Jagten

Can't see him playing 4-3-3 after what happened last time.

Start using him properly pls.

Anita on the wing.

In the second bit he's talking about free-kicks, not open play. I didn't ignore it.

http://www.shieldsgazette.com/sport/football/newcastle-united/newcastle-are-not-a-long-ball-team-insists-pardew-1-5173688

Absolutely not.

He'll struggle finding a buyer.

Stoke don't even play 4-4-2 anymore, ffs.

He'll play Shola is he's fit. Accidentally let slip in his post Maritimo interview on nufcTV.

Anita's on the wing. Edit: Maybe. I don't know what we're doing anymore.

Season tickets are cheaper in the Championship. It's not all bad.

So we drop Cisse then? With Ben Arfa and Cabaye out this is one of the rare occasions I'm actually glad to see a 4-4-2 No, we put Ba on the wing. And who goes on the other wing? Marveaux. Has he looked a winger in the games he's played like? He looks more of a creative midfielder and certainly not the kind who could terrorise a full back. It's the best available solution. No it's not, it's sticking square pegs in round holes for the sake of playing 4-3-3. And what we're about to do isn't? We're going to be outnumbered in midfield and incapable of retaining possession. To combat this we will regularly bypass the midfield by hoofing it to Ba and Cisse. Neither are competent target men - and this will not work. Not to mention there will be no support from a midfield that is excessivly defensive.

So we drop Cisse then? With Ben Arfa and Cabaye out this is one of the rare occasions I'm actually glad to see a 4-4-2 No, we put Ba on the wing. And who goes on the other wing? Marveaux. Has he looked a winger in the games he's played like? He looks more of a creative midfielder and certainly not the kind who could terrorise a full back. It's the best available solution.

So we drop Cisse then? With Ben Arfa and Cabaye out this is one of the rare occasions I'm actually glad to see a 4-4-2 No, we put Ba on the wing. And who goes on the other wing? Marveaux.

So we drop Cisse then? With Ben Arfa and Cabaye out this is one of the rare occasions I'm actually glad to see a 4-4-2 No, we put Ba on the wing.

We are playing a dysfunctional strike pairing and will allow them to outnumber us in midfield. That line-up is not fine.

No, I disagree. Ba's performing in this dire setup better than Cisse as his all-round game, specifically outside of the box, is superior. But Cisse is a better poacher, and would be more suited to playing central in a 3, with a proper winger - not Ba - out wide.

He's not injured too, is he?

10 men behind the ball, ffs.

I've said previously that we lack a coherent identity. Pardew must now define us; we are either a fluid passing side in a 4-3-3 or a direct, aggressive team in a 4-4-2. Pursuing both Carroll and Anita over the summer was somewhat baffling - and it is this inner conflict that continues to hinder us. A conflict that is represented by Pardew's stubborn determination in pursuing a strike pairing that will never function. We are a team selected through fear of both the opposition and upsetting our most valuable assets, which leaves us lost and a bit rubbish.

In the 13 games in which Cisse and Ba have played together for the majority of the match in a 4-4-2, we have acquired 13 points, scored 12 goals and conceded 23. (I think)

Anita was more advanced than that.