Alan Pardew

[Guest Slippery Sam]

Is there any specific reason that three Toontastic regulars i.e. HF, Chezgiven & Gemmill have appeared over the hill in the past few days, all arguing the same point?  The point that most on here don't agree with?

[Tiresias]

The reason we conceed so many goals is down to how often we give away possession cheaply, we just cede so much of the play to the opposition any side who can put away chances will have a field day, we let the opposition run at our defense so much they're bound to make mistakes and look poor.

[Kanj]

I'd even love to see Sissoko, Cabaye, Anita or Sissoko, Cabaye, and Marv. I don't even know if we truly need a holding midfielder as much, and if we do - we need to upgrade that on Tiote.

[Guest bimpy474]

Is there a reason why the 4-3-3 has been pretty much dumped? If anything, we have players to fit that system now more than ever, with the new signings.

 

He worries about losing games too much...If that makes sense...We're historically used to attack being the first line of defence..ie we've been spoilt in the recent past. He likes to keep it tight and protect the full backs..This is pretty much the oldskool thinking that has taken root in his head..As you rightly say we have the staff for a decent 433 now especially with Sissoko and Hatem. I really think we need to get rid of Guti.

 

Worries too much hasn't worked though has it Parky. 67 goals conceded is ridiculous for such a defensive and cautious coach.

 

Worrying never works. Football starts and ends with confidence.

 

Indeed, and a manager puts that confidence into the players and their play. Pardew is like a confidence hoover. His constant talking up of the opposition is well stated and does nothing for our teams confidence.

[Guest Dontooner]

Is there any specific reason that three Toontastic regulars i.e. HF, Chezgiven & Gemmill have appeared over the hill in the past few days, all arguing the same point?  The point that most on here don't agree with?

Well bad blood or not its still more entertaining than some of our games.

[Happy Face]

This is one of the dumbest things i've ever heard....well done.

 

So. In October it was clear that we played more long balls than anyone else.

 

Pardew was rightly criticized.

 

In the last 3 months we've played less long balls than all but a few teams. I take that as an improvement.

 

But Pardew is still criticised because even though we use much less long balls, those that we do use are poor quality.

 

Your complaint is not about the quantity of long balls but the quality?  You don't want him to play on the deck necessarily?

[Parky]

'Bad blood'.

[Ronaldo]

A proper 4-3-3 of

 

Debuchy Colo MYM Santon

 

Sissoko Tiote Cabaye

 

HBA Cissé Gouffran

 

Would be bloody brilliant. Shame we'll never see it under current management.

 

It might look good on paper, but there's few goals, no threat from set pieces, Cheick Tiote, and a lack of physicality in CD. We're gonna have to accept that the current squad is a work in progress in need of investment and replacement.

[Guest Dontooner]

A proper 4-3-3 of

 

Debuchy Colo MYM Santon

 

Sissoko Tiote Cabaye

 

HBA Cissé Gouffran

 

Would be bloody brilliant. Shame we'll never see it under current management.

 

It might look good on paper, but there's few goals, no threat from set pieces, Cheick Tiote, and a lack of physicality in CD. We're gonna have to accept that the current squad is a work in progress in need of investment and replacement.

For this team to work, it would need to keep possession very well. Attacking must be the mantra.

It does has goals in it , just not from set pieces though...

[Wullie]

Or more than likely be ignored, just as I was when I pulled him up on his 'Shola's our best option from the bench' rubbish.

Didnt you suggest Anita as an alternative?

 

I thought HF's point was just that we dont have a striker on the bench of a better quality than Shola, hence pointing to squad depth. Shola seems to come on in response to us playing it long, not the other way round. If that is the case then bringing on Anita would be odd.

 

As for your point about how wonderful the arguments have been on here, surely the end of the season, with all the stats, facts and figures to hand is a good time to reflect on whatever has been said before?

 

I find it incredibly farfetched to think that Pardew sees us resorting to long ball and hoys Shola on to utilise it, and I'm amazed you don't. Players panicking and reverting to a style that isn't historically suited to them individually when a goal up or drawing just seems like absolute rubbish to me. It's far more feasible that the instruction comes from the bench.

 

They panic so much that even when the ball is dead and we have a free kick in our own half, they load the box and the keeper aims for Mike Williamson, despite the manager (surely) yelling at them from the touchline to play a short pass and keep the ball moving.

[Mick]

Or more than likely be ignored, just as I was when I pulled him up on his 'Shola's our best option from the bench' rubbish.

Didnt you suggest Anita as an alternative?

 

I thought HF's point was just that we dont have a striker on the bench of a better quality than Shola, hence pointing to squad depth. Shola seems to come on in response to us playing it long, not the other way round. If that is the case then bringing on Anita would be odd.

 

As for your point about how wonderful the arguments have been on here, surely the end of the season, with all the stats, facts and figures to hand is a good time to reflect on whatever has been said before?

 

I would rather see Campbell coming off the bench than Shola who does nothing other than give away fouls or is offside.  Shola is rarely the only forward option on the bench, he's usually the default change and he offers nothing at all, absolutely nothing.

[Spudil]

Is there any specific reason that three Toontastic regulars i.e. HF, Chezgiven & Gemmill have appeared over the hill in the past few days, all arguing the same point?  The point that most on here don't agree with?

 

Jose Bosingwa.

[Flip]

A proper 4-3-3 of

 

Debuchy Colo MYM Santon

 

Sissoko Tiote Cabaye

 

HBA Cissé Gouffran

 

Would be bloody brilliant. Shame we'll never see it under current management.

 

It might look good on paper, but there's few goals, no threat from set pieces, Cheick Tiote, and a lack of physicality in CD. We're gonna have to accept that the current squad is a work in progress in need of investment and replacement.

 

I don't really agree with the first part, I think that team does have goal in it. Cisse, Gouff and Ben Arfa all score goals and Siss and Cabaye can ship in a few as well. I do think we need to strengthen and from what has been seen I do agree that MYM and Colo can't play together.

[Tiresias]

I'd replace Tiote in that team arguably with Marv, with Sissoko and Cabaye doing more defensive work to make up.

 

If you look at Arsenal's team they don't have any out and out DM anymore, just metronomic distributors (and yes their defenders can be farcical but they haven#t conceeded very much this season overall, could be wrong on this imo), Cabaye provides that, Sissoko some muscle to carry ball forward and Marveaux for creativity. Having said that would make me a little nervous defensively, our defense stays so deep so often and don't start pressing the ball till they're nearly on us that's what's causing trouble. We need to nip attacks in the bud up the pitch more.

[Guest bimpy474]

This is one of the dumbest things i've ever heard....well done.

 

So. In October it was clear that we played more long balls than anyone else.

 

Pardew was rightly criticized.

 

In the last 3 months we've played less long balls than all but a few teams. I take that as an improvement.

 

But Pardew is still criticised because even though we use much less long balls, those that we do use are poor quality.

 

Your complaint is not about the quantity of long balls but the quality?  You don't want him to play on the deck necessarily?

 

Less doesn't mean they are any better, and i dispute your stats, stats mean nothing and for to keep using them toward me is not going to work. They are still aimless punts which we dont win. We have a Cisse, so unsuited to a long ball aimed at him it's untrue, but yet we still persisited. Now i want us to play good football, possession football. That doesn't mean all tippy tappy, a mixture. Like i say, which you and your chums seem to be dismissing, a longer pass is fine, now if Andy Carroll say was up top i've no doubt he would turn a aimless long ball into a decent one. But i want us to play short, fast controlled possession football, with lots of movement.

 

Now this is where you have avoided answering, Pardew throughout his career has never got any of his team to do this, so why should he get anymore time. We are more than two years into his reign and our football has got worse and worse. He isn't going to change, Jesus our set pieces tell you all you need to know about his lack of imagination.

 

If he stays, we will continue to play boring, direct, non possession percentage football. Which might be slightly better if we sign a Andy Carroll type suited to it. But i, as someone who wanted him gone over 6 months ago because if there's anything i hate, it's poor football and that mate is exactly what Pardew gives you.

[Mole_Toonfan]

A proper 4-3-3 of

 

Debuchy Colo MYM Santon

 

Sissoko Tiote Cabaye

 

HBA Cissé Gouffran

 

Would be bloody brilliant. Shame we'll never see it under current management.

 

It might look good on paper, but there's few goals, no threat from set pieces, Cheick Tiote, and a lack of physicality in CD. We're gonna have to accept that the current squad is a work in progress in need of investment and replacement.

 

I don't really agree with the first part, I think that team does have goal in it. Cisse, Gouff and Ben Arfa all score goals and Siss and Cabaye can ship in a few as well. I do think we need to strengthen and from what has been seen I do agree that MYM and Colo can't play together.

 

That team would always score goals if the manager in question gave license to get bodies forward when in possession.

 

Look at Swansea, Routledge suddenly scores and creates goals by the bucketload same goes for Maloney at Wigan because they allowed to join the centre forward when in possession.

 

Of course it won't score goals if we are deep and not allowed to join the attack very often, Bale is another example no coincidence since he was allowed to be high up the pitch his goal rate went up.

 

Its not a coincidence.

[Parky]

Andy Carroll will be here in the summer nailed on.

[Guest bimpy474]

Andy Carroll will be here in the summer nailed on.

 

I like him, and if Pardew stays, as i think he will. Carroll will improve us for sure. Also i think Carroll can play for a team playing decent football too.

[Tiresias]

Formations are all very well but we're just not closing down enough, we're not putting movement in off the ball and we're not passing well enough. Formations matter when it comes to who matches up to who in the other team and more in midfield helps possession play but to me we need a squad that has enough creativity to get the ball to the goal scorers, we need enough steel to defend and we need more width to stretch play.

[toontownman]

Andy Carroll will be here in the summer nailed on.

Depends on the price IMO. If there is better value elsewhere we will do that.

[Happy Face]

Is there any specific reason that three Toontastic regulars i.e. HF, Chezgiven & Gemmill have appeared over the hill in the past few days, all arguing the same point?  The point that most on here don't agree with?

 

Jose Bosingwa.

 

I was on here a month or two ago defending Pardew. I can see why you might think its some sort of band wagon. Especially given how keen people seem to be to join band wagons on here

 

But unfortunately, not so.

[Guest Dontooner]

Would be happy for Carrol to be back and Shola to be gone.

[ChezGiven]

I don't get this counter argument that some long balls are passes and others aren't.  What does it matter?  How does that counter the fact that on average, we've hit 20 less long balls per game in the last 3 months than in the first 3 months.

 

An improvement, for those that don't like long balls/passes.

This is frustrating me too The quality of the long ball doesn't fucking matter!

 

This is one of the dumbest things i've ever heard....well done.

You're not following that's why. The point was less long balls were played. I can see how you can mis-read though. It doesn't matter to the point. Obviously.

[Ronaldo]

Would be happy for Carrol to be back and Shola to be gone.

 

[Unbelievable]

I'm confused. What do people think our main formation has been this season if not a 451/433?