabaye was a bit better, yes. I think he was equally naughty when tackling and whilst he maybe got stuck in a bit more. I don't remember him being particularly effective at it and he was pretty immobile, as well. I just loved seeing some of the diagonal passes come back into our game. It was very similar to what Cabaye used to try with us and when the whole crowd kind of shout "aaaah" in unison and then applaud, it's a pretty great feeling. Might just be me, mind. I do love a diag

His passing range is absolutely wanktastic. With Janmaat, Sissoko and Townsend. The ball in behind and the diagonal, is going to be on a lot of the while. Teams are going to have to sit quite deep to counter it. Which in theory should mean, that we'll get more possession and territory. We haven't have a midfielder that can spot a forward pass like him since Cabaye. He's kind of similar to Cabaye, in that he's also not much of an athlete, he's a bit niggly and dirty and he doesn't offer a great deal when he has to cover a lot of ground and defend. He's obviously not as much of a looker, though Really enjoyed watching him. The one pass in the second half, where he put enough curl on it, so that the ball stayed in and Janmaat got to it

I agree with that. But under Pardew, he played far more advanced and tried the Hollywood shit on a regular basis. Considering the fact he was usually playing with Cabaye, there's no excuse for it like there is if he plays with Colback or Anita. Pardew did also say he wanted him to be like 'our Essien'. Something like that anyway. I remember a noticeable change in how he played and he spent long spells being infuriating and utter shit. If he stays in the team, it will be interesting to see if he can keep this up. Or whether he'll go back to getting injured a lot, getting booked all the while and being a liability in possession .

"Fruit and veg" You're a fucking vegetable, Taylor. He played well. As mentioned, WBA were absolutely pathetic. So it's difficult to judge any of our players on that game. But he did seem a more suitable partner for Colo or Mbemba. Those two together, is even more worrying. Taylor seems to have bulked up yet again and he is far more physical than the usual starters. Think he'll get shown up against a more pacey and skilful attack. Chelsea away this weekend is it?

quite a few people were commenting on his Beyonce arse. He's not exactly in great shape. Compare him to Townsend, who has been in a similar position and it looks a bit poor from Berahino.

He needs to work on some American Football style, ladder drills for quick feet. It doesn't help that we seem to always cut the ball back at a million miles an hour. But he has had a total air shot, or miskicked decent chances on quite a few occasions this year. Seems like he's either slow to react or he's not setting his feet properly. Not sure if it's something that can be taught, but you would have thought there would be ways to improve his reactions and reflexes for chances like this.

Always thought he was pretty pointless at home against teams like WBA. They were happy to let us have the ball and in games like that in the past, I've always thought Tiote was more of a hindrance. But he dovetailed really well with Shelvey, he was 100% committed, without all the ill-discipline. He won pretty much every header just in front of the back 4 and it was great to see him playing like that. WBA were absolutely tragic, mind. Most of our players were a 7 or an 8, at least. So it is a bit hard to judge. Although it is the third game in a row where he's played well.

An absolute joy to watch live. He's all or nothing. It's either a horrendous touch, miskick or a foul. Or he's killing it stone dead with two players on him, playing a perfect pass or winning headers he has no right to win. Most of the time on Saturday, it was more hit than miss and he was brilliant for the most part. I really like him, but I just don't ever see him scoring enough goals to play up top on his own. Hopefully Doumbia can play in a wider role, Townsend, Sissoko or someone else can start chipping in, or we look to get Perez back into the team. My mates tickets are in the Leazes end, right near where he celebrated. Absolutely love his passion and how nuts he went. Had about 3 different celebrations on the go

I don't know him or anything. But I get the impression that would just wind him up and knock him down even more. He wanted the ball for the penalty v Man United and obviously rates himself. He's not playing all that well and his finishing is pretty poor. Yet it's not as if he's hiding. He may be snatching at chances and be low on confidence. But I think he is a committed player and I don't think that taking him out the team will do him any good. If Doumbia has trained and looks good to go. Then start him on Saturday. But if not, then I'd go with Mitro up top, with the 4-2-3-1, again.

There was still a huge proportion who would still be politely clapping Pardew right now though. For the most part our support will happily accept buggery as long as they get to sit in silence Tbf the hatred aimed at Pardew at the Cardiff game was as bad as I've ever seen and I've been attending since the early/mid 80's. He couldn't even leave his dugout. A really bad reaction to McClaren on Saturday and I wouldn't be surprised if he walked. Don't think he could handle the pressure. The Pardew hate took 4 years to build up though. Plus, he was a far more detestable shithouse. I don't like McClaren as a manager and his comments in the media are a bit baffling at times. But not a complete and utter cuntface, like Pardew. I'm out of touch with match day fans. But it seems like we've just been run down by years of dross. The atmosphere always sounds terrible and it seems like people are still just turning up out of habit and aren't really arsed.

Fail to win here and I think we're finished. Need to close the gap on teams like WBA. Who I think will get dragged down into the scrap. Villa drawing with or beating Norwich, would help as well. Still a long way to go. But I don't fancy much in the two games after this and if we don't beat these. Then confidence will be even lower. If that's actually possible.

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