Lush Vlad

After we smashed West Ham 5-0, I remember being baffled by Pardew saying something like "we want to see more of Cheik going forward." Not something else we can blame Pards for surely!?

Persisted with this again I take it? Pardew talking shit again in his pre match interview then?!

Ah not this shit again

Bye Pards.

Judging on the types of managers we've had so far under Ashley and the way in which he works. I really don't see who we'll get that's any better? We won't get a decent foreign name and I'm not even sure we'll get a decent manager from the Championship. We won't pay decent compo to get a good manager's service, we won't offer good wages or a big transfer kitty, we won't..... See where this is going? Also, if we sack the 'manager of the year', who has just got us back into Europe via a 5th place finish. What is that going to look like to prosepctive targets? Basically, I'm at a point where I'm not really arsed if he stays or goes. I personally don't have faith that he will turn it around. But at the same time, I'm not convinced whatever chump we get in to replace him will do much better either. Feel pretty 'MEH' about the whole thing TBH.

So, using our eyes we all universally complain about our style. Lack of control, long passes, no cutting edge in the final third and shit set pieces. I agree stats can be misleading, as football is (or at least should) be an unpredictable, fluid game. But all of the stats back up what we've been saying FFS. At what point are the following stats misleading: Playing more long balls than West Ham or Stoke. Nearly the most possession in our own half, (2nd or 3rd I think). No goals from set pieces. Way down the list on chance creation. Way down the list on completed passes. Honestly Alan, you're losing fans on a daily basis with shite like this

The defending for Maritimo's equaliser was horrendous. Just squares him up, gets flat footed, then throws his hands up in the air and stands still Real pub league stuff.

Yeah, he's such a f***ing lunch. Easy there Joey Essex! Things have got that bad?!

Confident like?

Fuck sake man. Just can't rely on him whatsoever. Yet of course, we've gambled on his fitness by not getting a centre back in and now we're stuck with fucking Williamson for the forseeable. This season is a fucking write off already :'(

This. His expression about halfway through. He says something totally normal that doesn't require a reaction and looks like he's about to burst out laughing! It does happen sub-conciously (sp) for sure. Not to that extent, where you're disguising a very strong, scouse accent, with a French one but I think my accent changes without realising. I'm from Newmarket, so don't really have an accent, it's bland and boring as fuck. I get told I sound Brummie after I've been to see my cousin in Birmingham and I end up using hard A's instead of soft A's after I have been up to the match. I even become more cockney sounding if I go to an away game in London. I notice my mates doing it to a point as well. Not as bad as me mind and certainly not as bad as Barton and McLaren

Interesting, not sure I agree. I think Rodgers genuinely went about learning how to play a brand of football he admired and believed in. I watch Liverpool, and they are playing far better stuff than they were under Dalglish. Suarez who many said wasn't a finisher last season, now looks even better, and is scoring more, from the better chances he is getting. Also, youngsters are coming into the team, and are being given the freedom to play, and are performing. He's hardly spent anything, and imo is moving the team to a better place than they were last year under Dalglish. If you look at the two managers Rodgers is the one that deserves more time, if anything, because the football is better, and he is clearly able to get his ideas across. Also, the talent in the academy is actually being utilised now, and is clearly being developed. What does Pardew have to show for himself? He did spend £16m odd on Joe Allen and £10m-11m on Borini. Sahin in as well for some extortionate loan fee, plus a few others I haven't heard of totalling around £5m at a guess. He's spent a fucking fortune compared to what Pardew spent this season! But yes, they are playing some decent stuff and the youngsteres are shining.

3-0 loss

I don't see any evidence of players not giving their all - in fact that is all the manager is asking for, we never hear him talk at the minute about anything other than grinding or working, well apart from magic and luck. You do become a poor player if you're outnumbered and have nobody to pass to because they're not allowed out of their position, or if you're being asked to win headers against bruising centre halves when you're physically incapable of it. Did you see his quotes from yesterday? Apparently the key to turning this around is winning more headers, trying harder and (my personal favourite) running faster. Fuck off is that real? You've made this up haven't you?! I know winning games last season helped us ignore some comments to a degree. But his PR and comments to the press have been embarrassing, cringeworthy and annoying as fuck in the last 2-3 weeks. He's cracked and he's doing all he can to deflect the blame. The journal article from this morning is worrying though. Saying the players have to get us out of this rut, still blaming the injuries and Europe.

Might be wrong, but didn't he say something like "players that have played in the competition previously and done well. Didn't do so well tonight?" I thought he was referring to Bigi and Sammy mainly, as they were both crap and have done well in the Europa so far. Marv was hit and miss granted, but he scored and was our only attacking threat second half. Doesn't say a lot admittedly. Who knows? Probably just more hot air to deflect the heat off him. Aye, you might be right. I was fighting the baby at the time so he didn't have my full attention! Who won?

Might be wrong, but didn't he say something like "players that have played in the competition previously and done well. Didn't do so well tonight?" I thought he was referring to Bigi and Sammy mainly, as they were both crap and have done well in the Europa so far. Marv was hit and miss granted, but he scored and was our only attacking threat second half. Doesn't say a lot admittedly. Who knows? Probably just more hot air to deflect the heat off him.

Even without signings. We are littered with issues. Set pieces - these could be improved tenfold with a bit of variation. We try that sneaky corner routine once in a blue moon and that's it. They're so easy to defend against, we rarely play them short and we never look to whip a quick, flat cross in. Worst in the league I reckon? Style of play - whether we set up with a 4-4-2/4-3-3/4-2-3-1 or whatever. We don't have the personnel to play a direct style, yet we still persist with it? Krul's hopeless long punts upfield are just depressing. We constantly surrender possession and never control games. The centre backs should pull wide, full backs pushing on, with Tiote, Anita or whoever coming in for the short option from the back just in front of the CB's. Something we've done at times in Europe with a bit of success. We don't really build attacks, we kind of accidentally stumble upon an attack. Usually after a loose ball is picked up by Ba or someone, or we give it to HBA and shout "Run Hatem, Run" in an Alabama accent. Movement off the ball - I guess this could go into style of play. But whether we're playing Allardyce or Guardiola football. Standing still at all times and not moving from your designated area is a bit pointless. Mix up our tactics - every team in the league now seems to know if they go a goal up they'll get a point at least. We're so predictable. Start slow and methodically. Try and keep it tight until we get a goal. Then sit back and invite pressure onto us and try a counter attack on the odd occassion. The counter attacks usually don't work or fizzle out. We never look to hit teams early and get more than one goal. Last night was the perfect example. At 1-0, we should have smelled blood and gone for the kill. Instead, we reverted to type and tried to sit on a narrow lead. Predictably, it came back to bite us. Even with the injuries and suspensions. We could get a lot more out of this side if we did the basics properly. These are all fundemental problems and the management are using the strecthed/small squad and injuries as an excuse, to cover up their own shortcomings. I would imagine most people will say similar to this. Same as they've been doing in the Pardew thread?

Even when we have the chance to whip the ball in, we go for the chip/aimless punt that usually results in a foul against or a goal kick. Or worse, a quick counter attack from the opposition. We slow the game down everytime we get a free kick. No urgency whatsoever.

I think he has had a lot of unfair criticism from fans. But he was utter shite last night. His passing, positioning and set pieces were all atrocious. Plus, he got knocked off the ball with ease everytime he had it. The formation makes him look bad, but he was well below par last night regardless. I think he's a good player. But he's settling into a new league and team and we play abject football.

What a load of bollocks. Weakened teams have performed pretty well in this competition. Now he's saying we don't have enough attacking quality to see of Maritimo? We're a Premier League side that finished 5th last season FFS. We didn't even attempt to attack them second half and got passed off the pitch. Oooh we lost Shola, how depressing, he's world class that lad. Did we not have one of the most prolific strikers in the country up top second half? Or did I imagine that? Stop lying Pards!

Quite how we've got ourselves into this position I don't know. 4 points dropped against Maritimo is a joke TBH. Should have won both games easily. We've been in pole position to top the group since the half time against Bordeaux, yet we've fucked it right up. We'll get fuck all in France, a draw at best. Which coincidentally, would have been enough to top the group if we weren't so fucking gutless. We'll get battered by the first half decent team we face.

3-1 loss.

Him and Bigi centre mid in a 4-4-2.... How fucking depressing.

Played well in patches, doesn't get involved enough, but we don't really allow him to get involved enough. We seem happy to give the ball away and run around like headless chickens. Do wish he'd run at his man more often. Has really good control and a nice change of pace. Beautiful bit of play for the goal, hope he can kick on from here and find a bit of consistency.

How badly has he cracked? That post match interview was cringeworthy. Looked like he was crumbling and was clearly fuming. Excuse, deflect blame, excuse, lie, injuries, lie, excuse, injuries, get angry, did I mention injuries? Clueless. Played weakened sides all competition and we've done ok. Then, when we're down to the bare bones, he plays virtually our strongest XI, with two key players getting injured in the process? Outclassed at home by Maritimo. We've not played well all season bar the first half against Bordeaux and 20 minutes against Liverpool. We're a fucking shambles and the excuses don't wash with me. The excuse for sitting back fucked me off. Something about losing two attacking players, so we had to sit back a bit. Sorry, what? We're 1-0 up, against a vastly inferior team, we're at home and we still have Ba, Sammy and Marveaux on the pitch. They need a goal, so let's just sit back and invite them onto us, leaving a 60 yard gap in middle of the pitch in the process. What a bloody brilliant idea.....