Jagten

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.

You're right, there was an awful lot of rubbish last year. I can recall barely a handful of good passing performances. We also went through a period where we gained 18 points from 17 games prior to changing the system.

We're in serious trouble if he's out for an extended period of time. We've really got nobody like him.

f***ing hell. He says "bodies round the ball", actually. Everything else is correct, though.

Yes, especially with you upfront, Shola. With your 2 goals in your last 35 Premier League appearances.

Yes, if we aspire to play like Stoke.

f***ing hell. Where's that from? That's f***ing criminal. NUFCTV.

Fucking hell.

This is getting boring.

He was asked to be a the advanced creative force from the midfield 2. And the defensive midfielder didn't do this very well? That's a shock.

The role he was asked to perform today was ridiculous.

We lack a coherent identity; a definite plan. We have at times flirted with a fluid passing style, but have all too regularly resorted to hoofball. Pardew communicates a vision for entertaining, attacking football - he 'understands what the Newcastle public demand' - yet rarely acts upon this. He speaks of ball retention, then plays 4-4-2, the perennially useless Jonás Gutiérrez is seemingly undroppable, and the introduction of Shola Ameobi has become a regular occurrence in pursuit of improvement. And remarkably, he dedicates 80% of available training time to defensive work and won't lead any of the offensive sessions, leaving it to the wonderfully dynamic John Carver. Offensive sessions that this week included Nile Ranger crossing balls in to Danny Simpson to finish unopposed past our 4th choice goalkeeper. Premier League, beware. I can't decide whether he's just a liar, and has no intention of implementing a style which would be unanimously supported, or whether he just doesn't know how to. After all, this is a man who's spent the majority of his professional career working in an English footballing landscape ignorant of the continental game - a place where possession was viewed with suspicion. And, in two years, has managed to orchestrate barely a handful of competent passing displays. I think we'll always pick up regular points under Pardew - his emphasis on defensive work ensures this - and that's not really where my criticism lies, even if we are currently useless. I dearly hope he proves me wrong, but we'll rarely be a joy to watch - and that's why I no longer want him as our manager.

Pardew said this after the Brugge game:

Krul Simpson - Williamson - Taylor - Santon Anita - Tiote Cabaye HBA - Cisse - Ba