Alan Pardew

[tmonkey]

Last season was a one-off imo, not just because we didn't play all that well for the majority of that season, but also because I don't ever remember a Premiership season like that where opposition teams were so consistent at wasting their chances. The only difference between many of the games where we picked up one or three points and those handful of games where we were thrashed (Spurs, Fulham, etc) is that in those heavy defeats the opposition were a bit more clinical with their opportunities - in any other season we'd have comfortably dropped more points.  In practical terms, last year we had bucketloads of sliced finishing or poor balance from opposition strikers, awful final balls from opposition players in promising positions, Krul making strings of top quality saves, clearances off the line from Simpson and Saylor, etc etc, all of which led to us supposedly having one of the best defences in the league up until Christmas iirc (when in reality opposition teams were getting plenty of chances). Think about those games where we had Raylor in defence getting completely and utterly left for dead, yet nothing rarely came of those instances - it was defintely an abnormal season imo.

 

The "norm" seems to have been restored a bit this season in that we are conceding more goals when we "should" be conceding them. I know that sounds slightly strange, but if we're not defending well and the opposition are being gifted chances, then at Premiership level it should only be expected that we'd be punished for it more often than not - and that seems to be what is happening this season so far.

 

I realise some people don't like to think this way and have this viewpoint that "if you finished 5th then you deserved to", but imo that's similar to extrapolating performances from results - it doesn't paint the most comprehensive of pictures.

[Dave]

Anyone who is calling for the manager to be sacked at this stage of the season, with the injuries/suspensions and resultant inability to be able to play our better players on the field together consistently, is a moron (and likely under 25).

 

Aye, our only problems are due to injuries and suspensions, christ.

 

Are you under 25, Mick?

[Pilko]

Anyone who is calling for the manager to be sacked at this stage of the season, with the injuries/suspensions and resultant inability to be able to play our better players on the field together consistently, is a moron (and likely under 25).

 

Aye, our only problems are due to injuries and suspensions, christ.

 

Are you under 25, Mick?

 

That might be true if you swapped the two digits around. Maybe.

[Tiresias]

bleh may have beeen to beligerent last night, think brilliant was too far but that's a bit of a linguistic argument, yeah he had flaws last season that should have signposted to a bigger malaise, still think he deserves plenty of credit for large bits of last season

[Dave]

bleh may have beeen to beligerent last night, think brilliant was too far but that's a bit of a linguistic argument, yeah he had flaws last season that should have signposted to a bigger malaise, still think he deserves plenty of credit for large bits of last season

 

Agree with all of your recent posts in here, sensible stuff.

[Parky]

Last season was a one-off imo, not just because we didn't play all that well for the majority of that season, but also because I don't ever remember a Premiership season like that where opposition teams were so consistent at wasting their chances. The only difference between many of the games where we picked up one or three points and those handful of games where we were thrashed (Spurs, Fulham, etc) is that in those heavy defeats the opposition were a bit more clinical with their opportunities - in any other season we'd have comfortably dropped more points.  In practical terms, last year we had bucketloads of sliced finishing or poor balance from opposition strikers, awful final balls from opposition players in promising positions, Krul making strings of top quality saves, clearances off the line from Simpson and Saylor, etc etc, all of which led to us supposedly having one of the best defences in the league up until Christmas iirc (when in reality opposition teams were getting plenty of chances). Think about those games where we had Raylor in defence getting completely and utterly left for dead, yet nothing rarely came of those instances - it was defintely an abnormal season imo.

 

The "norm" seems to have been restored a bit this season in that we are conceding more goals when we "should" be conceding them. I know that sounds slightly strange, but if we're not defending well and the opposition are being gifted chances, then at Premiership level it should only be expected that we'd be punished for it more often than not - and that seems to be what is happening this season so far.

 

I realise some people don't like to think this way and have this viewpoint that "if you finished 5th then you deserved to", but imo that's similar to extrapolating performances from results - it doesn't paint the most comprehensive of pictures.

 

http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-boB3TVpMUpM/UKx3VxY_2LI/AAAAAAAACyg/a6BmKskMSBo/s1600/Defensive++-+GW12.png

 

The data agrees with you. It's not that we're much worse defensively compared to the other top 10 sides but it looks like the finishing and SIB (shot in box) have been better quality.

[Mick]

 

 

Are you under 25, Mick?

 

Not quite, I probably am a moron though because I've been putting myself through so much crap following football for more decades than a 25 year old has lived through.

[loki679]

Anyone who is calling for the manager to be sacked at this stage of the season, with the injuries/suspensions and resultant inability to be able to play our better players on the field together consistently, is a moron (and likely under 25).

 

Aye, our only problems are due to injuries and suspensions, christ.

 

Are you under 25, Mick?

 

That might be true if you swapped the two digits around. Maybe.

 

And double it.

[Mick]

 

 

That might be true if you swapped the two digits around. Maybe.

 

That’s definitely closer to the truth.

[Mick]

 

And double it.

 

  Please, don't.

[Cronky]

There are plenty of indications from Pardew's record with other clubs that he has some ability. We're going through a bad patch, but that can happen in football and there's reasons to believe that he can turn it round.

 

What I'm unsure about with Pardew is his ability to deliver a boot up the arse when it's needed. He comes across as a diplomat, and while that may have been fine when he joined the club in difficult circumstances, there are times when the iron fist is needed.

 

Otherwise, he seems a clever and hard-working bloke. I'm sure he understands what's going wrong at the moment.

[Mick]

There are plenty of indications from Pardew's record with other clubs that he has some ability. We're going through a bad patch, but that can happen in football and there's reasons to believe that he can turn it round.

 

What I'm unsure about with Pardew is his ability to deliver a boot up the arse when it's needed. He comes across as a diplomat, and while that may have been fine when he joined the club in difficult circumstances, there are times when the iron fist is needed.

 

Otherwise, he seems a clever and hard-working bloke. I'm sure he understands what's going wrong at the moment.

 

He's done it here with Ben Arfa and Ranger.

[Cronky]

There are plenty of indications from Pardew's record with other clubs that he has some ability. We're going through a bad patch, but that can happen in football and there's reasons to believe that he can turn it round.

 

What I'm unsure about with Pardew is his ability to deliver a boot up the arse when it's needed. He comes across as a diplomat, and while that may have been fine when he joined the club in difficult circumstances, there are times when the iron fist is needed.

 

Otherwise, he seems a clever and hard-working bloke. I'm sure he understands what's going wrong at the moment.

 

He's done it here with Ben Arfa and Ranger.

 

Well with Ranger, it's clearly been ineffective so far, and with Ben Arfa, I'd say it's been more a paternal arm-around-the-shoulder.

 

The player who needed the boot was Ba, and I don't think it's happened.

[Mick]

 

Well with Ranger, it's clearly been ineffective so far, and with Ben Arfa, I'd say it's been more a paternal arm-around-the-shoulder.

 

The player who needed the boot was Ba, and I don't think it's happened.

 

He slagged Ben Arfa off in the press, I don't know what, if anything was said face to face.

[Guest Dontooner]

Anyone who is calling for the manager to be sacked at this stage of the season, with the injuries/suspensions and resultant inability to be able to play our better players on the field together consistently, is a moron (and likely under 25).

 

Sod off , just because some fans inept to see through what is good football and what a good manager is?

Does not deviate me from me knowing what is good football.

 

I am in my mid forties and is worried not to see us win something meaningful before i die.

We all go through bad times in life and coup with it and when good times are around the corner we try to make it even better and prolong it.

My experience tells me , we are in the good cycle now and we need to improve faster or when all the good things end and the cycle peaks we will rubber band the other way.

The weakest link in the team now is the manager, if you don't see it that way fine but don't go insulting the those who feel that way.

 

 

[Cronky]

 

Well with Ranger, it's clearly been ineffective so far, and with Ben Arfa, I'd say it's been more a paternal arm-around-the-shoulder.

 

The player who needed the boot was Ba, and I don't think it's happened.

 

He slagged Ben Arfa off in the press, I don't know what, if anything was said face to face.

 

I wouldn't have said that he 'slagged him off' at all. He gave him the message that he needed to improve some aspects of his game, but it was delivered in a constructive way, with every faith that he could eventually deliver.

 

Where I don't think Pardew was strong enough was with characters who were throwing their weight around ie Ba and Barton. He didn't seem to want to confront them, and instead made all sorts of conciliatory noises in public, I suppose because he rated them as players and wanted to keep them on board.

 

Despite Barton's ability, we've been better off without him, and I think the same may be true of Ba.

[Guest Dontooner]

Just to add, i want managers to be replaced only at the end of the season if allowable, and would not mind him his stay till the end of the season. However many negative implications occur during the bad cycle, players wanting to leave , fans loosing moral, and tightening if the budget.

 

Its not a wonder why good and rich clubs chop and change managers when they slump, the only difference is they go for recognize ones with track records most of the time. Essentially we are trying to do a Spurs now where we do a slow upgrade with players and Managers and hope to prolong the cycle.

 

One mistake and setback is going take years to correct.

[Interpolic]

I like this new "You must be geet young if you're questioning the manager's position" thing, it's a proper condescending hoot.

[loki679]

I like this new "You must be geet young if you're questioning the manager's position" thing, it's a proper condescending hoot.

 

Get a few more years under your belt, son, and you might understand.

[Interpolic]

I'm 28, go away.

[loki679]

I'm 28, go away.

 

When I was 28 i'd already been supporting us for 30 years.  You're 3 years above the cutoff for being allowed to express concerns anyway so shut your gob youngblood.

[Interpolic]

I can say what I want you owld radgie.

[Dave]

I'm 28, go away.

 

When I was 28 i'd already been supporting us for 30 years.  You're 3 years above the cutoff for being allowed to express concerns anyway so shut your gob youngblood.

 

 

Fuck off back to FIFA and FM, Interpolic.

 

*is 29

[Interpolic]

BRB, I'm just off to the shop for some stickers and a mix-up (Pardew out).

[mrmojorisin75]

Just to add, i want managers to be replaced only at the end of the season if allowable, and would not mind him his stay till the end of the season. However many negative implications occur during the bad cycle, players wanting to leave , fans loosing moral, and tightening if the budget.

 

everything else aside imo the best thing that could happen to football is a manager transfer window