alexthegreat Posted March 18, 2012 Share Posted March 18, 2012 Its been noticable that opposition forwards have squeezed the play towards our right when we're playing it out from the back in the last few months, and this was very obvious today. I think Williamson probably had more touches than any of our players in the 1st half. Was very frustrating to have Ba, Cisse, and Ben Arfa at one end of the pitch, very occasionally putting together some decent moves, but more often we were watching Williamson and Simpson nudging the ball to each other in slow-motion, hacking and slicing, and Krul weighing in with the odd miscued kick now and then. I honestly think Williamson had been told not to hoof it as much as he normally does. The results of this were nearly disastarous in the first 20 mins. Amonst a number of errors A slow ponderous dribble across his own goal stood out - it resulted in the loudest 5 seconds of criticism I've heard for one of our players in ages and he was visibly shaken - there were some very nervous touches after that. It was back to hoofball after that. Neither Ba or Cisse can really compete for the long balls against the centre backs, although the introduction of Shola helped in this regard (thought he did well when he came on). I remember against West Brom at home their centre backs gobbled up everything v Ba and Best. Also remember that Odemwingie and Long were relentless in their harrying of our defence. I think that this team needs a targetman who can regularly compete for high balls with Premier League defenders and I don't think either Ba or Cisse can do that. I wouldn't be surprised if Pardew was contemplating either a 451 (gives an extra man in midfield for the defender to find), or playing Shola instead of Cisse. Reading this forum suggests that taking either of these decisions will see him slaughtered. We have some good players but we are badly lacking in some areas - the result is often a disjointed performance. I don't really think Pardew is particularly to blame for this, and I still think hes doing well with what he has. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dave Posted March 18, 2012 Share Posted March 18, 2012 The only positive I can come up with is that Pardew rated the clean sheet that highly with some tough games coming up he sacarificed going all out for a big win due to it. Been a while for us since we've got one, but with it we can take it in to the next game and build on it. Build fromthe back as they say. Might give the likes of Williamson a boost, and those who play next to him some confidence in him, we are on edge with him, no doubt his teammates are feeling similar. Even writing that it feels far far fetched and I'm certain he's just a daft boring bastard. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
The College Dropout Posted March 18, 2012 Share Posted March 18, 2012 Wouldn't mind a 4-5-1 tbh. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hughesy Posted March 18, 2012 Share Posted March 18, 2012 I have no doubts now the long ball tactic is directly coming from the dug-out now, to go from playing really well 1st 10 mins to then just hoof ball within 5 minutes of scoring is horrifying me. We've let Wolves and now Norwich to pass us to shreds at times is unbelievable, is it much to ask us to pass it on the deck for most of the game...... Pass us to shreds? Really..? Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dave Posted March 18, 2012 Share Posted March 18, 2012 Yes. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
TheGuv Posted March 18, 2012 Share Posted March 18, 2012 Guess I cannot go to a Newcastle game ever again because I shouted at our marvellous manager who seems more clued up on dress sense than on his players that actually make an impact on the game. Whenever Pardew goes, be it in 1 year or 5 years. I can see him having the same hated reputation amongst Newcastle fans as Souness and Allardyce. Yet only a few seem to realise this at the moment. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest neesy111 Posted March 18, 2012 Share Posted March 18, 2012 Guess I cannot go to a Newcastle game ever again because I shouted at our marvellous manager who seems more clued up on dress sense than on his players that actually make an impact on the game. Whenever Pardew goes, be it in 1 year or 5 years. I can see him having the same hated reputation amongst Newcastle fans as Souness and Allardyce. Yet only a few seem to realise this at the moment. Back of the gallowgate where I am he's not Mr Popular now. My mate said similar in the East stand as well. I think your spot on as well, I said after the game if that is his version of playing football then it's no wonder why he's been sacked from his last 3 jobs. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sifu Posted March 18, 2012 Share Posted March 18, 2012 Guess I cannot go to a Newcastle game ever again because I shouted at our marvellous manager who seems more clued up on dress sense than on his players that actually make an impact on the game. Whenever Pardew goes, be it in 1 year or 5 years. I can see him having the same hated reputation amongst Newcastle fans as Souness and Allardyce. Yet only a few seem to realise this at the moment. I wouldn't go that far, mate. At worst, he'll probably gain a reputation akin to Roeder but a reputation like Souness/Allardyce's? Can't see it. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
TheGuv Posted March 18, 2012 Share Posted March 18, 2012 Yeah. I think it's really starting to hit home what we were told by the Southampton and West Ham fans and he seems to be quite a stubborn manager that never seems to learn. EDIT: A year is a long time in football Sifu. Anything could happen in that period and I know what I think will. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hughesy Posted March 18, 2012 Share Posted March 18, 2012 Yes. That just isn't true. Not even close. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest neesy111 Posted March 18, 2012 Share Posted March 18, 2012 Yes. That just isn't true. Not even close. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ishmael Posted March 18, 2012 Share Posted March 18, 2012 Yes. That just isn't true. Not even close. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pilko Posted March 18, 2012 Share Posted March 18, 2012 Not a chance will Pardew ever be hated as much as Souness/Allardyce. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hughesy Posted March 18, 2012 Share Posted March 18, 2012 Yes. That just isn't true. Not even close. Well - I'm defeated by an argument like that. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
ChrisMcQuillan Posted March 18, 2012 Share Posted March 18, 2012 I don't dread Pardew's games as much as Allardyce's that's for sure. Allardyce could never have produced the 3-0 over Man Utd, or the 4-4. Not a chance. Pardew might frustrate, as he did today, but he got us three points. And from the sounds of his interviews, he knows he has to grind out wins with our injuries. We certainly were better in the first half of the season, and hopefully next season with some reinforcements we'll see ourselves back to that level. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
TheGuv Posted March 18, 2012 Share Posted March 18, 2012 I think Souness and Allardyce were hated for different reasons. And I think Pardew will be different again. It'll probably be along the lines of wasting the squad he had at his disposal. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dave Posted March 18, 2012 Share Posted March 18, 2012 Yes. That just isn't true. Not even close. Well - I'm defeated by an argument like that. That just isn't true. Not even close. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest neesy111 Posted March 18, 2012 Share Posted March 18, 2012 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hughesy Posted March 18, 2012 Share Posted March 18, 2012 You seriously think Norwich tore us to shreds with their passing? At the risk of being called stat obsessed - how did we have more possession than them, more shots on goal and more clearcut chances if they tore us to shreds? It just didn't happen. There's being critical and objective with it and then there's wanting to see things that haven't happened to support an agenda. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dave Posted March 18, 2012 Share Posted March 18, 2012 Both Wolves and Norwich outpassed us in general play on our own pitch. Norwich will feel very unlucky not to get a point today, because for most of the match they were the better side. Same as Wolves were. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Disco Posted March 18, 2012 Share Posted March 18, 2012 You seriously think Norwich tore us to shreds with their passing? At the risk of being called stat obsessed - how did we have more possession than them, more shots on goal and more clearcut chances if they tore us to shreds? It just didn't happen. There's being critical and objective with it and then there's wanting to see things that haven't happened to support an agenda. We didn't have more possession than then according to SSN. 46:54. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sifu Posted March 18, 2012 Share Posted March 18, 2012 Yeah. I think it's really starting to hit home what we were told by the Southampton and West Ham fans and he seems to be quite a stubborn manager that never seems to learn. EDIT: A year is a long time in football Sifu. Anything could happen in that period and I know what I think will. Indeed, anything can happen but as it stands, I still have faith in the man. Of course, these past few months have been s****, no-one can deny that and criticism has rightly come Pardew's way but for me, there's still those little signs that we can adapt our play to a passing one. Pardew just needs to man up, basically (though that's easier said than done I suppose......). Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hughesy Posted March 18, 2012 Share Posted March 18, 2012 Both Wolves and Norwich outpassed us in general play on our own pitch. Norwich will feel very unlucky not to get a point today, because for most of the match they were the better side. Same as Wolves were. Can't agree with that in relation to today's match. Happy to agree to disagree though as we clearly have completely different opinions on what happened. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dave Posted March 18, 2012 Share Posted March 18, 2012 Fair enough. We clearly created the better chances and more of them, but in general play I felt they passed it about impressively including some brilliant cross-field switches. When they knocked one straight out late on I said to the bloke next to me that if was one of the first basic passing errors I could remember them making all match. We were chasing shadows far too often, the fact that many people have James Perch as their man of the match tells you everything. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
LoveItIfWeBeatU Posted March 18, 2012 Share Posted March 18, 2012 Pardew acknowledges we aren't firing on all cylinders but there's not much he can do personnel wise to change it. With the injuries we've got we haven't got the squad depth to freshen the team. Williamson (since S.Taylor's injury), Coloccini, Simpson, Ba and Gutierrez have played just about every game they've been available for. The only rotation has really been in midfield when Perch and Guthrie have come in for injured or suspended Cabaye and Tiote. If a first team player is out of form we pretty much have to keep playing them. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
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