Heavy defeats at the hands of Manchester United, Southampton and Everton combined with a poor run of form since the turn of the year have heaped pressure on Alan Pardew, whilst his headbutt which led to a seven match touchline ban certainly hasn’t done him any favours.
A season which had started with so much promise has petered out to nothing and now we are in danger of slipping out of the top half of the Premier League table. But whilst the performances from the boys in black and white haven’t been favourable, there is only a handful of games left to impress for those wanting to be on the plane to Rio come June.
A dip in form is that last thing those looking to book a spot in their respective international squads for the World Cup need so with that in mind, let’s take a glance at who’s in line to feature at the World Cup. Well, we need something to look forward to, right?
Loic Remy
Loic Remy looks set to make the French squad but a few decent performances between now and the end of the Premier League season would help his cause greatly. Karim Benzema has been in superb form for Real Madrid, scoring 29 goals, so will certainly be the talisman, but competition for a supporting role is well and truly up for grabs with Remy, Giroud and Lyon’s Alexandre Lacazette all on Didier Deschamps’ shortlist.
The problem with this is that we’re going to lose Remy at end of the season anyway as his loan deal expires, and a decent World Cup will easily push him out of our price range, if indeed he’s not already out of our limited transfer range. Remember, we can’t compete financially blah blah blah.
Moussa Sissoko
Moussa Sissoko is an absolute physical beast and should be in the France squad for the World Cup. The former Toulouse man has worried fans on the terraces of late with concerns he’s more interested in being fit for Brazil, but he looks like he’ll be thrown back into the team following a pulled hamstring, which will no doubt help build his fitness before joining up with France who are being backed to reach the quarter finals at the very least by freebets.
Mathieu Debuchy
The former Lille man has arguably been our best performer of the season, an accolade that could have been afforded to his mate Yohan Cabaye before he moved back across La Manche to Paris Saint Germain. Debuchy and Arsenal man Bacary Sagna are the two players who likely to tussle it out for the right-back spot in Dechamps’ squad.
Fabricio Coloccini
Over the years Coloccini has failed to nail a regular spot at centre-half in the Argentina squad, often having to pull out through injury, but the stalwart has World Cup experience and was trusted in the vital game that sealed the South American side’s place in the finals.
He’s also not happy with Newcastle’s performances of late. He recently told Sky Sports; “We are trying to win every game, of course we are. We have to play with pride for this club and for the fans.”
Hopefully the shaggy haired stopper heeds his own words in the final run in.
Shola Ameobi
The Newcastle veteran has only scored two domestic goals this season, but after a solid spell of form in November, followed by a goal for the Super Eagles against Italy, Shola Ameobi seems like he might finally get his chance at a major tournament.
He’ll be battling Victor Obinna and Emmanual Emenike for a place in the starting line-up though, whilst Ezekiel and Uchebo, who ply their trade in the Belgian leagues, will also be fighting for a position.
Cheik Tiote
It could be the Ivorian’s last chance to do something special this year with the likes of Yaya Toure and Didier Drogba perhaps starring at their last major tournament. And they have plenty to play for in a favourable group.
The defensive midfielder has played a major role on Tyneside this season and has allegedly caught the eye of Manchester City in the last few months.
The outsiders
There are several players who have a chance of finding themselves on the plane to Rio. Tim Krul perhaps has the best chance of the lot but is unlikely to be anything more than a squad member for the Netherlands. Vurnon Anita has not been called up fro a while and is not going to force his way into the reckoning now. For France there is Mapou Yanga-Mbiwa and Hatem Ben Arfa who have previously featured for their country but have fallen off the radar recently and I feel that they are in the same boat as Vurnon Anita and will have to watch from the sidelines.
When you look at it, especially the players who are near certainties to go to the World Cup, they haven’t done too badly at all. Loic Remy is our top scorer with Mathieu Debuchy performing well and Moussa Sissoko showing glimpses despite being played out of position.
However it is those on the periphery that have suffered. All four of my outsiders could have had solid seasons and worked their way into the thinking of their national team managers yet none of them have. In part that is down to Pardew and the weakness of the NUFC squad through lack of investment, but there must also be some blame apportioned to players who ultimately control their own performances.
Is it too early to start thinking about the World Cup? Not when you look at our season! If it’s not to the taste of some then tell me why, but personally I dislike going on about the same things over and over and there is only so many times I can write that Pardew must go or Ashley must go or we’ve been bad since Christmas and so on. Hence something different.
Has anything been missed?
It is a good read Johno, and whilst I agree with Neville on many points, the lack of passion and fight comes from the manager for me.
I would rather play Bigi and Armstrong, young hungry players who may give a toss than others. Just my opinion. I think Pardews done a decent job, just wonder if he has plateaued
Raffo(Quote)
I read on twitter ( I know the most realiable source since wikipedia 😆 ) that both Jonas and Haderia have big apperance money and thats why they are frozen out
Johno(Quote)
BB – indeed. We would be bottom of the table if the league started on Jan 1st.
Raffo(Quote)
Stu – I accept the players are not good enough, but this is basic stuff that should be getting done on the training ground.
I watched the Liverpool v Chelsea game at the weekend and it was well highlighted on MOTD late, but the Chelsea back line were so disciplined, they were like machines.
It wasn’t skill or ability, more discipline and commitment that kept Liverpool out. Things that would have been worked on over and over again on the training ground. We actually showed it against Liverpool earlier this season, but there’s no consistency there at all.
His subs last night were crackers as well. I just honestly think he’s lost and has no idea which direction he wants to take the team.
He has to go for me like.
Sharpy17(Quote)
Sharpy – Agree. I wouldnt mind getting humped so much if there was a clear sign of desire and commitment. I agree with Stu though that we need more bodies and certainly better quality, we just havent shown any fight or desire or class. That for me is Pardews main failing
Raffo(Quote)
Kim-I don’t think he will always pick the workmen over the “better” players, you only need to look at how Jonas has been replaced by Goof and Sissoko who clearly can’t work as hard across a season-but offer more end product. Raylor was also replaced by Santon. Best replaced by Cisse.
However I know what you’re getting at-he does tend to favour them. However I don’t honestly think Dummett works harder than Haidara so not sure where that’s come from…I think both work harder than Santon.
Call me cynical but I think Pardew might be under instruction from the top to ensure Dummett and Armstrong are made success stories, for us and wonga’s PR perhaps…
Newkie(Quote)
Sharpy – That was Gary Neville’s point. This basic stuff will be getting done on the training ground but the players are not absorbing it. That means they’re just not good enough. Pardew does not tell defenders to make the stupid, simple errors that they’re making. It’s nonsense for anyone to think he. If he was then yes it would be his fault, but he’s not.
No manager will succeed here until the cancer has been removed
Stuart79(Quote)
More delusion from the great one.
“I know they’re disappointed and angry at the moment that we haven’t got a result,” said Pardew.
But he added: “I’m looking at the job as a long-term opportunity for myself.”
“The only way we can get out of this run is to show more character on Saturday like we did in the second half against Arsenal,” he added.
Myself seems to be a key word! 2nd half? Was he there?
georgio(Quote)
Sharpy – Please do not compare our team with Chelsea and Liverpool.
Stuart79(Quote)
Sharpy-if we have shown it earlier in the season then surely it proves that the drills have been made and the players instructed in what they need to do. They have done it before. So what is more likely, that the coaches are now untraining them in how to defend, or that the players are switching off or can’t be bothered?
Newkie(Quote)
Newkie – the most obvious answer is we have too many **** players. When our line up includes falling over Williamson, try hard but nowt else Dummett, Snail slow Gosling, anyone of Shola de jong, Cisse then we will lose. Couple that with midfielder Sissoko on the wing, striker Gouffran on the wing, a nervous Krul and several others who have totally lost belief – Anita, Colo, Debs then we are total rubbish.
Then there’s watch me turn in circles Tiote.
Either they all need to go or Pardew does.
georgio(Quote)
Georgio – Spot on. The players aren’t good enough for a club this size. The problem is they’re good enough for Ashley’s ambitions at the club.
Pardew said yesterday sometimes we can’t match the fans expectations – well that’s bollocks! All we want is a team that tries to win, a team that wants to win a trophy, a club that spends within it’s means and an owner who is as ambitious to make nufc as good as it can possible be. Not as good as it can be “pound for pound’
Stuart79(Quote)
Georgio-for me, as always, it has to be a mix of reasons. Agree with you on many of those players-would anyone have believed we would have still had Shola on the books five years ago?
I’m not sure they all need to go as you say though. Plus, many of those names are already going. Shola yes, Gosling obviously De Jong certainly, Cisse (I would swap him if I could but what else are we left with when Remy goes?) Colo who wants to go and has done for well over a year, Willo and Staylor who can’t be relied on.
Most of the rest are well capable of being good players-however they need better players around them to reach those levels. They all looked a lot better with Cabaye. Most of them looked a lot better with Ba. Buy three good players (which we’ve been crying out for for a while now) and everyone just might start getting better…alternatively if we’re still completely all useless then I will be the first to admit it is all Pardew’s fault.
Newkie(Quote)
Stu – Krul = Dutch international. Debuchy = French international. Colo = Argentine international. Santon = Italian U21 international.
Ok Dummett and Willo aren’t internationals but they are not **** poor players.
My point about our Liverpool game earlier this season, when Mapou was sent off and Dummett came on and scored, is that we showed great discipline that day. There have been other occasions, but that game in particular stands out when every player worked hard, and stuck to their task. They are not **** players because they have done it this season – but for whatever reason they aren’t now!.
Have they packed up and went on holiday?.
Are they sick of playing at a club with no ambition?
Have they lost faith in Pardew?
Everton have conceded more than 20 goals less than us this season.
Is Howard that much better than Krul. Is Colman that much better than Debuchy. Is Jagielka that much better than Colo. Is Distin that much better than Willo. Is Baines that much better than Santon?.
Not individually, but as a unit – well the stats don’t lie do they?!.
From front to back, they are a team that play like they have bought into what their manager is trying to achieve. They play like a team that still has something to play for.
Our players do not look like they are playing for Pardew anymore, regardless of what he may be saying on the training ground.
That’s why I think he has to go mate.
Sharpy17(Quote)
Sharpy – give your head a shake:
Is Howard that much better than Krul. Is Colman that much better than Debuchy. Is Jagielka that much better than Colo. Is Distin that much better than Willo. Is Baines that much better than Santon?.
YES yes.
Ok Dummett and Willo aren’t internationals but they are not **** poor players. Yes they are.
georgio(Quote)
I know everyone keeps going on about new managers but just remember this; Any new manager is going to be told the following:
1) You have no money to spend on players, or if there is it’s bare minimum – as near to zero as you can get.
2) We will sell your best players if we get a bid for them.
3) You will not be permitted to show any visible intent to win a trophy as staying the PL is the clubs number one priority, so your cv is likely to show no sign of improvement.
4) you shall back up the clubs strategy and regime under criticism from fans and local press.
5) At the end of this season you are likely to be left with a squad minus 6/7 players who will either leave on a free or go back to their parent clubs but we can only replace them players who offer value for money, talent is irrelevant.
6) You will have only Papist Cisse as a striker at the end if this season.
7) your club captain and best defender will be wanting to leave at the end of the summer and as he only has a year or so left in his contract we will probably let him leave.
8) the fans are in full revolt
9) finally the most important fact of all; you must keep us in the PL – even if that means finishing 17.
I can see them queuing round the block for this job…
Stuart79(Quote)
There’s so much wrong with Newcastle United these days I don’t know where to begin!
1. One dimensional manager, speaks ****, blames press, players, fan’s for expecting to much ( seriously go ffs).
2. I may sound a little racist but to many french players. They’re so gutless and give up to easily. No fight or passion but Pardew’s training could be based on that style!
3. Colocini doesn’t communicate with his players and is slow these days! If Pardew had any sense he would take that Arm band away from him.
4. How fucking stupid Mike Ashley is! No ambition, doesn’t care about bad results. Players and our clueless manager have noticed this and our taking the **** ( BIG STYLE)!
5. Get a replacement before selling our best player!
6. Hire a DOF that know’s what his doing
7. Hire a manager with passion, pride and better than Pardew
8. Stop blaming the press for being a money grabbing ****.
stem(Quote)
Sharpy – You have just made my point for me thanks. Good players do it consistently, average players do it now and again. We have average players. Just because Debuchy gets in the French side doesn’t make him good. They failed in the last Euros and struggled to qualify for this WC. Santon? Please! The lad can’t defend.
Krul – He’s the keeper and he generally has good games, thankfully.
Drummet is a young kid who stands no chance playing in front of fans who just give him pelters after about 6 starts. I remember Enrique being pretty poor at the start but he didn’t turn out too bad. Give the lad time for gods sake before judging.
The fact is the rest are proven not good enough – they can’t do it over a prolonged period of time and that’s why they’re not good enough.
Stuart79(Quote)
The team / squad we have is a top 10 team. I would argue with Cabaye we would of been top 8 side.Ashley doesnt have the ambition to replace the current squad with a squad that would compete for a higher league position than top 8. However I would argue that if we got a new owner in they would be starting with a very good base. We have a decent sqaud and turning a profit in terms of the business side. The biggest problem I can see with someone buying us is that £120+ million debt we owe Ashley
Johno(Quote)
Sharpy-Ask any Everton fan, they will tell you their players are streets ahead. We don’t like to admit it, Krul has so much raw talent but Howard is far more solid, how many silly flaps does he make a season? And Baines over Dummett?..Coleman over a Debuchy who is either suspended or injured half the season?
Colo is an argentine international with 6 caps in the last 5 years, in a side hardly renowned for it’s defensive ability/solidity. Some of our fans thought he was the best defender in the league two years ago. Yes he was in brilliant form, but is he naturally and consistently that good?
Newkie(Quote)
It’s staring everyone in the fucking face! We are 9th and everyone above us has a better squad. It’s not fucking rocket science football.
Stuart79(Quote)
Georgio – not 20 goals poorer!. But if that’s your opinion, then who bought those players? – Pardew!!. – Debuchy & Willo he did anyway.
If they are performing so badly why is he selecting them week in week out?, why have Saylor and Mapou on the bench?, where Haidara?.
This is Pardews fucking squad man!. If they are **** as you claim then it’s Pardew we have to thank for that!.
Stu – My point is to you as well mate. If Debuchy is average – why did Pardew chase him over 2 transfer windows?.
If Santon can’t defend why did we buy him?.
Poor Pardew has a **** squad to work with – the ******* is responsible for the players we have there man!.
Sharpy17(Quote)
Stuart-exactly that, and they have all spent well and recently to improve their side, while we are built around cutting costs.
Those 6 months we’ll have without Cabaye’s wages being paid out will equate to 1,200,000 in saved monies. Financial success, Huzzah! 😆
Newkie(Quote)
Sharpy17 Well said. Pardew makes people so angry
stem(Quote)
Sharpy-Pardew did not sign Williamson mate, that was Hughton….
Newkie(Quote)
Sharpy – You really believe Pardew picks the players who are bought? 😆 😀
He also didn’t buy Williamson, Hughton did. But let’s be honest, Talyor is no better so what’s the point in changing….
Mbiwa I agree I think he has potential but he needs to get use to the PL and he should have been playing as we couldn’t have done any worse.
Stuart79(Quote)
Classical musicians will sound like a bunch of high school wanna be rock stars thrashing their instruments if the don’t have an experienced conductor to get the playing in unison! ! If they have a poor conductor does it mean they are bad musicians?
Aussie Magpie Fan(Quote)
Aussie-aye, and some fool on the tambourine can make the whole lot of them sound terrible. For me players have a huge impact on each other.
Carroll made Nolan look good, Barton made Carroll look good, Carroll and Nolan’s combined play/stats made Barton look good.
Aaaaaaand separated we have….
Newkie(Quote)
Newkie ,He may not of signed him but he keeps picking him, when others could play .
KIMTOON(Quote)
Kim-aye so he should play Staylor, the idiot who got himself sent off in our opening day thrashing? Let’s not forget tayls went into this season as favourite, he lost his place fair and square. Mbiwa took over from Tayls until the fans destroyed what confidence he had by singling him out for blame whenever he or Colo or someone else made a mistake. After all Colo doesn’t make mistakes.
Now I agree, the defence needs looking at yet again. But for me I’d be playing Mbiwa and Willo (because they are likely to still be our players next year-but I would still fully expect them to let the goals fly in in our current state, I wouldn’t see it as some sort of instant fix)
Newkie(Quote)
http://www.chroniclelive.co.uk/news/north-east-news/newcastle-united-fans-spell-out-7044974
KIMTOON(Quote)
We do not have better teams than anyone above us
Stuart79(Quote)
Mbiwa for me Newks I have always thought that,he’s had no where near enough of a chance.
KIMTOON(Quote)
Newkie, agree to a point! But if players are disengaged it is all too easy to say they are not good enough. A large part of it comes down to attitude and application. If they are not applying themselves, they are letting themselves and the manager down! I think the players like Pardew but dont truly rate him as a manager! They are playing as well as they have too, not as well as they can!
Aussie Magpie Fan(Quote)
Kim-he hasn’t, but football is all about instant success. When he was making mistakes people were howling, some wrote him off in the first half of the season with us. Just as Stu said about fans writing off Dummett now for the rest of his career with us. To play for Newcastle United you need to cope with some of the absolute bile and trash that is thrown your way from some sections.
If Pardew had kept playing him and we’d kept getting humped from some of his errors it may have finished him
Newkie(Quote)
Now for some good news 😀
http://www.chroniclelive.co.uk/sport/football/football-news/ryan-taylor-back-training-newcastle-7047805
KIMTOON(Quote)
Newks , Possibly but sticking him at RB has not done him any favors either and I reckon he’s not sold on Pards and has maybe been having a little moan to pals back home judging by comments from his ex chairman like.
KIMTOON(Quote)
Given Pards still has the backing of some on here due to the circumstances he finds himself under, then I guess the question is do we trust his judgement in the transfer window. Would you trust him with say £20-25m come summer baring in mind he still thinks Shola can do a job, still rates De Jong and put Obatan on the bench last night. 😉
KIMTOON(Quote)
Aussie-that’s probably true as well. But how are we going to get a manager who the players rate, because for me that goes against the odds of anyone who Ashley wants to appoint, certainly for any long time period.
Attitude and application comes from having something to play for as well. Look at WBA and Swansea last year, they were the toast of the league and Laudrupp was god. They saved themselves and both their form spiralled down in the new year by and large. The worrying thing is that both carried into this season and now both have new managers, both plodding along averagely..
We finished 5th not too long ago, I’m not sure our players are as thrilled by the prospect of 8th as Saints and Stoke are, which would be well above what they are used to.
Newkie(Quote)
Man U won the title last season with pretty much the same group of players – this season nowt and their squad is now classed as average.
Liverpool were nowhere near last season and their season was average – this season CL and still in with a chance for the title.
Common denominator – change of managers.
Sharpy17(Quote)
Kim-aye true and he also still rates Cisse, who has the same goals from open play as Shola 😆 Considering Obertan wasn’t used and we need to put someone on the bench then I don’tsee what difference that makes. Is De Jong rated or is he desperate?
Playing Mbiwa at right back hasn’t been great but then it’s a move of necessity the board decided we’d be fine with buying one right back with known disciplinary issues and international commitments and letting our only two senior right backs leave… At least it gives him gametime in a position where there is less pressure than centre back.
Newkie(Quote)
No Kim, 25 million is to much where Pardew’s concerned. There our players that we can try and sign up now on the Bosmin ruling. They might be better than some we have now ? We acted to slow and end up missing out.
stem(Quote)
Kim no I don’t trust him to rebuild the squad.
I’ve been at least a bit more supportive of Pards than most until this most recent run. Now I don’t think he’s the man to take us forward and if that’s the case he should be replaced now so someone else can rebuild the squad. It makes no sense to let him do it and then fire him next year
MDS(Quote)
Part of the problem, is that we seem incapable of turning defence into attack and relieving the pressure on the back 4.
We cant keep possession and struggle to get beyond the halfway line.
I agree that there is just so much wrong, that it cant all be down just to Parsnip. Clearly the fat git and the players are just as culpable.
There is a distinct lack of leadership at all levels of the club, which needs addressing.
I guess changing the manager is the easy option, but is not guaranteed to bring about change.
So what IS the answer ❓
I don’t see a queue of new potential owners lining up to buy out jabba.
Next season is going to be a nightmare of epic proportions, unless something radical happens. 🙁
Beardsleys Boots(Quote)
Sharpy
Moyes has definitely done a shoddy job – but I think having a fit RVP and Carrick (PFA team of the year) all season helped Fergie a fair bit in his final year!
And Rogers was there last season 😉
Liverpool made a statement of intent by keeping Suarez and strengthening.
I want Pardew gone because I am sick of the sight of him, and think form has gotten so bad that he may as well be there.
But we still know that a new manager would be dealing with Stu’s job spec @766.
Four points off CL at the turn of the year.
SolanosTrumpet(Quote)
Beardo-for me the only answer (other than Ashley selling) is for a close mate of his who happens to be knowledgeable about football (does he have any?) to offer to become DoF/Chairman and essentially take total control of the club top to bottom and save Ashley the trouble and investment which obviously doesn’t interest him. That person can then kick us in the right direction at all levels. Charnley is just as much a sycophant as llambias and by all accounts will be even more frugal. I can’t see a new manager being brought in who will bring us success. At best I see remaining in the 12-8th bracket of teams.
Truly a grim reality but i’m pretty much resigned to it by now if I wasn’t years ago.
Newkie(Quote)
Firstly Aussie – You’re probably right about the players not respecting Pardew. But no manager we have will ever get the respect of the players as they’ll just be puppets for a poor regime.
Kim – Pardew doesn’t choose the players we buy. The question is do you trust Carr and Ashley with the money, not Pardew – he gets what he’s given.
Sharpy – There you go again comparing us to Liverpool and Man Utd. Man Utd had just parted terms with probably the greatest manager there’s ever been after 27 years – of course they were going to struggle! Not whether you know but When Liverpool finished 7th last season Rogers was the manager. I guarantee you if they had sold Suarez they’d be nowhere near they are now. But don’t forget Rogers was also allowed to buy Coutinho and Sturridge as well as a couple of other decent players. They improved their squad and kept their best player – everything we didn’t do!
Everyone’s arguments are so transparent it’s not funny.
Stuart79(Quote)
What annoys me is Ashley won’t sack him! He must have noticed we can’t defend lately, create chances, or score goals ? He hasn’t helped much on transfer’s. He seems to have no pride where results our concerned. He will get his loan money back in a few year’s time and the rest so why insult us with bad manager’s and dof. Not every newcastle fan sent him death threats after Keegan left. Some might applaud him for the financial side of things. He should communicate to the fan’s and stop getting idiots to do it for him.
stem(Quote)
Cant really argue with that Newkie.
But it isn’t going to happen is it ?
Making the complete lack of ambition public to all and sundry was a massive mistake.
If the players don’t like it, then I would expect to see transfer request flying in any day soon.
Beardsleys Boots(Quote)
Newkie, It matters not that he didn’t use him ( obatan ) he put on Shola and only two weeks ago was praising De Jong to the hilt. He wants Shola to have an extention ffs you surly don’t agree with that. As for Cisse he has never backed him publicly the way he has Shola . And hearing the names of players he wants us to bring in scares the hell out of me tbh.
KIMTOON(Quote)
Really my last straw with Pards came in the last week when he essentially said we are about where we should be as a club. Sorry but I have more ambition that that, Alan.
Plus I think this recent run has cost him the supporters for good and don’t see him winning us back. Therefore it’s time for a change.
MDS(Quote)
Beardo- no, never really going to happen. We need leadership from someone higher up than a manager but I just don’t see where that will come from, cause it’s certainly not the owner and he’s too stingy to appoint anyone decent below him.
Why they ever let slip that there was no intention to win a cup is beyond me. Maybe Ashley doesn’t like the idea of a target not being reached hanging around him or something. But it was the mother of all backfires. Almost every team in the football league has a bonus for cup competitions and here we are openly inviting teams to have a go at us because we aren’t taking them seriously!
Newkie(Quote)
Stu , Nope your wrong mate, Pards bought Obatan in and only the other day was saying him and Carr had submitted a list of names of whom they would like in. This is something I have heard him say in previous windows too. To say he has no input on transfers is just nuts and inaccurate.
KIMTOON(Quote)
https://twitter.com/telefootball/status/461128669520740353
Stuart79(Quote)
Kim – the fact you only mention Obertan pretty much says it all. They said in their recent statement “of course the manager will have an input” but that’s a long way from saying the manager will choose and buy the players.
Stuart79(Quote)
Kim-he put Shola on, he scored last week and what other centre forwards do we really have? No obviously I don’t agree with him being given an extension, really wouldn’t surprise me if it happened though!
Cisse has been backed publicly, several times in fact. He’s repeatedly said how good he is, important, good training, wont even think of selling etc etc.
Pards has to back all of his players to install confidence-even De Jong! I appreciate most people have now written De Jong off (myself included) but he had people on his back after the first game ffs.
Newkie(Quote)
I don’t trust Jabba to hand over enough transfer cash but I trust Pards even less to spend it wisely.
KIMTOON(Quote)
Stu ,make your mind up mate ,either he has input or not, you said he gets what he’s given, clearly that’s not true.
Newks ,he should of put Arma up front not Shola.
As for his Cisse comments it’s always how good he is in training and nothing more,
And De Jong is poor Newks, no ifs no buts he’s poor.
KIMTOON(Quote)
Kim-you’re saying that yeah. Maybe Pardew wants to protect him from the abuse that dummett is now getting. How many people have really seen Armstrong and what he can do?
He has also said other things about wanting to keep Cisse so don’t know where you get that from.
Ok so you ruled him out before playing for us did you? I’ve just said he’s poor, hence why he’s getting less and less time on the pitch presumably…
Newkie(Quote)
Kim – Having an input is not the same as choosing the players. I’m pretty sure at these meeting he says something like “Well I quite like the look of Jonjo Shelvey, I like him.” And Carr says “Well we have a lad in France that’s as good a player and £4m cheaper” Ashley “Thanks Alan for your input, we’ll go with Graham.”
Or maybe this Pardew: “I don’t think we should sell Cabaye” Ashley “Thanks Alan, we’ve agreed a fee with PSG”.
Stuart79(Quote)
Pardew is a patsy, a puppet who never complains about anything. Why would Ashley want to sack him?
No self respecting manager of proven quality would want to work for him.
Stuart79(Quote)
Mbiwa, Ben Arfa, Remy, Debuchy, Sissoko, are all French nationals. All more than good enough. ALL have declined in ablity since their arrival under Pardew’s management.
Mbiwa has basically been destroyed.
Kurl, Anita are both Dutch internationals. Both have gone stale since their arrival.
Tiote is an Ivory Coast international. Cisse is a Senegalese international. Tiote has done well, but he is a hard tackling midfielder, doesn’t need much coaching/tactics there. Just go out and break up attacks.
Cisse has declined massively in ability since being messed around by Pardew.
These are had been selected regularly for their countries until Pardew got hold of them. The only one who is still a regular is Debuchy who has been good. But for how long before he gets fed up.
For me, even Cabaye never reached his full potential under Pardew.
Marvauex has never been given a chance by Pardew. They might not apply themselves in training, but who does when you are practicing tactics you think are bollocks by a **** manager who wants to play football you know doesn’t suit your game.
Santon, has declined under Pardew. Coloccini has lost interest and has clashed with Pardew which was publicised in the papers. Something to do with disagreeing with tactics.
The only time our youngsters have looked good is when they go out on loan and are coached by OTHER managers. They come back and show glimpses of form but soon decline to the poor standard of the rest of the team.
Williamson has been ok, he’s Pardew’s type of limited player. His set piece kingpin even though I am yet to see a goal in 4 000 attempts of the ball to the back post.
Players Pardew has regularly played out of position:
Mbiwa, Gouffran, Sissoko, Cisse, Anita, Ben Arfa, Ferguson, Dummett etc.
Like someone said earlier. I could handle it and forgive him if we still played decent football, fought hard and lost. That’s the very least a manager should get out of his team. But we play **** and get absolutely slaughtered nearly every game.
We struggle against teams with far worse squads.
Our manager makes one excuse after the next. Has no backbone. Insults the fans by his own stupidity without realizing. Blames the media for his losses.
People feel sorry for him??? I don’t think there has ever been a more fortunate manager EVER! ANYONE else would have been sacked by now.
JJ(Quote)
Newkie – De jong had people on his back after the first game because we could see from the first five minutes he was ****. Utterly **** and we should never buy a striker from Holland again.
People asking if we can trust Pardew with money in the summer. NO NO NO! It’s absolutely vital he gets the chop this season.
georgio(Quote)
People asking for more English players are also stupid.
English players are ****. The decent ones are taken by the bigger clubs. What we need is a manager who can get more out of our current lot of players.
English managers are **** too. That’s why Harry Redknapp can’t even win the Championship with a Premier League squad.
That’s with a midfield of Joey Barton who everyone thinks was the bees knees. He couldn’t clean Cabaye’s boots in terms of ability.
Any English playets that are good enough do not want to play for Newcastle anymore.
I realise most foreign players only see us as a stepping stone. But that’s fine for now. As long as you have a manager that can set up to use their strengths. Not ask them to play like a Peter Crouch are Andy Carroll.
JJ(Quote)
This article is spot on:
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/football/teams/newcastle-united/10795660/Newcastle-United-fans-have-rarely-been-so-depressed-and-sacking-Alan-Pardew-is-easiest-option-to-placate-them.html
Acknowledges just how ****** over Pardew has been by Ashley over the years but accepts that it is not the whole reason for how **** we have been.
SolanosTrumpet(Quote)
Georgio-not going to lie, he did look ****, but I just don’t think you can judge them on a couple of appearances. It’s not like he stepped into a side bang in form after all, although wasn;t his first match the hull game… 😕
I just don’t see why Ashley didn’t use the headbutt scenario to his advantage, surely they are grounds for dismissal, he would have been able to get rid for absolutely nothing-or at the most, a months wages.
He had the opportunity and he didn’t take it, for me that says it all about how he views Pardew and how little he cares about progression
Newkie(Quote)
JJ – “all French internationals”
I seem to remember people criticising Ashley when we didn’t get Debuchy – saying that it lowered the morale of the whole squad. Could that not have been the case when their main man, and our best player was sold?
Four points off CL on Jan 1st to this isn’t as simple as “Pardew is ****”.
Pardew can’t halt the rot it doesn’t seem but you seem to absolve Ashley of most the blame.
SolanosTrumpet(Quote)
And JJ, though I agree some people believing English is the only way (which I think is wrong but I can understand as our English backbone of Carroll/Barton/Carroll etc was the first time in years we saw desire and fight in our team), do you not agree that the French stereotype holds true at all?
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/football/teams/france/7841810/World-Cup-2010-France-squad-refuse-to-train.html
http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/euro_2008/france/7371294.stm
Let’s face it. If the Frenchies don’t want to play, they aren’t going to play.
It will take a manager of decent standing to kick their arses into gear now.
SolanosTrumpet(Quote)
ST – nobody has forgotten what Ashley has done to this club but a decent manager would make the world of difference. Ashley is a law unto himself and nobody can fathom his thinking. I’d have thought that if a SD exec was doing as badly as Pardew he’d sack him. Nothing makes sense from Pardews words to Ashleys actions.
georgio(Quote)
I don’t think we should stop buying French, we just need to look elsewhere. There are about fifty worthwhile leagues worth looking at across the globe but we seem obsessed with one.
Newkie(Quote)
Newkie , I was not on De Jongs back from the start if you go back over the blogs you will see I actually thought he’d link up well with Remy and Cisse as I thought he’d made some intelligent runs/passes, but the more he has played the more lightweight he has looked and sadly I just don’t think he’s cut out for our league. He looks poorer with each game though I concede that may well be a confidence issue. Would I be happy for us to sign him at £7-8m as quoted ,not on your nelly.
KIMTOON(Quote)
Newks ,Agree ,do not get this French love in at all,other than they were cheap, even that no longer seems to apply .
KIMTOON(Quote)
To be honest.
Even with another average manager – would we have got higher than 8th this year? Would we be satisfied with 8th?
Pardew’s second half of the season has been fucking awful. Far worse than any run we’ve had. Everything from goals, goals conceded, chances created, desire, passion. All ****.
But we are still 9th? That must show we had a good first half of the season?
A good manager may get us higher. A good manager won’t work for Ashley.
An average manager might get us to 8th place. Our squad is no better than 8th.
Brilliant – would that excite us? NO. The bottom line is Ashley – the fans need to unite in getting his cancer out of our club.
Forget Pardew, if we can drive Ashley away, any new owner with half a brain cell will opt for a better manager anyway.
SolanosTrumpet(Quote)
I don’t see many writing off Dummett , I certainly haven’t ,he needs more time before we can write him off. Last night he made a couple of fine clearances which I mentioned at the time.
As for Arma he’s scoring for fun and an England regular now so no denying the lad has talent in spades. But he needs to have more faith shown in his ability .
KIMTOON(Quote)
Kim-yeah fair enough, I was asking if you had rather than saying you had. I’m about the same, he seemed a bit quicker and could pass a little more than Shola and Cisse, he seemed a decent link between the midfield. But his shooting is awful and he looks way too lightweight for the league.
Also re the players-exactly, they aren’t even cheap! Spanish teams are constantly living on the edge, they have some tasty players yet we never seem bothered! Or maybe we’re too scared after going for Xisco 😆
Newkie(Quote)