Learning from their mistakes? Some chance!

Ashley, Kinnear & Carr yesterday

Ashley, Kinnear & Carr yesterday

Let me start off by saying that I am not happy by yesterday’s defeat at home to Hull. Actually, that’s not strong enough. I’m very embarrassed by yesterday’s defeat at home to Hull. Let me try one more time. I am absolutely disgusted with the disgraceful display that our FULLY FIT squad put on at HOME to newly promoted Hull City and that everyone associated with that performance should be ashamed of themselves! There, that ought to do it.

After an extremely positive team display away to Aston Villa, which included some impressive attacking football, many fans were wondering whether or not Pardew was finally beginning to see the light, and that his decision to go 4-3-3 again at home to Hull City was testament to his changing ethos. Well, while I admire the decision to seemingly go positively, questions must be asked about the serious lack of intensity throughout the game. What annoyed me even further is that Alan Pardew instructs his team to do exactly the same thing every time we go 1 goal up, which is to sit back and defend a 1 goal lead. It is infuriating.

Last weekend, we went 1 goal up and retreated into ourselves. So much so, that Villa got themselves back into the game and managed to find an equaliser. While there can be some merit in trying to defend a 1 goal lead away from home against a side who will be roughly in the same spot as you in the table, there can be no defence of that tactic when you are at home to a newly promoted side who will likely be fighting relegation this season! Through taking our foot off the gas following Remy’s opening goal, we afforded Hull a way back into the match, and combined with some truly shocking defending from our back 4, Hull did just that. Had we kicked on and pushed for a 2nd goal, we may have developed an unassailable 2 goal lead at home. That would have been very hard for Hull to come back from.

The 2nd half was a mediocre display comparable to the home defeats to West Ham, Swansea and Reading last season, and it would appear that the flaws in our home form last season are destined to be repeated this season unless Pardew learns how to instil a winning mentality when we are in St James’ Park. His rhetoric about how we should be looking to win “every game at St James’ Park” doesn’t seem to ring true. The fans believe we should, but I do not think the manager or even the players believe it.

Gutless. Disjointed. Uninterested. I wrote that a positive display would earn him another week. There was no positive display, so I am afraid his time is up. Alan Pardew, you need to go.

But if only it were that simple. Steve Harper called it perfectly when he said that the club was bleeding. Sacking Alan Pardew does not address the wound, it merely sticks a plaster on it. We can only cleanse the wound when we get the source of the bleeding out of our club – Mike Ashley. Interestingly enough, he made an appearance at yesterday’s game, probably because he thought the fans would be deliriously happy following our win last weekend.

You’re a coward Mike Ashley. Do the right thing. Leave Newcastle United, take Joe Kinnear and Alan Pardew with you and let us get back to enjoying our beloved football club once more.

What do you think? Am I being too harsh on yesterday’s performance? Perhaps I am not being harsh enough. What do you think of Alan Pardew, and more importantly, Mike Ashley? I’d love to hear your views.

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13 comments

  1. Very disappointing display. Hull were well organised, but we should have enough ‘creative’ players to break them down.

    I thought Ben Arfa’s performance was disgusting. It was beyond lazy and so predictable that I could have done a job at LB.

    You were right, Cisse should have been dropped for Gouffran, after yet another lack luster performance I am inclined to agree with you now. Will no balls Pardew have the brains to drop him though? Doubt it.

    Pardew messed up with the subs yet again, I think we changed formation with each of the 3 substitutions. Thats simply not on. Should have brought Marveaux on for the injured Cabaye so he could play in the whole. Then Cisse should have came off for Gouffran. Like for like swaps, which should have helped us maintain some sort of rhythm and fluidity. Also why bring on a DM (Tiote) when we are a goal down? Unbelievable.

    Interestingly, currently watching the Roma v Lazio game, Lazio fans all turned up late in protest of the lack of ambition in the transfer market. When they eventually came in they made loads of noise to announce their arrival and show their support. It worked brilliantly, I think the commentators mentioned it 3 or 4 times and I’m sure it will be covered again in the Italian press.

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    1. I have a feeling that Pardew will now ditch the 4-3-3 and cite the amount of space in midfield as the reason, also with the injury to Cabaye he will probably go with 2 central midfield players. Disappointing really.

      It would appear that Pardew hasn’t learned his lesson, he is back to making crazy tactical decisions and every crazier substitutions. Why not bring on Sammy at the end to go for the equaliser?

      As for protests? Hopefully we will have more word in the coming weeks ahead of protests that are being organised and there will be news about that in due course.

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  2. Very disappointing yesterday but however your claim that Pardew tells them to sit back after going a goal up is frankly ridiculous. This is the natural flow of football that when a team goes a goal up the other team pushes for an equaliser. I’m watching Arsenal Stoke at the moment and Arsenal are 2 1 up. Stoke are pushing them back and attacking – I’m sure Arsene Wenger hasn’t told Arsenal to defend their lead!
    Presumable you went to the match – maybe it’s your fault you are a jinx 🙂

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    1. Didn’t go to the match, so you can’t blame me! haha

      There are many team who keep the pressure on when going a goal up. It’s not always the natural reaction to sit back deeper. Also, while Arsenal may have been pushed back, they weren’t forced deep for a sustained period of around 10-15mins which seems to be what happens to us when we go a goal up.

      It happens once too often for my liking, Pardew showed with his substitutions, and his tactical tinkering, that he is a defensive coach at heart, and not a very good one at that.

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  3. Terrible result yesterday and who’d have thought Brucey would have out tic-tacked the tacticle genius (or summit like that) at SJP. After all the work pardew’s put in recently talking a good performance, the least we’d expect is the players to follow suit.

    Been mentioned over the weekend that Pardew’s part time at SJP, still based down south (darnsarf apparently) but travels up for part training and matches ( more likely press conferences). If it’s true, makes you wonder who is actually full time at the club! Hopefully most the players are.

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    1. At this rate I think most (if not all) PL managers could out tac-tic the tic tac toe guru that is Alan Pardew. Interesting how, after one decent away win, AP is talking up the team and MA and JK make an appearance at SJP. After Saturday’s performance, they won’t be back in a hurry.

      First I’ve heard about him being part-time. If true, that’s bloody ridiculous. Just another example of how poorly we’re run as a football club, both on the field and off it. I’m sick of saying it, but we need change, and we need it soon.

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    2. Why does he not make like for like substitutions? If you take a midfield player off, put one on. If you take a winger off, put one on! He has shown that when the going gets tough, he will ditch the 4-3-3, prepare for another season, of stifling 4-4-2 or a defensive 4-2-3-1.

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  4. remy scored 2 goals while cisse scores none !
    if it wasnt for krull and a lack of backtracking from arfa/sissoko we would have won that game comfortably.
    in all i’m thankfull we have a striker who is scoring goals and hopefully we can push on mid+ untill jan when we need to get a striker and pref another cb to settle in.

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    1. Only expect signings in January if we are suffering badly from injuries, or we’re fighting relegation. If we’re comfortable in mid-table with a relatively healthy squad, we’re going to get no one in. Mark my words.

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  5. We deserved to lose that game. Agree with Mactoon, Bruce got his tactics spot on. Apart from his spell at Sunderland, Bruce has been a decent manager to be honest. He’s better than Pardew anyway, though that’s not really hard.

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    1. In fairness to Bruce, he done better at Sunderland than the following two managers who followed him. MON and PDC were given a fortune to spend and they bombed.

      Bruce is a shrewd operator and he had our number throughout the game. Exploited Debuchy who was getting no protection, and had Aluko run rings round Colo from the off. Pardew didn’t/couldn’t respond.

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