Cheers, I actually will see most of the second half as it turns out so there'll be a much more detailed one later.
He was questioned at the post match conference, but was for Tuesday papers. Hopefully we'll get a real reason then.
Apparently Pardew said they were still not playing him every game as he isnt fully fit yet, which is understandable. Think about it though, we needed at least some height against Norwich to defend set pieces (admittedly this failed horribly), and we clearly thought 2 big strikers would hurt Swansea as they are a small side with few physical players. I think HBA will probably start in midweek.
Surely against Norwich when it was obvious that height wasn't helping it would've been better to put on Hatem for Shola to try and just score as many as them. Same against Swansea when it was heading for a 0-0? I can understand not starting him, but not subbing him on just baffles me.
Possibly, but changing to a 4-5-1 is a defensive substitution, doesnt necessarily help if you're chasing a game. I'm frustrated that he hasnt played some part though, he could have really hurt Swansea and Norwich.
It's not as defensive when you're putting on an all out attacking player like Ben Arfa though. I can understand it wouldn't have worked as well against Norwich as we weren't really playing build up football, but against Swansea when we were given time to pass around and work a way through i'd have loved to have seen him. Although, maybe leaving him out of yesterday's game was more to keep him fit for Wednesday. I can only hope.
Yeah especially given we were playing something like Back four and keeper Cabaye Obertan - - - - - - - - - - - - Jonas Ba Shola Possibly, I hadnt thought of that. Maybe he thought Swansea was the easier game and that we could get away with not playing.
I'd have thought that he'd have come on for Obertan on the right wing, so still 4-4-2 but with a decent RM, and still two strikers on.
