Alan Pardew

[Dr Venkman]

I'd be interested to see if he had two fullbacks he trusted whether he would still be this negative. I think he probably would. We'll never find out with Ashley holding the transfer funds any way.

Time for Ferguson & Santon if both fit. We can give the ball to defenders other than Colo then. Would transform our build up and support play.

 

Don't under estimate the loss of Saylor in this respect, he was playing it out of defence a lot.

[Big Geordie]

I'm not sure how he thinks we can push on for a Europa Cup place, without significant investment? Geordie Beano is suggesting that he's got £8million to spend this window, which won't go far!

[Skirge]

I'm not sure how he thinks we can push on for a Europa Cup place, without significant investment? Geordie Beano is suggesting that he's got £8million to spend this window, which won't go far!

 

Not if that includes 4 yeas wages too

[JH]

I believe we can push on for a Europa league place without significant investment.

 

We already have the players capable, we're just either a) Not using them or b) Wrong tactics employed.

 

If we had Ben Arfa on the pitch and Obertan on the bench, and stuck the ball on the bottom and cut out the long ball crap, we'd look significantly stronger.

[The Prophet]

From a purely results based point of view it's difficult to argue with Pardew this season. It's our second campaign since returning to the top flight and we're sitting in seventh place just four points behind the top six. Despite such form I'd be lying if I said serious concerns hadn't begun to emerge during our recent run of games.

 

In truth we haven't played particularly well since our monumental performance at Stoke. We ground out a result against Everton, put pay to a shocking Bolton side and produced some quite brilliant last ditch defending at Old Trafford, but all without looking particularly convincing. The fine tuned, well drilled performances which Pardew deserved so much credit for have seemingly given way to mistake riddled snooze-fests with seemingly little or no game plan in action.

 

It's my theory that Pardew is trying too hard to solidify us at the back again. I think it was post-match Swansea during which Pardew talked of us trying to become a unit again. Of course there's nothing wrong with this in theory, but it's starting to seriously affect the way we compete in matches.  We're dropping too deep, the wingers look reluctant to get forward, Cabaye isn't influencing games in the opposition's half, we're panicing on the ball. A lack of confidence combined with this desperation to remain solid at the back culminated in a woeful performance at Liverpool.

 

Clean sheets come from confidence, confidence comes from results, results come from playing your best players, something which simply isn't happening. Pardew needs to stop worrying whether Santon speaks fluent Geordie or if Ben Arfa is going to play box to box for ninety minutes and get them in the side. Similarly we need to develop an effective attacking game plan. We've got a striker who's bang in form and he's spending large parts of the game watching the ball sail over his head. This has seemingly developed from a complete lack of confidence in the wide players, if that is the case it's Pardew's job to sort it. Try Jonas on the right and Ben Arfa on the left perhaps? Or if he's that concerned about Ben Arfa's fitness, stick Sammy on the left and shift Jonas to the right. Sammy is far from an ideal but he can't be any worse than the man from Area 51.

 

During the first half of the season we've built a very good foundation to push on have a go at that top six. However some cracks are starting to emerge which need maitianing before they become too damaging. Pardew's obsession with the defensive side of the game has seen our biggest attacking talent sat on the bench, our influential 'quaterback' reluctant to leave his own half and our in-form striker with neck ache. Clean sheets will come with confidence, the kind of confidence we had when we were playing with a purposeful gameplan. It needs sorting sooner rather than later.

[Dave]

From a purely results based point of view it's difficult to argue with Pardew this season. It's our second campaign since returning to the top flight and we're sitting in seventh place just four points behind the top six. Despite such form I'd be lying if I said serious concerns hadn't begun to emerge during our recent run of games.

 

In truth we haven't played particularly well since our monumental performance at Stoke. We ground out a result against Everton, put pay to a shocking Bolton side and produced some quite brilliant last ditch defending at Old Trafford, but all without looking particularly convincing. The fine tuned, well drilled performances which Pardew deserved so much credit for have seemingly given way to mistake riddled snooze-fests with seemingly little or no game plan in action.

 

It's my theory that Pardew is trying too hard to solidify us at the back again. I think it was post-match Swansea during which Pardew talked of us trying to become a unit again. Of course there's nothing wrong with this in theory, but it's starting to seriously affect the way we compete in matches.  We're dropping too deep, the wingers look reluctant to get forward, Cabaye isn't influencing games in the opposition's half, we're panicing on the ball. A lack of confidence combined with this desperation to remain solid at the back culminated in a woeful performance at Liverpool.

 

Clean sheets come from confidence, confidence comes from results, results come from playing your best players, something which simply isn't happening. Pardew needs to stop worrying whether Santon speaks fluent Geordie or if Ben Arfa is going to play box to box for ninety minutes and get them in the side. Similarly we need to develop an effective attacking game plan. We've got a striker who's bang in form and he's spending large parts of the game watching the ball sail over his head. This has seemingly developed from a complete lack of confidence in the wide players, if that is the case it's Pardew's job to sort it. Try Jonas on the right and Ben Arfa on the left perhaps? Or if he's that concerned about Ben Arfa's fitness, stick Sammy on the left and shift Jonas to the right. Sammy is far from an ideal but he can't be any worse than the man from Area 51.

 

During the first half of the season we've built a very good foundation to push on have a go at that top six. However some cracks are starting to emerge which need maitianing before they become too damaging. Pardew's obsession with the defensive side of the game has seen our biggest attacking talent sat on the bench, our influential 'quaterback' reluctant to leave his own half and our in-form striker with neck ache. Clean sheets will come with confidence, the kind of confidence we had when we were playing with a purposeful gameplan. It needs sorting sooner rather than later.

 

Good post.

[Darth Crooks]

His hands are probably tied but his stance on fullbacks and lack of ball playing centre halves are the major concerns regarding his stewardship IMO. as dreadful as I believe the likes of obertan have been their game would be drastically improved by playing players who actually want to receive the ball at the back. Sets the precedent for the entire setup.

[JH]

From a purely results based point of view it's difficult to argue with Pardew this season. It's our second campaign since returning to the top flight and we're sitting in seventh place just four points behind the top six. Despite such form I'd be lying if I said serious concerns hadn't begun to emerge during our recent run of games.

 

In truth we haven't played particularly well since our monumental performance at Stoke. We ground out a result against Everton, put pay to a shocking Bolton side and produced some quite brilliant last ditch defending at Old Trafford, but all without looking particularly convincing. The fine tuned, well drilled performances which Pardew deserved so much credit for have seemingly given way to mistake riddled snooze-fests with seemingly little or no game plan in action.

 

It's my theory that Pardew is trying too hard to solidify us at the back again. I think it was post-match Swansea during which Pardew talked of us trying to become a unit again. Of course there's nothing wrong with this in theory, but it's starting to seriously affect the way we compete in matches.  We're dropping too deep, the wingers look reluctant to get forward, Cabaye isn't influencing games in the opposition's half, we're panicing on the ball. A lack of confidence combined with this desperation to remain solid at the back culminated in a woeful performance at Liverpool.

 

Clean sheets come from confidence, confidence comes from results, results come from playing your best players, something which simply isn't happening. Pardew needs to stop worrying whether Santon speaks fluent Geordie or if Ben Arfa is going to play box to box for ninety minutes and get them in the side. Similarly we need to develop an effective attacking game plan. We've got a striker who's bang in form and he's spending large parts of the game watching the ball sail over his head. This has seemingly developed from a complete lack of confidence in the wide players, if that is the case it's Pardew's job to sort it. Try Jonas on the right and Ben Arfa on the left perhaps? Or if he's that concerned about Ben Arfa's fitness, stick Sammy on the left and shift Jonas to the right. Sammy is far from an ideal but he can't be any worse than the man from Area 51.

 

During the first half of the season we've built a very good foundation to push on have a go at that top six. However some cracks are starting to emerge which need maitianing before they become too damaging. Pardew's obsession with the defensive side of the game has seen our biggest attacking talent sat on the bench, our influential 'quaterback' reluctant to leave his own half and our in-form striker with neck ache. Clean sheets will come with confidence, the kind of confidence we had when we were playing with a purposeful gameplan. It needs sorting sooner rather than later.

 

Spot on

 

It was the last 20 or so minutes of the Chelsea game that destroyed our confidence and started this obsession with defence IMO. Chelsea could have had 5 or 6 after Taylor hobbled off.

[TRon]

From a purely results based point of view it's difficult to argue with Pardew this season. It's our second campaign since returning to the top flight and we're sitting in seventh place just four points behind the top six. Despite such form I'd be lying if I said serious concerns hadn't begun to emerge during our recent run of games.

 

In truth we haven't played particularly well since our monumental performance at Stoke. We ground out a result against Everton, put pay to a shocking Bolton side and produced some quite brilliant last ditch defending at Old Trafford, but all without looking particularly convincing. The fine tuned, well drilled performances which Pardew deserved so much credit for have seemingly given way to mistake riddled snooze-fests with seemingly little or no game plan in action.

 

It's my theory that Pardew is trying too hard to solidify us at the back again. I think it was post-match Swansea during which Pardew talked of us trying to become a unit again. Of course there's nothing wrong with this in theory, but it's starting to seriously affect the way we compete in matches.  We're dropping too deep, the wingers look reluctant to get forward, Cabaye isn't influencing games in the opposition's half, we're panicing on the ball. A lack of confidence combined with this desperation to remain solid at the back culminated in a woeful performance at Liverpool.

 

Clean sheets come from confidence, confidence comes from results, results come from playing your best players, something which simply isn't happening. Pardew needs to stop worrying whether Santon speaks fluent Geordie or if Ben Arfa is going to play box to box for ninety minutes and get them in the side. Similarly we need to develop an effective attacking game plan. We've got a striker who's bang in form and he's spending large parts of the game watching the ball sail over his head. This has seemingly developed from a complete lack of confidence in the wide players, if that is the case it's Pardew's job to sort it. Try Jonas on the right and Ben Arfa on the left perhaps? Or if he's that concerned about Ben Arfa's fitness, stick Sammy on the left and shift Jonas to the right. Sammy is far from an ideal but he can't be any worse than the man from Area 51.

 

During the first half of the season we've built a very good foundation to push on have a go at that top six. However some cracks are starting to emerge which need maitianing before they become too damaging. Pardew's obsession with the defensive side of the game has seen our biggest attacking talent sat on the bench, our influential 'quaterback' reluctant to leave his own half and our in-form striker with neck ache. Clean sheets will come with confidence, the kind of confidence we had when we were playing with a purposeful gameplan. It needs sorting sooner rather than later.

 

I'm not sure we've ever had a purposeful gameplan, other than to defend in numbers and see what happens when we get the ball. Even during the early run of good results we have never really dominated the midfield area with fluent passing and getting numbers in the box. At the moment the team isn't really set up to play passing football as you need ball playing full backs and good wide players to support the central midfielders.

 

Pardew tried to make the change when he threw Vukic into the fray but without changing the problem wide positions it was pointless. I expect us to revert to 4-4-2 with two big men for the Man U game as it's the gameplan Pardew knows best and it can accommodate shite full backs. Probably sensible as well if that's all he knows.

[Guest bimpy474]

From a purely results based point of view it's difficult to argue with Pardew this season. It's our second campaign since returning to the top flight and we're sitting in seventh place just four points behind the top six. Despite such form I'd be lying if I said serious concerns hadn't begun to emerge during our recent run of games.

 

In truth we haven't played particularly well since our monumental performance at Stoke. We ground out a result against Everton, put pay to a shocking Bolton side and produced some quite brilliant last ditch defending at Old Trafford, but all without looking particularly convincing. The fine tuned, well drilled performances which Pardew deserved so much credit for have seemingly given way to mistake riddled snooze-fests with seemingly little or no game plan in action.

 

It's my theory that Pardew is trying too hard to solidify us at the back again. I think it was post-match Swansea during which Pardew talked of us trying to become a unit again. Of course there's nothing wrong with this in theory, but it's starting to seriously affect the way we compete in matches.  We're dropping too deep, the wingers look reluctant to get forward, Cabaye isn't influencing games in the opposition's half, we're panicing on the ball. A lack of confidence combined with this desperation to remain solid at the back culminated in a woeful performance at Liverpool.

 

Clean sheets come from confidence, confidence comes from results, results come from playing your best players, something which simply isn't happening. Pardew needs to stop worrying whether Santon speaks fluent Geordie or if Ben Arfa is going to play box to box for ninety minutes and get them in the side. Similarly we need to develop an effective attacking game plan. We've got a striker who's bang in form and he's spending large parts of the game watching the ball sail over his head. This has seemingly developed from a complete lack of confidence in the wide players, if that is the case it's Pardew's job to sort it. Try Jonas on the right and Ben Arfa on the left perhaps? Or if he's that concerned about Ben Arfa's fitness, stick Sammy on the left and shift Jonas to the right. Sammy is far from an ideal but he can't be any worse than the man from Area 51.

 

During the first half of the season we've built a very good foundation to push on have a go at that top six. However some cracks are starting to emerge which need maitianing before they become too damaging. Pardew's obsession with the defensive side of the game has seen our biggest attacking talent sat on the bench, our influential 'quaterback' reluctant to leave his own half and our in-form striker with neck ache. Clean sheets will come with confidence, the kind of confidence we had when we were playing with a purposeful gameplan. It needs sorting sooner rather than later.

 

I'm not sure we've ever had a purposeful gameplan, other than to defend in numbers and see what happens when we get the ball. Even during the early run of good results we have never really dominated the midfield area with fluent passing and getting numbers in the box. At the moment the team isn't really set up to play passing football as you need ball playing full backs and good wide players to support the central midfielders.

 

Pardew tried to make the change when he threw Vukic into the fray but without changing the problem wide positions it was pointless. I expect us to revert to 4-4-2 with two big men for the Man U game as it's the gameplan Pardew knows best and it can accommodate shite full backs. Probably sensible as well if that's all he knows.

 

Spot on and Cabaye is suffering for it, if we played 3 in the middle we would see much more of him as an attacking force, but it'll be back to old 4-4-2

[Stu]

TRon, I often wondered, how come you didn't put yourself forward for one of the coaching roles at a league club? Seems a shame to let your qualifications and experience go to waste, especially with a track record like yours.

[The Prophet]

There's a bit of history re-writing going on there like. Earlier on in the season we set up to exploit teams weaknesses as well as nullify their strengths, we've seemingly restored to soley attempting the latter now. We played some good stuff in a lot of those games too.

[Beren]

There's a bit of history re-writing going on there like. Earlier on in the season we set up to exploit teams weaknesses as well as nullify their strengths, we've seemingly restored to solely attempting the latter now. We played some good stuff in a lot of those games too.

 

I would say that's true, but only in disparate patches. A lot of the early games we had really good spells and capitalised on them well, but watch that first half vs Fulham. Watch the second half vs Wolves. Sunderland first half. Wigan first half. We won all those games, so it wasn't addressed (or even allowed to be recognised by the "but we're still unbeaten therefore you can't complain" sections).

 

I understand you can't exploit opposition weaknesses all game long, and that if you have a lead there's a time to not go as gung-ho going forward - but just in terms of general possession - we were outplayed in games we won for significant stretches of those matches IMO.

[Ikon]

The short periods we've tried to play the fucking ball on the deck, that's when we have been at our best. Too bad our managing atm and wingers + Simpson are shit!

[The Prophet]

There's a bit of history re-writing going on there like. Earlier on in the season we set up to exploit teams weaknesses as well as nullify their strengths, we've seemingly restored to solely attempting the latter now. We played some good stuff in a lot of those games too.

 

I would say that's true, but only in disparate patches. A lot of the early games we had really good spells and capitalised on them well, but watch that first half vs Fulham. Watch the second half vs Wolves. Sunderland first half. Wigan first half. We won all those games, so it wasn't addressed (or even allowed to be recognised by the "but we're still unbeaten therefore you can't complain" sections).

 

I understand you can't exploit opposition weaknesses all game long, and that if you have a lead there's a time to not go as gung-ho going forward - but just in terms of general possession - we were outplayed in games we won for significant stretches of those matches IMO.

 

I'm not arguing we dominated the games in question, more that there was a form of attacking game plan as opposed to the current trash we're serving up. We kept the ball, we at least tried to use the wide players and Ba got the ball at his feet (so much so he played a deeper role in a lot of games). Now we're simply playing to contain it would seem. Cabaye is playing too deep, the wide players are having to come narrow to receive the ball, so when we do get it there's nothing on and we're resorting to pinging it at Ba's head, desperately hoping he makes something out of it.

[Beren]

[Guest Howaythetoon]

We can play football, we have the players. Away to Liverpool the other night for about a 10 minute spell they couldn't get the ball off of us, our lot making something like 35 passes in succession. Good post by Prophet by the way, a more measured and constructive analysis of things than my own critical and angry analysis. Although I still believe unless Pardew suddenly gains some tactical nous and starts picking the right team, we are going to continue in the same vein we have been playing since the Chelsea defeat, rather than the form we were in prior to that.

[madras]

We can play football, we have the players. Away to Liverpool the other night for about a 10 minute spell they couldn't get the ball off of us, our lot making something like 35 passes in succession. Good post by Prophet by the way, a more measured and constructive analysis of things than my own critical and angry analysis. Although I still believe unless Pardew suddenly gains some tactical nous and starts picking the right team, we are going to continue in the same vein we have been playing since the Chelsea defeat, rather than the form we were in prior to that.

since that spell of games at citeh,man utd and chelsea, pardew does seem to be running scared in his selections and tactics.

[Guest Howaythetoon]

We can play football, we have the players. Away to Liverpool the other night for about a 10 minute spell they couldn't get the ball off of us, our lot making something like 35 passes in succession. Good post by Prophet by the way, a more measured and constructive analysis of things than my own critical and angry analysis. Although I still believe unless Pardew suddenly gains some tactical nous and starts picking the right team, we are going to continue in the same vein we have been playing since the Chelsea defeat, rather than the form we were in prior to that.

since that spell of games at citeh,man utd and chelsea, pardew does seem to be running scared in his selections and tactics.

 

Aye and it seems to have had a really adverse effect on the players. Cabaye looks lost and Jonas who was on form leading upto those games also looks a shadow of himself and I've noticed Krul seems to simply be launching it a lot these days where as he used to play it out to Colo or whoever wanted it at the back.

 

He needs to get the team right against Man Utd and send them out to win, to play football. Release the shackles a bit. Having said that I'm sure that's how we approached the Chelsea game and look what happened there. Regardless, it is better to try and win and to play football to win rather than to contain. Do so and more often than not you'll win as we were doing when we attacked sides and played with some free will if you like.

[Ikon]

We can play football, we have the players. Away to Liverpool the other night for about a 10 minute spell they couldn't get the ball off of us, our lot making something like 35 passes in succession. Good post by Prophet by the way, a more measured and constructive analysis of things than my own critical and angry analysis. Although I still believe unless Pardew suddenly gains some tactical nous and starts picking the right team, we are going to continue in the same vein we have been playing since the Chelsea defeat, rather than the form we were in prior to that.

 

Agree with this, even though our wingers and fullbacks (except Santon) have the habit of loosing possession way too easily, their movement and end product is poor generally as well. But we certainly would still do better than we are now with these players and some good coaching.

 

I remember us playing really well against ManU in the 1st half (for a decent period) as well, spraying the ball around very nicely. That's what we should aim for.

[johnnypd]

We can play football, we have the players. Away to Liverpool the other night for about a 10 minute spell they couldn't get the ball off of us, our lot making something like 35 passes in succession. Good post by Prophet by the way, a more measured and constructive analysis of things than my own critical and angry analysis. Although I still believe unless Pardew suddenly gains some tactical nous and starts picking the right team, we are going to continue in the same vein we have been playing since the Chelsea defeat, rather than the form we were in prior to that.

 

think it was 38 consecutive passes, not sure we've done that at any other time this season. maybe villa away. i'm happy with where we are in the league, and the season has gone pretty much as i expected it to  - i thought we;d be around the top 4 due to our easier start, and thought we'd then settle down to a more natural position after tough fixtures.

 

but the big disappointment is how pardew's wimped out of trying to change the way we play. you can't just ask players to play it on the deck, use intelligent movement, not be rigidly in banks of four,use one touch passing and so on. especially after they've been hitting it long for months. that sort of football only comes after you obsessively work on it at the training ground week in week out.

[Guest Howaythetoon]

We can play football, we have the players. Away to Liverpool the other night for about a 10 minute spell they couldn't get the ball off of us, our lot making something like 35 passes in succession. Good post by Prophet by the way, a more measured and constructive analysis of things than my own critical and angry analysis. Although I still believe unless Pardew suddenly gains some tactical nous and starts picking the right team, we are going to continue in the same vein we have been playing since the Chelsea defeat, rather than the form we were in prior to that.

 

think it was 38 consecutive passes, not sure we've done that at any other time this season. maybe villa away. i'm happy with where we are in the league, and the season has gone pretty much as i expected it to  - i thought we;d be around the top 4 due to our easier start, and thought we'd then settle down to a more natural position after tough fixtures.

 

but the big disappointment is how pardew's wimped out of trying to change the way we play. you can't just ask players to play it on the deck, use intelligent movement, not be rigidly in banks of four,use one touch passing and so on. especially after they've been hitting it long for months. that sort of football only comes after you obsessively work on it at the training ground week in week out.

 

I'm happy where we are in the league too and if I was asked pre-season if I'd accept 7th position I would have snapped their hands off but as the season has wore on it has become quite clear that A) we have a really decent side with the nucleaus of a really good side, B) that the opposition around us are indifferent this season making it perhaps easier for a team likes ours to really push on than in previous seasons and that C) the fact we are 7th and not too far off the top 6 should tell us that is where we should be competing for.

 

But...

 

Pardew's inability to pick the right side, use the correct tactics and make better use of his subs is now beginning to really effect the side and certain individuals in a really negative aspect to the point where all the good work done and all that is in our favour, will be lost, as we fall and fall away.

 

I blame our slide on Pardew and if we do not at least finish 7th he for me will have failed massively because we could finish 6th or even 5th the way the season is going. Look at Liverpool who beat us 3-1. I strongly believe of the two sides out on that pitch when the ref blew for kick-off, man to man, we were the better 11. It is only Suarez and their depth that seperates them and us but we were f***ing awful against them, a side who were pretty f***ing dire themselves.

 

If Pardew picked the right side and deployed better tactics we would have beaten them and what would that have done for our season? We would have overtaken them in the table for a start.

 

Now we must start again. This is Pardew's big test against Man Utd. He needs a win and a performance and then kick on from there. A defeat and a heavy one at that, will put an end to our thus far decentish season, in my opinion anyway.

 

I feel the players stepped up a level or two during our unbeaten spell now Pardew needs to step it up a level or two.

 

If he doesn't now, he never will!

[Jordan]

If we want europe this season we have to finish 6th or get to the FA cup final. That's too much for us this season imo.

[Ash]

If we want europe this season we have to finish 6th or get to the FA cup final. That's too much for us this season imo.

 

Or 7th.

[Wullie]

If we want europe this season we have to finish 6th or get to the FA cup final. That's too much for us this season imo.

 

7th has typically been enough to qualify in previous years other than last season.