Alan Pardew

[Guest Howaythetoon]

 

And now Hughton in his first 21 games last season, a manager not deemed good enough and someone who many feel Pardew is a big upgrade on or has been:

 

Won 8

Drew 4

Lost 9

For 34

Against 31

 

28 points

 

Just to clarify for everyone who unreservedly believes HTT's fibs, Hughton only managed us for 16 league games last season.

 

Here's his actual record:

 

16 games

19 points

 

(Basically identical to our 'terrible current form' under Alan 'cannot cut the mustard' Pardew)

 

My bad.

 

Mind...

 

Pardew had 6 more games than Hughton last season and only managed 8 more points than Hughton did.

 

And as you correctly stated, in Pardew's last 16 games, he has only picked up 19 points, the same return you mock Hughton for. This with better players.

 

I never 'mocked' Hughton's points return. I didn't even want him to be sacked.

 

Do I think Pardew's an upgrade? Yes.

 

Maybe not so much mock but pour scorn on. Fair enough if you think Pardew is an upgrade. Our position in the table would certainly back you up but for me, he's not an upgrade and although the past is the past, I believe we would have finished last season better than we did under Pardew had Hughton not got the boot and with the players we have now, I think we'd be doing much better in terms of our football and thus would have a better chance of progressing. Pardew will take us backwards next season and could even do so from where we sit now. I for one doubt we'll finish 6th now.

[Guest Howaythetoon]

Like Wullie says, its not about pretty football. There's only one team in the league who play pretty football and make a success of it, Spurs. Swansea are in the bottom half and some people go on as if they are Barca. Man city have been involved in some of the most boring games this season and Arsenal have been poor compared to their sides of the past.

 

What should be asked for is positive football, Pardew got it half right at the start of the season with the pressing he employed. There's something wrong with the link between our midfield and attack. I'm still undecided on whether it is Pardews tactics or an underperforming group of players.

 

Our midfield is nowhere near as good as some would have you believe.

 

I think we have the makings of a cracking midfield. Mind, its hard to see when they are constantly bypassed with the long ball.

[Guest neesy111]

Like Wullie says, its not about pretty football. There's only one team in the league who play pretty football and make a success of it, Spurs. Swansea are in the bottom half and some people go on as if they are Barca. Man city have been involved in some of the most boring games this season and Arsenal have been poor compared to their sides of the past.

 

What should be asked for is positive football, Pardew got it half right at the start of the season with the pressing he employed. There's something wrong with the link between our midfield and attack. I'm still undecided on whether it is Pardews tactics or an underperforming group of players.

 

Our midfield is nowhere near as good as some would have you believe.

 

I think we have the makings of a cracking midfield. Mind, its hard to see when they are constantly bypassed with the long ball.

 

One big difference is not having a CM making runs like Nolan was last season.

[Guest Howaythetoon]

Like Wullie says, its not about pretty football. There's only one team in the league who play pretty football and make a success of it, Spurs. Swansea are in the bottom half and some people go on as if they are Barca. Man city have been involved in some of the most boring games this season and Arsenal have been poor compared to their sides of the past.

 

What should be asked for is positive football, Pardew got it half right at the start of the season with the pressing he employed. There's something wrong with the link between our midfield and attack. I'm still undecided on whether it is Pardews tactics or an underperforming group of players.

 

Our midfield is nowhere near as good as some would have you believe.

 

I think we have the makings of a cracking midfield. Mind, its hard to see when they are constantly bypassed with the long ball.

 

One big difference is not having a CM making runs like Nolan was last season.

 

 

They are not allowed to make runs. They have to sit, contain and break up play. Its up to the forwards to make the runs, the midfielders are the ones who put the ball in.

[STM]

HTT, I don't know which fans you speak to but I've seen very little of the fans turning on Pardew. Infact they were singing his name before the sunderland game. In fact, I don't think I have heard anyone with an opinion anywhere near yours. You are not speaking for the majority IMO.

 

I'd also like to add that it is far easier to predict failure in football than success. For example if I said 'Pardew will fail at Newcastle', the chances are that I will get that prediction right, seen as most of our managers are sacked within two years. Howere that is not a good indicator of my opinion on him.

 

He's doing a good job, that's what most Newcastle fans I speak to think but noones going over the top.

[Hughesy]

Like Wullie says, its not about pretty football. There's only one team in the league who play pretty football and make a success of it, Spurs. Swansea are in the bottom half and some people go on as if they are Barca. Man city have been involved in some of the most boring games this season and Arsenal have been poor compared to their sides of the past.

 

What should be asked for is positive football, Pardew got it half right at the start of the season with the pressing he employed. There's something wrong with the link between our midfield and attack. I'm still undecided on whether it is Pardews tactics or an underperforming group of players.

 

Another very fair and sensible post.

 

On the latter point, certainly quotes like the ones from Carver about 4 days with Pardew defending, 1 day with him attacking do nothing to inspire my confidence that we're working on the right things.

 

Although I know nothing about football coaching, it seems to me an odd way to coach anyway - it's a team game and one that often requires defence turning into attack very quickly. It shouldn't be a case of "when you have the ball, do this, and when you don't, do the other", I think that's overly simplistic and not really reflective of how a game flows.

 

I think this could be a reason, for example that there cannot possibly be a worse team on the counter attack than us, we never even look like starting one, never mind being in a position to finish one off.

 

I think, although I am also not a football coach, that it is quite a common way of coaching to tell players where to be in both terms of attacking and defending when the ball is in a certain area.  And I don't just mean your Allardyces etc - I definitely remember reading an article about Arsenal doing something very similar.

[Guest neesy111]

HTT, I don't know which fans you speak to but I've seen very little of the fans turning on Pardew. Infact they were singing his name before the sunderland game. In fact, I don't think I have heard anyone with an opinion anywhere near yours. You are not speaking for the majority IMO.

 

I'd also like to add that it is far easier to predict failure in football than success. For example if I said 'Pardew will fail at Newcastle', the chances are that I will get that prediction right, seen as most of our managers are sacked within two years. Howere that is not a good indicator of my opinion on him.

 

He's doing a good job, that's what most Newcastle fans I speak to think but noones going over the top.

 

I'd say it's 50/50 with my NUFC friends.  Also the fans singing his name before the Sunderland match was hardly the whole stadium singing it mind.  I remember Sam Allardyce's name get sung 2 months before he was sacked.

[STM]

Remember Souness name being sang when beat Olymiakos 4-0, was it?

 

The point I was making Is that I've seen very little pressure from the terraces. Doesn't mean to say its not out there mind.

[Darth Crooks]

It seems odd to me how much people analyse the number of days spent doing this and that with the manager. Apparently, according to a friend of a relative who plays for the Villa, M'oNg was never seen at the training ground and picked the squad based on other staff. Pardew could be spending any number of days a week on attacking or defending; but all the time filling players heads with shite all week. Or could be more of an observer. He doesn't strike me that way like. We'll never know.

[Guest neesy111]

Remember Souness name being sang when beat Olymiakos 4-0, was it?

 

The point I was making Is that I've seen very little pressure from the terraces. Doesn't mean to say its not out there mind.

 

It doesn't get visible in the terraces until things start going really badly, but I'd say there are many people still reserved about Pardew. 

[Guest Howaythetoon]

HTT, I don't know which fans you speak to but I've seen very little of the fans turning on Pardew. Infact they were singing his name before the sunderland game. In fact, I don't think I have heard anyone with an opinion anywhere near yours. You are not speaking for the majority IMO.

 

I'd also like to add that it is far easier to predict failure in football than success. For example if I said 'Pardew will fail at Newcastle', the chances are that I will get that prediction right, seen as most of our managers are sacked within two years. Howere that is not a good indicator of my opinion on him.

 

He's doing a good job, that's what most Newcastle fans I speak to think but noones going over the top.

 

At the match fans are usually none judgemental but afterwards, in the pubs or even last night at 5-a-side footy for example, fans are becoming unhappy. A good number of the lads at footy last night were questioning him and saying we cannot continue to play like we are. And that's the milder comments. The penny is certainly dropping regarding his limitations and unless he can change his game plan and performances improve, criticism will only increase, regardless of where we are in the table. Don't underestimate how important good performances are valued on and off the stands. Winning is the most important thing of course but a good performance is a very very close second. I do not enjoy enjoy watching us at all. Its boring and repetitive (a bit like myself ) and worst of all, you know where its heading or ending.

[Guest]

HTT, I don't know which fans you speak to but I've seen very little of the fans turning on Pardew. Infact they were singing his name before the sunderland game. In fact, I don't think I have heard anyone with an opinion anywhere near yours. You are not speaking for the majority IMO.

 

I'd also like to add that it is far easier to predict failure in football than success. For example if I said 'Pardew will fail at Newcastle', the chances are that I will get that prediction right, seen as most of our managers are sacked within two years. Howere that is not a good indicator of my opinion on him.

 

He's doing a good job, that's what most Newcastle fans I speak to think but noones going over the top.

 

At the match fans are usually none judgemental but afterwards, in the pubs or even last night at 5-a-side footy for example, fans are becoming unhappy. A good number of the lads at footy last night were questioning him and saying we cannot continue to play like we are. And that's the milder comments. The penny is certainly dropping regarding his limitations and unless he can change his game plan and performances improve, criticism will only increase, regardless of where we are in the table. Don't underestimate how important good performances are valued on and off the stands. Winning is the most important thing of course but a good performance is a very very close second. I do not enjoy enjoy watching us at all. Its boring and repetitive (a bit like myself ) and worst of all, you know where its heading or ending.

 

Back in Europe. Superb.

[Guest neesy111]

For what it is worth I do think we can turn it around in the next 10 games, but it's going to take a mentality change so that we aren't running scared of the opposition like we have for the last month.

[Wullie]

I'll be absolutely amazed if we make Europe like.

[Guest]

For what it is worth I do think we can turn it around in the next 10 games, but it's going to take a mentality change so that we aren't running scared of the opposition like we have for the last month.

 

In effect, the likes of Everton & Sunderland have to win 3 more games than us to get in the top 7 ahead of us. Even over the last 8 games where we've not been as consistent, just to put things into perspective of the task the likes of those have to catch us, over the last 8 games, nobody else has picked up more than 2 points more than us in those games other than Man Utd, City & Arsenal.

[Si]

I'll be absolutely delighted if we make Europe like.

 

FYP

[Mr Logic]

I'll be absolutely amazed if we make Europe like.

 

We won't be there long if we do.

[Guest]

I'll be absolutely amazed if we make Europe like.

 

We won't be there long if we do.

 

How can we say that at this stage without seeing next season's squad.

 

People were tipping us for a struggle in the summer and we're sitting in 6th. Feck knows what will happen in the next 12 months.

[AyeDubbleYoo]

I'll be absolutely amazed if we make Europe like.

 

We won't be there long if we do.

 

Fuck me, let's all do ourselves in now.

[Guest Deadmau5]

Thats not entirely true. We do know one thing. There will be hoofing involved.

[TRon]

Thats not entirely true. We do know one thing. There will be hoofing involved.

 

I'm sure some smart forum expert will be along shortly to tell us that when Krul picks the ball up and wellies it down the field it's a pass not a hoof. There's no possible way that Pardew could ask him to throw it to a full back instead. All teams keepers do the same thing, Man U, Spurs etc.

.

[loki679]

One big difference is not having a CM making runs like Nolan was last season.

 

I have the 4-4 with Arsenal from last season on my hard disk and i've watched it quite a few times (it's brilliant to watch if you're, erm, relaxing with some, um, plant based recreation).  The thing that always strikes me is that he never seemed to sprint.  We would get the ball back near our box or in the midfield and he'd just kind of set off at a jog like an ocean liner starting it's voyage knowing a plane would be arriving at the same time.  The ball gets knocked around a bit and by the time it's played up into the danger area his stately jog has taken him right where he needs to be every time.

 

He never busts a gut, he just jogs to where the ball will be in 45 - 90 seconds time, it's uncanny.  The difference now is that Cabaye is not moving forward like that, he tends to stay in position when the ball is moving forward so when it breaks or is knocked down he's not there.

[Disco]

For what it is worth I do think we can turn it around in the next 10 games, but it's going to take a mentality change so that we aren't running scared of the opposition like we have for the last month.

 

In effect, the likes of Everton & Sunderland have to win 3 more games than us to get in the top 7 ahead of us. Even over the last 8 games where we've not been as consistent, just to put things into perspective of the task the likes of those have to catch us, over the last 8 games, nobody else has picked up more than 2 points more than us in those games other than Man Utd, City & Arsenal.

 

I'm sure there was a thing on RTG this week where some posted even if we persisted with average points since MoNg took over they'd still be behind us. Might've been pre-Arsenal though.

[Stuy_O]

What happens if we improve our style of play but slip down the league and miss out on europe? Entirely plausable.

[Spudil]

One big difference is not having a CM making runs like Nolan was last season.

 

I have the 4-4 with Arsenal from last season on my hard disk and i've watched it quite a few times (it's brilliant to watch if you're, erm, relaxing with some, um, plant based recreation).  The thing that always strikes me is that he never seemed to sprint.  We would get the ball back near our box or in the midfield and he'd just kind of set off at a jog like an ocean liner starting it's voyage knowing a plane would be arriving at the same time.  The ball gets knocked around a bit and by the time it's played up into the danger area his stately jog has taken him right where he needs to be every time.

 

He never busts a gut, he just jogs to where the ball will be in 45 - 90 seconds time, it's uncanny.  The difference now is that Cabaye is not moving forward like that, he tends to stay in position when the ball is moving forward so when it breaks or is knocked down he's not there.