Lush Vlad

Didn't catch the Norwich game, but a mate who has a season ticket there said he was head and shoulders above everyone on the pitch when he came on. Despite him clearly not being match fit. Was the best player on the pitch against Reading. Scored a thunderbastard against Villa and was probably MOTM after Sissoko on Saturday. I knew he was a miss, but I was too angry with some of our tactics and selections to appreciate how much he makes us tick. Such a classy player, yet he isn't afraid to get about the pitch and put a foot in. Just wish he would stop feigning injury!

I underestimated how much we've missed Cabaye. I think Tiote may have been missing his pal as well! Earlier in the season we were playing some horible football in a 4-4-2, Cheiky didn't shine at all. The other times he's played in the 4-3-3/4-2-3-1, he's not had Cabaye alongside him. He's been out of form, but he's been trying to do too much as his partners have been Anita, Bigi and Perch. All defensive mids or mids that sit a lot deeper than someone like Cabaye. If he can be deployed in the 2010-11, 4-5-1 Tiote role, with Cabaye trying the more creative stuff and Sissoko attacking. I feel he can regain form and be an asset to the team again. Whether or not he should start Saturday is another matter. Perch has been solid enough, but I would have liked to have seen Anita get a game, especially against Villa. Seeing as he hasn't had a look in, if it's a straight shootout between Tiote and Perch. Then I'd go for the former everytime. Especially as he's up against 'Scotty' Parker. He's dominated him every time I've seen that battle live.

Yep. Few times in the channels, he would play a 1-2 and really power forward. If he can get that going in the middle of the pitch on a consistent basis, I can see him causing all kinds of problems.

I thought he did quite a lot in the first half myself its really a case of getting used to the pace of the league so he can do it consistently. Wouldn't mind seeing him swapping positions with Cabaye on the fly either. This really. I certainly would like to see him come deeper o nSaturday, especially if Ramires plays. Him and Cabaye should definitely mix it up. Once he's used to the pace of the league, I hope he'll go for more of a Diame/Yaya role, where he just goes wherever the fuck he wants he was doing that a bit at Villa. Popping up in the wide areas and almost playing up top at times. Noticably tired in the second half, but our tactics didn't help. Still can't believe we've scored from a through ball, played by someone other than Cabaye. Lovely feeling!

I'm not sure I agree with the notion putting it through the keepers legs is not a good finish? Not seen it back, but I'm sure he looks up before taking the shot? What would have been better, going across him? Massive chance of shanking it wide. Trying to place it near post top corner? Just lash it as hard as he can? There's an element of luck involved in every goal. Especially with Cisse, as he seems to struggle to score 'normal' goals or tap ins! First touch out of his feet, doesn't let the keeper get set, then slots it home. Aye, terrible finish Papiss. You must do better next time

Oh fucking hell. I'm now at the stage where I'd rather see Obertan play ahead of Jonas. He's that fucking shit. Jonas playing for the next 4-5 matches is going to be massively depressing. Offers fuck all.

Missus' family are all from sunderland, good mate of mines Dad is a Geordie, Mam's family is from Stanley but have lived down south for a while, so the accent is softer. Have mates up in Newcastle who I sometimes go to games with. Definite difference. Not saying I'd always be able to tell the difference, it would be easy enough to spot if you put the two together IMO. If I just met someone down here from the NE (excluding boro) it would be difficult for me to pick up on. But mackems certainly seem to hit the vowels harder. Or just replace them altogther with random letters.

I was hoping he was having his medical now TBH. But I can't see Pards saying much unless he's 100% sure. Especially after the Remy thing. Would be quality to see him unveiled later tonight. Come on, get him 'over the line.'

His drop in quality certainly has something to do with him trying to do too much. Not sure how much of it is instructed and how much is down to him trying to be the main man, but you can't ignore the fact he's not had Cabaye next to him much this season. He's been trying to take over the creative role and he's awful at it. Last season was stop/start due to his injuries and the ACN. If we continue with a 3 man midfield, you would think he will improve when playing with Cabaye, Anita and Sissoko. When playing with Anita, he can just go back to being a ball winner and focus on defensive duties, let Anita dictate the play and Cabaye do the business at the other end. If he plays with Sissoko, he can kind of take Anita's role, as Sissoko will be driving forward all the while, I'd assume Cabaye would sit a little bit deeper at times and Tiote won't have to push on as much. He seems to have gradually got worse ever since Pardew spoke about him becoming a more 'complete' midfielder. After the 5-0 against West Ham wasn't it? He's never going to be like a Yaya Toure or Essien. So I hope Pardew recognises this now and gets him back to playing it simple. On his day, he's the best destroyer in the league IMO. Just seems recently his day doesn't come very often. He needs to cut out on the Nicky Butt'esque Hollywood balls. A lot of our team try it though, so it's probably a direct instruction from Pardew. *Assuming we sign Sissoko of course!

Cheers for the info. Perhaps they will share the duties and switch during the game? Ba and Cisse did it a bit last season and Shola and Cisse have alternated this season as well. I can't say he stood out when we played them. But from the videos I've seen and what I saw that night, I would say he's more suited to a wide role than Ba and certainly more suited than Shola FFS It would be nice to see a bit of fluidity, intelligence and movement though. We're far too rigid and just play in straight lines and channels most the time. Assuming we sign Sissoko. I'm hoping that Marv can do a job out wide whilst HBA is still out. As he makes clever runs and uses the ball well compared to Obertan, the Ameobi bros and Jonas. Just praying we don't rely on Jonas, but he seems to be undroppable.

My cock is going to be purple tonight if all this comes off, as i will in fact. I bet Mrs.Bimpy is pleased to hear this news?!

Didn't they say this about Remy.....

Where did you read this awful news

Not gonna read them. He is very good at saying the right thing in fairness to him. Talk is cheap though. Going off the URL, what is Ashley backing exactly? Does anybody have any idea what his 'plans' are? We have no structure, no style, no system. The only constants are that fucking awful free kick and the soft goals we conceed. Our playing style varies from Arsenal'esque to worse than Stoke in less than 15 minutes. We don't take cups seriously. We don't bring youth players on particularly well. Oh and the signings we make seem to be at random and we don't target a specific style of player or even a certain position. Just as long as they're French, we're all over it. We've gone backwards and our stars seem to be actually regressing as players under Pardew.

No, somebody is suggesting that you're talking out of your arse as it's easy to sit in your nice warm living room rather than sitting in the freezing cold, having spent a lot of money on a season ticket only to see an idiot turn a win into a defeat. It's not easy TBF Mick. My laptop screen can confirm that I am not defending him in any way though and I agree with you on this. That result was his fault. Even if you take into account the missed chances. He threw the game by sitting on a lead and taking off our only two creative players at the wrong times. The Marv sub makes no sense. Shola starting makes no sense. Killing a shit team for 30 odd minutes then giving up on attacking also makes no sense. See a pattern developing here?

I am now at the stage where I am not remotely excited by the prospect of incoming transfers, as I think Pardew has lost the plot. Should we sign anyone, I'm positive he won't even get them playing to their potential. He's being cowardly in his team selections, he's being FAR too negative, he's repeating the same tried and tested tactics and set pieces, despite them clearly not working. He's so rigid with how he sets us up and we never perform for a full 90 minutes. His stock response to any bit of pressure or goal is to abandon everything we've done before and hoof the ball forwards and lose all shape. Which some might argue is how we normally set up any way. No wonder we've never won after going behind with his sub choices and playing style. Now he's blaming everyone but himself, even a sly dig at the fans. His frank and honest interviews after the Reading game were anything but. Just to follow on from what others have mentioned. I am surprised at the free pass the media are giving him. John Cross on Talksport this morning saying he's a terrific manager, blaming it on injuries and us needing to buy players. Even my non-NUFC supporting mates can see what's wrong FFS. Most of them are plastic twat fans as well. The local media don't seem to even mention it either. He's repeating history and after a good start to his career with us, it's all turning to shit. I don't think we can rely on 3 teams being worse than us, as we just lost to the worst team (IMO) in the league at home FFS. Resigned to going down. I'm sure I used to be a glass half full kind of guy. I blame all this snow.

merlin is one angry wizzard.

Football.

Didn't he turn them down twice and actually refuse to meet with Redknapp last week? Fuck me how much are they paying him I bet Arry is really concerned about that wage bill now. Money talks.

If Fergie is fit I'd like to see him play. Will offer the same amount of protection to Santon while delivering much better balls in to the box to the frontline. Would get some actual width as well. 3 out of the 4 wide players in that formation would be cutting in all the while. There would be no point in having 2 up top. Especially seeing as Jonas and Santon can't cross.

Haven't they just signed Lucas Moura? Haven't they also already got a shit load of forwards and attacking mids? Don't really follow Ligue 1 that much, but I'm sure it was mentioned by that David Crossan or Matt Spiro on twitter.

How is that? Just let him go for peanuts because he's unhappy and allegedly dipped his wick? Yep, we have little choice.

Too short.

The article seems like sensationalism to me. But we've not heard fuck all from Colo for months and his agent has only said San Lorenzo wouldn't be possible because of money. Never once said he's happy at NUFC and wants to stay. Perhaps those silly rumours flying around, about him taking his song too literally are true? What a nightmare this season has been!

Not quite sure why I am sticking up for him here, but hadn't Taylor only just returned from injury? Also, Cisse had started the season terribly and he was probably hoping Shola was going to be the mackem slayer once again.