Lush Vlad

People keep saying woeful, honestly, how many 'chances' has he had? Played well against Forest away in the league cup. MOTM I think. Was our best player when he got a half vs Everton away last season. Looked good vs Everton at home before he got crocked. Then missed November - May through injury.... Played well against Brugge away. Average/decent against Scunny in the league cup. Then some instantly forgettable cameos, the horrendous performance vs Everton this season (where he was seemingly asked to play the Jonas, defensive winger role I might add) and a few poor/average performances in Europe and suddenly he's woeful? I've seen more promise from him in the rare pitch time he's had, than I've seen from Obertan week after week. Yet Obertan still gets chances to keep playing shit and fucking up? I wonder if roles were reversed, would we be saying the same? Bit of a hypothetical I know, but I don't get how people have got a set in stone opinion on Marv. When really, we've barely seen him and he's recovering from serious injuries and trying to adapt to a new team and league. Not sure any of this matters mind. Seems like Pards doesn't rate him and I'm not sure he'll be here much longer. Never been given a fair crack of the whip IMO.

Desperate times call for desperate measures.

I've seen him have 2-3 good games since he's left us. People forget when he was with us, he was either unplayable or utter dross. WBA away, Spurs away and West Ham away (before he scored) stand out off the top of my head. Him coming back would just further encourage even more hoof ball, but at least it would be effective I suppose. I've seen him three times now for West Ham and he's been wank. Not even taking his price tag in to consideration here, he just generally looks wank. If it was Carlton Cole or Heskey putting in similar performances. Fans would rightly be slating them. He huffs and puffs, wins a lot of headers but can't direct them and whinges at the ref a lot. Average striker, wouldn't want him back.

11-15. But I was expecting him to be away for the ACN. The way we've been playing and how poor he's been. He'll do well to get to double figures in the league.

I agree with that, have said the same and so have plenty of others. The problem is, we actually have a squad of players that should be aiming higher than midtable. In the past we've had a load of dross, or overpaid, past it mercenaries. Despite the lack of investment, we have a far better group of players now. The best team since the SBR days for sure and I would argue there are stronger players in certain positions. We do still have some passengers getting games, that are barely good enough for lower league sides (Willo, Simpson, Shola, Harper etc). But the rest of the squad are good enough to finish top 6-8. Not languishing in about 12th place like a Souness/Roeder team. I think that's the issue. Pards has us playing such anti-football and we can all see he wastes such talented players with his 'front foot, exciting brand of football'.......

I'm not confident we'll replace him if he goes. We seem to have a one out, one in policy, or just a random policy which sees us target bargains, as oppose to positions we actually need. I can see us getting rid and trying for someone like Debuchy for weeks. Then complaining at the last minute, saying how we couldn't "get him over the line" or "that the goalposts moved and we couldn't do the deal." Leaving us with no right back. I don't rate Simpson, but sadly, he is our best choice at the minute.

Might just be the photo but he looks like he has bulked up a bit there. Aye, his waistline certainly has. Spending his '30 bags a week' wisely then!

Him playing on the left wing, is part of the reason why teams can afford to double and even treble mark HBA. He offers absolutely fuck all going forward.

We'll find out soon enough how good he is I reckon. Completely wasted at present. I think a mixture of a good offer and him being fed up of chasing shadows, will see him leave within a year or so. Where is the weekly video of him anyway? That usually gets posted up about now!

I just find the constant excuses boring. I know that's what managers do, to deflect blame from their players and to keep the heat off them. But when some of them are downright lies and clearly bollocks, it gets a bit tiresome. I've not heard him call it how it is once this season. Always injuries, players missing, lack of experience and general hard luck stories. I'm sure he was praised last season for often recognising where we went wrong in post match interviews. Changing it and addressing said issues are a different matter though, as he clearly struggles with this. I'd have a lot more respect for him if he stopped talking shit. He sounds like that snake oil salesman out of Red Dead Redemption at the minute!

I said before the Swansea game. I would lose faith in him if he plays the same old, shit 4-4-2 and doesn't try to retain possession with a 4-2-3-1. I thought he might actually go for it, seeins as he's almost being pushed into playing that way, with the players we currently have available. Now I've only seen highlights, but going on what everyone has said on here, what I've seen, the subs made and what I've read, I would say he's done the same as usual. We've lost two easy home games on the bounce, due to his tactics and incompetence IMO. Yes the players should shoulder some of the blame, but a lot of it is clearly down to the manager's instructions. I don't have faith that he'll ever try to play 'the right way' or that he'll ever get backed properly in the transfer market. He knows this is the best job he'll ever have, so he won't kick up a fuss. So it's safety first, don't get beat, hoof ball for the forseeable future. I'm not expecting us to play like Arsenal or Barca. To a point, I don't even mind a direct approach if it's effective and we get results. But we're criminally wasting certain players with this shit style and we don't have the personnel to play like Stoke or West Ham. Suppose we better get used to it. 8 years..... I voted yes.

Funny that isn't it!? Most decent teams play 3 in the middle. Most teams that struggle will pack the midfield as a safety first approach. We, play a horribly rigid, 4-4-2. No wonder we f***ing struggle Pards No Pards, one of the strikers doesn't f***ing have to - Ferguson, Sammy, Marveux etc are all better options than Cisse or Shola on the f***ing wing. Man up for f*** sake The full set of quotes is a bit depressing TBH: So yeah, blame it on the injuries and loss of form of certain players. Don't expect any drastic changes soon....

You tell em Steph. You're a fucking nobody Simpson I don't follow Simmo on twitter any more as he irritated the fuck out of me. But I'm sure he said about a year ago he'd split up with his bird?

Funny that isn't it!? Most decent teams play 3 in the middle. Most teams that struggle will pack the midfield as a safety first approach. We, play a horribly rigid, 4-4-2. No wonder we fucking struggle Pards

Cabaye major doubt and sounding like he'll miss out. Cisse has a back problem apparently and Jonas out. From today's press conference/journos on twitter. If we play Tiote and Anita in the middle and Shola/Cisse up top with Ba, I'll lose my shit. The injuries we have are almost forcing us to play a 4-2-3-1, and utilise some players that actually enjoy passing. But I still have this horrible feeling we'll shoehorn players into a 4-4-2. Come on Pards. Do the right thing....

Think Sammy is injured as well? Ferguson has just played two full games in four days and has always seemed the fragile type. Not done a great deal in the league for us when he's had the chance either, still looks a bit out of his depth IMO. I wouldn't mind seeing Marveaux in the position he played against Brugge. But we all know it's going to be 4-4-2, with Obertan replacing Jonas.

As in you saw him that night as well or you saw him in there again last night? Away on International duty isn't he?

Yeah just watched them all. That Gaston fella should win. Ridiculous bit of skill. Who the fuck even attempts that?!

At least it'll give us some natural width, if nothing else. Ferguson's looked totally out of his depth in both PL games he's started this season, but if Pardew puts faith in him, i think we'll see him grow into it. He can reach the byline on his stronger foot, so that'll be a novelty. His crossing from deep is good as well. If it's 4-4-2, he'd be my first choice for the left-wing in Jonas' absence. Agree. There is also a chance we might have a go at 4-3-3, with Obertan Sammy or Marv further up the pitch in his place. Nah, who am I kidding? 4-4-2 with Fergie coming in. We'll lose Jonas' workrate and ball carrying ability, but we'll almost certainly create more going forward whoever comes in. We've got so many left footers in reserve, it'd be good actually have some width down that flank as you say.

Alcohol free beer!? I did find it odd that I couldn't get any at the Bordeaux game, reason being it's a UEFA regulation. I was so pissed I didn't realise though and I didn't think it tasted weak or lacked a kick or anything? Just thought it was Jupiler? There were actually a lot of empty seats in that corner. I was right tight to the fence and the safety net first half and couldn't see much our end (luckily). But I ended up moving to where me mate was and it was a great view. Not sure if loads got turned away, loads didn't make it as they were so fucked or if everyone just stood where they wanted, but there did seem a lot of seats spare. Might have been a combination of the three I suppose. First away day in Europe and my only gripe was the walk. But I'm 23 years old and not too obese, so I can't complain really. It was better than Vicarage Road that's for sure

I was there from about 11am Thursday until 10.30 am Saturday. Went with the missus and another couple, but just went to the game with me mate. So had a quieter one on the Friday, but we still spent about 800 euros between us. Spent most my money on the first night mind. Luckily my phone ran out of battery, so I just had a late one with me mate and then got told off by the wench when I got back to the hotel Such a weird change in atmosphere around town from the Thursday to the Friday!

we had to pull him back in, does all the chants on the mic in sam jacks on match days, was trying to do it out the window but he got a few renditions of 'who the f***ing hell are you' and 'we'll sing what wee want' he got a bit emotional got a canny video of someone doing a klinsman in that pile of rubbish not sure what gans through peoples heads tbh haha some bloke was wading around in it, in what can only be described as budgie smugglers Went to school with this daft fucka... ...canny lad usually. Seen him outside in the street as well. Trying to start chants only about 10 people knew the words too and kept doing that bloody magpie ranger song, can't stand it personally. Looked off his nut on shall we say, 'chemicals' as well Didn't see much aggro. Some bloke jumping into a load of cardboard boxes. A pissed up fella who asked "Hoo, excuse me love, dya mind if ya get your tits oot"to some pissed off looking local bird. Some twat that tried to kick a cyclist, missed and fell head first into a moving car and three lads that were stood on the back of a moving trailer singing the "We're drinking in Brugge" song. All of this was on the walk to the game and didn't see any actual bother as such. That's as bad as it got from what I saw. Most locals I spoke to said there was less aggro and damage than when Birmingham where there, and that most of us just seemed like alocholics. About right really It's a beautiful city, stayed until the Saturday morning and loved every minute of it. The beers are lethal. Even Jupiler (lovely drop I thought) is Stella strength, so you're soon on your way. Kasteel beer was the strongest I had I think. 11% it was. Strange when you just choose to have a local beer, then it comes out and it's 8%. No warning or owt most the beers were decent mind. The bars must have made some serious money last week!

I think he's looked poor and wasted whenever he's played on the left. He should be further up the field. Whether that's wide in a 3 or in a free role I don't really care. Would just be nice to use him properly.

This season, pretty much fuck all. Depsite the fact we looked a bit rusty, I loved the Spurs game. It was fairly promising, we beat a decent/top 4 team without Colo, the weather was glorious and I was pissed all in all, a good start to the season. Since then, it's gradually got worse. We play some nice stuff in Europe and that's been fun at times. But we don't look clinical and we'll get murdered when we play a decent side in the knockout rounds. The football in the league has been nothing short of dire. Whilst we did paper over the cracks last season with some great results and wonder goals, I don't think we were this bad TBH. I said before the WBA match, it was the first time I wasn't looking forward to an NUFC game for a long while. Felt like a chore to be sat there watching it. Same shit every week, 90% of the fans saying the same things, yet every week we stay the same or get worse. Probably all change if we beat Swansea, I'm fickle like a lot of fans

This. He was hit and miss against Liverpool and he tried to do too much at times yesterday. Despite this, he was still one of our best players over the two games. The fact he's the only player that can breathe attacking life into this moribund (classic Partridge) team is a huge worry. As you point out, we have nobody else that creates, beats a man or looks to run with the ball. I can't quite believe he is getting stick, when there are so many other players performing terribly on a consistent basis. Baffling.