http://espnfc.com/blog/_/name/newcastleunited/id/818?cc=5739# A good read and definitely close to the mark if not spot on... Surprised more people haven't noticed our appalling record at set pieces and corners to be honest.
Dont agree with that. It makes no mention of all the injuries we have sustained - we have been at the top of the physio room league table all season. That is the main reason for our poor performance. Our defence line up has changed numerous times and we have had to play players out of position - we have had a lot of bad luck. This could have been better dealt with if we had signed more players last summer, as rightly pointed out by the article. I don't blame Pardew for most of our failings this season although the corner / set-piece issues must definitely be down to his tactics. I just want us to be safe and this season to be over so that we can regroup ready for the next season.
it gets on my tits when the "injuries" thing is brought up and "bad luck"..you've had goals coming in from your midfield and forwards, all season.. deffo agree about the signings for your lot though..if you'd brought them in after the great season you had last, you may have had another strong finish on the cards, but they turned into panic buys... so much for challenging for champions league, that pardew had mentioned..
I'd say injuries have played a part, but not because of the number of games we've played, given that we got knocked out of the FA cup and League Cup early on (and we've only played 14 extra games in Europe on top of the PL games). The point about Chelsea and teams of a similar standing having a better conditioning/training programme than us rings true. Hazard/Mata probably aren't the only pairing in a top-half team that have played more games between them than players on our team in similar positions. If we're going to take on multiple competitions like a top-half team, we've got to have the training regime to support it, as well as the squad depth. As for luck, you tend to make your own. We've had decisions go against us when they shouldn't, as well as those that have been kind to us when we should have had men sent off or penalties awarded against us. Over the course of a season or two these tend to level out evens and we can't really blame them for anything. We're in the bottom half because we're not as good as the teams above us over the course of the year, not because some ref has a grudge.
Pardew, no tactics, no idea no inspiration. I actually look forward to half time to see the team come out looking devo'ed and disheartened for the 2nd half. The mans a joke and always has been (Mullins over Mascareno?) fluked last season thanks to G.Carr signings, this season he's been found out. You going down next season if you keep him. 8 year contract LOLS AND LOLS
Just for clarity - I meant the injuries were bad luck; not that decisions have gone against us or anything like that. Injuries have blighted us this season and continue to do so. I dont think our purchases could be deemed panic buys - we were linked with the players long before we signed them and none of them could be deemed flops. And Pardews 8 year contract is the same as any other contract - it lasts 8 years but can be broken at any time with a payout that would not be equivalent to the length of the term
Pardew hasn't become a bad manager over night. People forget we came 5th last season, and Pardew was double Manager of the Year, one of which is voted for by fellow managers. So he was obviously doing something right. Alex Ferguson even said in an interview that he always rated him as a manager (and he always speaks his mind). Coming 5th last season wasn't all down to luck. The league table doesn't lie and there's no such thing as a "false position". Obviously luck does play some part, but then it does in pretty much every game, for every team. Yes you make your own luck, but you have to get in the position to do so. People were judging Pardew on his past record, but past records count for very little, O'Neill was the prime example of that, his past record counted for absolutely zero during his time at SAFC. People just see he was sacked by Southampton, etc, without looking further into it. The reason why he sacked by Southampton? Dodgy chairman - same chairman who sacked Adkins, who shot them up the league and got them into the Premier League. The reason he didn't get Southampton promoted? They started the season on minus 15 points. Not even Mourinho could have got them promoted. The problem was not strengthening in the summer, that coupled with the injuries and we struggled. But any team would. Take the best 4 / 5 players out of any team for a considerable length of time without decent replacements and any team would struggle (imagine Liverpool without Reina, Johnson, Agger, Gerrard, Suarez all at the same time, Man Utd without Vidic, Carrick, Rooney, RVP at the same time). When we had the injuries, the players who were deputising simply aren't good enough at this level - Simpson, Williamson, Ameobi, Gosling. Pardew can't be totally blamed for set-pieces. If we're hitting the first man every time that's down to bad technique, not tactics. The talk of bringing in another coach on the technical side of things is a great idea imo. This squad is a top 10 squad easily, and if we can get back to playing the 4-3-3 that was so effective last season, when we demolished Man Utd at home, Chelsea away, etc then we'll be set for some exciting times. Only certain very technical / slick teams can get away with playing 4-2-3-1. Need to bring Sissoko back to play alongside Cabaye and Tiote in the middle, Ben Arfa and Marveaux out wide in advance (cutting in) supporting Cisse. We need to strengthen again this summer, and I think we will because I think we've learned the lesson from last season. I can see the players i've mentioned above (Williamson, Simpson, Gosling) all leaving. We need another CB, another striker, a winger and another midfielder. IF, and it's a big IF we HAVE to lose Pardew, then there's only 2, maybe 3 managers I would consider. Moyes when he leaves Everton, Michael Laudrup or Roberto Martinez. Give Martinez a decent budget and a big club and I reckon he'd work wonders. And I agree the length of contract is irrelevant. 8 years is the same as 2,3,4 years. He obviously won't be here for that length of time. But it does promote stability. Last season was his first full season in charge. For all we know, last season was the "real" us and this season is a blip. No point in sacking your manager after 1 bad season. Pretty much every team would change their manager every other year if that's the case. But, there's no reason to get rid of Pardew, he's relatively young in manager terms so will still be learning. Keep the faith.
Is not the description of a bad manager If you look at the list of Managers of the Year from the last 15 - 20 years, the only ones who've won it other than Alex Ferguson are - Dalglish, Wenger, Mourinho, Redknapp, Pardew That's a canny distinguished list, not to be taken lightly.
