Alan Pardew

[Flip]

i see most have already brought what the salesman Pardew had sold to them pre match interview.

‘There’s only one team which has beaten them by two clear goals, and that’s Barcelona,’ Pardew said.

 

‘That’s the size of the task, so we are under no illusions there. This is a Champions League team, really. That’s the quality we are up against. We have to approach the game in the right manner and try to get to the end of the game in a position where we can get it back.’

 

What would your starting lineup have been?

 

 

Marv for Bigi.

 

Easy.

 

Why not HBA for Bigi?

 

Because HBA has been injured for a while. Well I would've started both of them easily if they were both fit.

 

 

Is Marv injured?

[colinmk]

I am a huge critic of his but considering what we had I thought that he did pretty fucking well tonight. If we had gone all out from the off they would have had us on the counter, too much pace. Would have had Marveaux on from start though. I'm gutted, really thought we were gonna do it.

[Guest bimpy474]

I love the way people blame Pardew for how everything that happens in all our games. Did no one see Benfica harassing us and getting pretty much everyone behind the ball every time we even looked to attack first half? I swear some people just see a football pitch with only our players on it and just expect us to tear teams to shreds.

 

I think some people have genuine concern for our style of play. If anything people who gives credit to Pardew time and time again are those who probably don't see football enough outside of our club.

 

I'm not being harsh on Pardew tonight, he did what he was capable of, but I do disagree with his approach.

 

This would be me, the style of play is the thing i hate. I want decent football, attacking football and it's never happening under Pardew.

 

2 years is long enough to see what football he wants us to play, and it's ugly mostly defensive tripe imo.

 

My main problem with him as well, when we attack everything is so slow and dull.. and that shouldn't be the case with some of the players we have, especially when you see clubs all over Europe with inferior players playing better football than us each week.

 

And this is solely down to Pardew, he doesn't have us playing good football, so i still can't get my head around why people see a future with him at the helm. Well him in charge and us playing decent stuff anyways.

[Skirge]

Needs to take the fkn blame I am bastard devastated he had them hung on this fkn win 2-0 shit was a stupid risky way to go into the game.

We struggle to score twice in 90 mins but in that situation they should gone in with an attacking team with the mind set we need to win 4-0.

[Dave]

Their left back was so dangerous to us that Bigi got subbed for a centre forward at half time, and Ben Arfa skinned him about five times.

 

Great idea though, being scared of them and that. Worked perfectly in wasting 45mins.

[Interpolic]

So unlucky tonight I thought - was handicapped by the 2 disastrous errors from the first leg and a long list of key injuries but almost masterminded the perfect game.

 

:lol:

 

For someone who was at pains to point out how much of a tosser I was towards people who didn't have the same view as me, you're becoming awfully proficient at playing that role.

 

Oh brill, it's Stu again. 

 

I'm laughing at it because it's basically going to become the epitaph of this game, and indeed this season.  Manager did nowt wrong, just had awful luck.

[Guest Dontooner]

I give up till this point people still have their noses firmly up Pardew's Ass.

Pardew nose is Probably up Mike's Ass anyway so just have to bear with Pardew till the penny drops.

[Incognito]

At home in front of 52000 passionate supporters, let fucking Benfica worry about us. Never mind lay off them for an hour. It is his cowardly and negative style that makes me want him to get the bullet.

[Guest bimpy474]

Do any of the haters who are now crying  think we couldnt do it at 80 mins?

 

We had a 10 minute spell and then ran out of steam when Benfica had re organised themselves.

 

10 minutes out of 90 is fucking terrible.

 

 

 

Exactly, I'd imagine I'm classed as a "hater" and was horrified to see the lineup, the pre-match comments, and the first 70 minutes as I'm proud of our club and would always like to see us go out to get teams.  Most weeks we don't even try to, yet I'm a "hater" for criticising the man responsible.

 

cp40 - you've been watching us for years.  I hate watching this shite in general.  How do you feel about watching it?

 

 

I dont like aspects of our game, but I understand the bigger picture and accept, as I anticipate better things next season.

 

edit, and I love being in euro quater finals and feel proud

 

Based on what though CP. Do you think we will start playing better football, passing football, be more positive and not negative worrying about the opposition, rather than focusing on our strengths.

 

If you think all that, well i hope your right, but personally i think you must be going mad if you think Pardew will do any of that.

 

 

yes, I do- if not you can fill your boots and i will be humbled.

 

I'm not a told you so person CP, the team come before my own arrogance and smugness. If this team does all that under Pardew then i'll happily eat humble pie.

 

The team is the main thing under whatever manager.

[cp40]

At home in front of 52000 passionate supporters, let fucking Benfica worry about us. Never mind lay off them for an hour. It is his cowardly and negative style that makes me want him to get the bullet.

 

 

would you have celebrated if it worked ?  did it come close to working?

[Away Toon]

They had more possession, more shots at goal and despite the fact they didn't need to, they tried to win the game more than we did. We have the players to attack teams but virtually never do. Expect more of this on Sunday.

[Wullie]

I'm well and truly on the other side of the fence tonight. I thought tonight really suited him - we absolutely had to kill the game stone dead in the first half and that's what we did.

 

Gameplan was to get to 80 minutes with a 1-0 lead and get another - that was the only way we could win the game tonight (I'm much more confident in us needing a goal than trying to sit on a lead - isn't everyone? - and them scoring at any point either kills us off or means extra time - no thanks, not tonight), and we very nearly did that. If Ben Arfa keeps that shot down, if Marveaux isn't chopped down, if we show a bit more composure in and around their box in those last few minutes, we win that game.

[Dr Venkman]

I thought only scandos criticized the manager?

 

I was born in North Shields mate, I didn't get the ferry there.

[B-more Mag]

I wish I saw something about him to be optimistic about.

[midds]

I'm well and truly on the other side of the fence tonight. I thought tonight really suited him - we absolutely had to kill the game stone dead in the first half and that's what we did.

 

Gameplan was to get to 80 minutes with a 1-0 lead and get another - that was the only way we could win the game tonight (I'm much more confident in us needing a goal than trying to sit on a lead - isn't everyone?), and we very nearly did that. If Ben Arfa keeps that shot down, if Marveaux isn't chopped down, if we show a bit more composure in and around their box in those last few minutes, we win that game.

 

Aye, I'm with you on this one chap. That's exactly how I saw it.

[Flip]

Their left back was so dangerous to us that Bigi got subbed for a centre forward at half time, and Ben Arfa skinned him about five times.

 

Great idea though, being scared of them and that. Worked perfectly in wasting 45mins.

 

 

I can't see how people can suggest he was spot on today. He didn't lose us the tie but he was nowhere near setting us up to go through.

[Smal]

Their defence were absolutely shitting themselves when we started attacking them. They were more than suspect at the back, even when we played at their place. Why we waited until 60-odd minutes to try and score two goals is beyond me. We put ourselves in a position where we had to go all out; so of course they were going to score once we did that.

 

Pardew is severely limited.

[Dr Venkman]

Good try Alan, so close, the haters will enjoy this.

 

I dislike it immensely actually. The only fun thing about the football he's got us playing is reading you lot trying to defend it.

[Cajun]

I love the way people blame Pardew for how everything that happens in all our games. Did no one see Benfica harassing us and getting pretty much everyone behind the ball every time we even looked to attack first half? I swear some people just see a football pitch with only our players on it and just expect us to tear teams to shreds.

 

We lost this tie because of two brain lapses in the first leg from players. We had a game plan, scored two (rightly) offside goals and had a side who have been on an incredible run completely under the kosh, hammering the ball away in a panic. I personally think we can be proud of how we played tonight and Pardew deserves credit for picking a side that kept us in this tie until it was there to be stretched. Tired legs were much more at threat for the likes of Ben Arfa and Marveaux tonight.

 

Spot on.

 

We had to at the very least beat a very good side 2-0. We scored one and had 4 other very good opportunities (Cisse offside x2, Cisse put through by Bigi and Ben Arfa towards the end). We also kept a side who aren't exactly the worst attacking team around out until right near the end when we were stretched and allowed them to take advantage.

 

We didn't win by the required margin to go through so if you are being pedantic we didn't do enough but we didn't massively fall short. To EXPECT to beat a team like Benfica by 2 clear goals isn't realistic, well not to me anyway. We played a conservative game, road our luck a little but even in our poorer periods we were creating the odd chances or breaking but being let down by the final ball (that attempted cross by Cabaye ), we then went all out and put them under immense pressure but couldn't make that break through.

 

I certainly won't be embarrassed by our performance.

[Guest bimpy474]

Do any of the haters who are now crying  think we couldnt do it at 80 mins?

 

We had a 10 minute spell and then ran out of steam when Benfica had re organised themselves.

 

10 minutes out of 90 is f***ing terrible.

 

 

 

Exactly, I'd imagine I'm classed as a "hater" and was horrified to see the lineup, the pre-match comments, and the first 70 minutes as I'm proud of our club and would always like to see us go out to get teams.  Most weeks we don't even try to, yet I'm a "hater" for criticising the man responsible.

 

cp40 - you've been watching us for years.  I hate watching this s**** in general.  How do you feel about watching it?

 

 

I dont like aspects of our game, but I understand the bigger picture and accept, as I anticipate better things next season.

 

edit, and I love being in euro quater finals and feel proud

 

Based on what though CP. Do you think we will start playing better football, passing football, be more positive and not negative worrying about the opposition, rather than focusing on our strengths.

 

If you think all that, well i hope your right, but personally i think you must be going mad if you think Pardew will do any of that.

 

Spot on. Asked the exact same thing. And I feel the same. Everyone who believes in Pardew deserve credit for believing and I hope to god you guys are right. Personally, there is just no way that's possible in my mind

 

I just can't see how Pardew is going to go from a mainly negative manager to an attacking one, over the summer break. I'm baffled as to how others think he will, there's not a manager who thinks " right that's it now for some passing football". After 2 years !!!!

 

I just think it's the logic of a person who can't see the woods for the trees.

 

[Cajun]

I'm well and truly on the other side of the fence tonight. I thought tonight really suited him - we absolutely had to kill the game stone dead in the first half and that's what we did.

 

Gameplan was to get to 80 minutes with a 1-0 lead and get another - that was the only way we could win the game tonight (I'm much more confident in us needing a goal than trying to sit on a lead - isn't everyone? - and them scoring at any point either kills us off or means extra time - no thanks, not tonight), and we very nearly did that. If Ben Arfa keeps that shot down, if Marveaux isn't chopped down, if we show a bit more composure in and around their box in those last few minutes, we win that game.

 

[Dave]

I didn't 'EXPECT' us to beat them. I would have preferred us to try a bit harder to beat them.

[Dr Venkman]

Think I'll give this thread a miss tonight. He's overachieved in Europe with that squad, as shit as he's been for us in the PL this year.

 

Seriously? Our squad's pretty good I'd say, it certainly has been since January, we didn't play anyone good until Anzhi.

[Skirge]

I have defended him all season but I 100% blame him for this,, it was a stupid risky crazy mindset to go out thinking just win 2-0

[thenige]

I really think some people really have an overinflated opinion on how good some of our players are. We started a game with a back four which included Simpson, Williamson and Hadiera and people expected Pardew to go for broke with only Cabaye as real protection?

 

Thought Anita looked dreadful today unfortunately. He's not penetrative enough with his passing to sit deep, nor is he great running with the ball and he seems to lose nearly every tackle he goes in for. Still have hopes that he'll get better mind. We missed Tiote today, even if he's been all over the place this season, at least when he goes in for a tackle he'll win the ball or take the man out.