Alan Pardew

[Spudil]

I'm not sure how much more I can read of people saying we didn't set out to hoof the ball, at what point is the manager accountable for how the team plays? And not just away at Arsenal btw, there's a bigger picture here that some people are completely ignoring.

 

edit -  and Obertan's pass to HBA deserves the same amount of praise as him tying his boot laces before the game, it was a ten yard pass on the floot into acres of space, we all could have done it.

 

Whilst I have some sympathy with your point, it is quite easy to reverse your question and ask at what point do the players take responsibility for the football they play and how much control do you honestly think that a manager has over the mind and actions over 11 players?

 

It is a bit of a circular debate - no-one knows what Pardew tells the players to do, but I just find it very hard to believe that Pardew has instructed the players to pump it long for 2 major reasons:

 

1)  It is clearly ineffective and I have not seen any evidence in Pardew's managerial career to date to suggest that he is wedded to the long ball a la Allardyce.

 

2)  We didn't use such a direct style in the first half of the season.

 

Well then you have your eyes closed and hands covering your ears.

 

http://www.espn.co.uk/football/sport/video_audio/61504.html?genre=6%3Bsport%3D3 12.40

 

Yep - currently typing with my tongue.

 

Can't see that at the moment as I am at work - is this the fabled video where some bloke with an agenda says that Pardew plays long ball football and isn't very good.  Forgive me if I suggest that that probably isn't conclusive proof of anything...

 

The fans of all the previous clubs he managed will tell you the same thing. Plenty of our fans will tell you the same thing. There is ample evidence to support the thesis that Pardew plays long-ball, direct football. Perhaps you would like to offer some evidence to the contrary?

[Hughesy]

I'm not sure how much more I can read of people saying we didn't set out to hoof the ball, at what point is the manager accountable for how the team plays? And not just away at Arsenal btw, there's a bigger picture here that some people are completely ignoring.

 

edit -  and Obertan's pass to HBA deserves the same amount of praise as him tying his boot laces before the game, it was a ten yard pass on the floot into acres of space, we all could have done it.

 

Whilst I have some sympathy with your point, it is quite easy to reverse your question and ask at what point do the players take responsibility for the football they play and how much control do you honestly think that a manager has over the mind and actions over 11 players?

 

It is a bit of a circular debate - no-one knows what Pardew tells the players to do, but I just find it very hard to believe that Pardew has instructed the players to pump it long for 2 major reasons:

 

1)  It is clearly ineffective and I have not seen any evidence in Pardew's managerial career to date to suggest that he is wedded to the long ball a la Allardyce.

 

2)  We didn't use such a direct style in the first half of the season.

 

Well then you have your eyes closed and hands covering your ears.

 

http://www.espn.co.uk/football/sport/video_audio/61504.html?genre=6%3Bsport%3D3 12.40

 

Yep - currently typing with my tongue.

 

Can't see that at the moment as I am at work - is this the fabled video where some bloke with an agenda says that Pardew plays long ball football and isn't very good.  Forgive me if I suggest that that probably isn't conclusive proof of anything...

 

What is proof then? I don't think he's saying it for fun. And you'd have to be blind to suggest Pardew sets out to play anything other than direct football.

 

I think you need more than one video certainly.  Who is the bloke in the video?  Is he a well-respected journalist or pundit?  Does he present his opinion in an objective and balanced way?  Does he have an axe to grind with Pardew?

 

I have absolutely no doubt that he is not saying it for fun - but I am not sure that that his analysis right.

[Wullie]

I really don't think he and Allardyce are that different. I know comparisons with Fat Sam have become the worst thing you can say about a manager but he has been pretty successful with his brand of football and we did have a few decent showings under him - couple of good home wins over Everton and Spurs spring to mind.

 

While I don't think Pardew's as bad - the throw ins, the brute force - they both play direct stuff, both concentrate on stopping the opposition, both obsessed with stats and Prozone. They're not a million miles apart.

[BottledDog]

I'm not sure how much more I can read of people saying we didn't set out to hoof the ball, at what point is the manager accountable for how the team plays? And not just away at Arsenal btw, there's a bigger picture here that some people are completely ignoring.

 

edit -  and Obertan's pass to HBA deserves the same amount of praise as him tying his boot laces before the game, it was a ten yard pass on the floot into acres of space, we all could have done it.

 

Whilst I have some sympathy with your point, it is quite easy to reverse your question and ask at what point do the players take responsibility for the football they play and how much control do you honestly think that a manager has over the mind and actions over 11 players?

 

It is a bit of a circular debate - no-one knows what Pardew tells the players to do, but I just find it very hard to believe that Pardew has instructed the players to pump it long for 2 major reasons:

 

1)  It is clearly ineffective and I have not seen any evidence in Pardew's managerial career to date to suggest that he is wedded to the long ball a la Allardyce.

 

2)  We didn't use such a direct style in the first half of the season.

 

Well then you have your eyes closed and hands covering your ears.

 

http://www.espn.co.uk/football/sport/video_audio/61504.html?genre=6%3Bsport%3D3 12.40

 

Yep - currently typing with my tongue.

 

Can't see that at the moment as I am at work - is this the fabled video where some bloke with an agenda says that Pardew plays long ball football and isn't very good.  Forgive me if I suggest that that probably isn't conclusive proof of anything...

 

The fans of all the previous clubs he managed will tell you the same thing. Plenty of our fans will tell you the same thing. There is ample evidence to support the thesis that Pardew plays long-ball, direct football. Perhaps you would like to offer some evidence to the contrary?

 

 

I beg to differ.

 

[Beren]

I really don't think he and Allardyce are that different.

 

http://images.wikia.com/mk/images/b/ba/Brutality.png

 

Ouch

[Spudil]

I'm not sure how much more I can read of people saying we didn't set out to hoof the ball, at what point is the manager accountable for how the team plays? And not just away at Arsenal btw, there's a bigger picture here that some people are completely ignoring.

 

edit -  and Obertan's pass to HBA deserves the same amount of praise as him tying his boot laces before the game, it was a ten yard pass on the floot into acres of space, we all could have done it.

 

Whilst I have some sympathy with your point, it is quite easy to reverse your question and ask at what point do the players take responsibility for the football they play and how much control do you honestly think that a manager has over the mind and actions over 11 players?

 

It is a bit of a circular debate - no-one knows what Pardew tells the players to do, but I just find it very hard to believe that Pardew has instructed the players to pump it long for 2 major reasons:

 

1)  It is clearly ineffective and I have not seen any evidence in Pardew's managerial career to date to suggest that he is wedded to the long ball a la Allardyce.

 

2)  We didn't use such a direct style in the first half of the season.

 

Well then you have your eyes closed and hands covering your ears.

 

http://www.espn.co.uk/football/sport/video_audio/61504.html?genre=6%3Bsport%3D3 12.40

 

Yep - currently typing with my tongue.

 

Can't see that at the moment as I am at work - is this the fabled video where some bloke with an agenda says that Pardew plays long ball football and isn't very good.  Forgive me if I suggest that that probably isn't conclusive proof of anything...

 

The fans of all the previous clubs he managed will tell you the same thing. Plenty of our fans will tell you the same thing. There is ample evidence to support the thesis that Pardew plays long-ball, direct football. Perhaps you would like to offer some evidence to the contrary?

 

 

I beg to differ.

 

 

I should have said a varying but sizeable portion of them. Point still stands.

[AlanSkÃrare]

Him and Allardyce can argue all they want that their stats and direct style brings success. If we want to progress, that sort of football is never going to take us anywhere. Just look around Europe. Teams that play a passing game and get their closing down right are doing well, not Stoke or any of the likes.

 

How I'd love someone like Brendan Rodgers to manage these players instead. We'd be in for a treat entertainment wise.

[Guest neesy111]

I'm not sure how much more I can read of people saying we didn't set out to hoof the ball, at what point is the manager accountable for how the team plays? And not just away at Arsenal btw, there's a bigger picture here that some people are completely ignoring.

 

edit -  and Obertan's pass to HBA deserves the same amount of praise as him tying his boot laces before the game, it was a ten yard pass on the floot into acres of space, we all could have done it.

 

Whilst I have some sympathy with your point, it is quite easy to reverse your question and ask at what point do the players take responsibility for the football they play and how much control do you honestly think that a manager has over the mind and actions over 11 players?

 

It is a bit of a circular debate - no-one knows what Pardew tells the players to do, but I just find it very hard to believe that Pardew has instructed the players to pump it long for 2 major reasons:

 

1)  It is clearly ineffective and I have not seen any evidence in Pardew's managerial career to date to suggest that he is wedded to the long ball a la Allardyce.

 

2)  We didn't use such a direct style in the first half of the season.

 

Well then you have your eyes closed and hands covering your ears.

 

http://www.espn.co.uk/football/sport/video_audio/61504.html?genre=6%3Bsport%3D3 12.40

 

Yep - currently typing with my tongue.

 

Can't see that at the moment as I am at work - is this the fabled video where some bloke with an agenda says that Pardew plays long ball football and isn't very good.  Forgive me if I suggest that that probably isn't conclusive proof of anything...

 

The fans of all the previous clubs he managed will tell you the same thing. Plenty of our fans will tell you the same thing. There is ample evidence to support the thesis that Pardew plays long-ball, direct football. Perhaps you would like to offer some evidence to the contrary?

 

This.  I had plenty of warnings about Pardew before he came, those warnings coming to fruition now.

[Zero]

Then why play like that in the 1st half?

[Memphis]

Pardew wants very badly to be a Brendan Rodgers-type, perceived as a bit Continental while retaining his English charm, but when push comes to shove, Pardew simply doesn't seem to have the balls to actually, you know, PLAY that style.  Swansea yet again set a perfect example over the weekend, playing their style - a legitimate passing, ball retention style - against fucking MANCHESTER fucking CITY and they won.  Not only did they win, they won going away, deservedly so.  At one point they had 69% possession against a team with talent worth 100m+ more than their starting XI.  That is commitment to your principles. 

 

For all Pardew's talk preseason and during the season, as we've been more and more successful, and edge closer and closer to a European place, it's clear he's scared shitless.  When we were in the months of August-November, just starting out, there was no pressure, the expectation was lower, the wins came easier against opposition that didn't know enough about us.  Now they do.  As a result, you see Pardew revert back to his true self - hoof, hoof, lump, lump, direct ball, bypass the midfield, don't worry about passing it around, just get the result any way you can.  He's far more concerned now with the opposition - as evidenced by the disgraceful last 70+ minutes against Wolves and the first 45 against the mackems - than with letting his very good team simply play.  It is frustrating.  I like Pardew and think he has done well but it is clear he has his limits and we are seeing them quite clearly. 

[TRon]

I'm not sure how much more I can read of people saying we didn't set out to hoof the ball, at what point is the manager accountable for how the team plays? And not just away at Arsenal btw, there's a bigger picture here that some people are completely ignoring.

 

edit -  and Obertan's pass to HBA deserves the same amount of praise as him tying his boot laces before the game, it was a ten yard pass on the floot into acres of space, we all could have done it.

 

I wonder if the same people who watched Arsenal' slick one two touch passing last night  think it's got nothing to do with Wenger's coaching? The difference in the two teams approaches was light night and day.

 

Indeed, i imagine it's all down to the players. Keegan had Viduka, Owen, Martins, Geremi and Butt playing free flowing football at one point man 

 

He did, and it didn't happen by accident either. He had far fewer games to work with than Pardew has had, but by tinkering with his formation and utilising his players cleverly he got the best out of each one and found a way to get them to play football. Owen as an attacking midfielder? It was bold and decisive, everything which we show signs of lacking the further the season goes on.

[BottledDog]

Pardew wants very badly to be a Brendan Rodgers-type, perceived as a bit Continental while retaining his English charm, but when push comes to shove, Pardew simply doesn't seem to have the balls to actually, you know, PLAY that style.  Swansea yet again set a perfect example over the weekend, playing their style - a legitimate passing, ball retention style - against fucking MANCHESTER fucking CITY and they won.  Not only did they win, they won going away, deservedly so.  At one point they had 69% possession against a team with talent worth 100m+ more than their starting XI.  That is commitment to your principles. 

 

For all Pardew's talk preseason and during the season, as we've been more and more successful, and edge closer and closer to a European place, it's clear he's scared shitless.  When we were in the months of August-November, just starting out, there was no pressure, the expectation was lower, the wins came easier against opposition that didn't know enough about us.  Now they do.  As a result, you see Pardew revert back to his true self - hoof, hoof, lump, lump, direct ball, bypass the midfield, don't worry about passing it around, just get the result any way you can.  He's far more concerned now with the opposition - as evidenced by the disgraceful last 70+ minutes against Wolves and the first 45 against the mackems - than with letting his very good team simply play.  It is frustrating.  I like Pardew and think he has done well but it is clear he has his limits and we are seeing them quite clearly.

 

I wouldn't go that far, but I have a lot of sympathy with the idea that he is increasingly struggling with the pressure and falling into the trap of worrying about the opposition more than getting the opposition to worry about ourselves.

 

It is a much greater concern for me than his fundamental style of play; as you say I do belive he'd like to be 'perceived as a bit Continental while retaining his English charm' and actually play decent football.

[Guest Dontooner]

A slide down the league table might make him more dislikeable, the last 10 games will tell you all about Pardew. He is here to stay anyway, so i guess we just got to deal with the hoof ball week in week out. Maybe the board can consider employing a coach that knows a thing or two about ball retention.

[Numbers]

Alan Pardhoof, i admire what he has done upto now but he really really needs to stop the long ball.

 

Ba and our midfield are suffering badly because of it.

[Guest reefatoon]

Alan Pardhoof, i admire what he has done upto now but he really really needs to stop the long ball.

 

Ba and our midfield are suffering badly because of it.

 

I think the midfield are just as guilty actually.  They sit far too deep. They might have their instructions but I think Cabaye comes far too deep for me.  The more I see of Cabaye the more I feel he doesn't fit with Tiote.  He sits far too deep it's unreal.  I would love to see an attacking midfield in there to try and support and play off the striker/strikers.

[Ikon]

HBA said that Pardew wants to play a more direct style, while HBA prefers a passing style, and so do i! Even early this season i thought we got lucky quite a few times as we didn't play well at all for long periods of the games, only good play for shorter spells during the games.

 

Don't know how many times our back four and Krul especially got us our wins and draws despite us playing quite bad imho, then we had Saylor as well. And i know we did well in some, not many though as far as i can remember.

 

Simply put i think that a better manager would do better with these players available, more entertaining as well.

[gbandit]

Even early this season i thought we got lucky quite a few times as we didn't play well at all for long periods of the games, only good play for shorter spells during the games.

 

People like to glaze over this now. In fact, even if we'd won our last four games by pure luck but played at exactly the same level we have done in our last four games, people would be saying that we were picking up. That's what is frustrating, so many of those early games in the season were very average and only a small number focused on this at the time. It is growing now though

[Mr Logic]

Pardew wants very badly to be a Brendan Rodgers-type, perceived as a bit Continental while retaining his English charm, but when push comes to shove, Pardew simply doesn't seem to have the balls to actually, you know, PLAY that style.  Swansea yet again set a perfect example over the weekend, playing their style - a legitimate passing, ball retention style - against fucking MANCHESTER fucking CITY and they won.  Not only did they win, they won going away, deservedly so.  At one point they had 69% possession against a team with talent worth 100m+ more than their starting XI.  That is commitment to your principles. 

 

For all Pardew's talk preseason and during the season, as we've been more and more successful, and edge closer and closer to a European place, it's clear he's scared shitless.  When we were in the months of August-November, just starting out, there was no pressure, the expectation was lower, the wins came easier against opposition that didn't know enough about us.  Now they do.  As a result, you see Pardew revert back to his true self - hoof, hoof, lump, lump, direct ball, bypass the midfield, don't worry about passing it around, just get the result any way you can.  He's far more concerned now with the opposition - as evidenced by the disgraceful last 70+ minutes against Wolves and the first 45 against the mackems - than with letting his very good team simply play.  It is frustrating.  I like Pardew and think he has done well but it is clear he has his limits and we are seeing them quite clearly. 

 

I think there is a great deal of accuracy here. I wish to hell there wasn't though.

[Doug]

With a back 4 containing only two comfortable footballers you cannot play passing football built from the back.

That is the simple reason why Krul has to club the ball forward on a regular basis. If Colo or Santon are not showing or are closed down what else can Krul be expected to do.

Pardew would be better off picking 3  defenders and getting the most creative of his remaining wide men to work the flanks box to box.

[Jagten]

The most alarming bit is our inability to execute effective transitional play. We get bogged down, ultimately resorting to the hoof.

[AyeDubbleYoo]

The most alarming bit is our inability to execute effective transitional play. We get bogged down, ultimately resorting to the hoof.

 

I think that would come in time if we kept the ball down more. We have the players with the technique, although we do have some weak links (e.g. Obertan)

[Ikon]

With a back 4 containing only two comfortable footballers you cannot play passing football built from the back.

That is the simple reason why Krul has to club the ball forward on a regular basis. If Colo or Santon are not showing or are closed down what else can Krul be expected to do.

Pardew would be better off picking 3  defenders and getting the most creative of his remaining wide men to work the flanks box to box.

 

No offense, but this is bullshit, OK, you might not be able to play as tight and risky, but other teams with poor "footballers" manage to play it from the back ten times more often than us.

[SiLvOR]

The guy needs to stop worrying about other teams and let his players play, simple as that.

[Darth Crooks]

With a back 4 containing only two comfortable footballers you cannot play passing football built from the back.

That is the simple reason why Krul has to club the ball forward on a regular basis. If Colo or Santon are not showing or are closed down what else can Krul be expected to do.

Pardew would be better off picking 3  defenders and getting the most creative of his remaining wide men to work the flanks box to box.

 

No offense, but this is bullshit, OK, you might not be able to play as tight and risky, but other teams with poor "footballers" manage to play it from the back ten times more often than us.

 

Haven't seen many less effective than the likes of a partnership of Williamson or Simpson on the ball like. They're either following an instruction to the Nth degree or they genuinely dislike having the pressure of having a football at their feet.

[TRon]

With a back 4 containing only two comfortable footballers you cannot play passing football built from the back.

That is the simple reason why Krul has to club the ball forward on a regular basis. If Colo or Santon are not showing or are closed down what else can Krul be expected to do.

Pardew would be better off picking 3  defenders and getting the most creative of his remaining wide men to work the flanks box to box.

 

No offense, but this is bullshit, OK, you might not be able to play as tight and risky, but other teams with poor "footballers" manage to play it from the back ten times more often than us.

 

Haven't seen many less effective than the likes of a partnership of Williamson or Simpson on the ball like. They're either following an instruction to the Nth degree or they genuinely dislike having the pressure of having a football at their feet.

 

Like I said earlier, it's hard to know whether they are incapable of making short passes or feel pressured to hoof it because the manager makes a big deal about not taking risks. We've seen how reluctant he was to play Ben Arfa who is the ultimate ball loving footballer. Sometimes I think he'd rather play with 9 men so there'd be less people to pass to.

 

The manager needs to have confidence in his players to pass the ball otherwise players like Simpson and Williamson will always play safe.