Granted it wasn’t so much the defeat which annoyed me, it was more the manner of the defeat with players seemingly disinterested, perhaps with an eye on Benfica on Thursday.
You do that at a side which has a good record against us anyway, with the talent they have at their disposal, on a ground which is notoriously tough to get a result at and you end up travelling home with your tail between your legs in much the same way we had to do following the 4-0 defeat on Saturday.
Now you can blame the way we approached the game on Alan Pardew of course. It’s his job to motivate the players and set them out in a way he believes will obtain the optimum result for us. He may have got it wrong, in fact he probably did get it wrong, but it happens. Football is not an exact science and has any number of variables which some seem to forget.
It’s like this steadfast belief some of our fans hold. They seem to think that tactics are the ultimate tool to win a football match. It’s wrong, again they are just a variable which can inevitably be undone by any number of other variables on the day.
This is not me sticking up for Alan Pardew here. I did think he called things wrong on Saturday and has called other stuff wrong also, like all managers, but I also feel he is carrying a rather large percentage of the can for the defeat. The players, once again, seemingly do no wrong and get away with half-hearted attempts at everything for some as yet unknown reason.
However, as the saying goes, once players are over the white line when do they start becoming responsible for their own actions? At which point does poor performance start to be shouldered by those actually performing poorly?
There is no excuse for players putting in less than 100% effort and tactics can’t legislate for a player who is unable to pass a ball ten yards to a colleague when normally he can do this with no problem at all. Yet it’s always the manager who seems to carry the can. Why is this?
The players need to take their fair share of the blame also. They also let us down although going by the reaction of some fans you wouldn’t believe that they did.
Anyone else agree?
In the everyday workplace there will always be people who work hard with little or no supervision. There will be also those who need a kick up the ****. Players I suspect are no different to the rest of us. However in the workplace the manager is ultimately responsible for the performance of his group and Pardew is responsible for team performance. Has he ever taken off a player in the first twenty minutes who wasn’t producing? Clough would.
Groucho(Quote)
Toonsy good read and I tend to agree with you, and always said that if the players don’t give 100% then they have to take blame for it. Yeah Pards isn’t the best manager and does make some mistakes and comes of with some ****, but he shouldn’t have to shoulder the blame for players not giving their all.
But it seems some fans will praise the players when we do well and off course Pards gets it when we don’t do well.
Big Dave(Quote)
Groucho yeah but Clough was from a different era where he was king of all, players have too much power now and the only manager that I can think off that has clearly took a player off for that reson was DiCanio when he took the keeper off, its that rare now that it was shown hundreds of times.
Big Dave(Quote)
Very difficult for the players when the manager is totally curbing their natural flair and instincts.
Pardew is the first to deflect blame elsewhere and never holds his hands up for a long series of footballing ineptitude on a grand scale. Like trying to play Cisse and Ba together with Ba central instead of alternating them for more than half a season.
Like saying we were safe way too early. You couldn’t really have any faith in what Pardew says.
The early promise of Sissoko and Goofy already looks to have been worn down by Pardew’s bizarre and negative tactics with people played out of position. I am actually quite envious of Sunderland and Di Canio and that say a lot.
Nick Dryden(Quote)
Pardew is the man getting the big bucks to motivate the team.
If he can’t do that then he should go.
Why have all these technically gifted ball players when his tactics are totally opposite to what they naturally want to do. Let other teams worry about us.
Nick Dryden(Quote)
Dave, you are right and players probably have more power than they should. However, you don’t have to wait till half time to take off a player like Obertan, do you? Also, I still think Fergy is the boss at Man U even though it has cost him the odd star player. If the manager is not responsible ultimately then why sack managers when teams are relegated? I would agree that any manager cannot be responsible for everything that happens all of the time but one has to look at the overall picture and results.
Groucho(Quote)
Groucho I agree with some of your points and yeah Pards gets things wrong and needs to take the blame, I do think we need more coaching staff as I do think we’re very light in that dept.
On fergy you cant really use him as an example as imo he is the last of the managers that are the BOSS.
Big Dave(Quote)
Dave, coaching is a weak point at NUFC I think. I said after seeing the first home match that our players didn’t look as fit and as sharp as other teams. I don’t think we have really improved in that department.
Groucho(Quote)
Nick @5 – and the players are on minimum wage are they?!
People talk of the manager having to motivate this group like they are a bunch of bloody school kids!, most of them are international players with plenty of experience FFS and most out there on Saturday were what we know as ‘purple’ players, first team players getting paid bloody good money.
I fully expected defeat on Saturday, that came as no great surprise. But the manor in which it happened is still disappointing. I can kind of forgive the 3rd and 4th goal – Kompany stuck a foot out and turned it in and Perch turned into his own net putting a block in – avoidable both of them but it happens.
But the 1st and particularly the 2nd are completely unforgivable IMO. Clichy should never have been given the time and space to put that pass across the box which passed a number of Newcastle defenders and a flat footed Elliott before Tevez beat Jonas at the back post – **** poor. Speaking of **** poor, Obertans non challenge for their 2nd goal – pathetic!, but to be fair, he wasn’t the only one who could have stopped that getting through.
I read a post the other day saying that when City play like that they can beat any team in the world. Yes they have players like Nasri, Silva and Yaya who can knock the ball around for fun and so deadly strikers who could punish any team – but teams like Everton and Ajax have proven this season that if you get into them quickly and unsettle their play that City are a very beatable side. We did the exact opposite and sat and watched them play. The players should have been into them quicker, but I’m also annoyed with Pardews almost acceptant post match interview, he has to be more disappointed than he was for me like – we are running right out of games.
Sharpy17(Quote)
How does a coach make good players play badly? Can that really happen?
I was disgusted in the tactics from the manager against City but I am pretty sure he didn’t send them out not to pass to each other.
Unfortunately I see us paying too much attention to the Europa League and that may be very dangerous – especially as I think we could be on the other end of another battering on Thurs if we go into the game with the same **** poor attitude.
Stuart79(Quote)
Stuart79 I don’t think coaches intentionally set out to make players worse but surely coaches can improve performance. Look at the success of British cycling. If coaches can improve performance but don’t therefore those players play below their potential ability ie worse than others who receive good coaching.
Groucho(Quote)
Who gets sacked first when the team is playing poorly? The manager.. never the spoilt princesses that run around on the park..
Aussie Magpie Fan(Quote)
So yes the players should take some heat…lethargy comes from not having real competition for starting places.
Aussie Magpie Fan(Quote)
John Anderson (Ando) made a good, comment the other day regarding the lack of chances that we make throughout a game.
We are very happy to play directly in front of the opposition but appear to have a major trouble in getting past/around their DM/defence. This would point directly towards both our inept wingers who seldom deliver quality balls into the box.
Pardew has a lot to answer for IMO, it is his responsibility to set us up, he is too negative and will ruin Sissoko and Gouffran by holding them back.
Come the summer Ashley seriously needs to decide if Pardew is the one to propel us forward, given the quality of the squad, I have my doubts.
TonyGreenSupreme(Quote)
It’s easy to get carried away after a poor performance and defeat. It wasn’t pretty and the points folk are making are understandable. However, I didn’t expect anything from that game and I don’t think Pardew did either. Obertan, Gosling, Simpson, Anita, plus players out of position, Jonas, Gouffran, Sissoko all = defeat.
Fulham, despite last nights bluster, will leave with nothing on Sat and we’ll all heave a sigh of self manufactured relief.
georgio(Quote)
In principle, I agree. On the specific match – rubbish!
“There is no excuse for players putting in less than 100% effort”
🙄
Is this a call for Taylor to get stuck in and pull a hamstring in a game from which nobody expected even a point? Were you disappointed that nobody got sent off, or that only two yellow cards were shown to our players? The “excuse” (more properly, reason) for putting in less than 100% effort against City was to save that effort for when it really mattered.
Wellington(Quote)
I don’t think I agree with the theory pardew destroys flair-he does attempt to get flair players to be more disciplined, but I don’t think I agree with the assumption he just wants 11 workhorses out there…It’s more like 9 😆
For that match I have to pinpoint some blame to our players-like Cabs giving ferguson a ******* and then slagging City off as individuals. Your eye needs to be on the ball and for a captain to not take the opposition as seriously as he should is definitely going to affect the squad.
Newkie(Quote)
Also, loving QPR and Samba right now, no hopers surely, now we just need one team to collapse, I don’t care who it is so long as it aint us
Newkie(Quote)
At the end of the day, who in their right mind would want to be a pl manager….. damned if you damned if you don’t!
Aussie Magpie Fan(Quote)
You would not blame a tool if used improperly.
Pardew clearly is first to blame. Footballers have other aims like making Europe, winning games who does not enjoy that?
If a player is not putting effort why is Pardew selecting him? One need not be trained in any football managerial course to know this. A pub team manager and pundit knows this. If this fact has eluded the faculties of Pardew then really he is to blame.
We have a team of internationals, capable of getting fifth place that is not a doubt. We have a manager Lucky to be in the limited managerial pool from which clubs always recruit never looking outside it. So if Pardew was available he will get another job. We have lost more than half our games under him this season in the league. He failed to make Ba and Cisse click I’m sure another manager could do this and his one formation/team selection is just poor to no thinking by a manager.
michael12(Quote)
Good article and question Toonsy . My gripe is our lack of speed in attack ,we are slow ,lethargic and other teams can read our next move befor we even do it and it’s been like that all season pretty much. Without Benny we don’t have that individual who can run past opposition players and give us a moment of magic .In truth we shouldn’t have to rely on Benny ,we should be a team who can attack at will with skill and pace , you can’t tell me we ain’t got the players with the attributes to do that. That we arn’t tells me the coaching set up is not right and that the emphasis is on defence ,understandable given Pards and Carver in control. I just think having players with the skill level of Sissoko ,Cabs ,Benny ,Anita ,Debuchy and co ,to be too defensive in our set up quashes they’re talents and probably frustrates them too . Look how Pards pubicly lambasted Benny over his lack of defensive duties, well I’m sorry but he’s not a feckin defender he’s an attacking player . Like putting Cisse on the wing when he’s never played there and then wondering why he’s not scoring .All this square pegs in round holes and choosing players because you don’t wanna admit you got it wrong about how good they are (Obertan) drives me mad. I swear if I see Obertan in black and white again I will go nuts. He says he didn’t use Marv on saturday cause he had a knock ,well if that’s the case why have him on the bench?. And now Ryan Taylor travels to Benfica when he’s only just regained fitness and won’t be match sharp yet ,what’s that all about. It’s strange decisions like that ,which I don’t get .So yes he takes the blame on most things but I agree the payers have to give 100% and if they don’t then Pards has to hook them off befor they cost us the game.
KIMTOON(Quote)
Wow – so much knee-**** stuff in comments this week. Somehow last year’s double Manager od the Season award winner isn’t worth the ***** on his shoes to some. I share the frustration over Saturday but keep it reasonable – was Fergie suddenly incompetent when he got it all wrong and saw his divas dry-humped by Newcastle last season? And don’t tell me Pards is less ready to accept blame than him!
We had a bad day. Most of the players and the manager all had a bad day. They’ve all said as much. Get over it.
Whumpie(Quote)
I should clarify: most of the overreaction I refer to isn’t on here 🙂
Whumpie(Quote)
Looks like there will be more French players wanting a move to England
@mohammedali_93: New twist – French Prime Minister says 75% tax rate will still apply to Ligue 1/2 footballers http://t.co/lFO0lnQffg (via @JamieDalton82)
No Tiote or Hairdryer in the squad 🙁 for Thursday
3hourswasted(Quote)
Talking of players ,I see Steven Taylor has said he’s not worried about relegation as we are too good to go down. I dunno last week we had Cabaye saying Citeh were a team of individuals who don’t play as a team and this week Saylor offers more pearls of wisdom .You would think the club would tell all the staff to stfu until safety is achieved wouldn’t you ,but then with the manager spouting off cack every five minutes what can we expect of the players.
KIMTOON(Quote)
kim i agree
I DO NOT WANT TO HEAR ANY PLAYER SAY WE ARE TOO GOOD TO GO DOWN
just shut up and get on with the job at hand – to stay in the EPL
🙄
DOITFORSIRBOBBY(Quote)
Kim – regarding Benny, he’s only an attacking player when we have the ball though. If we haven’t got it why should he be stood round watching. When Pardew spoke of him working on his defensive game he meant tackling back and winning the ball back for the team, he wasn’t asking for goal line clearances or anything like that.
As for Marv being on the bench, maybe it was coz he had no better attacking options. I mean if he’s playing Oba and brings Gos off the bench we must be struggling. He didn’t play Marv remember so he hasn’t risked him at all.
Raylor I think he is just taking him, it’s to get him back into the squad, into match days having spent so much time on the treatment table. Probably more a psychological bonus for him rather than a chance to play – similar to taking Campbell to allow him to get a feel for it.
What annoys me is reading Saylor saying that they aren’t concerned and are looking at teams above us rather than below us, and that the next 4 games excites the player – every bloody game should excite the players!.
My honest appraisal is that Pardew is not good enough at the moment, he may be able to learn and improve but at this time, by his own admission he’s not good enough. What I mean by that is this – Pardew has on more than one occassion this season complained that Thursday night European football gets in the way of his preparation for PL games on a weekend.
That is down to him – nobody else, and it hasn’t effected AVB getting Spurs in a position to fight for CL football next season has it.
I think Pardew only deserves another chance next season if he’s learning and developing from this season. It’s all well and good surviving this season and having a great season next season and qualifying for Europe again, but if that results in the following season being a struggle again then he isn’t good enough for where we want this club to be.
Sharpy17(Quote)
I don’t blame Pardew for any one game such as the City loss. Any team can have a bad game but the overall trend this year has been terrible. We have also had injury problems but we brought in 5 decent players in January. There really are no more excuses for Pardew. His team selection has been poor repeatedly and when players like Sissoko and Gouffran fade so rapidly something is surely wrong. Pardew has been out-managed by a large number of opposing managers this season both in tactics and substitutions. His mis-use of Ben Arfa has been nothing short of bizarre. We must stick with him to the end of the season now but it’s a horrible position to be in. I have no faith in his approach to the game in general and thanks to him more than anyone else we will only squeak through and avoid relegation.
GeordieTwo(Quote)
Kim @ 25 you might get to see Oba on thurs 😀 as he is in the squad, and Toonsy might even get to see Willos 100th appearance 😉
Big Dave(Quote)
Big Dave if we start Willo and Obertan we are finished with Europa for this season. Neither player is good enough to be at the club and should be gone in the summer. If Ash/Llam don’t show ambition in the summer our better players will begin to leave. If Ashley can’t handle the pressure of owning a Prem team he should move on, not hire another sycophant to whinge on about how unfair life is. If I hear any more excuses from either Pardew or Llambias I’ll know Ashley feels the same way and can’t handle his ownership responsibilities. I’ll repeat what I said yesterday, at this point in the season we are exactly 2 points ahead of an absolutely pathetic Sunderland. That should say it all.
GeordieTwo(Quote)
Dave @29 ,Really ,well hopefully that means he won’t play on sunday as well . I cannot for the life of me see what he sees in him ,he’s beyond frustrating .
Sharpy @27 ,I know all players have to muck in but he was really making a big deal in the press about Benny’s lack of defensive work at the time . I don’t remember Ginola or Robert defending that much really but they won us plenty of games with they’re attacking play . I still think our game plan must be to attack ,even if it’s at the expense of leaving us a little open ,we simply have to go for it maybe adopt the KK way for a while and ask the opposistion to score more than us if they can. Also think there is a strong argument for playing Campbell up front in Benfica for one half to keep Cisse fresh for sunday .
KIMTOON(Quote)
We’ve worked ourselves back into a position of having to think more about the Fulham game than Benfica Kimtoon. The loss to Wigan was a real morale buster the way it happened. If we play a weakened side against Benfica we may get whacked however which could be just as devastating. I would start the strongest possible side but depending on how the game goes try to make early subs to save players for Sunday if possible. It’s ridiculous to be in this position. I can’t even bring myself to look at our goal difference now. 😥
GeordieTwo(Quote)
Jesus – the club admitted its ****-up, bought more senior players in Jan than the rest of the prem put together, started a decent recovery albeit with one **** performance against the champions – and you’re still whinging?
Shame Ashley can’t sack fans for whining… 🙄
Whumpie(Quote)
Kim – I remember Roberts workrate being questioned on a regular basis, not so much Ginola tho but both were part of a very different toon team. I think we need to be more clinical rather than more attacking. I think there has to be a balance, because as exciting as KK era was we still won nowt. I think a style like Swansea isn’t in achievable though, as I think they have a good defence of stable defence and fast flowing attack.
Sharpy17(Quote)
Jesus – the club admitted its ****-up, bought more senior players in Jan than the rest of the prem put together, started a decent recovery albeit with one **** performance against the champions – and you’re still whinging?
3 points above relegation do you want us to be dancing for joy whumpie lad?
🙄
DOITFORSIRBOBBY(Quote)
we could lose to barcelona 1-0 and id still be guttered and whinge
by the time the next game comes around id be buzzing and looking forward to the game again – until it started 😀
thats what makes a fan whumpie
im sure u know this
hate people telling fans how they should behave
DOITFORSIRBOBBY(Quote)
Whumpie – We’re 3 points clear of the relegation zone and a number of key players injured or off form – you’re right mate, I don’t understand why people are moaning and twisting either 🙄 😯
Sharpy17(Quote)
Geordie Two (28) Spot on. My sentiments entirely.
He’s out of his depth and his history demonstrates that he is performing true to form. I would be more than happy for him to be gone in the summer and be replaced by a manager who can get our squad playing to their strengths. If Pardew does’t go, I fear it will only be a matter of time before we have an exodus of our more talented players who will no doubt become very disillusioned with our negative tactics, lack of game plan, **** spouted by Pardew that even those of us who are native english speakers fail to comprehend, so god help our foreign players.
No wonder we are **** going forward and seem to flounder like fish out of water when Pardew is spending 80% of available coaching time on defending.
Steven Taylor and anyone else spouting **** that we are too good to go down have very short memories. The players and Pardew need to shut up, roll their sleeves up and get stuck in, giving blood sweat and tears if need be to ensure survival.
Geordie Deb(Quote)
We had to do as much as we could to give ourselves a fighting chance against City. Most people have long since seen enough of Obertan to know he’s a liability and would agree he should be sidelined like the “other guy” and shipped out at the end of the season. Unfortunately, however, Pards obviously doesn’t see it that way because he is a regular feature in his game plans. To me, he was the main man at fault for City’s first two goals by which time it was game over. He does his usual trick of switching on too late to the danger and not tracking back. No good when games like this are won and lost on narrow margins. So I blame Pardew for exactly the reason stated by Michael 12 above: “You would not blame a tool if used improperly”. Obertan is a right tool and Pardew continues to use him to do a job he’s not fit to do. Pardew would do well to emulate Sir Alex in many ways, and he could start by selling Obertan to another right mug.
Blackley & Brownlie(Quote)
Staylor is a tool for saying that, most of us thought that when we went down last time. Most of us learned.
Newkie(Quote)
There are so many problems but, to me, the main one is the lack of firepower. Even Pards, bless him, recognised the problem months ago, and I keep going back to his utterances of the time:
“Mike Ashley has to be even more supportive in this window, he has to find the extra money for a striker because we’re not going to find a striker for the money we’ve received for Demba Ba.”
“It depends which sort of striker we get. There are a couple of options. We do need a goalscorer. Whether it’s a striker or a wide player he needs to be a recognised goalscorer.”
His reference to a recognised goalscoring wide player is intriguing because they are few and far between. To me they are a Bale or a Ronaldo. Nothing against Gouffran but from what I’ve seen, he’s not one. That’s not to say he couldn’t get goals if he played as a striker but he’s not a goalscoring wide player.
The plan’s spot on, but there’s been a failure in its execution. As Pards also said: “The problem is getting a striker in during the window and it’s not easy.”
Blackley & Brownlie(Quote)
B&B – of the players available to him, who would you have played instead of Obertan. Everyone knows he’s a tool – I’m sure even Pardew knows that, but he still has to field 11 players, so who should he have fielded in his place. I predict your answer to be ‘that’s not for me to say, that’s what Pardew gets paid for’ and not offer a cure, so go on surprise me mate 😉
Sharpy17(Quote)
Sorry to perturb you Whumpie @33. You make my point for me. Yes the club admitted the mistake and acquired five very good players. And yet look where we are. Personally I’ve had it with Pardew although I know we can’t sack him until the off-season at the earliest. I would give him 10 games next season at most now and if we are poor he would be gone. The performances just aren’t there, yet we have very good players now. No more excuses. And I’m happy Ashley can’t sack us by the way. The only people he has sacked were too often good football men who had the balls to stand up to him. Thanks for the comments @38 GeordieDeb. I think there are a growing number of supporters growing tired of Pardew sadly for the club. No manager deserves an 8 year contract. It just invites complacencey which is what we have now.
GeordieTwo(Quote)
B&B @41 when we didn’t get Remy there was no backup plan. We brought in Gouffran but if Pardew thought he could be a goal scoring winger he was probably wrong. We need a new formation to accomodate Gouffran and Cisse. This should give Cisse a partner and take the pressure off him. Why not 4-3-1-2 with Cabaye or Sissoko in behind Gouffran and Cisse? Surely we need to try something sooner rather than later. What we are doing isn’t working often enough. The loss of Ben Arfa for most of the season has been a huge blow as well but Pardew had a hand in that as well.
GeordieTwo(Quote)
Geordie Two I think many people have been very restrained in their criticism as we all want it to work. We want Pardew to bring success, we don’t want constant upheaval at the club as we have had for years and we want to watch decent football. The problem is that even last season when we finished 5th, much of our our football was poor, but we defended solidly and largely relied on the brilliance of individuals to snatch a winner.
Preseason and the start of this season even before all the injuries our play was turgid and has continued in that vein for the most part.
When things are going well Pardew seems to do ok, but when it’s not he often looks like a rabbit caught in the headlights. I’m sure he is desperate for it to work but sadly I don’t think he has the ability or mindset needed day in day out to make it happen. He is frequently out foxed by his peers and often just seems devoid of ideas to turn situations around. People keep saying give him time and he will learn, as much as I would love it to happen, I just can’t see it. A leopard just doesn’t change it’s spots.
In my opinion he will never get the best out of the breed of players now at his disposal. If we plan to hang on to him we should give him the players to suit his style or change him and keep the players we have. I know which option I would prefer.
Geordie Deb(Quote)
It’s a bold move for Sunderland. MoN never really showed the passion for some reason. He looked worn out. Lost the hunger. Di Canio looks to be the opposite. Just at the wrong time for us. Good job his tool box is *****.
Before Christmas Pardew looked drained and devoid of ideas, like a boxer out on his feet, dead man walking, white as a ghost. He’s since recovered himself thanks to the shot in the arm from Mikey’s rescue plan. However, I agree with Sharpy, “I’m also annoyed with Pardews almost acceptant post match interview, he has to be more disappointed than he was for me like”
It’s not going to take much to knock him down again, and the players will read it in his face and body language. Not what you want when you’re in a fight. Taylor obviously sees the chance to seize the baton and lead the charge.
Blackley & Brownlie(Quote)
GeordieTwo – It seems at this late stage we’ve got to rely on Cisse to get us the goals. It’s critical that he doesn’t get injured. I said when we didn’t replace Ba that it was a massive gamble. Bathing in the euphoria of the new signings, some on here told me to pull up an armchair, light a cheroot and relax!
When you play with someone like Cisse, you look to put the ball to his feet in the box. He needs to be ordered to stay high and central. I agree he needs players like Gouffran and Sissoko serving them up. As for wingers, Pards needs to order them to forget the high balls. He doesn’t seem to recognise that we have lofted hundreds into the box this season to no good effect. Of course, others need to do a hell of a lot more to chip in, but Cisse has got to be the man. Pards needs to be talking to him all the time to build him up until he feels ten foot tall.
Blackley & Brownlie(Quote)
Once Cisse is ten feet tall, then we can start knocking in the high balls. Simples! 😛
Blackley & Brownlie(Quote)
Aye spot on GeordieDeb @45. I would much prefer to stick with one manager but not the wrong one. We have been utterly pathetic in domestic cup games since Pardew too over and too often outright poor in the league as well. One away win this season to date! Considering some of the teams in the Prem that is truly pathetic. B&B @46 good comments about MoN and Pardew. I think you’ve pretty well got it right for both of them.What kind of players would Pardew need to bring us up the table if the ones he has now aren’t enough. People who have suggested Martin Jol for us have it right with the type of team we have now I would say. A very sound manager who would be good with all of our French players.
GeordieTwo(Quote)
GeordieDeb – I think you’re a regular at SJP yeah? Pardew as the rabbit in the headlights is the big thing that you notice when you’re at the match, and I don’t think it’s something that comes over so much when you watch on TV.
Blackley & Brownlie(Quote)
B&B – I take it your still thinking of who Pardew should have played instead of Obertan 😆
Sharpy17(Quote)
B&B you’re right about Cisse @47. That’s what worries me. He doesn’t seem to be handling the pressure of being the main striker particularly well. His main strength lies in flashes of brilliance, mainly inside the box but every now and then with a long shot. He does seem relatively weak with his head and is not a dribbler of any note. It makes it very challenging to get him enough decent chances each game. I think Pardew has noticed but has little in the way of options thanks to our poor selection of young strikers to bring along (the names Ranger and Xisco come to mind). Then we part with Best when he is clearly a better striker at this stage than Ameobi and much younger as well. Strange decisions by a strange management group.
GeordieTwo(Quote)
G2 – I think the four new big signings are the right sort of quality. The priority in the summer has to be a striker. That striker has to complement Cisse. A player like Carroll might be a decent foil, especially if, as it seems, Pards can’t prevent us putting useless high balls into the box. But surely the key is to get someone who gets goals and who can work with Cisse so that they both complement each other. The question should probably be what sort of goalgetter would Cisse’s style complement? That’s the toughie. If Cisse still commands big money in the summer, I wouldn’t be surprised if he was on his way.
Blackley & Brownlie(Quote)
What a goal by Barca. And people say Dani Alves is ****!
Newkie(Quote)
Tremendous pass by Dani Alves. The finish wasn’t bad either. Messi looks in the mood. As for Cisse I’m having a huge problem trying to think of a good strike partner for him as well B&B @53. Given his strengths it’s hard to know how a strike partner could work with him. Mainly he needs an advanced midfielder with great passing ability but even Cabaye has had trouble giving him good service. Is that Cabaye’s fault or Cisse’s? I would argue Cisse can’t control the ball often enough and turn with it to take advantage of good passes. Let’s not talk about his constant wandering offside either!
GeordieTwo(Quote)
PSG have it all to do now with Barca getting the away goal. Looks like Barca through buy you never know with their defense.
GeordieTwo(Quote)
I’d just play Benny behind Cisse, or Benny out wide and Marv behind Cisse. Play the ball for him to run on to and smash it, he struggles controlling balls on his head/chest and he can’t dribble past a defender which makes him a bit one dimensional, but its up to us to get more goal threats on the pitch so Cisse can find the space and isn’t being watched. With the attacking full backs we have alongside talented wingers, cutbacks should be a pretty feasible way of getting the ball to him whilst allowing him to peel off a defender.
I wouldn’t really be sure what kind of strike partner would work best with him, but we’ve lacked pace up front for yonks, so anyone who can run and beat a man would be nice…
Newkie(Quote)
G2-Messi off for this bloke Fabregas should make it more interesting, or maybe just more boring..
Newkie(Quote)
Sharpy – Sorry I overlooked your earlier post. I’m getting pulled all ways by wor lass and the kids! 😡
If Marv was on the bench, he should have played. I know he’s saying Marv wasn’t fit, and that begs a question in itself. But he often favours Ober ahead of Marv anyway. I like Bigi and he’s shown he can do a decent job.
If Spongebob was the manager even he he would have preferred Perch to Squidward! 😛
Blackley & Brownlie(Quote)
Aye Newkie@57 it worries me that Cisse is so one-dimensional in his play as well. I just can’t see building an attack around him in the long run. He’s not creative enough and he doesn’t bring other players into the move often either (except pass-backs when he is marked at all). Surely with the French players in particular that we have a multi-pass ground attack with the occassional long ball to keep the back 4 honest would be the way to go forward? Otherwise what exactly are we aiming for as far as attacking football goes?
GeordieTwo(Quote)
Why don’t we buy who ever laid the goals on a plate for him at Frieberg lol .
KIMTOON(Quote)
B&B – still mulling it over then 😆
The summer priorities at the very least HAVE to be a CB to replace Colo, 2 CFs to replace Xisco and Ranger and an attacking wide midfielder to replace Obertan. That would be the very least for me but I’d like to see another 2 through the door on top of that.
Sharpy17(Quote)
Newkie as we talked about it before I think Benny with a free role is the missing link and the answer to Cisse’s problem’ for me Benny and maybe Marv are the only players that see the pass and release the ball quick enough for Cisse.
I just don’t believe that Cisse can go from 22 top quality goals in the last 2 seasons to being a bad player, and I still say if he gets fed he’ll score, but so often this season he has been feeding of scraps.
Big Dave(Quote)
Dave ,Spot on about the service ,he needs it played to feet .
KIMTOON(Quote)
B&B – no worries mate, know what that’s like – with my missus and kid I mean 😳
I’m pleased he didn’t play Marv if he’s carrying a knock coz at the moment he’s our most creative player and it seems daft to risk him. The only other thing I think he could have done was move Anita to LB, Perch or Bigi to DCM and had Jonas in place of Obertan, but hindsight is a wonderful thing. I think it was proof that the squad still needs some work though, coz I would see the back of Gosling as well if I’m honest with ya.
Sharpy17(Quote)
Just worried about Benny’s overall fitness Big Dave. Will we ever see much of him or will he up and off after this disappointing season? As for Cisse he does have quality as a pure finisher but lacks all around ability as far as I can see. I think we’d have to outbid a few to get PEA but he would be worth it. Add another young striker with pace, a CB to replace Colo as Sharpy says, and a winger to replace Obertan. All high quality though, no more castoffs from ManU for me.
GeordieTwo(Quote)
Watching these games today just makes me shake my head at how far we still have to go to be even a decent team in the top 6 in England. Will it actually happen next season? I’m in 2 minds now because this season has been so poor and I have little faith in Pardew. A better manager is a must for me if we are to really progress. The manager of the year stuff got Pardew an 8 year deal but to me he looks more of a sow’s ear than a silk purse sad to say.
GeordieTwo(Quote)
G2-Aye, whilst we’ve improved I’m still not quite sure what our plan is attacking wise, other than give the ball to Sissoko and hope he beats a few and then sees a pass, before running into danger and losing the ball…
Dave-Yep, my only worry with Benny behind the striker would be Marv’s pace and work rate. We need him on the pitch, at least as far as our current line up goes. You could stick him out on the right as Debuchy is more solid defensively, but if they both go forward as we expect they might struggle to track back as neither are rapid. On the left you might get more deliveries from him, but unless Santon improves his defending that would be a massive weak link. I wouldn’t mind so much if we had solid centre backs in front of Krul, but whilst Staylor and Mbiwa look good I’m still a bit concerned about the language…Still, hopefully Mbiwa will be up to scratch in the summer and we can eventually try a formation like that…
Newkie(Quote)
Geordietwo
Never mind the catching up we have to do. Manure, City and Chelski couldn’t live with these teams tonight and are miles behind. The premier league is an exciting brand of football but not technically great. The excitement usually comes from mistakes take Samba last night for example
Toby le Rhone(Quote)
Gamiero looks a player it is a surprise no premier league club has tried to sign him
Toby le Rhone(Quote)
Geordietwo I blame the club for Benny’s fitness, I have said it before and i’ll say it again he is our player and should be treated by us where we can monitorhim, and he can remain as part of the team and group, I really can’t see the benefit to letting him spend all his time back in France
Big Dave(Quote)
2 away goals for Barca now. Bad foul in the box with the attacker heading away from goal. Newkie @68 aye a lot of work to be done with our club after this season. A shame we couldn’t build on the last one properly. It leaves a bad taste and a lot of doubt now about next season. Would Pardew have gotten us going with a couple of good purchases last summer? We’ll never know now but this next summer has to be different. And then we’ll have to judge Pardew’s performance once for all.
GeordieTwo(Quote)
Shocking from valdes, game on at the Nou Camp though.
Newkie(Quote)
What a finish to the PSG game 😀
Big Dave(Quote)
TLR @69 yes these are 4 incredible clubs playing today. The Prem has slipped down compared to this action. Big Dave @71 absolutely the club have really been poor as far as Benny is concerned. Pardew is too eager to bend over backwards for some players yet he risks Benny twice over the last few months and now we’ve more or less lost him for the season. What is our policy regarding injuries? Can any player just go where he wants for treatment? I can see sending players to specialists for particular injuries but no player of ours should just head off as soon as an injury comes along. Again strange management we have.
GeordieTwo(Quote)