Pardew...

Before I start on the actual topic of the thread I want to praise our fans today who I thought were brilliant (admittedly I wasn't at the game but you could tell just from watching on tv), even at 3-0 down you could hear a large proportion of them singing their hearts out, credit to the club today.

I'm not going to rant about Williamson (was poor again today) or the obvious fact that not adding one, let alone two defenders in the summer window is looking like a huge mistake, my gripe today is with our manager. Now before I start on my issue with Pardew today I do believe we need to accept that Man Utd, and Rooney in particular were at the top of their game, they were too good for us and we couldn't cope at times.

On to my main point, we're all well aware we haven't been at our free flowing best this season, not even close (Bordeaux game aside). Our biggest problem, or Pardew's biggest problem if you like is that he doesn't seem to know his strongest side, he doesn't even seem to know his most favoured formation this season.

We changed formation at least four times in today's game, Jonas played on the left, then in the middle, then on the right and it looked like he ended up at left back. How is he meant to find any fluidity or rhythm when he's being shifted all over the pitch every 20 minutes? I felt sorry for the bloke, and for the team today to be fair, as although we were out classed every player to a man gave 100% for me and I'm not going to fault them for that. Yes some of them were again below par, but they showed passion and commitment and as a fan when you're up against a superior team that's all you can ask for.

For me Pardew needs to pick a formation that he's going to go with for the majority of the season, something the players can work on day in, day out in training so that every player knows the job of each position within the first 11. I'm well aware that for some games you need to alter your favoured formation etc, but so for this season we've played 4-4-2, 4-3-3, 4-2-3-1 & 4-4-1-1 and we've played about 10 games in total. It's crazy to have tried so many systems so early and today we tried pretty much all four systems in the same game.

Having said that their first two goals came from not being able to defend a corner, but still every time Man Utd broke they looked dangerous, our back four were criminally under protected all game.

On a final note I do want to make it clear that I am in no way suggesting Pardew should go, not even close. I'd just like to see a bit more consistency with our shape/formation and to end on a positive note I think we performed admirably from the point of going 2-0 down until they made it 3-0. If Cisse's header had been given we may have even got something (I think it was a goal just). Sometimes they go for you (Everton game) and sometimes they don't.

 

It isn't a mistake where finances are concerened because if we fail to get into europe this season we will strugggle Cabaye, Tiote, Ben Arfa and Ba leave for career purposes.

This will not go down well but I feel sorry for our better players because they have signed for a club that will never win anything and does not intend on winning anything .

 

Agree 100%. Thought the fans were phenomenal, didn't hear any Boo's at the end either (I was watching on TV, mind) and most fans would've heckled the **** out of their team for losing 3-0

 

Obvious but we are missing Krul, Colo and Saylor. We never went at Man U and gave them too much time and space. Evra one of the smallest players on the pitch scoring with his head from a corner, say's it all about our defending.

 

Just about sums it up. Colo and Saylor would have made a hell of a difference, just too bad that they're both out at the same time.

 

I agree they would have made a difference, but for the 11 players we had on the pitch to concede two goals from corners is poor, we shouldn't need Colo and Saylor on to defend corners, we should be capable of dealing with corners with or without them.

I'm still confident ahead of the derby, didn't think the overall performance was that bad today, just a horrific 20 minute period at the start of the game.

 

I don't know why Pardew wouldn't no his best team/formation isn't it obvious ? We went how many games undefeated at the back end of last season. I don't understand why we havnt gone back to that

 

It is obvious, but he seems so reluctant to play 4-3-3 and the only reason I can think of is because he's doesn't want to rock the boat with one of the Demba's by shifting one of them out wide.

 

Why are you so pessimistic?
They is no need.

Get some faith, Some honour and something good to say about the club you apparently support
otherwise go fornicate yourself for the mile high club

 

Maybe you are right, But 4 3 3 seems to be our best formation for our players, We can have an attacking 4 3 3 set up as 4 1 2 1 2, Or 4 5 1 without possesion switching back to 4 3 3 with the ball. Against bord we were amazing, I would suggest Ba right side, Cisse Left side, Shola in the middle. Bennie lm, Cabaye rm, Tiote dm. its easy to add pace to the attack with marv and ober as well, we really have a good enough attack force and team to be playing 4 3 3 against teams like man u

 

should of brought whey i man on

 

Rep!

 

Charlie Whey I Man hasn't played for us in donkey's years.

 

If that is true then one of either Pardew, Cisse, or Ba has to go. Although I suppose continuing to play this way is a good way of solving the problem as we're unlikely to qualify for Europe in any form and we can wave bye-bye to both Cisse and Ba. And Cabaye, Tiote, Ben Arfa, Coloccini, Krul, and Santon.

 

The fans were immense yesterday, really were.

 

Can have some sympathy for Pardew. His best formation last season helped the team, but saw Ba fail to find the net. This season, Ba is top scorer in the League playing through the middle, but Cisse's not as good at support play. So what do you do? Push Ba out wide when he's your goal threat?

I looked at this formation stuff, watching what Man U or Chelsea set themselves up as, and I'm afraid we have to accept that we haven't the luxury they do - what they do is say "right, I'm going to play 4-3-3, who do I need to buy? Hazard? Done. Oscar? Sorted. Then I need two per position. Moses? Done..." and so on. For Utd, just sub in Kagawa, Van Persie, et al. Our formation is a little different - it's kind of 4-3-1-2, but the 4 defenders includes a wing-back on the left, the 1 isn't in the hole but drifting from the right and the front two then have no wingers, so it's a bit confused. But this is how our eleven sit. Cisse and Ba are both CF, Ben Arfa not quite RM but not quite No10, Jonas not quite LM but not quite CM and so on.

I rather think that Pardew does know the best formation and is going to persevere 'til it works. And once we have our four 1st-XI defenders back, it'll have a better chance of doing so.