New season but still the same old story

Disappointment building already?
Disappointment building already?
You may have noticed I never bothered writing a match report after the 4-0 loss to Manchester City on Monday evening.

In truth I expected the loss and knew it might be heavy, but we were outclassed from start to finish and can have few complaints as, quite simply, we were beaten by the better team.

However the thing that has annoyed me the most is that we’ve seen no signs of progression from last season, no change in approach, no change of thought or anything like that. Don’t get me wrong, I didn’t suddenly expect us to be 100% better than last term and I understand that it’s difficult to play against teams like Manchester City with the quality they have at their disposal, but I expected to see some signs of improvement.

For once this is nothing to do with transfers either. A new player or two may have freshened things up but it wouldn’t have addressed the problems that we, as fans, have been picking up on for months and months now.

Defensively we were poor, in midfield we were no better and in attack we were virtually non-existent. Our set pieces were awful, our passing was rubbish and we just looked like exactly the same team as we did last season. Forget the fact that it’s the same personnel, there is no sign of a new approach with those personnel and that concerns me.

Take Papiss Cisse as an example. People are quick to jump on his back but I actually sympathise with him. He is not and never will be a hold-up striker. He is a a poacher and a good one at that. As such he needs service provided for him which we just aren’t giving him. No wonder he cuts a frustrated figure. When he finally does get the sniff of a ball he is up top, alone, with a whole defence and goalkeeper to beat with little to no support from his team-mates. Either that or he’ll get into a good position only to see a team-mate go for glory rather than setting him up. I’d get fed up too.

It’s like we’ve not had a pre-season. The same problems are happening all over again and whilst it’s still early days and things may change against weaker opponents than Manchester City, I would have thought we’d see at least something different.

The fact we didn’t is what concerns me…

About toonsy

A lifelong Newcastle fan and current webmaster of this very 'blog who has the sole aim of creating a place by Newcastle United fans, for Newcastle United fans.

209 thoughts on “New season but still the same old story

  1. In all fairness when we had to ball we didnt lump it as much. Only positive I got from that.

    Otherwise we played like a team who knew they would get beat easily and who had zero confidence

    Seems ‘Evans’ was right about ashleys boat in St.Tropez as apparently the 4 musketeers went to Nice for meeting with ashley and then on to the Lyon game.

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  2. Yep Liam, that was the only positive that we didn’t seem to lump it as much…but once/if confidence goes then the lumping will start again.

    Well if they were at the Lyon game hopefully they’ll have sorted out Gomis at last, would be nice if they were watching young Grenier too…that apart our defence is woeful and yes I know it was v Citeh but it was woeful last year too so unless they’ve secreted a new defensive coach in place what’s going to change?

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  3. Talk on the street is Gourcuff and Gomis. Why more French? 🙁

    Id lob in a bid for Defoe, Ince, Sinclair and Micah Richards get some English grit back

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  4. I wonder if Cabaye will really leave? Surely he will wait for le **** to fall out of the champs league first? And will he really start every game for PSG particularly in WC year?

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  5. Title could be used to reflect steven taylor, except it’s been about ten fucking years for him now and he still lets the black and white down season on season with his malicious and/or pathetic fouling and escaping yet another handball, does he think he’s fucking Maradona? Complete fucking tool.

    Monday was ***** and confidence looked shot in some players even before kick off-we need a big performance and result vs Wham, otherwise I’d be tempted to sack the whole backroom staff and bring in Poyet while we still have a chance of escaping Kinnear 😕

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  6. Liam – looks like Cabaye is on the way. Not concerned about who to. He’s a sulky ****** and didn’t have one good game last season so if he’s off and funds two new signings then fine by me.

    Looks like Gomis will happen. McCarthy from Wigan as the second? Not sure although I’ve heard Gourcuff rumours. Anybody else with news?

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  7. Georgio – I dunno about you but would prefer him to PSG than Arsenal and would understand that decision more. Imagine setting up Ibra and Cavani; Giroud? No thanks

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  8. Newkie – I suspect that’s right. Defeat on Sat and hopefully they’re all gone. However, will Ashley let Pardew sign players then sack him? Whatever, something bigger than a couple of new players needs to happen. At City nothing at all had changed. Tactics, formation same old. Tiote, Cisse, Debuchy, Jonas. None of them looked PL standard.

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  9. GEORGIO the crack is three in by sat,but does that make any diff with pardew in charge the man is clueless imo

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  10. Defensively we were poor, in midfield we were no better and in attack we were virtually non-existent. Our set pieces were awful, our passing was rubbish and we just looked like exactly the same team as we did last season. Forget the fact that it’s the same personnel, there is no sign of a new approach with those personnel and that concerns me.

    Says it all….Pardew is killing us more than Ashley in my opinion, that performance was as bad as last years, nothing’s changed, and clearly this man has not got the ability to inspire the players at all!!

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  11. ROY two plus one mate so the storey goes,the one will be ince imo,”if”he wants to come to this shower his dad will put him right me thinks mate

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  12. cheers ice

    it’s probably his dad that joe is trying to sign – i hope the other 3 stooges keep him right.

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  13. “Either that or he’ll get into a good position only to see a team-mate go for glory rather than setting him up.”

    Completely agree Toonsy.

    So many supporters were saying Ben Arfa looked good. To me, he looked to have regressed badly, as despite some good trickery and skill he always went for the glory shot when Cisse and Gouffran has made good runs into the area.

    The frustration from both of them was clear.

    I can’t pick out any poor players because they were all just as bad as each other. However, I can say that Tiote looked better and Krul was superb. Also, Dummett impressed me.

    Sissoko and Debuchy, were very disappointing. More so than the others.

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  14. Since April 2011, Pardew’s record reads as follows in the domestic league:

    Played: 43
    Won: 12
    Drawn: 8
    Lost: 24
    Goals scored: 49 (1.13/game)
    Goals against: 81 (1.88/game)
    Ave. points per game: 1.02 (38.2/per season).

    Three away wins from 23 games (0.13% win rate).

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  15. Georgio-Personally I think Ashley only sanctions buys for players who he “knows” will increase in value in some way, that is Carr’s scout remit and it is up to whoever is manager to then find a way to use that player, rather than getting a player the manager wants. What was the one position we didn’t need last year…CM…where was the one position we bought a first team player? CM…I doubt many were particularly singled out by Pardew to be brought in so I don’t think Ashley sees it as Pardew’s team.

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  16. I disagree. We played in a completely new way on Monday. No more route one for a start.

    Trouble is we were user ***** at it.

    Benny just kept running his tubby legs off until he lost the ball every time. For a poacher Cisse seems to have little instinct for position. As far Saylor… FFS! Transfer list the arsehole!

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  17. @JJ: Those are profound stats. 44 points from 129.

    He clearly is the problem. The season we did well he reaped the fruits of Hughton’s labour. Now his lack of foresight and lack of a philosophy (a way in which he believes the game should be played) has left him with a group of individuals instead of a congruent unit playing to his beliefs.

    His persistence with Cisse be it alone upfront or at all is brain mincing. The truth is he does not know how to save us. It is just getting worse and worse. An influx of even up to four or five new players will probably give us a lift for a few weeks and then we are back to square one.

    He has to go really he has to go and sooner rather than later.

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  18. Micheal12 ,For once we are in agreement ,the guy is clueless and I suspect even if we signed Messi he’d play him out of position and render him *****.

    Icepup ,From previous blog ,loved the rant, couldn’t of put it better myself .

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  19. Good read Toonsy and lots of valid points made. In a strange way i’m glad Monday was as bad as it was – if anything the 4-0 score line flattered us – we were woeful and it needed to be shown.

    While we didn’t lump the ball from keeper to Cisse i have to say, that the supposed “passing football” left a lot to be desired. Yes it was kept on the floor but trying to watch us string a pass between three players was painful. It’s not simply a case of passing a ball. It requires movement to find space and strength to hold the ball before releasing. It’s a type of football that you need to be conditioned for. It was like watching a bunch of 8 year olds being told for the first time how to pass, desperately resisting the urge not to knock it long. The passing game is more intelligent then simply passing between teammates hoping for an opening to exploit – you create that opening through movement and strength. I lost count how many times i watched our midfield enforcer Tiote getting palmed off the ball as easily as a six year old.

    Watching it unfold on the pitch looked like the fallout of Pardew discovering a new chapter in the Idiots Guide to Management.

    Pardew, i actually feel somewhat sorry for. He looks a completely broken man who’s been told by Ashley to run naked through a cornfield backwards. Unlike anyone else in the boardroom he actually looks like he cares and for a guy who’s just come back from his summer hols, looks miserable.

    Saying that, Monday was just further indication that he is complete out of ideas and change is needed. I appreciate that in doing so there is a better than even’s chance he’ll be replaced by JFK but the idiot inside me is saying Ashley could look elsewhere.

    West Ham, even at this stage, i feel only three points will do. If not. I predict a riot.

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  20. I actually thought the team pards put out was quite good, and I thought we did alright 11 v 11, considering how good city are and how well they played, Agueros goal in particular was quality, not many players could of scored that goal, if we had been able to continue 11 v 11 you never know what could of happened if we’d nicked a goal. I actually felt quite sorry for Pards considering hours before kick off he has to drop cabs, then Stevie f*cks him completely by getting a stupid sending off. Trust me Newcastle wont be the first team and last team to get gubbed at city

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  21. Gourcuff would certainly fit the bill, Classic number ten, Good from dead balls and would take some of the creative onus off Ben Arfa.

    Their saying we are preparing a €20m bid for him and Gomis, But i cant see why Charnley and Pardew would go across for that, JFK has done that (badly) himself all summer, For them all to go its surely further down the line than that…

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  22. Why is Ashley convinced Pardew can manage a team of French internationals? And could Joe do any better? I doubt it. Does this mean Joe will start bringing in English players now? I doubt it as they will be too expensive. Just where is Ashley taking us? Nowhere as usual. He thrashes about, sacks one useless burden to the club and brings in another. But no sign of real competence coming in. The walls are starting to move in on you again Ashley. Stop pretending you know something about football and either sell up or hire someone with modern football knowledge and experience. It’s the only way forward that might lead to success.

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  23. JJ’s stats @23 speak for themselves. Pardew’s record is bad and getting worse. He’s had his time. A few more games and he should be gone. The only thing that might save him is if Remy can produce an immediate impact, score some goals and free up Cisse as well. Otherwise Pardew will be gone by mid September.

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  24. if we can get a few players in we can start afresh, given Pardew can make them play as he seemed rather pleased with the team on Monday. I must of watch a different game as we were hopeless.

    If we cant secure any players we only have ourselves to blame for waiting so long and I fear we’ll have a very poor season.

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  25. It was nice to see a real winger in action, unfortunately it was against us. Navas showed what can be done. Pace, accurate crosses. some timely running with the ball, altogether a brilliant show. If only we could bring a decent winger in. Might as well be asking to win the fa cup I suppose. With Vuckic apparently going out on loan and Cabaye on his way out it does seem likely we’ll go for an AMF. Make a real bid this time Joe. If Cabaye goes we must bring a quality player in to replace him as well as another decent striker, a winger and hopefully a young CB. Get to work Joe.

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  26. Gourcuff is decent but Grenier who plays for the same team is or certainly will be much better and just for Mikey boy, you’ll make a huge resale profit on Grenier 😉

    Watched PSV v AC Milan last night, PSV had an average age of 22(bearing in mind they had 1 player 29 & 1 of 32 boosting that average up) they looked very impressive and were the better team on the night, especially Adam Maher, what a player he’s gonna be.

    Why are we so restricted to the French league? if that’s purely down to Carr then maybe he needs to go too? 😯

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  27. Just for the sake of argument I’m going to disagree. Pards stood no chance on Monday and I’d not blame him if he walked. A manager is expected to set out to the owner (or DOF) what he needs and is entitled to expect at least some of it. Pards has been clear and consistent but has had nothing back. He’s had players sold from under him and now this **** with Cabs.

    He has to take some blame (he’s clearly failed to educate that **** Saylor for a start) but I think JFK is more responsible. And the git who hired him.

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  28. Yes it’s strange Richie @43. There are many decent players in other parts of Europe. Why don’t we take a look in Spain for example? Other teams have had great success with players from there. It’s not as this overemphasis on French players has brought success to us has it mate? I just wonder about the whole setup under Ashley. It looks rotten to me. I don’t blame Carr but the other appointments have been pathetic. An overall football vision is required. Look at Swansea. They know what they want to accomplish and have done extremely well given the club’s size and budget. Have we? I would love Laudrup as manager but he would never work for an idiot like Ashley.

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  29. Have to agree Whumpie@44. It’s Joe and the git who are the real problems and that’s down to the git’s hiring policies. Pardew is poor but just a rabbit in the headlights. How to get rid of a rich git though? No real answer there. He’ll have to make up his own mind to leave.

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  30. WHUMPIE can only partly agree@44,if pardew was manager of barca he would make a pigs ear of it imo,the guy is clueless

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  31. Norwich got Elmander on loan. **** me but I would have taken him as well, threat from set pieces and can actually hold the ball up, even if it would mean hoofball…

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  32. @43 – theyve only just signed Maher too (from AZ?) Dutchies rave about him Our almost singular focus on the French market seems to be to the detriment of a functional scouting policy in other countries

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  33. M… Yeah they just signed him from AZ, I’d be surprised if they can hang onto him beyond this season if last night was anything to go by, but all their young uns played well and without fear, great game to watch.

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  34. I’m also livid with Saylor. He’s obviously too thick to learn and is just a bloody liability. The one Englishman we have on the park and he’s fookin worse than useless. Thank **** Dummy looks good. Saylor can bog off.

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  35. Aye Richie @52, there is that shambolic mess as well. I hope they both enjoy their life of wealth and luxury at our expense. Did either of them give it their all for us? Might as well ask an Englishman, Michael Owen while we’re at it mate. 😥

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  36. should we be putting vuckic out on loan? surely hes ahead of Sammy? why cant we develop his future..

    We’ve already lost Campbell and Ferguson and probably Cabaye too. Vuckic has been unlucky with injuries but hes not that far away from the first team.

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  37. Mark I would think after all the horrific injuries they are hoping Vuckic will return to form while on loan. At least I hope that’s what they are thinking.

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  38. i’m hoping we’ve secured players already so he’s not needed as much.. or should that be, I’m dreaming we’ve secured player..

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  39. Ashley and Kinnear are not blameless but that should not blind us to the fact that Pardew has failed to make the best use of what he has. He has also failed to develop the youth players. He has favourites and plays them irrespective of form. I believe he played Tevez out of position at West Ham. The only thing he is good at is making excuses – and most of those are laughable. I personally would prefer Kinnear to Pardew – that’s how desperate I am.

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  40. Mark @54. Yeah, sort of strange to send him out now when there might be an opening for more minutes, but I think G2 is right- let him get his match fitness/sharpness up elsewhere then bring him into compete next year. Hhard to believe that lad just turned 21. Seems like he’s been with us for 10 years.

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  41. I found a positive from Monday night – Zabaleta and Yaya Toure are in my fantasy footy team!!.

    I agree with those who don’t mind Cabaye leaving. Good player but I don’t believe he’s fully committed to the cause like. He spat the dummy last summer as well when we didn’t sign Debuchy. Look at Rooney, similar carry on at Man U but he was there playing at the w.end.

    I’d like to see us get someone like Mo Diame from WHU as replacement for Cabaye. Have him and Sissoko through the middle and Benny someone like Sinclair or Ince wider with Cisse/Gomis and Remy upfront – similar to how Man City lined up against us on Monday.

    Saylor has confirmed to me that he’d be 3rd choice behind Colo and MYM (not that it needed much) and Debuchy is still a big concern for me.

    I’d be looking to build a team around the spine of Krul, MYM, Sissoko, Benny (get his new contract sorted sooner rather than later please) and Remy (if we get him permanently)

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  42. Agreed about this ridiculous love-in of all things French. Can’t we look anywhere else ffs 👿 👿 There must be some top players in Holland, Spain, Belgium, even further afield, who we could snap up ? 👿

    There again, we don’t know, maybe the toon really are scouring europe and just not getting the break through ? We’re probably trying the same **** as Arsenal and Man Utd, going in with really low-ball bids and expecting the player to move, then wondering why we’re getting no-one over the line.
    Ashley is going to have to bite the bullet and splash the cash. The immediate future is more important than the long term, and the club needs reinforcing now…

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  43. Honestly Pardew needs to be certified as ******* clueless. Vuckic out on loan till January. What does that leave us with. Cisse who can absolutely nowt outside the 18 yard area. Shola who can only play half a hour on a good day. Gouffran who hasn’t a clue where the goal is.
    Come on Mike give Alan the bullet

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  44. Joe has been very busy for weeks he’s writing a list of the players names he knows and can say,he has three he’s got off pat,brown,smith,Jones,he will try and get them in the Jan window

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  45. Wasn’t long ago most of our fans were laughing at Villa, their squad and their manager. Now look at them. Always thought they would be alright last year, but look how Benteke has transformed them. Maybe if we’d sent Carr over a fucking border once in a while we would have had him rather than Cisse in the first place, imagine the side we’d have had then. Buying a striker to compliment Ba and Ben Arfa, what a novel idea 😯

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  46. I have also ran out of patience with Pardew as well now like. It’s ridiculous that he comes out with excuses and the players come out and apologise. He must realise that by them doing that makes him look a fool.
    I’ve had my fill of his refusal to let go of the 4-2-3-1 formation – that has NEVER worked. We haven’t even had a good spell with it that he’s trying to recapture – IT DOESN’T BLOODY WORK AL!!!!.
    I’d happily see Poyet or Di Matteo come in now and give it a go. I don’t think either are the future but they’d do a better job IMO.
    But for my opinion is that our club will remain a sleeping giant while the fat plank remains the owner of our beautiful club.
    It’s crazy that a club our size have to sell before we buy, despite the funds we have got (or will get) from TV and sponsorships – oh and a billionaire owner.
    That seriously sticks in my fucking throat to be honest.

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  47. Newkie
    Lambert kept the faith with his young players and didn’t cast them aside after a couple of games despite poor results. Compare that to Pardew who gives young lads the last 5 minutes of games when were losing. Blames them for everything but persists with Jonas and others

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  48. Toby-yup, our youth set up is a complete fucking joke, but then it has been for the last 12 years really. Krul and Zog were good youth purchases, but we’ve been really poor at developing our own players. Villa have been at it for a while, they had that youth coach in charge when we smashed them 6-0 but he was really well rated by the playing staff, and you can see why with all their lads coming through this season. Really hope Dummet can take his chance like..would have him at LB and Santon on the wing, but as soon as Jonas is fit again he’ll be in 😕

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  49. Man, talk about differences in football, and how the game is played in different countries.
    Just watched Schalke 04 1 PAOK Salonika 1 on German TV. FC Schalke (Gelsenkirchen) and Newcastle are actually twin-cities, and the football clubs have distinct similarities. Fervent fans, Schalke Ultras are absolutely crazy, and make a hell of a noise. The club are a bit of a basket case, and despite the fact that they have almost 60 thousand fans at each home game, haven’t won anything for years. They have had a ***** start to the season, the club are in uproar, and the fans are revolting. Today they played quite *****, and were booed off by the fans. At the end of the game, the captain of Schalke, a local lad called Hovedes went INTO THE STANDS and stood amongst 200 Ultras fans and discussed the game for 15 minutes. The Ultras spokesman was giving it large, and the two of them had a great exchange. The tele showed this too, a real sensible discussion between the player and the fans. Man I liked it. The fans had a real say-so, and I’m sure Howedes reported back to the fans AND the chairman of the club exactly what the fans thought.
    I love the German fans/club involvement. Football in England has been lost to the big money guys, the rich sheiks and the Russian gazillionaires. The fans are mere pawns….football the game of the people…my ****.

    Man City 4 Toon 0 summed it up for me. Look at the money involved at Man City. We have NO CHANCE AT ALL of competing with these clubs. The best we can hope for is fighting it out with Norwich, Fulham and Stoke for a mid table finish.

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  50. Opposition clubs KNOW we have flock all up front, and they also know that Pardew is tactically inept. A man marking job on HBA and Cisse tied up by the two centre halves, thank you very much good night Newcastle. We have no goal threat at all in the team. It makes life so much easier for the opposition, they know how we play…

    If Pardew can’t see this then fook me I don’t know. We need a complete tactical overhaul, a couple of new signings, and Remy in the team as soon as possible.

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  51. MM – that’s the difference with Pardew and Lambert though mate. Lambert has a direction and vision – Pardew really doesn’t.
    I couldn’t believe he went with the same old formation with Tiote and Jonas in the team – not a thing changed from the failure of last season.
    Despite Villa having a poor season, they still kept hold of Weisman and Benteke – why?, because they are prepared to pay wages. They haven’t spent huge in terms of fees, but they recruit young players and keep hold of them by playing them and leaving the likes of Bent and Given out of the team.

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  52. Fuk what a long day 👿
    Yeah Toonsy it seems like we havent learnt anything , yeah it was City but still it looked like half the team didnt want to be there, which is a worry.
    Maybe we’ll see a different approach on Sat but tbh I cant really see it happening, as under Jabba I just see.more of the same 😈

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  53. I dont give a ***** about YC leaving as I think he’s very overrated at 20mill (although I wouldnt sell him for less). AP saying that hes one of the best in the world is laughable. Cant remember the last time AP made a sensible or honest comment. All his bravado about the squad being in great nick was predictably blown to pieces against city. We were hopeless!

    We must be the least ambitious club in the league. Villa have kept all their good players, as well as most lot of other clubs this summer. Yet we publicly court YC all summer and then act shocked when a bid comes in. As if we didnt expect him to go. Its highly unlikely that he will be replaced and we will likely be the only team to go in with a weaker squad than last year. Its bloody criminal

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  54. Buddy, I agree, if anyone wants to leave then get rid, no matter what their perceived status is but why have we left it so late yet again ?
    Looking at his non performances last season, it is now obvious what has been going on behind the scenes, all this talk of depression and tiredness was all a smokescreen and we should have shipped him of at the beginning of the window and had his replacement sorted.
    But the club claimed they had no time to replace Carroll, which you could just about stomach, but Ba went at the beginning of the window and wasnt replaced.
    Fingers crossed that they will do the right thing this time but with the end of the window just around the corner, its not looking too good.

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  55. I don’t know who to be angry at tbh.
    I’m still partly on Pardew’s side.
    Is our side any betters than Fulham’s, Norwich’s etc, MM?
    I don’t think it is.
    My non-supporting Newcastle friends rate Swansea’s and Everton’s MUCH higher than ours.
    Will Pardew finish among Fulham & Norwich this year ❓
    Well we almost did last year, even with by far the worst injury record in the league, so I’m 99% sure we will.
    We can’t really expect much more than that without good investment.
    I’ll be happy with a young striker, and a decent winger, just as it seems like it’s asking a lot of Ashley even for just those.

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