Our squad...

On paper, we have a lot of good players. We bought a lot of good players in January yet still nearly went down. They've had time to bed in and adjust to the team, so in theory we should be a lot better.

However, our pre-season performances have been just as disjointed as last season, our defence has been just as suicidal (conceded penalties in virtually every game) and we can't score goals.

Are we expecting to just turn into a fluent football team when the season kicks off? Sorry, but that isn't going to happen.

It's the system, not the players, that is the problem. A manager that doesn't know his players' strengths and weaknesses and can't get the best out of his squad.

 

Our Dong has got big and hard, apparently.

 

Pre season is pre season. By that reasoning, Man City are going to be wildly inconsistent and terrible defensively, Everton will lose as many as they win, and so on etc. The only thing that will tell us how this season is going to go is when we are roughly around game 10, same as any other season - unless we are incredibly woeful in the early games. In pre season there have been some good signs, particularly in regard to how we will try to play i.e. on the deck.

The manager knew his players strengths ok two seasons ago and got the absolute maximum from his squad. He had a poor season. The players had a poor season. However it was last season. Just as 2011/2012 meant nothing once 2012/2013 kicked off, 2012/2013 will mean **** all when 2013/2014 kicks off. At least wait until a ball has been kicked before heading for the bridge.

Pre season table (although not sure its entirely accurate with games played etc it is taken from talkshite)



I think this confirms that results mean nothing. Our performances have been up and down, basically a typical indicator of pre season football. The only thing I can see be remotely similar is the lack of goals we score unless we improve our attacking options. Maybe our final position.

 

Ooh er vicar.

I thought he looked half decent to be honest and was a bit unlucky to be shipped out. All reports suggest he was very good in Germany stepping back into a number 10 type role.

 

Wish we had of got Austin, Looked great against Huddersfield

 

Yeah I'd have took a gamble at 4m. I suppose the medical was a problem for any club but then Demba worked out ok.

 

You have a **** load of quality. You've lost the burden of those European nights and while Pardew is undeniably a clown, he's a clown that led you to Europe not so long ago. Let's face it he's not going to have just become a worse manager.

I see a top ten finish for you lot this year.

Could do with another couple of bodies in no doubt.

 

And none going out.

 

Is he a clown? Yeah he had a bad season and struggled badly with the extra workload but is he the first manager with a small squad to do that? (Moyes?) Then you look at our performances in Europe. They mirrored our success of the previous year with well drilled game plans etc. We were excellent in Europe. This year will tell us more about him. 2 and half seasons is a small sample in reality, just not in modern terms. Lets not forget he has to deal with a lot of peripheral ****e most managers don't have to.

The problem is he is still massively handicapped by a lack of attacking options. We are crying out for an additional creative player in wide areas and of course another striker. Get that and we look pretty strong. Without it we look a team who'll put a lot of pressure on our defence to keep clean sheets as we'll have lean spells. Defences always miraculously improve when the team has goals in it, confidence spreads.

 

I'm with you. Rep. I think our manager doesn't just know the players strengths etc, but he doesn't know if he'll be in a job after 3 games. The players must know this. The players will know that Pardew is in a position of great weakness. No idea how that will affect them.

I just can't help think that Ashley has made his mind up to give Pardew nothing, and see if he'll crash & burn. Then maybe in January, under Kinnear or Poyet, will the team be given a £10m striker, a £6m centre back and left winger.

 

More questions than answers.