In terms of the game itself it could be described using the old cliche of being ‘a game of two halves’ as United went from almost the sublime to the ridiculous in a very short space of time.
The first half was excellent. Probably the best we’ve played all season. We dominated possession, created chances, looked assured at the back and showed a confidence that belies our perilous league position. In fact if it wasn’t for a trio of fantastic saves from Reading goalkeeper Adam Federici we’d have gone in at half-time out of sight and with three points in the bag.
But things changed in the second half and you could see confidence was drained from the side as the game went on. Alan Pardew didn’t help matters by withdrawing the influential Sylvain Marveaux and Yohan Cabaye – moves that were met with disapproval from the home crowd although in fairness it turned out that the latter change was due to injury and Cabaye himself had asked to be substituted.
Newcastle started off brightly and dictated the play for long periods, but it wasn’t until the 15th minute that the first chance was created with Federici on hand to smother a Yohan Cabaye effort at his near post. Further chances soon followed however and once again it was Federici on hand to deny the home side.
Yohan Cabaye dinked a fine ball in for Papiss Cisse who saw his header deflected wide by a flying Federici. Cisse then unleashed a volley on the turn at goal which unfortunately fell straight to Federici instead of either side of him where the sheer power of the snapshot would have surely resulted in a goal.
However a goal soon came as Yohan Cabaye burst down the right and squared the ball for Sylvain Marveaux who continued his run towards the Reading goal before being brought down just outside the penalty area. The two architects of the chance stood over the free-kick but it was Cabaye who took it and sent the ball into the top corner of the Gallowgate net leaving Adam Federici looking like he was constructed from the snow that lay around the side of the St James’ Park pitch.
So a slender lead at half-time which was probably less than our play deserved, but 1-0 is a dangerous scoreline and so it proved as Reading came into the game in the second period. It was still United who had the bulk of the ball but they weren’t as forceful as they were in the first-half, which combined with a fresh hunger from Reading proved to be our downfall.
Shola Ameobi blazed a chance over the bar when he could have passed to Davide Santon who was in a better position to make the most of the chance, but that was it before the introductions of James Perch and Gael Bigirimana changed the game as United looked to shut up shop.
It failed. Reading also made a change as Adam Le Fondre came on to boost their attacking options, and he put the away side level with his first touch. Jimmy Kebe was allowed far too much space by Davide Santon giving the Reading winger the perfect opportunity to cross. Mike Williamson missed the ball completely allowing Le Fondre to slide in behind him and force the ball into the back of the net, possibly with both his arms helping him along the way.
Just six minutes later Reading turned it around as United switched off and failed to clear allowing Le Fondre to fire home from 15 yards out. I’d ask why Fabricio Coloccini didn’t try and close Le Fondre down but I can’t as questioning our captain appears to be off limits with some fans.
Newcastle tried to level the match but they were unable to create anything of note until the ball fell to Cisse at the back stick. I can only assume he wasn’t aware just how much time he had, but he was unmarked and even though his shot was on the turn he still missed by a mile.
And that was that. Another home loss, another defeat, and another weekend where a side below us gained ground on us. Another step closer to the trap door. Another indication that action is required to sort out what has turned into a crisis on Tyneside.
I thought they were supposed to be a thing of the past?
Newcastle: Tim Krul; Mathieu Debuchy, Mike Williamson, Fabricio Coloccini, Davide Santon; Vurnon Anita, Yohan Cabaye; Sylvain Marveaux, Shola Ameobi, Jonas Gutierrez; Papiss Cisse
Subs: Rob Elliot, James Perch, Steven Taylor, Gael Bigirimana, Gabriel Obertan, Sammy Ameobi, Nile Ranger
Reading: Adam Federici; Stephen Kelly, Alex Pearce, Adrian Mariappa, Ian Harte; Mikele Leigertwood, Danny Guthrie; Jimmy Kebe, Garath McCleary, Jobi McAnuff; Pavel Pogrebnyak
Subs: Stuart Taylor, Chris Gunter, Sean Morrison, Hope Akpan, Jem Karacan, Adam Le Fondre, Noel Hunt
Attendance: 49,411
Simple facts are we should have put the game to bed in the first half, we missed so many chances it was a joke. What also cost us is the fact we are playing a championship defender ever game in Williamson – what was he doing?
Re the subs – Marvauex had touched the ball once in the last 20 mins before he was subbed so could see Pardews point and Cabaye, well he was injured – no choice.
Stuart79(Quote)
Ranger needs a serious slapping off Ashley.
mark(Quote)
the fact Williamson couldnt block an easy cross, we could of won. One players uselessness cost us the game..
mark(Quote)
What we are missing (apart from CB’s, ST’s and wingers that can cross a ball) is leaders! Cabaye did make a difference yesterday but he isn’t really a leader in my eyes. Neither is Collo for that matter and he is our captain. The transfer policy of just buying players 26-27 or younger is fine but you still need that mix of experience. We have no vocal players who are on the pitch to give the rest a kick up the ****…….. a Barton or a Nolan for example. For me you can have as much “quality” as you like but we lack passion, leaders and fight and without that when the going gets tough it’s not looking good!
Oblong(Quote)
Toonsy good read, and spot on it was a game of 2 halves as you say the 1st half was the best we have played and it gave me high hopes for the season, I also thought that it was a good thing that we were only leading 1-0 as I was sure that we would come out to play the sameway .
But from then we seemed to be trying to stifle the game, then we seen one of our main flair players in Marv being took of which I couldn’t understand, but I could understand the fans reaction to that.
Then we see Cabaye coming off which I said we should take him of early to prevent an injury in his 1st game back, and he was busting a gut the whole game, but I could understand that so I think the fans just seen it as there goes another of our best players,
I really can’t understand Pards subs and in a way it was the icing on the cake for me when he tried to pass the buck for his inept tactics.and.subs resulting in us throwing the game away by trying to blame the fans for spreading negativity to the players.
Big Dave(Quote)
I’m not in the Pardew out camp but coming out and blaming us for losing yesterday was a joke. He needs to apologise (and quick) and start shouldering the blame for his negative tactics and poor substitutions. As soon as we scored the goal we seemed to sit back and lose all the momentum we had.
Oblong(Quote)
Alan Pardew:
“I thought Cabaye was going to get through the game.” “Unfortunately, when I took of Sylvain I then had to take off Cabaye through an injury.” “So I lost two flair players. I can understand the crowd’s reaction to that, but it was something I could not foresee.”
“I should have put a striker on at that point to give us extra impetus, but I did not have that option.” (Nile Ranger – please take note). “So it might have looked negative, there was a bad reaction to that and I thought that spread to the team.”
“It was then difficult to turn that situation around.” “I have to accept the crowd’s reaction. Taking Marveaux off was probably a mistake because I did not think we would lose Cabaye, but when he said he was struggling with his groin I had to take him off.”
“It has gone against me in terms of substitutions and I have to accept anything which comes my way.”
That’s all very well Alan but I still can not hear an apology???
Oblong(Quote)
I’m not one of those fans that gets all dreamy about Cabaye being one of the best midfielders in the EPL, because he isn’t. However, the lad made a huge difference to our side yesterday, and gave us a more balanced look while at the same time providing us with a goal threat. He is by far the best central midfielder we have.
I only hope his injury isn’t too serious, because we really need him for the run in.
Don’t want to cause an uproar but I’m also not convinced of Marveaux. There is no doubting he has the eye for a pass, but has a tendency to be outmuscled and disappear out of the game for periods. Maybe we haven’t yet found his true position in the team. There again, Pardew isn’t very good at that anyway.. 👿
Munich Mag(Quote)
Headline looks familiar.
Probably the angriest I’ve ever been following the toon watching that second half. It was too early at about the hour mark to try and hold the 1-0 lead. As soon as that sub was made I knew we’d lost it.
Brendan(Quote)
Oblong I have been one of Pards loudest defenders on here but I even said in the 1st half that Cabs wouldn’t make the whole game, and shouldn’t..
As for no option to bring a striker on 😕 well was Ranger just on the bench to make up the numbers ?
While on Ranger I hope someone shows the Regime Rangers latest ranting at the fans on twitter and boot him out of our club
Big Dave(Quote)
Big Dave, agree 100%, why have the radgie Ranger on the bench and not bring him on. Could he not have done better than Shola, because the bloke disappeared for the last 20 minutes.
I still cannot believe that Pardew let Jonas and Shola completed the full 90 minutes. Absolutely shocking decision by Pardew. Someone also needs to tell me where Jonas plays exactly ? It’s no good running round mental here there and everywhere without any end product. I still maintain that even though we should have never lost the game, Reading were at times much more comfortable and co-ordinated on the ball. Why the flock can we not play football through the side ?
Also p.s. Jonas is our left sided midfielder where was he for the Reading first goal ? You could have drove 2 busses down our left hand side for there first goal … 👿
Munich Mag(Quote)
Best form of defence is attack. I’ve never been a fan of defending leads. To sit back and invite pressure is suicidal and only the very best teams can shut up shop. A teams only as strong as it’s weakest link and with Williamson in the team we are uber weak.
HarrogateGeordie(Quote)
Big Dave. I agree on Cabs I didn’t think he would or should play anymore than 60 mins yesterday after his injury lay off. We have been bitten in the **** far too many times trying to rush players back. 🙄
On Ranger…….Well, I’m not sure what to say! A player that is not (In my opinion) fit to wear the shirt comes out and has the cheek to have a go at the fans! He is a disgrace. Why he is still at the club is beyond me!
Oblong(Quote)
Watching the game again now on tele.
I know people might not agree but I actually think Cisse played well.
Ran well off the ball, got on the end of crosses and on each occasion made great contact only to be denied by great goalkeeping.
He even played some decent passes and crosses to create chances for the midfield. All the while having no service or support AT ALL from Jonas or Ameobi.
The only thing he did wrong was miss a decent chance at the end when he spun and shot over. But even there, look at his first touch and how well he set up the chance. He will come good, I have no doubt.
Ameobi on the other hand… Absolute garbage. How he makes the team on the right wing ahead of Obertan??? He did FA all game, fell on his **** half the time, offered no width, and when he had a brilliant chance to put a completely open Santon in on goal, he tried an audacious effort straight into the defender on front of him, only to then high five Santon afterwards. He is a joke of a Premiership player. Obertan is not the best but in a different league to Shola yet still takes more flack.
Jonas has been completely inept all season. No pace, only passes backwards, can’t beat his man, can’t cross and lately he can’t defend, yet he ALWAYS gets 90 minutes.
Marvauex was brilliant. Why on Earth Pardew replaced him with Perch is beyond me – THAT move cost us the game and I said on the blog that it would at the time (we were 1-0 up).
To replace two attacking creative players with midfield destroyers is crazy when you are looking for goals.
Finally. Williamson. He seems to be costing us a goal a game and offers nothing when we are in possession. Its no good being a solid defender and making a serious **** up once a game that cost a goal.
Yes Santon can take blame too but look how much more he offers with the rest of his game.
Cabaye will play next week, no doubt. Pardew was just covering his ****…
He was brought off for fatigue, fair enough. But put an offensive player on FFS and show some balls and desire to win.
Pardew is a cowardly manager. He is negative and his negativity “spread” into the players and the supporters. Please get him out!
JJ(Quote)
Jonas was awful yesterday……as he has been for most of the season. Another player for me who shouldn’t be a starter. Unfortunately though we don’t have the players to replace him with. 😥
Oblong(Quote)
Also, what kind of example does Pardew set when Ranger gets a place on the bench ahead of Campbell or Ferguson? Utter disgrace!
I can’t think of a single positive or correct decision he has made this season.
JJ(Quote)
@JJ
I agree on Cisse. I don’t think he had a bad game especially in the first half when the balls were getting into the box. He had a quiet second half but by then we were camped out in our own 18 yard box asking reading to attack.
Still think we need two strikers in. Cisse is the type of striker who runs to the back post waiting for the chances to drop. We could do with someone with pace and a player who isn’t afraid to attack the ball and get him self across the keeper/defender at the front post putting his body on the line to get to the ball……. I’m dreaming again!!! 😕
Oblong(Quote)
Oblong – from those comments I don’t see how or why he owes us an apology to be honest. He hasn’t blamed fans for the loss from what I read. He owed an explanation which is exactly what he’s given, but if he owes an apology then so do the fans who were booing and calling Pardew worse than ***** when he was forced to take Cabaye off.
As for the game, first half we done well and the Reading keeper kept them in it. Second half, with the subs Pardew made we lost that attacking mentality which allowed Reading back in. The difference between them and us at the moment is after yesterday and their game against WBA and coming back from being behind, is they have momentum and belief. We just don’t have that, and when they equalised we looked frightened, there was only going to be one winner after that.
Pardew is right, he has nothing on the bench to change the game in a possitive way. We desperately need players in the next week and a half, 2 defenders and 2 attackers for me like.
Sharpy17(Quote)
Shola Ameobi, Williamson and Jonas (on the last season and a half) are simply not good enough for the Premiership.
You can’t carry three players like this in the first team. That is the only defence I have for Pardew. But then why does he play Ameobi ahead of Obertan???
Why has it taken three season to still not have that extra central defender, and why did he select Jonas ahead of Marvauex and Ben Arfa for so long???
He has no faith in his players so he tried to put bodies behind the ball and rely on individual brilliance because he can’t get them to or doesn’t trust them to play to win and play as a team.
He’s just playing on a prayer. Last season the individual brilliance of Ba, Cisse and Ben Arfa got him through with desperate defending. This season. the luck has swung, and he hasn’t a clue what to do…
JJ(Quote)
Oblong,
As bigger **** as he is, I would have loved Craig Bellemy here. He is the exact type of player and forward we need.
Not too many like him about though. 😥
JJ(Quote)
Bellemy is everything Shola isn’t
Fast, skillful, workrate, attitude, determination, arrogant, an arsehole, body on the line, aggresive…
This is the the type of striker we need. Not Shola “nice guy” lazy Ameobi.
JJ(Quote)
Oh and finally, Cisse was offsides far less than Shola was. Yet people moan about Cisse’s positional awareness.
Shola was offsides twice for a freekick FFS.
JJ(Quote)
What did Ranger tweet?
Brendan(Quote)
Sharpy,
Pardew’s mistake wasn’t taking Cabaye off… The game swung when he replaced Marvaeux with Perch.
Also he didn’t have to replace Cabaye with a DM. He could have shown some ambition and put on a striker or Obertan to try get a goal.
The crowd was booing his negativity. Before Cabaye was even brought off.
JJ(Quote)
What I would be interested to know is what changes Pardew would have made had he had (for example) De Jong, Thauvin or some other attacking mid.
Did he try to just defend the lead? Or is Sharpy right, and he only made the change he did because he had nothing but defensive players on the bench?
We DO need another striker, no doubt. And it looks increasingly like M’Biwa would be Colo’s replacement, so in my mind we need a CB (2 if M’Biwa falls through), a striker and a few more attacking options. Young(ish) with potential would do in that case, as long as they’re already better than Sammy and Jonas.
blip(Quote)
http://www.themag.co.uk/the-mag-articles/nile-ranger-to-fans-u-are-not-forced-to-pay-our-wages/
As far as I’m concerned, Ranger and Sammy Ameobi should be offered away on free transfers… Ranger is a plonker and Sammi is a worse player than Shola, which takes some doing.
JJ(Quote)
JJ I thought Cisse played well.too and was a bit unlucky he didn’t score 1st half.
Jj was it you that said yesterday that Pards had said that they should have let Ba go in the summer etc etc ?
Big Dave(Quote)
AP: “I should have put a striker on at that point to give us extra impetus, but I did not have that option.”
So why put Ranger on the bench???
Obertan better more attacking option???
The bullshit never stops.
Since Pardew has signed his eight year contract. He has won just three out of 19 domestic games.
JJ(Quote)
@sharpy. Directly after the game he blamed the fact the fans boo’d (him not the team) for the fact we lost the game. That is what I think was wrong.
Personally I don’t like fans booing the team or the manager as I don’t think it helps anyone and breeds negativity within the team. Especially as the players could think it was aimed at them. Although, I can understand the fans anger and frustration at the way we went from playing positive and well to sitting back negative and playing *****. We are not pretty to watch at the minute but the fans will be back (paying Niles wages) next week singing their hearts out and getting behind the team.
Oblong(Quote)
some interesting points being made on here today .The thing is we now need fight and goals and leadership in the team ,if the defender from montpellier is brought in he could be a leader he is montpelliers captain and s taylor is fit so their is a bit of fight at least . As for goals well their is a Gatesheed lad up for grabs with a better goal scoring record than Ameobi so therefore if brought in an upgrade too the squad . He like us bleeds black and white and would bring some geordie pride passion and fight to the field . FFS forget France for 5minutes Ashley Pards and the rest and bring the lad in
Axel(Quote)
Big Dave,
Ye,
At a charity event, Pardew said that they should have got rid of Ba in the summer but didn’t.
He said not selling him upset Ba who then caused division in the camp which effected the morale of other players in the dressing room.
JJ(Quote)
Axel
As much as I don’t think we will look at Graham. I think he would be a cracking signing. He would play with passion attacks the ball and knows where the goal is. Different striker to Cisse in my opinion.
Oblong(Quote)
Selling Ba in the summer would of been a good idea……if he was replaced! Imagine where we would of been without his goals. 😐
Oblong(Quote)
Oblong, I don’t think Cisse’s dip in form would have been as bad had Ba not been here from the start.
That is NOT Ba’s fault, it is Pardew’s fault for shunting Cisse out wide. Instead of not having the balls to only play one of them and rotate them in the centre.
I think a serious of poor decisions from Pardew has been the reason for our demise.
JJ(Quote)
This season I really think is going to be the breaking or making of us, and I think it is going to be the latter.
1. the board will learn from the mistakes of last summer
2. Pardew will have faced the first storm of his career that he has actually survived, which I do think will be the making of him as a manager
3. while Pardew and the coaching team – with the related fact of finally having the right players in the right system, ie. real central defenders and quick creative players around the striker(s) – will finally realize the ball is best on the deck, and a certain amount of attack is the best form of defense
4. overall it will be another step towards our club being financially well run but creating a platform for being a regular top 6ish team (i know this seems a bizarre thing to say at this point, but for the above reasons I do think we are closer to an Everton kind of league stability than this season is showing)
We are in that no man’s land at the moment between compete break down and the utter relief of goodish football and safety, with the excitement of wanting the new season to come around to put this one right. A couple of good signings now and in the summer and a squeaky *** escape to safety and this season really good be seen as the making of the next decade of this club, maybe even better than it would have been if we’d bought last summer but still finished an average 6-8th this season.
Let’s bloody hope so anyway. Newcastle.
Lionel Speed(Quote)
@JJ
we also had Saylor on the bench to which Pardew admitted he wouldnt of been used as he’s not fit enuf..
We have a dangerously thin squad and we’re benching players too early from injury..
mark(Quote)
I was very angry and disgusted with what I saw yesterday. First half great but the thing is when your down things tend to go against you. Reading’s first was a handball and shouldn’t have stood. Those kind of decisions can really affect morale when the team is already low.
Pardew’s subs were strange… Understand cabs coming off but didn’t get the marv sub at all. A lot of people on here are calling for Pardew to be sacked, but what would that do to the team? Already down I think this would just make things worse. He was manager of the year last year and many on here were actively encouraging and wishing him to get it.. He can do a job. We needed to strengthen in the summer. The fact we didn’t also hit morale even though we had the same core team as last year. Low morale probably meant less effort in training and more risk of injury as we have seen.
I still think Pardew can do a job for us. I don’t want a return to the managerial revolving door from a few years ago.. Stability is still worth keeping I think. Players through the door, returning first teamers and demotion of Williamson to boot boy will get us back up the table.
Have faith…. 😕 😐
Cologne-toon(Quote)
JJ cheers I didn’t know he said that , which is what I have been saying from the start of the season but a lot of fans said I was talking **** that it wouldn’t be causing trouble in the camp 😉
Big Dave(Quote)
Slept on this during the night and have to say i still feel the same. With the exception of the Sunderland game, the performances this season have been largely poor and they are reflected in the results. Yes the board needs to hold its hands up as there failure in the summer played a large part in us being in this position but yesterday was inexcusable.
Going into this run of games (Norwich, Reading & Villa) i said to myself a minimum of five points was needed regardless of who we have available and that has not changed. I said this a few times but despite the injuries, there is still a lot of quality available and we should be doing better. Yesterday we had nine international players on the pitch.
A number of times this season various players have come out and said that when you are on a losing run it’s hard to get out of that but that brings home even more so the need for change. As a manager Pardew is tasked with motivating the players and getting their minds focused, that is not happening.
In an ideal world, yes, Pardew does at least deserve until the end of the season especially after his achievements last year, but football isn’t an ideal world and we are at a point where ‘good’ or ‘improved’ performances are not acceptable – we need results and two wins in 18 is simply not good enough.
We have ten days until the Villa game and after that we have a very tough February with games against Spurs and Chelsea. If Ashley is to act, it needs to be now. IMO the situation is that desperate that it might be too late after that.
SouthernGeordie(Quote)
I hope Pardew reads blogs and understands the frustration around his decisions.
To go defensively v Reading when we’re 1 goal up, having Ranger on the bench but admits to needing a striker (but he didnt have one 😯 )
Benching Saylor and admitting hes not fit to play 😯
Subbing Anita and Marv 🙄
And then he blames the fans for booing the players..
I hope thats the last we see of Ranger and Marv not getting the chance he deserves
mark(Quote)
@GFN_France: BREAKING: ‘France Football’ Also reporting that #NUFC have had a bid accepted for #Haidara.
Apparently Arsenal haven’t bid for Yanga M’biwa Toon are the only ones with a bid accepted….so far
3hourswasted(Quote)
Mark just wondered you said Pards said that Saylor wasn’t fit to play 😯 did he say that ? As im on my phone and haven’t seen owt from lastnight
Big Dave(Quote)
Toonsy ,you said it mate , couldn’t put it any better. If Pards really thought the best idea at 1.0 was to shut up shop he should of removed Willo and brought on Saylor imo .Why leave a very slow and tired Jonas on and why take off Anita 😕 .Once again Shola gave nowt ,especially 2nd half ,he needs to drop his favs and start being savvy with his tactics ,to go on the defensive at home to a shitty Reading side is simply unacceptable. Marv and Cabs had them in knots first half ,and while I understand the Cabs substitution ,i cannot fathom the Marv and Anita subs for the life of me .I think the guy has seriously lost it now and quite where we go from here I don’t know, very very worried is putting my feelings mildly.
KIMTOON(Quote)
Now the cracks have appeared in the relationship between the manager and fans (booing substitutions and chants of you dont know what you’re doing). Can these be repaired forgiven and forgotten or was yesterday the start of Pardew’s exit
Toby le Rhone(Quote)
@BD
‘The 10-day break will also give us a chance to get Steven Taylor up top speed.
‘He’s only had four days’ training, so he wasn’t really available for today, and he will add to us”
mark(Quote)
Toby Le Rhone, just last season Moyes was getting the same grief from Everton fans. 🙄
Lionel Speed(Quote)
Lional
Everton weren’t getting results, but they were never playing as badly as we are. They ended strongly, very strongly.
JJ(Quote)
@GFN_France: We can confirm that #Newcastle are the only team to have made a bid for #Mbiwa. #Arsenal have not
3hourswasted(Quote)
If Ranger ever plays for this club again its an insult: Not because of the comments last night, More for being a loathsome brainless **** thats had more appearances in court than scored first team goals since arriving on tyneside. The blatant disregard he has for the club and the opportuntity it afforded him when Southampton saw sense and got rid.
Theres plenty wrong with this club but Rangers mere presence tops the lot, For ***** sake show a shred of dignity and please tear up his contract…
CC(Quote)
“But we definitely need two or three more players in this group, and hopefully we can get them over the line before we go to Villa.
‘I would like to go to Villa stronger than I was today.’
Although he said we would beat Reading or should be expected to beat reading as we were stronger than we were at Norwich 🙄 what a muddle..
Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/football/article-2265104/Alan-Pardew-insists-criticism-booed-defeat-Reading.html#ixzz2IWFYXc4c
mark(Quote)
@GFN_France: Yanga Mbiwa is expected to fly to Newcastle tomorrow to finalise a deal.
3hourswasted(Quote)
Alan Pardew should go down on his knees every day and thank god that he has been given the chance to manage a wonderful club like Newcastle United.
While he is down on his knees, he should also thank god and Mike Ashley that he has not been fired for an inept, insipid, dreadful season which has seen us put together a horrible run of games, playing dreadful football, whilst alienating his team. A team who had put in a wonderful fighting season only 1 year earlier.
Whilst down on his knees, he should look to his right to acknowledge Shoal Ameobi, also on his knees thanking god that Alan Pardew is manager at the club. This is the man who has given Shola Ameobi a new lease of life, whilst at the same time preventing him from playing for his beloved Nigeria in the ANC in South Africa.
If I read another Shola Ameobi or Sammi Ameobi interview in the Evening Chronicle exhorting the fans to pull together or whatever, I might hoy my laptop out the window.
Munich Mag(Quote)
I was happy with the starting eleven but me and the whole world knew Cabbaye wouldn’t be able to last much more than an hour and Shola can no longer play ninety minutes. So they were two given substitutions AP had to make which really only left him with one up his sleeve. Why then did he take Marveux off to bring on Perch who stands five yards in front of our centre backs and waits for the play to come to him. We were saying to Reading with thirty minutes left we concede posession now try and score. Their manager alert to this takes off a midfielder and puts on a striker. If Marveux had to come off his replacement had to be the alien or sammy.
Cabbaye as planned needs to come off stress on his muscles after being out for so long. So you would logically think his replacement would be the alien or sammy. No AP brings on the Bigi. A young lad finding his way in the game who is best described as a barber shop player.
Shola by this stage is blowing out of his **** and is no more than a statue. Should be replaced by the who some treat as the devils son Ranger. No not AP takes off the only midfielder capable of making a pass Anita. With ten minutes plus stoppage time remaining we are all over the place with some players hiding and others not having a clue what they are supposed to be doing. We have a midfield who couldn’t pass the salt and pepper never mind a football.
Amazingly this is the fans fault.
Toby le Rhone(Quote)
hopefully a striker is on the cards coz he admits he hasnt got one and its evident we can’t score goals..
mark(Quote)
Mark ta mate these are the thinks that really **** me off with Pards and his bullshit, so why da fuk have him on the bench , same as he couldn’t put a striker on ? Why was the 2 dumbos in Ranger and Sammy on the bench? So thats 3 players from our bench that shouldn’t have been on the bench 😯
I do think he is losing the fans and quickly
Big Dave(Quote)
Lionel Speed wish I could have some of the happy pills you must be taking. I admire your optimism but praying he has learnt from his mistakes when his track record shows he doesn’t do that is a chance not worth taking, not when the stakes are so high. If we go down this club will implode and it will take us years to recover. I for one would like to see affirmative action taken to give us some chance of avoiding the drop. If we keep him, sadly I think we have no chance.
Geordie Deb(Quote)
@3hourswasted
For what Ive seen he looks a great defender. Wins a lot of high balls, can dribble and loves to push forward. Can also play CM
He will be an excellent signing for the club.
mark(Quote)
Kim
Pards needs to drop his favs ? He will never drop the pet donkey!
sidekick(Quote)
@BD
It’s a potentially strong scarey bench.. “just look what i could of brought on”… 😆
mark(Quote)
Toby @ 53 spot on
Geordie Deb(Quote)
@mohammedali_93: M’Vila is not in the starting line-up, replaced in midfield and on the bench. Added weight to the club’s words. He will no longer stay
3hourswasted(Quote)
Let’s be honest, apart from a couple of chances for Pegrobnyak, Reading had created absolutely nothing, Tim Krul didn’t have a save to make all day. However, the goals they did score were a result of horrendous defending, where as usual when it comes down to one on one, or critical events, Williamson just doesn’t come up with the goods. What is even more evident is that Williamson cannot last 90 minutes, that’s also why he makes the bollocks that he does, he is mentally and physically knackered.
He tries his heart out, there is no doubting that, but at the end of the day the lad just isn’t good enough. He needs to be put out of his misery and spend a spell on the bench.
Santon also showed for the first goal that he does not have speed to get back. Kebe left him standing running with the ball yesterday. It’s not the first time Williamson and Santon have looked bad this season.
Munich Mag(Quote)
QPR splashing the cash again
3hourswasted(Quote)
Alright chaps, still fuming about yesterday, Must win game against villa, just noticed they have 2 games before we play them, bradford at home and millwall away. So we have no excuses. Im praying that Mike williamson gets no were near our starting 11 again.
Alex(Quote)
Also we supposedly wanted a striker before ba left so do we not need 2. Adam Campbell should be on the bench before the likes of Ranger and Sammy anyway. We have alot of **** in out squad that needs to go.
Alex(Quote)
I was furious yesterday, but I have now had a chance to calm down and take stock. I have been reading the following quotes from Pards of today and I think others should too before they call for him to be sacked.
“I think we need to re-assess this situation a little bit because the scenario isn’t good at this moment in time surrounding this football club. I’ve said before that the fans here are more knowledgeable than they’re given credit for, and when they start booing the players, I think it might be one of those situations just to tell you a bit. You have to learn from that, if I’m an honest. If they’re telling the players they don’t know what they’re doing, you have to take notice of that. I was blaming the Europa League scenario a little bit and the injuries, but I think the fans might have a point sometimes. You have to recognise and accept that.”
I need to speak to Colo next week or the week after because Colo needs to understand that sometimes you need to say things that hurt a little bit, but you have to stand and be counted like a man and I’m sure he will see that. I won’t be commenting on the Colo situation but I can tell you it has nothing to do with his wife or me or his wife and me. I think one of the problems with this football club, if I’m honest, is that the top continental players find the scenario is too cold here, a little bit, and I think the fans understand that and that will always be a problem for any manager here. We only want to see committed players here, looking at the right mentality, and so we do our homework to make sure of that. We don’t give players big five year contracts, 100%, if we think they mightn’t have the right mentality or can’t play in the cold. But sometimes we might have to rely on those players like Nile and Xisco who have the big five year contracts and the wrong mentality because of the situation that we find ourselves in. The scenario this week with Remy was that I asked him to come up on Tuesday, and the flight was booked, but I had to tell him so that he would know this is a strange city, a little bit, and it is a bit colder and it wasn’t a shock. I have to tell him that. I only come in at the end to tell players this. He didn’t leave his hotel and preferred to stay warm and play FIFA. Sometimes you do the homework and it doesn’t always work but I think the fans understand that scenario a little bit. We did the homework with Colo and he has been fantastic for this club. I don’t know how cold it is in Argentina but the cold here is not a problem for Colo. I must tell the fans that the cold has nothing to do with the Colo scenario.
Mike and Derek have done wonders if I’m honest. Three years ago, before I came to this club, if you gave the fans a scenario that we’d have French internationals like Johan and Hattam and Matthieu and Sylvan, and top African players courted by the top clubs, with top young Italian and Dutch talent, they’d have been thanking Mike, 100%. I said I was 100% happy with the squad at the start of the season and anything else would just be the icing on the cake. But the FA Cup made us all think a little bit about that and I think the fans are knowledgeable enough to see that some of these kids might not be ready yet, a little bit, and might need to go out on loan for a year or two. I had to tell them that. I think we might need to do just a bit, possibly two or three new faces in the playing department, so I’ll be asking Mike and Derek to do a bit more if they can on that scenario, and I’m confident about that. Yesterday’s performance has certainly increased the discussion mode on that.
I don’t need to tell Mike and Derek because they see it themselves at the games sometimes like yesterday because the pressure can build a little bit in this place on days like that. They are two strong characters who I respect a lot, and sometimes that sort of situation might get to you a bit if I’m honest when they’re sitting right behind you if you’re not strong enough. You might not make the right decisions a little bit. I didn’t want to take two flair players off in that scenario but I took Marv off and then Johann who had already told me at half time he was struggling. You can’t always predict these scenarios. I might have done things differently sometimes and I think Mike and Derek know that. We really only have two strikers at this club. I should have put a striker on at that point to give us extra impetus, but I did not have that option. Shola’s triffic, but he can’t train all week and that might show a little at times and we can’t always rely on him. We don’t play Sunderland every week. I think the fans understand what I mean by that.
Nile has said one or two things following the game, criticising the fans, and he wouldn’t be here, like I said a few months back, 100%, and I’ll need to speak to him about that next week or the week after. He was on the bench but I couldn’t use him and the fans will understand that. Same for Steven. He was on the bench but I couldn’t use him. It’s frustrating for a manager when you get a scenario like that. Sometimes you can’t use a player in certain situations because of the scenario that you’re in. I said this week that our game plan that we had last year and the way we played might need to change to just make sure that we continue being a stable Premier League side. Papiss is not doing it for us at this moment in time, if I’m honest, because our midfield has not been strong this season. I think the fans know that but sometimes one or two need to understand that you just need to defend games with some of your flair players at times when you’re at home against teams like Reading, who showed in the first half that they can be dangerous.
I will be suggesting to Mike and Derek that they might need to do something else on a Saturday a little bit because sometimes in these scenarios you need time to think about it without added pressures from them. I was looking to John and Steve to help me out in that substitution scenario a little bit, and they are triffic in those situations, but we might need to look at that a little bit. I would never say never again after what happened with big Andy, but John and Steve will be here for eight years with me, definitely 100%, but they might need a little bit of help if I’m honest and I will need to speak to Mike about that. We are not far away from being a very good side. I can stand up to this pressure. I’m used to these scenarios at my previous clubs. I always said that this season might need to be one of consolidation and it is about educating the fans to that scenario. I think ‘m being proved right on that.”
Blackley & Brownlie(Quote)
Why do we have to go to france all the time for players with no epl experience when we have decent strikers in england like danny graham of swansea who is for sale at a fraction of the price of a foreigner plus he’s a geordie.at least I think he would would give his all for the team
spider(Quote)
B+B @ 66 😆 😆 😆 😆 if im honest thats one of the best posts you have made 😉 .
So if your honest do you think he should still be sacked ❓
Big Dave(Quote)
@MsiDouglas: Understand Yanga-Mbiwa deal is at an advanced stage. More so than Remy was. MYM be unveiled in early part of next week. #nufc
3hourswasted(Quote)
Where’s that Pardew interview from B and B?
3hourswasted(Quote)
Marveux oh dear
Toby le Rhone(Quote)