Jagten

Our ability to retain possession and ultimately control the game is far better in a 4-3-3. Ensuring that we do both is as important defensively as it is offensively. In a 4-4-2 we can find ourselves overrun in midfield, unable to retain possession, and ineffective going forward. When played into midfield our options are limited, our transitional play is generally awful, and we have an inability to get our more gifted attackers on the ball in their final third. Our strikeforce is, at the moment, dysfunctional, and incapable of making this formation a success. With the players available to us, a permanent move to a 4-3-3 is a must, IMO. The only negative being moving Ba back out to the left, which is something I do not believe Pardew wants to do.

This. I'm not bothered about today at all i'm bothered about the long term implications that using 4-4-2 has. You have to accept that sometimes, like today, we will have to play 4-4-2 or we will get raped. I totally disagree. Chelsea would not have battered us if we had gone with a 4-3-3. what makes you say that exactly? We're not talking about Barcelona here. Minus Hazard, they are the same team as last year, a team we finished above.

This. I'm not bothered about today at all i'm bothered about the long term implications that using 4-4-2 has. You have to accept that sometimes, like today, we will have to play 4-4-2 or we will get raped. I totally disagree. Chelsea would not have battered us if we had gone with a 4-3-3.

Is there a full list of teams we could be drawn against anywhere?

Sakho is the captain of PSG. That didn't stop Ancelotti from dropping him.

Lyon are having financial difficulties, and Reveillere is on a high wage with only one year left on his deal. I imagine he would start too considering his competition would be Jallet.

Newcastle United FC ‏@NUFCOfficial Regarding Alan Brazil's tweet, spoken to Derek and it's complete and utter nonsense! Maybe a case of a drink too many?

4-2-3-1, apparently.

http://www.mirror.co.uk/sport/football/transfer-news/newcastle-transfers-jeremy-toulalan-the-malaga-1212450

http://www.chroniclelive.co.uk/newcastle-united/nufc-news/2012/08/03/newcastle-to-make-late-call-on-hatem-ben-arfa-72703-31538504/

http://www.lequipe.fr/Football/Actualites/Debuchy-seydoux-ferme-la-porte/303060

The FFF have organised a press conference for the occasion. I doubt they will have wanted us to reveal who is in the squad a week beforehand. It could easily be a mistake.

It has been announced by NUFC. Would they know this far in advance?

http://www.fff.fr/bleus/actu/542724_la-liste-le-jeudi-9-aout

It says our first offer 'included bonuses', I thought we always paid upfront?

http://www.le10sport.com/football/france/mercato/exclu-losc-debuchy-nouvelle-offre-imminente-de-newcastle70045?utm_source=dlvr.it&utm_medium=twitter&utm_campaign=le10sport

If you re-read that exact statement you will understand that's not what he meant though. Said something like wages and fee agreed at Debuchy's end, by which he probably meant signing on fee. Fair enough. Although he should have worded it better.

He did tell us a fee had been agreed.

I don't think either Abeid or Bigi are good enough for the premier league, at the moment. Marveaux, Gosling and Vuckic play in different positions too. I think he would be brilliant for us.

I'd agree with that. Especially if we are going forward with a 4-4-2. I don't think he's good enough for 3rd choice regardless of formation. Yea not sure that formation is relevant, I don't know, maybe if we have debuchy his lack of skill on the ball wont be exposed as much as it was when we had simpson and williamson playing right next to eachother I think it is. As a footballer he is awful, and it's harder for him to play out from the back in a 4-4-2. He just ends up hoofing it most of the time. I still think he's not good enough regardless, btw.

I'd agree with that. Especially if we are going forward with a 4-4-2.

http://www.nufc.co.uk/articles/20120731/its-good-news-for-magpies_2281670_2866556

By all accounts, he is awful.

Yeh, he constantly gets stuff wrong. I think he's become a joke figure amongst West Ham fans.

Despite the fact they just signed Chris Gunter.