Alan Pardew

[Dr Venkman]

Some of the stuff there about the kids is ridiculously negative

[Cronky]

Their ideaology behind improving the footballing side has left me a little puzzled. Just because i don't get it it doesn't mean it's wrong but a couple of things have left me feeling that the words haven't been matched by the actions.

We all know Pards likes a 4-4-2 and under that system (with Simmo back when fit, as he will be) the starting 11 will be no different to last years. So, we haven't bought a single 1st team player. We bought a back-up who can play in a couple of different positions for when we're short in midfield or fullback but the 1st 11 is exactly what it should have been last year (Saylor's injury curtailed it). Now, the rhetoric coming out of the club regarding trhe development of the 1st team has not been played out in reality. No imrovement in 1st team, no improvement in final league position/points total. If we could see an evolution in the playing style then that might lead to the team actually putting more points on the board, then maybe,  but that's not happening either. Bit of a stagnation there if everyone's honest.

Then there's the thinking that we will bring through players from the Youth/Reserve to fill some of the spaces or push us on. I can't name a single one who i can comfortably say will be displacing or seriously challenging a 1st team player by the end of season.

 

Will Streete start to push Colo or Saylor out of the team? No

Ferguson/Tavernier ahead of Santon/Simpson? No (don't for a second believe Pards would drop Simpson for Tav)

Will Bigi look like getting starts ahead of Tiote/Cabaye when those 2 a fit and able? No

Vuckci/Sammy ahead of HBA/Jonas? No

Campbell ahead of Ba/Cisse? No

 

There's no one behind the 1st 11 threatening to take their place and there appears to be little fear that players will be brought in either.

 

If you do very well one season you don't rest on your laurels or sit back and consolidate. You use it to push on and an outlay of £3m with holes all over the squad is not indicative of a club with progress in mind.

 

I do completely agree with Derek about one point though, 8th is realistic.

 

I'm more optimistic about the youngsters. I think Ferguson and Sammy will be pushing for first team places this season. Bigi might not be ready to displace anyone, but I have no worries about him appearing in the first team.

 

We're a bit of a mixed bag, because while we do have some good players, there are also some gaps.

[Hughesy]

I think people are somewhat over-estimating our squad.  Yes, we have a good starting XI and a decent enough bench, but I am not convinced that we should be doing any better than we currently are (by currently I mean last season and the start of this season).  I think most people would admit that Arsenal, Chelsea, Man City and Man Utd definitely have better starting XIs and squads than us and, if we are being completely objective about it, so do Spurs.  Any place higher than 6th and I think we are punching about our weight for the quality of squad we have.

 

Do Norwich and Villa have better starting XIs though?

 

No - but we got 4 points from those games.

[johnnypd]

Wallace sums up my feelings perfectly.

 

Hughesy I don't think anyone would argue that Pardew has done a great job but also I think it's difficult to argue that he gets the best out of the players. We have a remarkable set of players IMO and should control far more games than we actually do instead of every three points being ground out and hanging on.

 

Hopefully in time this ability to control matches will develop.  I am certainly prepared to give Pardew a fair amount of leeway on this given what he has achieved since he has been here. 

 

And to be honest, if he carries on delivering top 6 places each season (especially given the resources of the teams in the top 4), I am not sure I am really that bothered about whether or not we control matches sufficiently.  Whether we can do that without controlling matches as you say is up for debate.

 

I think it's been difficult for him to install the passing game we all crave. Sure, the ingredients are all there, but fringe players and backup are not that gifted. The distance in quality between some of our first team players and those replacing them is huge in my opinion.

 

Putting in the likes of Ryan Taylor, Gosling, Williamson and Shola when Cabaye, Ben Arfa, Cissé and Coloccini are out - any team would struggle to keep to their ideological approach.

 

However, I do share concerns about Pardew's ability to get the best out of our current squad. He's really struggling to optimize a couple of our players and he's very persistent in some tactical aspects that clearly aren't working for us. I just wish he would look back at some of the games from the end of last season and try to see what worked well in those games. For me, Stoke (h) in April is the best football we've played for fucking ages.

 

I don't think we'll ever consistently see what you want under Pardew - he's a pragmatist rather than an ideologue. the stuff about wanting to change playing style last summer was just hot air really.

 

at his core he is someone who likes his sides to work hard, prepare meticulously, not make any mistakes and hope that the 'star players' can do something on their own to get results. there's a lot of percentage football that follows on from the idea that you get your best men on the pitch and hope something falls for them - which is why you see a lot of aimless punts and early crosses into the box - something that worked well with Best last season but which doesn't seem to suit Ba and Cisse together.

 

Ultimately what we see now and what we saw through most of last season is the way a Pardew side plays so I don't think we'll see a drastic change from that in the medium term. it's a practical, safety first approach centred around the players at his disposal and NOT an ideas driven or team-focused approach that seeks to build a recognisable style regardless of which individuals are in the team.

 

That is not to say Pardew is averse to playing a different sort of game - we saw that with the 4-3-3 last season, but that fluid, counter-attacking football with movement only lasted a few games. with limited time on the training pitch i think Pardew would rather prioritise more conservative aspects of our play ie defensive shape or adapating to the next game's opposition instead of trying to constantly work on possession football or attacking flair.

[OzzieMandias]

Wallace sums up my feelings perfectly.

 

Hughesy I don't think anyone would argue that Pardew has done a great job but also I think it's difficult to argue that he gets the best out of the players. We have a remarkable set of players IMO and should control far more games than we actually do instead of every three points being ground out and hanging on.

 

James Perch, Ryan Taylor, Shola Ameobi, Hatem Ben Arfa...

[ATB]

Will Streete start to push Colo or Saylor out of the team? No

Ferguson/Tavernier ahead of Santon/Simpson? No (don't for a second believe Pards would drop Simpson for Tav)

Will Bigi look like getting starts ahead of Tiote/Cabaye when those 2 a fit and able?

Vuckci/Sammy ahead of HBA/Jonas? No

Campbell ahead of Ba/Cisse? No

 

I got all the confidence in the world with playing Bigi and Fergy and Tav in PL, especially come the end of the season. I think they are just class, especially Bigi.

 

Sure they are not as good as Santon, Cabaye and Tiote now. But they would definitely do a great job.

[Parky]

Bigi is massive.

[Guest firetotheworks]

I think you could say that Bigi is on par with Anita for a starting position in midfield.

[NG32]

I think you could say that Bigi is on par with Anita for a starting position in midfield.

 

Id play Anita at right back and play Tiote and Bigi in midfield offering extra protection, freeing up Ben Arfa and Marv if he plays.

[pi_D]

Pardew has shown that he is capable of change tactically and I believe we will see a more fluid formation when we have all our first team players fit.

 

There are a lot of people who still have chips on their collective shoulders over Pardew's appointment and his relationship with DL and MA.

 

Rightly or wrongly we will need to win a trophy for Pardew to be assimilated fully in the minds of those who are quick to criticise him - despite his relative success as Newcastle manager.

[Tooj]

Pardew has shown that he is capable of change tactically and I believe we will see a more fluid formation when we have all our first team players fit.

 

There are a lot of people who still have chips on their collective shoulders over Pardew's appointment and his relationship with DL and MA.

 

Rightly or wrongly we will need to win a trophy for Pardew to be assimilated fully in the minds of those who are quick to criticise him - despite his relative success as Newcastle manager.

 

Maybe HTT, that's about it.

[Interpolic]

Send the bugger back!

[Guest Howaythetoon]

Not bothered about the 8 year deal because there will be enough clauses in there to protect the club. 

 

Haven't fully bought into Pardew either - kind of neutral on him really.  I still think he has a lot to prove.  He says a lot but it often doesn't translate to what we see on the pitch.  I think we have some exceptional players but we are still not getting the best out of them as a team - it always seems to be a case of just doing enough.  I think we have the potential to play loads better than we do (barring the occasional game) and I find it frustrating that the team has not really evolved in its style of play. 

 

It also seems to me as if he is also trying to "manage" the fans - telling us what we should think and do - I find him quite patronising at times.  And he should stop telling everyone he was manager of the year.  That's been and gone.

 

As for Llambias, I think he is a repulsive man and I don't believe a word he says and the story changes depending on what propaganda they are trying to promote at any given time.  They have been at the club for 5 years now and they made a fair contribution themselves to the financial mess of the club due to their own incompetence.  It's about time, he stopped looking backwards to blame what went on before them.  I don't have a problem with the financial policy although when other clubs refuse to adopt a similar model and Man Utd, Arsenal, Spurs and Chelsea are raking in fortunes, I don't really see how we can regularly compete for a Champions League place - the best we can hope for is trying to hang in there in the hope that one of the top 4 messes up like Chelsea last season.

 

Sorry but I cannot help but remain hugely suspicious of anything Llambias says and the motives for saying them.  I still see a mean-spirited and spiteful board that would prefer to keep the supporters at a distance rather than embrace them.  However, I truly hope to be proved wrong and that they do genuinely have the best intentions for the football club itself and all its employees (whether players, coaches or admin staff) rather than using it as a vehicle primarily to promote Sports Direct.

 

 

 

Fantastic post.

 

Seconded.

[Guest Howaythetoon]

Oh great 8 more years of uninspiring football...

Here we go again. Yawn.

 

After all the stuff he said about giving Pardew a break in future as well.

 

With our performances, lack of signings and the teams he has sent out in Europe I could have went to town on him, but haven't and nor will I. I will keep giving him the benefit of the doubt. He has to get us into the top 6 though which I feel we have the players to achieve and we must start improving our football because I won't lie, its fucking shit, especially given our players

[Elliottman]

Oh great 8 more years of uninspiring football...

Here we go again. Yawn.

 

After all the stuff he said about giving Pardew a break in future as well.

 

With our performances, lack of signings and the teams he has sent out in Europe I could have went to town on him, but haven't and nor will I. I will keep giving him the benefit of the doubt. He has to get us into the top 6 though which I feel we have the players to achieve and we must start improving our football because I won't lie, its f***ing s***, especially given our players

 

 

Fucking hell, you've changed your tune. Fickle fucker comes to mind.

[Theregulars]

I imagine it will remain just as easy for us to sack him if needs be. For me it's a weird one, can't begrudge him what he's done but still not quite 100% convinced. We have lucked out a lot of games under him, and our football is proper turgid sometimes. What you can't deny us his ability to squeeze a lot out of average players and galvanise a squad, but I'm not sure he's sufficiently adept tactically to lead us for that long. I'd love to be wrong and see us have just one manager for years on end, mind.

[Tiresias]

This to me seems mostly a PR thing to say we believe in stability etc. I do too so kind of approve, don't imagine if pards does really badly he won't get sacked just makes him hard to poach

[Cronky]

I imagine it will remain just as easy for us to sack him if needs be. For me it's a weird one, can't begrudge him what he's done but still not quite 100% convinced. We have lucked out a lot of games under him, and our football is proper turgid sometimes. What you can't deny us his ability to squeeze a lot out of average players and galvanise a squad, but I'm not sure he's sufficiently adept tactically to lead us for that long. I'd love to be wrong and see us have just one manager for years on end, mind.

 

I tell myself that if we can get results playing mediocre football, think what'll happen if we start playing well.

 

And to be fair, there are signs of improvement on that front.

[Dr Venkman]

I imagine it will remain just as easy for us to sack him if needs be. For me it's a weird one, can't begrudge him what he's done but still not quite 100% convinced. We have lucked out a lot of games under him, and our football is proper turgid sometimes. What you can't deny us his ability to squeeze a lot out of average players and galvanise a squad, but I'm not sure he's sufficiently adept tactically to lead us for that long. I'd love to be wrong and see us have just one manager for years on end, mind.

 

I tell myself that if we can get results playing mediocre football, think what'll happen if we start playing well.

 

And to be fair, there are signs of improvement on that front.

 

Exactly. It seems odd to me that Pardew has been very successful here and upon news of him signing a new contract every second post is about how easily we can still sack him.

[Tisd09]

We've cried out for stability for years. Even though there were quite a few grumbles around the time Hughton was sacked most of us were bemoaning that finally we had stability and then they do this.

 

8 years does seem bizarre but I just think its the board showing the media and fans that we are in this for the long haul. Pardew has made mistakes and things have looked a bit dodgy so far this season but it has been a ok start regardless of us playing well below par, as Cronky says if/when we do start playing well it can be like the end of last season again. The summer was a missed opportunity but still I am happy with Pardew as I think most are. This is the most stability we've had for a very long time and long may it continue. If Pardew sees out the 8 years I would imagine we as a club would have done very well.

 

Players like Bigi/Good/Abeid/Ferguson/Tav/Sammy/Vuckic etc must take encouragement that the man who purchased them or gave them their opportunity will be here for a long time. Chances are if Pardew remains throughout the 8 years these players could be key members of our squad.

 

I really don't know what the point of my post is . But overall I am happy that we have Pardew on a long term contract but 8 years does seem a tad excessive.

[Guest elbee909]

Probably tied him down for that length so that this rumoured buyer of the club  will have to pay more.

 

I'm joking of course. 

[BlueStar]

Pardew aims to bring in new faces and keep stars

 

http://www.chroniclelive.co.uk/newcastle-united/nufc-news/2012/09/29/pardew-aims-to-bring-in-new-faces-and-keep-stars-72703-31929871/

[Optimistic Nut]

Some French cartoonist.

 

http://u.goal.com/214100/214185hp2.jpg

 

 

[Guest sicko2ndbest]

Not bothered about the 8 year deal because there will be enough clauses in there to protect the club. 

 

Haven't fully bought into Pardew either - kind of neutral on him really.  I still think he has a lot to prove.  He says a lot but it often doesn't translate to what we see on the pitch.  I think we have some exceptional players but we are still not getting the best out of them as a team - it always seems to be a case of just doing enough.  I think we have the potential to play loads better than we do (barring the occasional game) and I find it frustrating that the team has not really evolved in its style of play. 

 

It also seems to me as if he is also trying to "manage" the fans - telling us what we should think and do - I find him quite patronising at times.  And he should stop telling everyone he was manager of the year.  That's been and gone.

 

As for Llambias, I think he is a repulsive man and I don't believe a word he says and the story changes depending on what propaganda they are trying to promote at any given time.  They have been at the club for 5 years now and they made a fair contribution themselves to the financial mess of the club due to their own incompetence.  It's about time, he stopped looking backwards to blame what went on before them.  I don't have a problem with the financial policy although when other clubs refuse to adopt a similar model and Man Utd, Arsenal, Spurs and Chelsea are raking in fortunes, I don't really see how we can regularly compete for a Champions League place - the best we can hope for is trying to hang in there in the hope that one of the top 4 messes up like Chelsea last season.

 

Sorry but I cannot help but remain hugely suspicious of anything Llambias says and the motives for saying them.  I still see a mean-spirited and spiteful board that would prefer to keep the supporters at a distance rather than embrace them.  However, I truly hope to be proved wrong and that they do genuinely have the best intentions for the football club itself and all its employees (whether players, coaches or admin staff) rather than using it as a vehicle primarily to promote Sports Direct.

 

 

 

Fantastic post.

 

Seconded.

 

I don't think Pardew deserves the scepticism tbh. The guy has commited himself for the next decade almost, to try and bring us a trophy.

 

At the end of the day he works within the parameters laid down by his bosses, the way we all do. He has been exceptional with what he has had at his disposal and I hope this new deal ensures we kick on from here...

[Jack Flash]

Not bothered about the 8 year deal because there will be enough clauses in there to protect the club. 

 

Haven't fully bought into Pardew either - kind of neutral on him really.  I still think he has a lot to prove.  He says a lot but it often doesn't translate to what we see on the pitch.  I think we have some exceptional players but we are still not getting the best out of them as a team - it always seems to be a case of just doing enough.  I think we have the potential to play loads better than we do (barring the occasional game) and I find it frustrating that the team has not really evolved in its style of play. 

 

It also seems to me as if he is also trying to "manage" the fans - telling us what we should think and do - I find him quite patronising at times.  And he should stop telling everyone he was manager of the year.  That's been and gone.

 

As for Llambias, I think he is a repulsive man and I don't believe a word he says and the story changes depending on what propaganda they are trying to promote at any given time.  They have been at the club for 5 years now and they made a fair contribution themselves to the financial mess of the club due to their own incompetence.  It's about time, he stopped looking backwards to blame what went on before them.  I don't have a problem with the financial policy although when other clubs refuse to adopt a similar model and Man Utd, Arsenal, Spurs and Chelsea are raking in fortunes, I don't really see how we can regularly compete for a Champions League place - the best we can hope for is trying to hang in there in the hope that one of the top 4 messes up like Chelsea last season.

 

Sorry but I cannot help but remain hugely suspicious of anything Llambias says and the motives for saying them.  I still see a mean-spirited and spiteful board that would prefer to keep the supporters at a distance rather than embrace them.  However, I truly hope to be proved wrong and that they do genuinely have the best intentions for the football club itself and all its employees (whether players, coaches or admin staff) rather than using it as a vehicle primarily to promote Sports Direct.

 

 

 

Fantastic post.

 

Seconded.

 

I don't think Pardew deserves the scepticism tbh. The guy has commited himself for the next decade almost, to try and bring us a trophy.

 

At the end of the day he works within the parameters laid down by his bosses, the way we all do. He has been exceptional with what he has had at his disposal and I hope this new deal ensures we kick on from here...

 

The criticism is about our playing style which isn't as good as it could/should be. It's effective, but he constantly, and literally, talks a better game than he delivers.