Stuy_O

Out of interest, do you think he tells them to retreat and hold onto the lead and play possession football or does he tell them to retreat and hold onto the lead by panicking and hoofing the ball to the opposition? Both, when stress is slightly applied and we are in the lead or holding out for a drawn, we will sit deep and the players will drop dribbling forward. Just watch the last 20 games again. in the second half our players stop dribbling up the field and choose to hold positions. Its exactly why we start hoofing it. GO watch the Game stop being muppets of Pardew when you guys dont actually watch it properly. Ahh yes, our undying love for Pardew is clouding our vision when we watched the match. Actually that same logic can be applied for your seemingly pathological hatred of him. He may have instructed the team to dig in and defend for the latter stages of that match, but I will be utterly astounded if he told them to do it in the manner they did. Pardew was going mental with Krul for blasting straight up to Villa's back four, and that moment where I think it was either Cabaye or Debuchy ran to the corner flag to then simply turn and chip it to a Villa player defied belief. Like Pardew said, the players were extremely nervous, a natural mindset given the run we're on. We could have imploded 2nd half.

Really though, in the manner we did yesterday? I mean last ditch tackles, clearances off the line, heroic stuff? Because in my opinion that was what transpired through an early set back and then Villa instantly adopting Stoke City tactics by bombarding our box relentlessly. I said it after the game and said it at half time yesterday, if we had got to about an hour in that game at 0-2 I honestly think we would have scored a few more. Having said that maybe it's best we never, as some on here would have nothing to write about.

I'm totally aware btw that his changes remain baffling, and I was highly critical of him after other games. Just feel last night he got the maximum out of his players which in turn has us 3 points. Not angry with him as we didn't notch up a drubbing.

Howay man, do you honestly think Pardew will have told his players to retreat back into their half for the entire 2nd half, or do you think he would have asked for more of the same? The balance in football matches can swing very easily given the situation. Villa made a couple of changes, and we're gifted a way back in the game after a matter of minutes, absolutely nothing to do with our managers half time team talk or tactics. Villa we're going to show a reaction, it's wether they could score early enough. Their's two choices here. You can sit there and moan that we didn't win 0-4 and twist on about our manager as he apparently instructed Debuchy to concede a penalty and therefore give Villa real hope, or you can take a lot of pride that we fought like mad for the points, the fans AND the manager, and dare I say it, signs we will climb the league. We all would have loved to have racked up a load of goals, but after 49 minutes i'm afraid that went out the window. When a side that has won 3 out of 16 concedes so early in the 2nd period, it became an entirely different test for us, which they passed.

I will give credit and also slag off with what I think I saw, but aside from his changes Pardew didn't really infuriate me like he has in other games. Villa we're simply desperate to get something, a lot of sides would have got the same treatment imo. I really thought if we had kept them out for a bit we would have had more in that game, I was confident half time.

i see the players in similar terms, they can do fantastic things, look great for spells, but they collapse when there's pressure, i'm not sure who to blame. That's down to the run we are on. Players got incredibly nervous once they scored, which is why i'm not really surprised by what happened after it. It's ok saying we should see games out better, but composure and calmness become difficult skills when your on a shocking run, even more so in such a massive game. Im just thankful we got the points and showed some f***ing balls in the second half, a massive positive.

His substitutions were surreal tonight but conceding a penalty straight away in the second half was the worst thing we could have done. It gave them hope of something and we were unbelievably nervous, not surprising as it's been that long since we've won. If we had gone on 15 or so minutes in the second half without conceding I have no doubt we would have scored a few more goals. So while yes, his changes were questionable and remain so, personally I don't think his half time team talk was to soak up a barrage of pressure, incidents in the game made the situation unravel incredibly quick. In a twisted way the 2nd half showed the players are still on his side which is something to go with these precious points.

didn't even think for one second he'd miss once he was in.

Agreed, thought he had a class game excluding the penalty incident. Looks well up for it.

I know you have highlighted should in your post but howay, when was the last time we annihilated someone, home or away? Even if we do score first tomorrow, can't see us scoring hatfuls, obviously would love to be wrong. If supporting Newcastle has taught me anything it's that when teams are on a dire run and playing horribly, the game they invariably sort it all out is when we come rolling along. Happened for as long as i'v supported us. We've just gotta show some real metal tomorrow, 3 points above all else.

Agreed with this, wanna see some bottle from the manager and players, think Sissoko will help this mind. Really difficult trying to comprehend a defeat here. Pardew looks less stressed in his interviews but all the negative vibes will swarm back if we lose tomorrow and questions of the manager will be the hot topic again. We have some tricky matches due yes, but hopefully Pards will be telling his players that this is the time to start rectifying all the rubbish that has transpired prior. Key players back from injury, some excellent additions to the squad, captain staying, the team has to start performing and now. Reading was a shocking day and I just hope it gave the club the kick up the arse it needed, especially with matters on the pitch.

The latter stages of this vid he makes it quite clear who he supports. Skip past the mackems halfway through.

genuinely do reckon we'll bring in one more.

I think one more will be in before it shuts. Thauvin or someone else.

what? they have claimed we are s*** and to be relegated all season cos we havent got squad depth( i tended to agree mind). The bitterness ruins their ability to grasp the concept.

I'll be gobsmacked, mainly because he's a bit like Cisse but with better technical ability and passing. Would provide great competition but wonder if the club will have 2 purple strikers at the same time with only one of them starting at any one time. Unless we want to not bother with the wingers and go 4-3-1-2 of course. Aye very much a pipe dream at the moment. Never know with this club though, Ashley may be so petrified of the drop he's willing to put some serious capital out.

Is Van Wolfswinkel the next one in asking for a little to much?

Fucking hell that forum has imploded on itself since the Sissoko crack got announced. They are attempting to ludicrously claim that squad depth is not important, somehow forgetting that not a day passes when they are not hollering at Marty to bring more players in.

If anyone on here envisaged this, wow.

Gets better!

Mapou was the one though, knows he's missed out.

He didn't get Yanga-Mbiwa. Standard response this.

Looks like they are getting him over here now and as quickly as poss to avoid any repeat of the Remy scenario. Hopefully learned from past errors.

Get in from work - see a semen related Sissoko forum. The forum continues to surprise

Have a think about what you're writing please. Eh? read back a few more pages, i'm hardly stowing up any more controversy. The point i'm actually trying to make is that I can't for any reason this as anything other than serious domestic issue's (of which we know nothing), which he needs to resolve above all else, and nothing to do with his manager or club. The bloke must be having a terrible time of it, I still don't have this trait in his character and something must seriously be up for it to come to this.