Alan Pardew

[Away Toon]

From ESPN. Sums up the game and Pardew perfectly.

 

 

So what do you do if you are missing your first choice goalkeeper and three of your strongest back four? If you are Alan Pardew you send your team out to play Manchester City at the Etihad with orders to play as defensively and negatively as possible. You have to have a vivid imagination to believe that would work. Either that or you believe you are beaten before kickoff and just want to get the game out of the way while conceding as few goals as possible. Whatever he was thinking it did not work. Newcastle were thrashed 4-0 without putting up a fight.

 

- Curtis: More of this and less of that for City

- Jolly: Kompany comeback fires City

 

One commonly held belief is that Pardew made his lineup and tactical decisions based on the long injury list the club continue to suffer from and the prospect of a Europa League quarterfinal against Benfica on Thursday. Obviously there is truth to this but Newcastle's approach was like a League Two side coming to play against City in a cup tie. While I didn't expect Newcastle to pick up a result today (City's bench alone cost them over £120 million) I would at least like to have seen them have a go.

 

Just like in the 3-0 home defeat to Manchester United earlier in the season, Pardew sent out a defensive team then switched to attack mode once Newcastle were 2-0 down and the game was gone. City's first two goals came late in the first half -- Carlos Tevez scored the first on 41 and then David Silva doubled the lead in stoppage time. Before that, Rob Elliot had produced a couple of good saves and Gareth Barry missed a great chance while Papiss Cisse volleyed a Marco Van Basten-style effort off the post -- Newcastle's only chance. The vast majority of the 45 minutes were played in Newcastle's half.

 

Pardew made one substitution at half time when he took off Gabriel Obertan for James Perch. I'm not sure if Obertan even touched the ball while he was on the field. I'm not sure why he was out there in the first place.

 

Newcastle finally showed some attacking intent early in the second half and a neat one two between Yohan Cabaye and Moussa Sissoko ended up with Cabaye shooting just wide.

 

City went further ahead on 55 when Vincent Kompany steered a wayward Gareth Barry shot into the net. 3-0.

 

Newcastle made a second change just after the hour -- Yoan Gouffran looked completely out of his depth and he made way for Dan Gosling. City on the other hand took off Carlos Tevez and brought on Kun Aguero!

 

Yaya Toure made it 4-0 when he charged through Newcastle's players like a 25-year-old playing in an under-12s game and his shot deflected off Perch and beat Elliot at his near post.

 

Cabaye made way for Gael Bigirimana with just under 20 minutes to play -- all Pardew was missing was a huge white flag to wave vociferously.

 

In summary

 

Defeat against Manchester City at the Etihad is no great surprise but the manner of the defeat was very disappointing. The Newcastle players body language from the off told me that they'd lost this game before it even started.

 

When this season ends, Pardew has to be held accountable for these pathetic away displays. This defeat means that Newcastle have lost nine of their last 11 away games and have now lost four in a row.

 

Eight points from a possible 48 on the road is absolutely diabolical. They've also conceded 35 goals on their travels -- more than any other team.

 

Despite Pardew's claims after the win over Stoke that Newcastle were as good as safe, they remain in the danger zone at the bottom of the league. Wigan won today as did West Ham and Southampton meaning that Newcastle drop down to 15th and they now sit only three points from a relegation place. Anything less than a win over Fulham at home next week and Newcastle are in big, big trouble.

 

Spare a thought for the fans who travelled in their thousands to Manchester. They paid £49 for their tickets to watch their team look like they'd rather be doing anything other than playing football. Like I said earlier, losing to Manchester City is not a surprise but the manner in which the Newcastle players went about it was totally unacceptable.

 

[Yorkie]

Effective football is poor disguise of negative tactics that suck the life out of players, fans and the game in general. It's akin to people that don't want to ever leave their house because they might get hit by a bus.

 

I think that's harsh, too. It depends on the extent to which it is 'effective'.

 

If it was 'effective' in the context of purely staying up, I'd agree with your post. But in last season's case, it was 'effective' in the context of a Champions League push. I don't see how simply being rigid and disciplined (in the first half of the season) 'sucked the life' out of our players. We were actually pretty fluid towards the end - and it wasn't simply because of the personnel.

[Mick]

The football we played last season was the foundation for this season, people need to look further than the results.

[Interpolic]

Do his supporters still think he's trying to advance us to a better standard of football, or is getting back to the effective football we played for much of last year the ultimate aim?  I don't hear people saying he'll get us playing good stuff much anymore, that's all.  Seems to be that we got good results one season and can do so again.

 

Fwiw, I wouldn't officially class myself as a 'Pardew supporter' and - although I'd prefer it that we stuck, I'm not gonna sit here and say I'd be devastated if he went in the summer. I'm just a supporter of the notion of stability. I'm nowhere near convinced he has the ability to get the full potential out of this squad - I just think there's something to sticking with a manager.

 

It's not like Souness, Roeder, Kinnear or Allardyce, who were basically shite from the beginning - in my opinion Pardew has performed admirably as a manager for an extended period of time (though I concede there's discrepancies over that opinion, which appears to be the sticking point here). In addition to what was, imo, a brilliant job last season, I think it's worth pointing out that his opening spell has been forgotten about in this debate. It was pretty solid to be fair, especially considering the Carroll debacle. It was only an aberration against WBA that prevented us from actually finishing in the top half.

 

I'm just sick of seeing us constantly chopping and changing, and I don't have faith in the board to upgrade on him. He's shown good and bad in equal measure imo, and should get till Christmas.

 

Just repeating myself now.

 

Fair points, can't say I agree massively about him doing anything better than a bang-average job in his first half-season but there you go.  Certainly not something I'd give him a massive amount of credit for, he was OK.

 

Anyway, do you think he wants to play better football or not, that's what I'm asking.  People used to say he was working towards us playing better stuff, but they don't seem to say that now.

[Mick]

 

 

Fair points, can't say I agree massively about him doing anything better than a bang-average job in his first half-season but there you go.  Certainly not something I'd give him a massive amount of credit for, he was OK.

 

Anyway, do you think he wants to play better football or not, that's what I'm asking.  People used to say he was working towards us playing better stuff, but they don't seem to say that now.

 

Pardew used to say he was working towards better football, he's spun a myth.

[Yorkie]

Do his supporters still think he's trying to advance us to a better standard of football, or is getting back to the effective football we played for much of last year the ultimate aim?  I don't hear people saying he'll get us playing good stuff much anymore, that's all.  Seems to be that we got good results one season and can do so again.

 

Fwiw, I wouldn't officially class myself as a 'Pardew supporter' and - although I'd prefer it that we stuck, I'm not gonna sit here and say I'd be devastated if he went in the summer. I'm just a supporter of the notion of stability. I'm nowhere near convinced he has the ability to get the full potential out of this squad - I just think there's something to sticking with a manager.

 

It's not like Souness, Roeder, Kinnear or Allardyce, who were basically shite from the beginning - in my opinion Pardew has performed admirably as a manager for an extended period of time (though I concede there's discrepancies over that opinion, which appears to be the sticking point here). In addition to what was, imo, a brilliant job last season, I think it's worth pointing out that his opening spell has been forgotten about in this debate. It was pretty solid to be fair, especially considering the Carroll debacle. It was only an aberration against WBA that prevented us from actually finishing in the top half.

 

I'm just sick of seeing us constantly chopping and changing, and I don't have faith in the board to upgrade on him. He's shown good and bad in equal measure imo, and should get till Christmas.

 

Just repeating myself now.

 

Fair points, can't say I agree massively about him doing anything better than a bang-average job in his first half-season but there you go.  Certainly not something I'd give him a massive amount of credit for, he was OK.

 

Anyway, do you think he wants to play better football or not, that's what I'm asking. People used to say he was working towards us playing better stuff, but they don't seem to say that now.

 

My answer to that is; I honestly don't know.

 

As we've already discussed/disagreed about (lulz) - I'm almost certain he'll be afforded the time to show us his true footballing philosophy.

[Interpolic]

 

 

Fair points, can't say I agree massively about him doing anything better than a bang-average job in his first half-season but there you go.  Certainly not something I'd give him a massive amount of credit for, he was OK.

 

Anyway, do you think he wants to play better football or not, that's what I'm asking.  People used to say he was working towards us playing better stuff, but they don't seem to say that now.

 

Pardew used to say he was working towards better football, he's spun a myth.

 

I think so too, I think he's talking absolute bollocks and people are still taking things he says at face value.

 

If he wanted to win matches by playing better football he wouldn't have been in such a rush to abandon the 433 that served us so well towards the end of last season.  I don't think it's a priority for him.  His quotes about "letting the victory come to you" a while back sum it up, we never take the bull by the horns.

[Super Duper Branko Strupar]

He wasn't helped by having no real investment in the summer. I'm not saying that's the reason, but it obviously wouldn't have helped him. He also lost arguable his best player in Ba. His managerial abilities are no where near good enough to deal with this. He has had no real idea what to do next all season.

The handling of the Ba situation from September to Jan was horrific. But he was scoring goals. Imagine where we'd be without them.

 

Pardew was quite lucky last season. Few injuries, new players settling in very fast, amazing over performances. He added to that at times as well. This season he's had trouble and he's not up to it. But this season has had some very unlucky situations.

 

What do we get next season in terms of rub of the green? Similar to his first, similar to this, or in between? If it's the latter where will that leave us with Pardew? Add it all up and he has to be upgraded in my opinion. But only if we can.

[Flip]

 

 

Fair points, can't say I agree massively about him doing anything better than a bang-average job in his first half-season but there you go.  Certainly not something I'd give him a massive amount of credit for, he was OK.

 

Anyway, do you think he wants to play better football or not, that's what I'm asking.  People used to say he was working towards us playing better stuff, but they don't seem to say that now.

 

Pardew used to say he was working towards better football, he's spun a myth.

 

I think so too, I think he's talking absolute bollocks and people are still taking things he says at face value.

 

If he wanted to win matches by playing better football he wouldn't have been in such a rush to abandon the 433 that served us so well towards the end of last season.  I don't think it's a priority for him.  His quotes about "letting the victory come to you" a while back sum it up, we never take the bull by the horns.

 

He's a likeable guy and that's the only reason to why he is still at the club. It will come a time when we will compare him to Roeder, who btw had an excellent first part of a season in charge of us too...

[toontownman]

Effective football is poor disguise of negative tactics that suck the life out of players, fans and the game in general. It's akin to people that don't want to ever leave their house because they might get hit by a bus.

 

I think that's harsh, too. It depends on the extent to which it is 'effective'.

 

If it was 'effective' in the context of purely staying up, I'd agree with your post. But in last season's case, it was 'effective' in the context of a Champions League push. I don't see how simply being rigid and disciplined (in the first half of the season) 'sucked the life' out of our players. We were actually pretty fluid towards the end - and it wasn't simply because of the personnel.

 

Fair play but I am talking about Pardews insistence of using that tactic week in week out regardless of opposition. I am happy to see us playing more effectively once in a while but not every game, especially when we have players capable or doing far more.

 

Constant negativity shows pardew has little faith in the players we have to beat other teams using attacking football. I can't believe players can't be affected by defeatist tactics every week regardless of the opposition. Case in point gouffran and sissokho.. Unrecognizable from their first two performances.

 

[toontownman]

Would be genuinely interested to see how 1878 and Niel think the Pardew situation compares to moyes who had a similar bump second season. Difference if I can recall is moyes not being bailed out with support and money from the board.

[Yorkie]

Would be genuinely interested to see how 1878 and Niel think the Pardew situation compares to moyes who had a similar bump second season. Difference if I can recall is moyes not being bailed out with support and money from the board.

 

It's something that's always in the back of my mind, too.

 

Took Sir Alex five years to bring the title to Manu, n'all.

[Dave]

"They have good players but we have to play better than we did today," he added. "We know that it's a hard place to come - they're the champions, they have fantastic players, but we have to start the game with a higher ambition, a higher intensity, because if not you have a defeat like today.

 

"I think after half time, we started playing like we should have started the first half but then I think the third goal killed us.

 

"But we had to attack them from the beginning, not wait until half time because normally in the Premier League it can be too late."

 

So is that down to the players following Pardew's instructions, or the players not following Pardew's instructions?

[Ronaldo]

Effective football is poor disguise of negative tactics that suck the life out of players, fans and the game in general. It's akin to people that don't want to ever leave their house because they might get hit by a bus.

 

I think that's harsh, too. It depends on the extent to which it is 'effective'.

 

If it was 'effective' in the context of purely staying up, I'd agree with your post. But in last season's case, it was 'effective' in the context of a Champions League push. I don't see how simply being rigid and disciplined (in the first half of the season) 'sucked the life' out of our players. We were actually pretty fluid towards the end - and it wasn't simply because of the personnel.

 

Fair play but I am talking about Pardews insistence of using that tactic week in week out regardless of opposition. I am happy to see us playing more effectively once in a while but not every game, especially when we have players capable or doing far more.

 

Constant negativity shows pardew has little faith in the players we have to beat other teams using attacking football. I can't believe players can't be affected by defeatist tactics every week regardless of the opposition. Case in point gouffran and sissokho.. Unrecognizable from their first two performances.

 

 

Gouffran's being played horribly out of position to be fair to the lad. He cant beat players or create chances.

[Interpolic]

"They have good players but we have to play better than we did today," he added. "We know that it's a hard place to come - they're the champions, they have fantastic players, but we have to start the game with a higher ambition, a higher intensity, because if not you have a defeat like today.

 

"I think after half time, we started playing like we should have started the first half but then I think the third goal killed us.

 

"But we had to attack them from the beginning, not wait until half time because normally in the Premier League it can be too late."

 

So is that down to the players following Pardew's instructions, or the players not following Pardew's instructions?

 

Ooh shit.

[Mick]

"They have good players but we have to play better than we did today," he added. "We know that it's a hard place to come - they're the champions, they have fantastic players, but we have to start the game with a higher ambition, a higher intensity, because if not you have a defeat like today.

 

"I think after half time, we started playing like we should have started the first half but then I think the third goal killed us.

 

"But we had to attack them from the beginning, not wait until half time because normally in the Premier League it can be too late."

 

So is that down to the players following Pardew's instructions, or the players not following Pardew's instructions?

 

It happens far too often to be the players, they'd have been dropped or got rid of by now if it was them.

[Mole_Toonfan]

Gouffran's being played horribly out of position to be fair to the lad. He's cant beat players or create chances.

 

Where he's played for majority of his career, only played striker for last year.

 

I don't think that is a problem, more Pardew's attitude and everything else that is well evident.

[Flip]

"They have good players but we have to play better than we did today," he added. "We know that it's a hard place to come - they're the champions, they have fantastic players, but we have to start the game with a higher ambition, a higher intensity, because if not you have a defeat like today.

 

"I think after half time, we started playing like we should have started the first half but then I think the third goal killed us.

 

"But we had to attack them from the beginning, not wait until half time because normally in the Premier League it can be too late."

 

So is that down to the players following Pardew's instructions, or the players not following Pardew's instructions?

 

Could be having a go at Pardew?

 

Wouldnt be the first South American if that was the case.

[Ronaldo]

Doubt it considering he's probably the only manager in the PL stupid enough to play him.

[Interpolic]

Doubt it considering he's probably the only manager in the PL stupid enough to play him.

 

 

It does sound like he's having a pop though.  The alternative is "we as the players need to stop ignoring the manager and try to win the game from the first minute".

[Weznufc]

"They have good players but we have to play better than we did today," he added. "We know that it's a hard place to come - they're the champions, they have fantastic players, but we have to start the game with a higher ambition, a higher intensity, because if not you have a defeat like today.

 

"I think after half time, we started playing like we should have started the first half but then I think the third goal killed us.

 

"But we had to attack them from the beginning, not wait until half time because normally in the Premier League it can be too late."

 

So is that down to the players following Pardew's instructions, or the players not following Pardew's instructions?

 

Could be having a go at Pardew?

 

Wouldnt be the first South American if that was the case.

 

maybe thats a sign that the players are losing faith with him and they want someone else in.

[Flip]

Doubt it considering he's probably the only manager in the PL stupid enough to play him.

 

Fair point.

[Dave]

Based on those comments today's match he either sent them out to play negatively or they just ignored his instructions to do otherwise.

 

Either way isn't good.

[Guest neesy111]

Has Pardew shown a philosophy over his managerial career, he's not exactly one of the young boys in it.  If he has shown one then it's a negative boring one which I want NUFC nowhere near.

 

Get Zola in.

[Guest neesy111]

Also O'Neill gets sacked being 2 points behind us, that should crank up the pressure on Pardew tbh.