Alan Pardew

[mrmojorisin75]

Every time Stu says Pards, a fairy loses it's wings.

 

can't wait to see this strong finish to the season...Pards in-depth preparation should be a sight to behold again once we're back in the PL

[AyeDubbleYoo]

I dont buy this. The was we played in the first 20mins is how we set out in the beginning, and how Pardew set us up. So credit there.

Benfica then started playing well, and our players take responsibility here. We got sloppy and let them back in to the game.

 

 

 

I must have missed the 20minute-mark team talk that Pards gave when he deliberately changed tactics and invited Benfica to come back into the game. What did he say?

 

more importantly Stu, what did he do to stop them doing whatever they liked and come back from a goal down to go in front?

 

away team plays well goes a goal up, home team reacts (maybe changes tactics) and fights back...pretty common in football really and pardew's job to adjust the team tactically whenever required and something he consistently fails at

 

 

 

Funnily enough, that bit in bold isn't what happened. We went a goal up, everyone assumed it would spark Benfica into life (they'd not done much up until that point and seemed pretty rocked by our positive play) but we continued to enjoy lengthy spells of possession (relative to what we're used to, not Barca). It wasn't until the Cisse effort that got deflected onto the post, then heart-breakingly stayed out, rather than trickle over the line, that Benfica jumped into action.

 

In all likelihood this was probably a combination of a) their players realising the first wasn't a fluke and we weren't there to make up numbers and b) some (if not all) of our players being a little disheartened by the 'miss'. They knew Benfica were a formidable prospect at home, so to come within an inch of going 2 goals ahead is pretty galling (see the match thread for evidence). For Benfica to then equalise almost straight away is just another kick in the teeth. I thought the players did well to see it out until half-time level, as Benfica really didn't want the half to end.

 

There's not a lot Pards can really do from the sidelines, his best bet is to tell them to forget about 'lady luck' not going our way with that effort and to go out and start the second half the way we started the first...amazingly enough, we do that and we come inches away from taking the lead again.

 

In the professional game, where mentality and psychology are often the difference in high-stakes games, there's a lot for a plucky team to 'forget about' and keep playing. Maybe Santon was half-thinking 'maybe tonight's not going to be our night' when he took that second ball down on his in-step and hadn't picked up Lima's run...who knows, but the team still kept on even after that howler.

 

They were individual mistakes that led to the 3 Benfica goals; from Krul's 'rusty' parry and no-one picking up the runner, to Santon's backpass and STaylor's handballs. We had two (or three) moments of misfortune at the other end, coupled with some poor decision making by our attackers at key points, which could have been two or three goals of our own on another night.

 

For me and several others, Pards did a good job last night but was 'let down' by the individual errors...if he sticks with game-planning as accurate as that, he'll have a good end of season run in regardless of next Thursday night. The defensive players won't be making mistakes of those magnitude (and in the same match) again.

 

Good post, hopefully you're right about the end of season run.

[Stu]

Every time Stu says Pards, a fairy loses it's wings.

 

forgot my " ' "  :neesy:

[Stu]

Every time Stu says Pards, a fairy loses it's wings.

 

can't wait to see this strong finish to the season...Pards in-depth preparation should be a sight to behold again once we're back in the PL

 

Are you still certain we're going to be relegated?

[mrmojorisin75]

I dont buy this. The was we played in the first 20mins is how we set out in the beginning, and how Pardew set us up. So credit there.

Benfica then started playing well, and our players take responsibility here. We got sloppy and let them back in to the game.

 

 

 

I must have missed the 20minute-mark team talk that Pards gave when he deliberately changed tactics and invited Benfica to come back into the game. What did he say?

 

more importantly Stu, what did he do to stop them doing whatever they liked and come back from a goal down to go in front?

 

away team plays well goes a goal up, home team reacts (maybe changes tactics) and fights back...pretty common in football really and pardew's job to adjust the team tactically whenever required and something he consistently fails at

 

 

 

Funnily enough, that bit in bold isn't what happened. We went a goal up, everyone assumed it would spark Benfica into life (they'd not done much up until that point and seemed pretty rocked by our positive play) but we continued to enjoy lengthy spells of possession (relative to what we're used to, not Barca). It wasn't until the Cisse effort that got deflected onto the post, then heart-breakingly stayed out, rather than trickle over the line, that Benfica jumped into action.

 

In all likelihood this was probably a combination of a) their players realising the first wasn't a fluke and we weren't there to make up numbers and b) some (if not all) of our players being a little disheartened by the 'miss'. They knew Benfica were a formidable prospect at home, so to come within an inch of going 2 goals ahead is pretty galling (see the match thread for evidence). For Benfica to then equalise almost straight away is just another kick in the teeth. I thought the players did well to see it out until half-time level, as Benfica really didn't want the half to end.

 

There's not a lot Pards can really do from the sidelines, his best bet is to tell them to forget about 'lady luck' not going our way with that effort and to go out and start the second half the way we started the first...amazingly enough, we do that and we come inches away from taking the lead again.

 

In the professional game, where mentality and psychology are often the difference in high-stakes games, there's a lot for a plucky team to 'forget about' and keep playing. Maybe Santon was half-thinking 'maybe tonight's not going to be our night' when he took that second ball down on his in-step and hadn't picked up Lima's run...who knows, but the team still kept on even after that howler.

 

They were individual mistakes that led to the 3 Benfica goals; from Krul's 'rusty' parry and no-one picking up the runner, to Santon's backpass and STaylor's handballs. We had two (or three) moments of misfortune at the other end, coupled with some poor decision making by our attackers at key points, which could have been two or three goals of our own on another night.

 

For me and several others, Pards did a good job last night but was 'let down' by the individual errors...if he sticks with game-planning as accurate as that, he'll have a good end of season run in regardless of next Thursday night. The defensive players won't be making mistakes of those magnitude (and in the same match) again.

 

do you think pardew made any mistakes last night?

[Stu]

do you think pardew made any mistakes last night?

 

Not convinced that Shola was the best sub for Sylvain. Don't agree that Campbell is some sort of wondersub either (especially as he'd be replacing his partner in crime, Marveaux) - maybe Obertan in hindsight as Benfica surprisingly kept a high-line when 3-1 up. Not sure that was great management by their boss, as it allowed us to scrape a couple of half-chances together (Cisse's attempt to square it to Sissoko springs to mind).

[AyeDubbleYoo]

Their defensive approach was totally wrong really. Sure, Cisse can be offside a lot, but they underestimated our ability to get behind them.

 

I guess they were never going to sit deeper at home.

[STM]

I'm a critic of Pardew but he didn't do a great deal wrong.

 

Its his work on the training ground which worries me.

[mrmojorisin75]

do you think pardew made any mistakes last night?

 

Not convinced that Shola was the best sub for Sylvain. Don't agree that Campbell is some sort of wondersub either (especially as he'd be replacing his partner in crime, Marveaux) - maybe Obertan in hindsight as Benfica surprisingly kept a high-line when 3-1 up. Not sure that was great management by their boss, as it allowed us to scrape a couple of half-chances together (Cisse's attempt to square it to Sissoko springs to mind).

 

fair enough, in general he worries me when you can sense a change in the game coming...he just doesn't seem to sense it himself, to anticipate it and make adjustments to counter the opposition

 

too often he just seems passive in that respect to me

 

i sincerely hope you're right about the remaining games this season

[Stu]

Like I said, if he gameplans as effectively as he seemingly did last night, we'll have a decent run in.

[AyeDubbleYoo]

I don't think we really sat back and invited attacks that much last night, other than what would normally be expected when a good team like Benfica are pushing for a goal.

 

I think people have that criticism prepared beforehand TBH, it's become something to post every time we don't dominate a game from start to finish.

[Lotus]

Like I said, if he gameplans as effectively as he seemingly did last night, we'll have a decent run in.

 

How have his game plans been so far this season, in your opinion? Given that precedent is an indicator for future behaviour.

[midds]

I don't think we really sat back and invited attacks that much last night, other than what would normally be expected when a good team like Benfica are pushing for a goal.

 

I think people have that criticism prepared beforehand TBH, it's become something to post every time we don't dominate a game from start to finish.

 

The away results and performances have been a joke though. Of the 160 teams that make up the top 7 divisions in English football 156 have picked up more points away from home than us. The only teams who've picked up fewer points than us (8) are Droylsden (3), Hinckley (4) and Reading (5). Whatever his gameplans have been away from SJP it's gone horribly, horribly wrong more often than not. It's happened too often to be written off as a coincidence or a fluke. It's an atrocious stat.

[AyeDubbleYoo]

I don't think we really sat back and invited attacks that much last night, other than what would normally be expected when a good team like Benfica are pushing for a goal.

 

I think people have that criticism prepared beforehand TBH, it's become something to post every time we don't dominate a game from start to finish.

 

The away results and performances have been a joke though. Of the 160 teams that make up the top 7 divisions in English football 156 have picked up more points away from home than us. The only teams who've picked up fewer points than us (8) are Droylsden (3), Hinckley (4) and Reading (5). Whatever his gameplans have been away from SJP it's gone horribly, horribly wrong more often than not. It's happened too often to be written off as a coincidence or a fluke. It's an atrocious stat.

 

Obviously I can't argue with the stats, just talking about last night.

[Lotus]

I don't think we really sat back and invited attacks that much last night, other than what would normally be expected when a good team like Benfica are pushing for a goal.

 

I think people have that criticism prepared beforehand TBH, it's become something to post every time we don't dominate a game from start to finish.

 

I don't think we did this deliberately either. I think our problem is we are unable to control posession. We give the ball away a lot. We rarely string more than 5 passes together when in the opposition's half. When another teams presses us we go for an 'over the top ball' very quickly. Would be great if it worked, but it hasn't. Everyone can see we can't hold onto the ball. Pardew knows it, players know it, opposition knows it. Wiss we could address it but it obviously we aren't.

[Stu]

Ref: Midds' point. I wouldn't disagree on that point, I think he got a lot of his 'away' gameplans very, very wrong in the league this season, especially in November/December.

[midds]

I don't think we really sat back and invited attacks that much last night, other than what would normally be expected when a good team like Benfica are pushing for a goal.

 

I think people have that criticism prepared beforehand TBH, it's become something to post every time we don't dominate a game from start to finish.

 

The away results and performances have been a joke though. Of the 160 teams that make up the top 7 divisions in English football 156 have picked up more points away from home than us. The only teams who've picked up fewer points than us (8) are Droylsden (3), Hinckley (4) and Reading (5). Whatever his gameplans have been away from SJP it's gone horribly, horribly wrong more often than not. It's happened too often to be written off as a coincidence or a fluke. It's an atrocious stat.

 

Obviously I can't argue with the stats, just talking about last night.

 

We were unfortunate last night, we didn't catch a break and were undone by individual errors. But being unable/unwilling to be more aggressive away from home is the reason why we're battling relegation. It's a massive issue.

[mrmojorisin75]

Ref: Midds' point. I wouldn't disagree on that point, I think he got a lot of his 'away' gameplans very, very wrong in the league this season, especially in November/December.

 

i'm as worried about home performances, we've looked best this season against teams who like to play themselves...when teams come to shut up shop pardew is totally snookered like, he doesn't have a scooby

[Guest Dontooner]

We are one of the worst away teams in the league and there must be a reason for it.

Now think of one.

 

I don't hate Pardew ffs but he isn't a top 6 or even a top 10 manager like many hope and pray for him to be. As long as he is here we would be stuck in bad loop for years to come.

 

Honestly where does all the optimism come from when we have yet again being second best in nearly every match this season.

[Varadi]

We are one of the worst away teams in the league and there must be a reason for it.

Now think of one.

 

I don't hate Pardew ffs but he isn't a top 6 or even a top 10 manager like many hope and pray for him to be. As long as he is here we would be stuck in bad loop for years to come.

 

Honestly where does all the optimism come from when we have yet again being second best in nearly every match this season.

 

Yet he was a top 5 manager just last season?

[Guest Dontooner]

We are one of the worst away teams in the league and there must be a reason for it.

Now think of one.

 

I don't hate Pardew ffs but he isn't a top 6 or even a top 10 manager like many hope and pray for him to be. As long as he is here we would be stuck in bad loop for years to come.

 

Honestly where does all the optimism come from when we have yet again being second best in nearly every match this season.

 

Yet he was a top 5 manager just last season?

Sam and Roeder brought teams to Europe as well, would you bet your house on it for them to do it again??

 

I meant a real top 6 manager where they stay in the top 6 for seasons, not a one season wonder which is obviously what we have on our hands.

Btw your probably rate pardew as one of the top 6 managers in the current league as well good for ya.

[Guest neesy111]

We are one of the worst away teams in the league and there must be a reason for it.

Now think of one.

 

I don't hate Pardew ffs but he isn't a top 6 or even a top 10 manager like many hope and pray for him to be. As long as he is here we would be stuck in bad loop for years to come.

 

Honestly where does all the optimism come from when we have yet again being second best in nearly every match this season.

 

Yet he was a top 5 manager just last season?

 

So was George Burley for 1 season.

[Guest bimpy474]

I don't think we really sat back and invited attacks that much last night, other than what would normally be expected when a good team like Benfica are pushing for a goal.

 

I think people have that criticism prepared beforehand TBH, it's become something to post every time we don't dominate a game from start to finish.

 

The away results and performances have been a joke though. Of the 160 teams that make up the top 7 divisions in English football 156 have picked up more points away from home than us. The only teams who've picked up fewer points than us (8) are Droylsden (3), Hinckley (4) and Reading (5). Whatever his gameplans have been away from SJP it's gone horribly, horribly wrong more often than not. It's happened too often to be written off as a coincidence or a fluke. It's an atrocious stat.

 

We set up too defensively away from home, which is baffling as we can't defend very well, with us having the worst defence away from home in the Premiership would that point out.  What i don't get is why we seem more attacking in Europe, i just hope Pardew lets the players play the same way in the league now, without the errors of course.

[mrmojorisin75]

I don't think we really sat back and invited attacks that much last night, other than what would normally be expected when a good team like Benfica are pushing for a goal.

 

I think people have that criticism prepared beforehand TBH, it's become something to post every time we don't dominate a game from start to finish.

 

The away results and performances have been a joke though. Of the 160 teams that make up the top 7 divisions in English football 156 have picked up more points away from home than us. The only teams who've picked up fewer points than us (8) are Droylsden (3), Hinckley (4) and Reading (5). Whatever his gameplans have been away from SJP it's gone horribly, horribly wrong more often than not. It's happened too often to be written off as a coincidence or a fluke. It's an atrocious stat.

 

We set up too defensively away from home, which is baffling as we can't defend very well, with us having the worst defence away from home in the Premiership would that point out.  What i don't get is why we seem more attacking in Europe, i just hope Pardew lets the players play the same way in the league now, without the errors of course.

 

style of football the oppo play more than likely, slower game and less pressure when i possession from the home team will lead to it being easier for us to play a more expansive game

[dcmk]

The only thing that truly concerns me with him and the team would be the fitness levels of the players.  They all look knackered after 60 minutes.