It's ridiculous that people are getting so worked up so early!

I was listening to the radio on the way home, and the commentator and the West Ham and West Brom fans were talking about how they could get into Europe at the end of the season!

I mean, for gods sake! A couple of results either way for any club can help them shoot up or shoot down the table, that's how early it is. We're still within 2 pts of Arsenal and 3pts of Spurs, because they've also not had amazing starts of the season. Do people seriously think that the table that is currently in place will be in place at the end of the season? Do people seriously think quality sides like Arsenal will be beaten in the table by the likes of West Ham?

A team that gets back to back wins will shoot up the table, it's that close. We need to calm the **** down, and realise that we got some cack results last season also, and we also need to look at the fact that we're not the only one to drop points in winnable games. Arsenal failed to beat Sunderland and Fulham at home. They've been on and off. Spurs have dropped 7 pts at home now. We've dropped 2, maybe 4. Liverpool have dropped a few also. We've dropped no more than the teams expected to be in that top 7 this year!

It's a long season, and it's far too early to be worrying, especially since we've done pretty well despite not hitting form yet. We've won games due to quality, so that should be a promising sign. If we can be within a few points of the top whilst playing ****, then I can wait for us to play well!

 

Pardew told us to judge him and the team after 10 games this season, so that's what I'm doing. My judgement is that's it's not been good enough and is showing NO signs of improving any time soon. It's not like we're gradually getting better, or being unlucky in games, it's just plain poor. It's poor to watch and the results are in general matching the performances.

 

It certainly wasn't pretty to watch today.

 

Our set piece work is woefull. Pardew said pre season he wanted a goal scoring centre half to chip in with goals from set plays. Well our lack of forward thinking in the transfer market is now hurting us. Injuries all over the place, suspensions mounting. I'm all for our blue print on signing players but this day and age, not selling your best players is not a mark of a team going forward. Sign no one, you don't stay still you move backwards. We had a great opportunity to kick on from last year but it want taken. We've got to get the bodies in when the transfer window opens.

 

Lol don't even get me started on the setpiece. We've run that abomination of a setpiece for months and we've gotten nowhere. Can we have better set pieces now, oh wait, I just remembered our entire team can't cross...

 

hear hear!

 

Well said Tash, all this just wreaks of the fairweather modern football fan.

 

To be fair you're going through an injury/suspension nightmare. I think that's the type of season you're in for though if you're taking the Europa League seriously. If I was Pardew I'd be looking at prioritising league football now and send a load of kids to Europe League ties, even the home games. It's quite clear as well, your strikers do not work together, I don't even think they like each other judging by their link up play, you need to get rid of one and bring in a replacement to compliment the other.

 

I think we need to retain both Terry to be honest. Even if they can't play together (I'm not convinced as they were fine last year! Cisse is just having a mare), we need them and another option to compliment them. They'll all get knocks and loss of form. Obviously we are not like yourselves in terms of finance but I'm sure we must be able to stretch to another 3 players on the books (centre half, left back, striker), particularly if we get rid of some dross who have no part to play (Gosling).

 

Agree with Terry personally. Cisse in Europe, Ba in the league. Had enough of watching these two make the same runs to the same position and end up with nowt. Yesterday there was one ball imparticular where they both ended up behind one another, both trying to flick it on but only managed to head it against eachother and the ball rolled to the keeper... and then they sat there and stared at each other!!! Now if either had given the other a shout that would be fine but watching the replay there wasn't even a secret love touch between the two, not one mutter, that i saw, claiming the ball??? You get taught this stuff while your a kid and to not be doing in at the top level of the game? there is no excuse.

 

We have been awful all season(part from Europa League) and our set pieces are the worst in Europe...pretty good reason to be annoyed.

 

5* thread for me

 

The more the season goes on, the more Raylor's injury looks like the worst thing that could have happened. As an option off the bench, he has sublime crossing, his free kicks are legendary and he might even score the odd one from open play (Everton (H) last season)

 

Very important point.

 

Depends how you ask them to play though. One of the areas I would criticise Pardew is if he wants to play both, we know how they can function together. You have to move Ba left. I wouldn't at present personally, I'd drop Cisse and play him in Europe as you suggest. There may come a time though where you have to bite the bullet if Cisse is firing and Ba isn't. Demba needs to be the team man then but as I say it wouldn't be right at present.

Pardew has maybe been guilty of trying to keep them all happy. A manager has to be brave in those circumstances. I just don't think we should be considering selling either unless one kicks up a fuss.

 

Hang on, didn't you describe the match earlier as "the ****test game ever played"?

I'd suggest that is getting "worked up early"

Tash...

 

I'm sorry to say I disagree!!!!

1 games we have tried simple formations, however Pardew has disappeared up his own arse like he did at west Ham and employed bizarre systems of play. we are 11 games in and he needs to un **** himself very soon or we will end up bottom half by Christmas and we will lose our best players very quikly if that occurs.

I stand for zero ****

 

Again agree but will Pardew stop playing with these 2 upfront? Your right Demba would need to be sacraficed to the left wing if you want them both in the team and then we might get some joy out of them. But upfront as 2 CF together I see no hope for these two.

Pathetic, useless, incompentant, dreadful all come close to describing how bad these two are upfront together but not quite.

 

Raylor is more miss than hit with his set pieces. Sublime and legendary is a massive overrating of his ability....unless compared with the rest in the squad which is dreadful.

 

Not a chance. He has proven himself over a long period of time in the PL at both his clubs to be a first class dead ball man.