Alan Pardew

[TRon]

Krul is throwing the ball a lot more now to be fair. It's just the players in front of him don't know what to do with it when they receive it.

[Ronaldo]

Some very good points there, Consort. I do think set pieces were almost as shite last season, like.

[Zero]

Pardew has to go.  Just that I don't know who can we get as a better replacement.

[TRon]

Some very good points there, Consort. I do think set pieces were almost as shite last season, like.

 

I said it in the other thread but our only successful set pieces in the last two years have been the direct shots at goal which have nothing to do with Pardew's input. It's just a case of Ryan Taylor or Cabaye striking the ball well.

[Flip]

First off, the squad wasn't strengthened significantly in the summer.  I get the feeling that the club expected more from our reserves like Tav, Vukcic, Sammy, Ferguson.  When these players made little or zero impact it lefts Pardew shorthanded before the January window.  That was a club wide failure, IMO, and set the club back.

 

What effect that has had on the team and Pardew is hard to gauge but I would expect a good manager to take the January transfers and move the club forward.  Pardew hasn't.  In fact this year's Pardew doesn't look anything like last years Pardew and these areas stand out out:

 

1) Team spirit.  There is none.  Was last year's success a result of a wonderful team spirit or was the wonderful team spirit a result of last year's success?  I think it is the former.  This year, team spirit was hurt first by the lack of signings and then by Pardew's decision to play much more conservatively.  I also think Pardew failed to find a way to get Demba Ba and Cisse to play together effectively.  Admittedly, here in the states, I don't get to see every game but what I did see always looked disjointed.  And the way they were used together either Ba or Cisse was going to be unhappy and/or unproductive and that hurt morale a bit more.  The result of poor morale or team spirit is a club that waits for the game to come to them too often as opposed to going out and taking charge of the game.  The club looks indecisive and passive as a result.

 

2) Tactics.  My first problem is Tim Krul.  Why in God's name is he hoofing the ball up time after time?  With Santon, Debuchy and Colo, he has options to throw to and build the attack from the back.  Instead, a talented midfield has watched the ball fly over their heads to the heads of the opponent's back line all too often.  Secondly, as above, he never was able to get Ba and Cisse working together.  Finally, I've never got the feeling that Pardew has ever looked at his squad, decided waht his strengths and weaknesses are, devised a way he wanted to play and stuck with it.  Surely after the January window he could see that central midfiled was strength.  A midfield three composed of Cabaye, Tiote and Sissoko (with Anita in reserve) should have been the starting point.  With the back four and Cisse up top Pardew should have been able to fill in two players and devise a schemme that played to our strengths.  Instead we got what appeared to be square pegs trying to fit into round holes.

 

3) Set pieces.  Out of everything, this is probably my biggest question mark.  It stands out symbolically as the difference between last year's Pardew and this year's.  Last year, I never knew what to expect.  He'd introduce little quirks or wrinkles into free kicks and corners that worked.  It kept the opponents on their back foot and gave the players confidence.  I've not seen any of that this year.  Just like Krul's distribution this year, it's dull, unimaginitive and easy to defend.

 

I really believe someone has stolen our Alan Pardew.  He is clearly not the same manager we had last year.  He's managed with little confidence, played too conservatively and that in turn has poisoned the squad.  Are the players playing poorly?  Absolutely.  But I think because it is because they are playing within an almost non existent framework.  If a manager's job is to put his players in a position to succeed, Pardew has failed.  Maybe the first half, he gets a pass.  But after January, he's not only failed...he's failed miserably.

 

Some good points, but the 'Our Pardew' you are talking about is a myth. He is exactly the same manager last year except the players aren't performing. If you watched and analyzed last season you'll see that we are the exact same team. Our season last year was all about the good run where our defence couldn't concede in the beginning and then Ben Arfa and Cisse's introduction to the team.

 

I'd suggest everyone to go back to watch last seasons games to see we played good football in extremely few games.

[Jack Flash]

stupid question:  If we survive the drop by the skin of our teeth, for example we're thumped by Arsenal on the last day when we only needed a point but luckily Stoke or Wigan lose, would that be enough for Ashley to see sense and get rid?

 

Would like to think that such a scenario would be enough to send alarm bells ringing even to him and he'd take action.

 

http://www.nufc.com/html/2006-07html/2007-05-05blackburn-h.html

 

Think we'll be in that situation. Everything is leading to that kind of day and Roeder's quotes, in particular, will be identical to Pardew's.

 

The lack of anger from the stands though is perhaps the most telling aspect of this miserable finale - resignation is the word

[Guest TheGreatBeardo]

It worries me that if he's sacked before the season ends (won't happen) is we'll rush and bring Mark Hughes or someone equally terrible in.

 

I quite like Mark Hughes. He wouldn't be my first choice obviously, but I think he's a decent manager and could do a decent job here, so long as he had absolutely no involvement in the signing of players. Having said that, I appear to be one of very few who doesn't want Pardew sacked.

[WarrenBartonCentrePartin]

stupid question:  If we survive the drop by the skin of our teeth, for example we're thumped by Arsenal on the last day when we only needed a point but luckily Stoke or Wigan lose, would that be enough for Ashley to see sense and get rid?

 

Would like to think that such a scenario would be enough to send alarm bells ringing even to him and he'd take action.

 

http://www.nufc.com/html/2006-07html/2007-05-05blackburn-h.html

 

Think we'll be in that situation. Everything is leading to that kind of day and Roeder's quotes, in particular, will be identical to Pardew's.

 

The lack of anger from the stands though is perhaps the most telling aspect of this miserable finale - resignation is the word

 

christ couldn't remember Roeder's exact comments but reading that is frightfully similar.

[Consortium of one]

Some very good points there, Consort. I do think set pieces were almost as s**** last season, like.

 

I said it in the other thread but our only successful set pieces in the last two years have been the direct shots at goal which have nothing to do with Pardew's input. It's just a case of Ryan Taylor or Cabaye striking the ball well.

 

You see more games than me.  I do remember two plays from last year.  One where Cisse (?) got himself on the end of the wall and than as Cabaye struck the ball he swung like a gate and the ball found the net. 

 

The other was a direct free kick just outside the box.  The wall was set up guarding the near post and the keeper was near the far post.  Ryan rolled the ball to the near post side of the wall and some stuck it just inside the near post.  At least that's how I remember it

 

I also remember him throwing a short option out there on corners occasionally.

 

The point being, even if they don't result in a goal, you always give the defense something to think about, you always makew them wonder if there is something that they are missing.  There has been none of that this year.

[TRon]

Some very good points there, Consort. I do think set pieces were almost as s**** last season, like.

 

I said it in the other thread but our only successful set pieces in the last two years have been the direct shots at goal which have nothing to do with Pardew's input. It's just a case of Ryan Taylor or Cabaye striking the ball well.

 

You see more games than me.  I do remember two plays from last year.  One where Cisse (?) got himself on the end of the wall and than as Cabaye struck the ball he swung like a gate and the ball found the net. 

 

The other was a direct free kick just outside the box.  The wall was set up guarding the near post and the keeper was near the far post.  Ryan rolled the ball to the near post side of the wall and some stuck it just inside the near post.  At least that's how I remember it

 

I also remember him throwing a short option out there on corners occasionally.

 

The point being, even if they don't result in a goal, you always give the defense something to think about, you always makew them wonder if there is something that they are missing.  There has been none of that this year.

 

Those two occasions might just have been off the cuff. A coach who practices set pieces usually has some method which can be recognised over time. Allardyce for example believes in inswinging corners because he thinks they are harder to defend, and he's had some success with it. Personally i've seen nothing from our corners in two years that suggests Pardew has any ideas other than float the ball towards the goal and hope one of the defenders gets a head on it.

[littlelunchbox]

Ironically this manager clearly likes long balls, and I class corners and set pieces as long balls to a certain extent.

 

Just what the f*** do they do in training?

 

The spies can really do us a favour because its been puzzling me for over a year and a half.

[EthiGeordie]

I am just tired of him. Tired of not able to see the light because of the 8 year contract he has. Cant imagin we have to stuck with him.

[Guest NobbyOhNobby]

Our set pieces have been dreadful under pardew other than direct shots on goal. I've never seen a team as bad as us from corners or free kicks

[pedro111]

The main gripe I have with Pardew is that I dont think he is learning from any of this, any of his mistakes. I honestly believe that say in 5 years time he will still make the same ridiculous mistakes in all facets of his management of the club.

[DJ_NUFC]

Will he get work again if he gets sacked from here?

[Tiotes Witch Doctor]

The main gripe I have with Pardew is that I dont think he is learning from any of this, any of his mistakes. I honestly believe that say in 5 years time he will still make the same ridiculous mistakes in all facets of his management of the club.

 

I agree, but I can't figure out whether its because hes unwilling to change or just doesn't know how to change, either way its troubling.

[Deuce]

The main gripe I have with Pardew is that I dont think he is learning from any of this, any of his mistakes. I honestly believe that say in 5 years time he will still make the same ridiculous mistakes in all facets of his management of the club.

 

This is why I can't understand some posters wanting to give him another year. Does anyone actually believe he'll magically learn how to be an effective manager over the offseason?

 

No, he'll come back next season with the same damn shit.

[nufc4eva]

Pardew makes some monumental mistakes game after game. I think switching formations at half time was one of the biggest fuck ups also, as was Ben Arfa for Cabaye. The bloke just doesn't have a clue. He went to 4-4-2 with Sissoko on the Left and he doesn't look comfortable there. The 4-4-2 played right into Sunderlands hands and resulted in punts up to Shola (Krul can't even kick the ball that far so ends up dropping just over half way leading to pressure straight back on us). Add to that the fact that Shola did fuck all and our midfield was now wide open, Jonas at left back, it was no surprise what happened. Total shambles and Pardew consciously made those decisions.

 

Players can be blamed for lack of effort but my word Pardew has no clue how to get this team to play football

[littlelunchbox]

Will he get work again if he gets sacked from here?

 

heard they going to give Pulis the bullet sooner or later, thats one club in the prem i can think of who may give him the job.

 

It would be perfect for him to be honest lol

[Deuce]

Will he get work again if he gets sacked from here?

 

Of course.

[midds]

Will he get work again if he gets sacked from here?

 

ASDA's shelves always need stacking mate.

[pedro111]

The main gripe I have with Pardew is that I dont think he is learning from any of this, any of his mistakes. I honestly believe that say in 5 years time he will still make the same ridiculous mistakes in all facets of his management of the club.

 

I agree, but I can't figure out whether its because hes unwilling to change or just doesn't know how to change, either way its troubling.

 

Bit of both I suspect.

[Gallowgate Toon]

He did better with the likes of Best and Lovenkrands, he just doesn't have the ability or mentality to manage a team like this. Our only hope is to wait for him to accidentally hit the right formula, how depressing.

[TRon]

Pardew makes some monumental mistakes game after game. I think switching formations at half time was one of the biggest fuck ups also, as was Ben Arfa for Cabaye. The bloke just doesn't have a clue. He went to 4-4-2 with Sissoko on the Left and he doesn't look comfortable there. The 4-4-2 played right into Sunderlands hands and resulted in punts up to Shola (Krul can't even kick the ball that far so ends up dropping just over half way leading to pressure straight back on us). Add to that the fact that Shola did fuck all and our midfield was now wide open, Jonas at left back, it was no surprise what happened. Total shambles and Pardew consciously made those decisions.

 

Players can be blamed for lack of effort but my word Pardew has no clue how to get this team to play football

 

Painful reading. In the pre-match thread I said that the Benfica approach where we started off conservatively and brought on the likes of Marveaux and HBA against tiring legs would make actually sense against Sunderland as they needed a win more than us. In the event Marveaux was one of our better players but we gave Sessegnon the run of the park all game. You keep thinking he can't keep dropping clangers but match after match he seems to come up with new and bizarre howlers.

[WarrenBartonCentrePartin]

the back page of the Chron is simply "Sorry".  If he actually apologises on TV, could someone rip it, loop it and do a Clegg-esque autotune remix?