Pardew 'we miss players - not tactics'

http://www.themag.co.uk/the-mag-wire/pardew-we-miss-players-not-tactics/

Much has been said about Newcastle tactics this season but Alan Pardew has made clear where he sees the problem.

Rather than the lack of a regular 4-3-3 system, the manager says it is all about the players at his disposal, rather than how the team is laid out on the pitch.

Talking to the Chronicle Alan Pardew had this to say;

“Everybody is entitled to their opinion, we are trying to find a way to win games with a lot of our big players missing.

Whenever they are in the team they will be stronger, whether you play 4-3-3 or 4-4-2, three at the back or whatever system you want to play.

Last year we did not have the problems with injuries and we were playing all sorts of systems and winning, nobody seemed to notice then”.

What do you think? To a large degree does it not matter where people play on the pitch and it is all about the players, or would the 4-3-3 bring better results no matter who is available to play? Would we be a better team with Demba Ba on the left and Cisse through the middle?

 

I think he's right to an extent, but he's largely talking out of his arse.

We had several players injured last season and still managed to win games. HBA was still finding his feet, Saylor was out for most of the season, Cabaye and Tiote both had spells out, and many more.

We still managed to win games. But I will agree that tactics are not the only problem. We played 4-4-2 and long balls at the start of last season and won games against good sides. Our unbeaten run was with a 4-4-2 side including Shola and Ba.

 

Bang on the money for me and something I've pointed out on many occasions. Formations never get a mention when people are fit and firing, things going well (apart from Tash who loves his formation porn!)

Players make teams at the end of it all, not formations. Of course tactics play a part, particularly when playing away from home against stronger sides, but they are not as important. Especially with teams outside the top 3 or 4, where you have a cracking first team but can't afford the strength in depth.

 

'' We played 4-4-2 and long balls at the start of last season and won games against good sides. Our unbeaten run was with a 4-4-2 side including Shola and Ba. ''

To be fair we played Ba, Best and Shola which is why we're struggling now because we didn't sign enough first team players in the summer.

 

He's talking out of his arse. Plenty of people were questioning his tactics even when we were winning last season, and even with the missing players back he's still trying to force a style of play that just doesn't work for the players we have. How's Cabaye supposed to influence a game when the ball is being hoofed over his head constantly? Same with Jonas and Ben Arfa to a lesser extent. Even ignoring the midfield, what's supposed to happen up front? None of our strikers are that good in the air, and that's shown by how often the ball comes straight back after Krul has hoofed it.

Deflecting the blame for the **** results onto his players isn't the best choice a manager can make either. Certainly not going to help team morale.

 

We didn't have our whole spine missing for most of last season. In our unbeaten run at the start of last year we barely changed the team. I don't think he wants to play long ball either. The players have to take some of that responsibility. The likes of Willo and Krul (two main culprits) are not being told to kick it long, they do so because they're either not up to the level (Willo), lacking confidence (whole team) or not comfortable with ball at feet (Krul and Willo). He isn't blaming the players either, merely pointing out that we're down to the bare bones and lacking confidence. He's right.

Colo is the main person we've missed but its worth noting that Colo, Cabaye and Tiote (the guys who make us tick and play) have started only 1 game together this season! Sunderland. We all know what happened there! Colo (takes it from Krul), and Tiote (takes it from Colo), have barely been on the same pitch at all.

We're not a top 4 side and can't cope with these kind of absences. It would be the same for other teams of a similar level.

Our fans need to show some proper support for Pardew and the players at the moment. This is when you find out who fairweather ones are, when the going gets tough.

 

Support doesn't mean ignoring the blatant problems that are there. This is nothing to do with being a 'fairweather fan' and you should be ashamed of yourself for even mentioning that.

 

Not ashamed at all. The moans and groans are starting, I've seen it all before. We have a freaky injury list but people are choosing to ignore it and get on the managers back. That is the road to ruin. Its time for everyone to pull together. The fans need to do their bit and stick with the team and manager who gave us a great journey last season. A good example is Everton. They went through a similar thing when they got into Europe and had a freaky run of injuries a few years back. They stuck with their manager and team, they've been richly rewarded.

The fans have to accept we're not a top 4 club and don't have top 4 resources. That means when your luck is out, you'll struggle. You have three options as a fan:

Advocate a buy on the never never policy and don't worry about the consequences - relegation last time
Turn on the manager and become a fairweather supporter, only accepting good times
Stay loyal to the club, manager and players and try to help as best you can with strong support.

I prefer the last option is all.

 

I've been going to all the home and away games for years and just taking things as they come. Sure we have a bit moan from time to time about what kind of entertainment is served up to us, but if you were in a restaurant and served rubbish you'd send it back to the kitchen or wouldn't pay for it and walk out.

People are getting fed up with what we've been served up in the last few games and some will start talking with their feet.

 

You don't need to be a top 4 club to have played better than we have this season. The criticism of Pardew isn't coming off the back of one or two games, it's from the complete lack of direction the team has shown all season, the decline in quality in all areas of play, and the utterly feckless performances the players have put on.

 

They have that choice AB. I do see it as fairweather though when the overall situation with the squad is considered. Pardew hasn't been knobbling the players afterall. Sometimes you go through a tough patch. I believe in getting what you pay for, but football is not like a restaurant in that there are far more variables involved. It is difficult to entertain when you don't have any continuity. We just have to get through it in my opinion. Hopefully the club can find a bit of extra resource in January but there is no magic wand in the meantime.

I'd have liked to have seen two or three more in the summer preferably but clearly the club feel we can't afford it.

 

As I say each to their own, I believe there are genuine reasons behind the poor form. I don't agree its all down to Pardew. I don't even think the majority of it is. Has he been at his best? No. He is staring the biggest challenge since he arrived in the face, I'm not going to jump on him 3 or 4 months in.

 

Sorry mate but Pardew has said on countless occasions we're aiming to be in the top four, so it's only right that we expect better than what we've seen so far. I could also argue that your "Stay loyal to the club, manager and players and try to help as best you can with strong support" comments is the same as burying your head in the sand.

We have a lot of injuries now (after last night) but the fact is on a lot of occasions we've only had one big hitter missing this season, if only one of our best players missing means the rest of the team under performs then there is a problem with the managing of the team.

In my opinion the braver fans are the ones prepared to ask questions of Pardew, because the majority will shoot them down based on last seasons success. Sven once one plenty of trophies with Lazio, does that mean he's still a good manager and should be considered for the big jobs? Of course it doesn't because his success is in the past. Now Pardew's success was as recent as last season, he did superb and nobody is questioning that, but can you offer any reason for your faith in him (blind faith IMO) to turn this around other than injuries? Are you seeing something in our performances that I'm not?

On the injury front:

Chelsea Away: Tim Krul; Danny Simpson, Steven Taylor, Fabricio Coloccini (c), Davide Santon, Hatem Ben Arfa, Vurnon Anita, Yohan Cabaye , Jonas Gutierrez; Demba Ba, Papiss Cisse - So only Tiote missing.

Villa Home: Tim Krul; Danny Simpson, Steven Taylor, Fabricio Coloccini (c), Davide Santon; Hatem Ben Arfa, Yohan Cabaye, Vurnon Anita, Jonas Gutierrez, Demba Ba, Papiss Cisse - So only Tiote missing.

Liverpool Away: Tim Krul; Vurnon Anita, Steven Taylor, Fabricio Coloccini (c), Davide Santon; Yohan Cabaye, James Perch, Jonas Gutierrez; Hatem Ben Arfa, Demba Ba , Papiss Cisse - So only Tiote missing.

West Ham Home: Tim Krul; Danny Simpson, Mike Williamson, Steven Taylor, Davide Santon; Hatem Ben Arfa, Yohan Cabaye, Jonas Gutierrez (c), Shane Ferguson, Demba Ba, Papiss Cisse - Colo and Tiote missing.

So Swansea is the only game he can blame on injuries (we had Colo, Jonas, Cabaye & Cisse out). For me the injuries are being used as a cover up for poor performances. I'm not saying injuries shouldn't affect results, that will happen, but just because Tiote is out for a few games or Colo & Tiote in the West Ham case doesn't make it acceptable for our team not being able to hold on to the ball for more than 10 seconds.

It's a fact that game by game we're getting worse at the moment, worrying times bud. If we lose on Sunday Southampton are only three points behind us, it makes scary reading.

 

Completely disagree but everyone is entitled to their opinion. Liverpool away we actually played quite well, particularly when you consider it is a traditionally difficult game for us. Chelsea away - seriously? Different level and the nick they were would have meant disaster for anyone (we emerged with credit for not crumbling). Villa annd West Ham we were poor but West Ham was a game we should have taken something from and taking Colo and Tiote out of our team is a hammer blow in terms of how important they are to us playing football properly. The two feeders for our flair players and when you consider who goes in, then we'll struggle.

I'm not bothered what Pardew says, you have to deal in reality. Arsenal, Man U, Man C, Chelsea, even Spurs and Liverpool are operating on different budgets. That isn't burying your head, that is reality. If anyone thought at the beginning of this season we have the resources to compete for top 4 if a series of injuries came then they need their head tested to be frank. If we had avoided injuries Pardew might have had a case but once key components drop out of a side like ours then its inevitable we'll struggle.

In my opinion it is beyond ridiculous that two seasons after being promoted, a year after qualifying for Europe, fans are already questioning the manager. It just makes me laugh to be honest and shows how fickle modern fans are. I'm never surprised because we've always had an overly demanding fanbase who do get a bit deluded.

The best I can suggest for such fans is to go and look at SAF career history at Man U and look how they have been rewarded because Martin Edwards got behind his man when the going got tough. They'd spent a fortune for the times in the summer of 89 on the likes of Pallister, Ince, Wallace, Webb, Phelan and he had them hovering above the relegation at Xmas! Their fans were starting to get a bit fairweather too (some would say they had more of a right to expect more given their history), and he ignored them.

Quite simply Rome wasn't built in a day. I have faith in him because he has shown himself to be a good manager in his time with us. I have faith because I can step back and look at the work he and the board are doing with the infrastructure of the club with youth systems (upgraded to category 1), training ground. I have faith because I don't believe in giving managers a couple of seasons and at the first sign of rough times, just giving up.

 

Well put argument to be fair, I'm not giving up because I know we have good players. Not sure how you can say fans shouldn't expect a challenge on the top four when this is what our manager has told us we should be aiming for. If we're not good enough for such a challenge or to even look close to being capable enough then HE (nobody else) is doing a horrific job when it comes to managing expectations.

His excuse after the Swansea game was also embarrassing, he said they had a more experienced team !!! All of their players would have had 1 years prem experience at most, it was a shocking excuse to cover up another poor performance/result.

Our set pieces are getting worse, they were truly awful once again last night and we still did the diagonal free kick (this time to Taylor instead of Willo). He's trying the same set pieces that haven't worked for the best part of two years now, it's crazy and that alone is enough to wonder if he's seeing what us fans can see.

We're never going to agree on this, but to me if we fail to win either of our next two games he should be gone, because like it or not we'd be in a relegation battle and would have 1 win (lucky West Brom win) in 10 league games.

One positive to me last night was Cisse, he looked really lively and works 10x better as a lone striker.

 

Best joke I've heard in a while to be fair

 

Very good of you to pick up on one line and ignore the other facts that make me come to that opinion.

 

To be fair there is nothing new in there, we simply disagree. No problem with that.

Pardew was wrong to suggest a top 4 slot was possible in my book but he was riding on not having all these injuries. Also he has said on many occasions, often at the same time as claiming top 4 is possible, that it won't be easy. You're picking and choosing comments a bit and reading too much into them in my opinion.

Our set pieces are dreadful and need to improve. Full stop.

His media skills are not brilliant at times, but have been very good at other times. Same for most managers to be fair. I heard Sir Bobby come out with some utter bullshit, but he was a great manager. I think you are misunderstanding his Swansea comment about experience. Swansea had a side out that day who knew their way round a football pitch, regardless of what country that pitch is in. Entirely accurate from him? Probably not.

We haven't been at our best and its not all down to injuries. Nor is it all down to poor management which would be the only reason to even begin thinking about sacking.

Fans need to manage their own expectations. If they are too stupid to, I doubt Pardew can influence that too much. He can help but its about having a knowledgeable fanbase, I'm not sure we can lay claim to that at times overall. We have a very passionate fanbase, strength in numbers but at times we seem to get above our station for me. Always have done when things start going well. Its not football manager on your PC.

Are the above reasons to sack a manager who has done well overall, 3 years into his reign? Only if you never want stability and the undoubted benefits it brings. I do find the notion amusing and I can't hide that. Its fickle for me, its not for you. We won't all agree all of the time.

 

Based on his overall performance he doesn't deserve the sack, I agree with you on that.

I've just lost my faith in him based on our style off football this season, for me just because some players are missing/injured it shouldn't compromise the style of football you want to play as much as it has done for us.

You're right in saying he doesn't deserve the sack based on his whole tenure in charge of the club, but it doesn't stop me wanting him gone. Whilst we were getting good results I wouldn't say I ever had complete faith in him, but it's hard to argue the facts when he was churning results out for us like he was last year. I suppose in that sense I can come across as fickle, in that it's easier to voice opinion when results/performances are not up to scratch.

For me having Pardew as manager is a bit like having Owen as your main striker. You want to have faith based on his past record, but what you see on a weekly basis slowly erodes that faith. It's pretty much the only way I can explain it and is exactly how I feel about Pardew (maybe this is the first time I've explained my reasoning correctly to be fair).

 

I actually see Owen as a good example of why I see our fans as a bit fickle too!

We knew what we were getting when we got him. A player past his best, injury prone, not a grafter and one who always relied heavily on having quality around him. When he joined everyone was jumping for joy. He was the best thing since sliced bread as people pined for club to put Shearers eventual successor in place. I had my doubts. He even said we were not his first choice, made us wait until Liverpool defo weren't interested, while we overpaid in fees and wages. But it was all swept under the carpet in favour of a pathetic fanfare as Freddie played peoples champion.

Then we lost what quality we had around him, he picked up his usual injuries, and we started struggling so people turned on him. All of a sudden his wages were unfair (he didn't decide them), he wasn't chasing lost causes (never had), he was more interested in horses (always had this interest like many others), and he caused his own injuries as he was more interested in England because he tried to play in a world cup (we'd all have done the same given how often they come along).

Any anger aimed at Owen should have been aimed at the owner and themselves for being sucked by the lying toads stupidity.

As I say each to their own, you don't fancy Pardew as a manager which is fair enough. I didn't when he first came but I think he has done pretty well since being here and I like what I see in terms of our style overall and the way I think he wants to play. We're certainly not managing it at present but I have faith his overall aim fits with the ethos of the club. I also like what he has brought out in our owner who I've never had much time for.