Alan Pardew

[TRon]

Benfica seem to be the exact opposite of our team in their approach and formation. They pile their players into the opposition half then look to play quick short passes with plenty of players attacking the box. We pile our players into our own half and look to hit the ball long towards the isolated centre forward. They look vulnerable at the back but we never really tested that high defensive line enough.

 

That sums it up pretty well. Chalk and cheese in terms of approach.

 

I'm not sure they'll win over two legs against Chelsea or Spurs with that approach, because those teams will hit back far harder than us. There are those who will say we were unlucky, but I thought they gave us a right pounding over 90 mins.

 

Very, very harsh conclusion that. I'm not arguing we're as stylish as Benfica but our approach tonight wasn't that bad at all.

 

I wasn't really talking about our approach tonight, rather our approach in general. Benfica have a style which bristles with intent and attacking menace. We tried to counter attack them but it wasn't our natural game which we've been drilled for two seasons, so we started each half well then ended up being pushed back as they imposed themselves through sheer aggression. Put it this way, I can't see us doing that to them at St James.

[Cajun]

Did absolutely nothing wrong and i will support that argument to the end of the earth.

 

We lost tonight because Cisse was ridiculously unlucky and some defensive individual lapses, not on Pards.

 

Even though all that happened you obviously have an agenda, thicko!

[Guest]

Like I said earlier in the thread does the manager have to shoulder all the blame or should some of the players acknowledge their part? 

 

Santon and Taylor want flogging.

 

Taylor yes, Santon no.

 

Why do you say that?

 

Obviously it was a massive f*** up but Santon needs a pat on the back, as he has been badly effected by bollockings in the past.

 

People miss sitters, scuff passes, make bad decisions...Taylor though...urgh. Angry at that still.

[JB]

 

To be clear, I meant in the sense of beating/whipping, not selling.

 

That's how i interpreted it, didn't think you were wanting them sold like.

[Gallowgate Toon]

While I in no way blame tonight's result on him, I do wish he'd shake things up a bit at the minute. Cabaye came back in terrific form but has gotten progressively worse since he was moved deeper, we need him higher and on the ball more. Sissoko looked better when dropping a little deeper today too, having him as the second striker encourages isolation too much.

[Sima]

Is there any reason why Cabaye and Sissoko can't swap?

 

Sissoko running from deep would be immense and he would be more of a presence alongside Tiote than Cabaye is

[Guest ElCid]

It seems to me that the same problems that we had before the January transfer window have come back. The passing on a whole is very poor and we give the ball away very quickly, we don't press the midfield, the over reliance of continuing to play players who are out of form or simply not good enough and most alarmingly the back four looks like it will concede goals very easily no matter what the combination of players are.

 

There is no Plan B if Plan A comes a croppa and no tactical awareness of how to change a game plan when required during the game itself. The standard of coaching at Newcastle is shocking with the entire back room staff not able to do anything to change basic concepts which are so obvious and easy to see from everyone who watches us.

 

An average of 0.5 points per away game is a disgrace and really apart from the Chelsea game the home displays in the whole have been poor. A failure to win against Fulham will result in the alarm bells to ring and it is shocking that these coaches are not able to structure the team to defend better, take set pieces better, hold the ball better and even a simple thing like a Goalkeeper kicking the ball and conceding possession every single time and/or miss-kicking have not been identified. If your keeper can't kick the ball properly and you can't coach him how to kick properly, then don't give it to him but they still do countless times during a game.

 

Benfica are a good team but  they could easily of had 6 or 7 goals tonight and once the first goal went in the team fell apart as always. It's not just this game it's been all season and we were saying this even last season after finishing 5th!!!  If you're a good coach you do not go the whole season not solving the same problems but the ones we have do and it will never change until they have been shown the door. The game panned out exactly as I thought it would and why is this - not because I'm negative - it's because the same issues have happened over and over again. It's easy to see the problems but obviously our coaches either can't or do not have the technical ability to change them.

 

Hopefully we will not live to regret this  come May and if we do get enough points then Mr Ashley needs to be able to make a big decision (ala Hughton) to move the club forward because with these planks in charge we never will. 

[AlanSkÃrare]

While he can't be faulted for the mistakes, inviting the pressure that we always do (it's not just today, it's whoever we play), will eventually cost you in terms of mistakes and bad luck. If a team has 20 shots and earns 12 corners or whatever it was tonight, the chance of someone handling the ball inside the box is there, no matter who you are or who you play, is increasing by the count.

 

We weren't struck by lightning tonight, we were punished for mistakes in and around our box because that's where we invited them to play the majority of the game.

[Mole_Toonfan]

Is there any reason why Cabaye and Sissoko can't swap?

 

Sissoko running from deep would be immense and he would be more of a presence alongside Tiote than Cabaye is

 

There's one thing that prevents me from 100% supporting this.... its Sissoko's first touch some times its so bad and it could lead to us being quite open.

 

Also as much as he's built like a f*cking tank i don't believe he shows it all too often.

[AyeDubbleYoo]

Is there any reason why Cabaye and Sissoko can't swap?

 

Sissoko running from deep would be immense and he would be more of a presence alongside Tiote than Cabaye is

 

I would definitely want to try this, Cabaye is much better further forward and when he's playing well he's an absolutely class act.

[AlanSkÃrare]

Is there any reason why Cabaye and Sissoko can't swap?

 

Sissoko running from deep would be immense and he would be more of a presence alongside Tiote than Cabaye is

 

Because he's practically being used as a forward alongside Cissé at times, and he has to be the target for Krul's punts up front.

[Jordan]

We started well. After the second half we were set up defensively despite him saying prematch that would be a dangerous tactic. He's far too cautious and it's hurting the team so badly. We're welcoming pressure but not able to absorb it. No point getting rid now as there just isn't any point in getting an interim in for 7 games. We're out of the Europa League, fighting relegation in the perm and played awful football 95% of the season. We have no fight, no tactics, can't keep shape, have no attacking game plan, aren't any threat from set pieces and clearly don't work on off the ball movement. Everything i've mentioned can be coached into sides by a good coach. Pardew is not that. For two years we have relied on individual brilliance, been carried by two strikers last season in Ba and Cisse. Now all the luck has ran out and he's being exposed for who he truly is, a coward. The constant lies about changing set pieces, having a go at teams and just general lies about him trying to improve the team. We currently have a great set up in terms of transfers and the quality of players we're bringing in but don't have the right man to match it. His negativity has bred throughout the club this season and now we have no confidence what so ever and going into every game just hoping we don't lose. I honestly believe any team playing us at the moment feels the odds are truly in their favour as long as they weather the early attacks and just wait for us to invite them to pressure us.

 

This is the most frustrating season for me as a Newcastle United supporter and i've really lost my patience now. I don't enjoy watching us and frankly until this bloke is sacked don't think i ever will. We're moving forward so much as a club but being held back by someone who plays such a crucial role in the most important part of the club. The football. Under Allardyce there was long ball but a rough plan on how to use it. Pardew's long ball is just amateur and what you would expect from a sunday league manager imo. The relegation season wasn't as frustrating as this one as it was obvious the players couldn't give a flying fuck and the writing was on the wall for a long, long time. I've said it 100 times on here that a team that can field Debuchy, Colo, Yanga-Mbiwa, Santon, Ben Arfa, Marveaux, Sissoko, Cabaye, Gouffran and Cisse should never, ever be playing long ball football even as a last resort because they are plain and simply not suited to it. None of them know how to play it and i am pretty sure none of them would want to know how. We have footballers, not cloggers. We are not a Stoke who rely on physicality because we lack the technical players so why does the moron in charge insist on using it? Why does a team that's strong offensively go out against teams to defend against them?

 

This summer is gigantic for us as a club. We need to have a total reshuffle of the whole coaching staff and replace them with a head coach who plays positive, attacking football and we need to make transfers that show we are ready to attack the top 6 again because without this players are going to start wanting out and players we're trying to attract will no longer want to sign for a long ball side with players wanting out. Nearly every signing we've made over the last two years has been a type of player who works in a passing and keeping possession system. Players like Anita, who was fantastic for Ajax in this style of system, Ben Arfa who is a fantastic technical player and arguably one of the best we'll ever have in terms of talent. Everything positive the club does is being wasted away by this bloke and it really hurts.

 

I know sometimes I go far too over the top on my views of things (Santon tonight being a big one) but i really am just sick of watching everything positive that happens to the club be ruined by this dipshit. I am 100% in the PARDEW OUT camp.

[Varadi]

We weren't struck by lightning tonight, we were punished for mistakes in and around our box because that's where we invited them to play the majority of the game.

 

Could just be they were a very good team that legitimately pushed us back at times?

 

No complaints from me tonight, thought he set us up well, started both halves strongly, which has been a weakness but was undone by the kind of mistakes you can't really legislate for, and the Perch injury came at a really bad time.

[AyeDubbleYoo]

We weren't struck by lightning tonight, we were punished for mistakes in and around our box because that's where we invited them to play the majority of the game.

 

Could just be they were a very good team that legitimately pushed us back at times?

 

No complaints from me tonight, thought he set us up well, started both halves strongly, which has been a weakness but was undone by the kind of mistakes you can't really legislate for, and the Perch injury came at a really bad time.

 

Think this is spot on.

 

You couldn't call Pardew a great manager, but you couldn't call him a lucky one either.

[Guest bimpy474]

Just wished he would lets us attack like we did tonight in the league.

[Cajun]

We weren't struck by lightning tonight, we were punished for mistakes in and around our box because that's where we invited them to play the majority of the game.

 

Could just be they were a very good team that legitimately pushed us back at times?

 

No complaints from me tonight, thought he set us up well, started both halves strongly, which has been a weakness but was undone by the kind of mistakes you can't really legislate for, and the Perch injury came at a really bad time.

 

 

We were never going to keep up the first 20 minutes against a quality side like them, just doesn't happen.

[Jordan]

Also to people saying the board couldn't find any one better need to remember that the last few times we've appointed managers the job has been like a poisoned chalice. Kinnear- after the Keegan farce no self-respecting manager would have touched us. Hughton- We'd just been relegated and were a joke of a club. Pardew- This is the one where i can agree the board fucked up big time, was in before Hughton was even out the door.

[Dr Venkman]

Yeah it was noticeable how more players were getting forward.

[Jordan]

I'd say we're an attractive club for a head coach. Not a manager. International players, some brilliant ones (Ben Arfa, Cabaye) and a transfer system that keeps bringing in quality.

[AlanSkÃrare]

We weren't struck by lightning tonight, we were punished for mistakes in and around our box because that's where we invited them to play the majority of the game.

 

Could just be they were a very good team that legitimately pushed us back at times?

 

No complaints from me tonight, thought he set us up well, started both halves strongly, which has been a weakness but was undone by the kind of mistakes you can't really legislate for, and the Perch injury came at a really bad time.

 

 

We were never going to keep up the first 20 minutes against a quality side like them, just doesn't happen.

 

I'd say that's true to some extent, still, let's not build them up to something they aren't.

[Guest ElCid]

We weren't struck by lightning tonight, we were punished for mistakes in and around our box because that's where we invited them to play the majority of the game.

 

Could just be they were a very good team that legitimately pushed us back at times?

 

No complaints from me tonight, thought he set us up well, started both halves strongly, which has been a weakness but was undone by the kind of mistakes you can't really legislate for, and the Perch injury came at a really bad time.

 

 

We were never going to keep up the first 20 minutes against a quality side like them, just doesn't happen.

 

Very good team but it's not just tonight it's nearly every single game!

[littlelunchbox]

Seriously though I do wish he would stop this sissoko second striker nonsense,  he's not Kevin fucking Nolan, the boy is wasted playing so far up there.

[Mick]

We spend 80% of our training time working on defence and still have one of the worst defensive records in the league.  Tonight we've probably sealed our fate in the UEFA because of 2 defensive mistakes and we didn’t look comfortable at the back at all.  I’d love to know what we actually do for 4 days a week because I see no evidence of it during a match.

[Yorkie]

We weren't struck by lightning tonight, we were punished for mistakes in and around our box because that's where we invited them to play the majority of the game.

 

Could just be they were a very good team that legitimately pushed us back at times?

 

No complaints from me tonight, thought he set us up well, started both halves strongly, which has been a weakness but was undone by the kind of mistakes you can't really legislate for, and the Perch injury came at a really bad time.

 

That's a really good point actually, one that I'd forgotten. He wasn't pulling up any trees but I honestly think he's useful in there because he holds a position and retains possession. I thought Anita was rubbish when he came on - the polar opposite to the relatively calming influence of Perch.

[Guest Dontooner]

Not fancying Fulham at home, they being on good form for a while. We need to attack, defending wont get us points at this juncture of the season.