Varadi

I think we might get a point at QPR - especially if we get the brown envelope to Harry now. West Ham will beat us without trying and Arsenal will bum us harder than Liverpool did. Totally relying on Wigan or Villa to not catch us. Shameful.

http://media.tumblr.com/tumblr_md5g7wpzaP1qewlku.png

Why not? A decent manager wouldn't be planning on getting sacked. That's the thing like - you want someone with enough arrogance and confidence in their own ability to be willing to take the opportunity without the security of a big payout if they mess it up. Someone a bit like Pardew really. But preferably with the experience and skills to back it up.

Aye. Spot the odd one out, Alan. I've given you a hint. http://i.imgur.com/kOEnfDu.png That's actually doubly depressing as it shows just how static and predictable the Premier League has become these days - nobody (apart from us, obviously!) moving more than a couple of places from one season to the next.

That article is a scary read. The bits about him spectacularly failing to get the team to perform in really big matches rings especially true after the derby defeat. I had been clinging on to some hope that he might actually learn from his mistakes this season, but reading that and the Southampton fan piece suggest this isn't a bloke who is going to do much changing.

Luke Edwards sticking the boot in now: http://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/football/teams/newcastle-united/10015256/Newcastle-United-manager-Alan-Pardew-faces-uncertain-future-ahead-of-Premier-League-relegation-battle.html

Can we get Sammy back? The Ameobi brothers will shoot us to safety!

I remember one of the things I liked about Pardew when he first started was his refreshing honesty, and he would go out of his way to not make excuses for defeats - things like an injury to one player was an opportunity for someone else to step up. So disappointing that when under pressure he reverts to "struggling manager 101" and just starts a conveyor belt of excuses. I think he has a long way to go to be as bad as Souness, but this is a worrying sign.

Villa absolutely have to beat the mackems now. If we don't win on Saturday we're going to have to be backing the fascists on Monday night....

I think Liverpool have definitely improved this season but they've still only won 5 away games. With Suarez out we can get at least a draw here I reckon.

I think it'll be 7 games at the absolute most. They can't really give him 8 or more because that's what he got for being a massive racist. As long as it's 1 or more I don't really care!

It doesn't make any sense to level that criticism at Pardew. Are you saying he is coaching them to hit less long balls, but to not look where they're hitting the ball when they do use it? What's this - reasoned argument backed by actual statistics? Get him lads!

What a ridiculous thing to do. He's actually fucking bitten him!

Points against Liverpool and QPR I reckon. Hopefully be enough.

Could've won us the game with a cooler head. I like him but he really can't shoulder our goalscoring burden on his own.

I'm pretty sure he brought him on to help defend corners.

I think today proved that, given a whole week to prepare, he's actually pretty good at setting a team up to play against a particular opponent. Unfortunately if that team has a manager who can change things around a bit he immediately looks completely lost. The equaliser today was coming from the first minute of the 2nd half and he just didn't react. Out of his depth at this level I think.

Perhaps bizarrely, we're still 20/1: http://www.oddschecker.com/football/english/premier-league/relegation

Pardew doesn't trust Haidara. Will Jonas not be playing wide right in this lineup?

Happy enough for Perch to start this one tbh - our results with him starting are OK this season. Probably even prefer him to Tiote right now really.

Games which we took 1 point out of. Right...... Thought it was 4 - we beat West Brom this season didn't we? Off Cisse's arse iirc. Yes. I corrected it. Sorry. But we only took 4 points from 3 winnable home games, shows the state of our season. Not the best, but if Norwich replicate it then it will almost certainly be enough to keep them up.

Exactly that I would say. Only question is if Sissoko or Gouffran play in behind Cisse.

Games which we took 1 point out of. Right...... Thought it was 4 - we beat West Brom this season didn't we? Off Cisse's arse iirc.

And this is where the manager earns his money, he should have them up for it. If they aren't, it will tell you all you need to know about his motivation skills. Not to excuse them from blame either, they should have a burning desire to put it right, but i do worry that their leader as negative as he is may drain that from them. Especially when a lot of his talk is about how harsh he feels he's been treated. Surely the derby told us that already?

Would take a draw today, as long as we get an encouraging display. Another away capitulation and I'm going to be getting very nervous.