View from the opposition

I don't blame Pardew at all for his "shenanigans" as you put it – he voluntarily apologised and rightly so, after the match, but it happens ALL the time in the PL.

I tell a lie it happens all the time when a manager has been on the end of a unjust, ludicrous decision that he can't control. From a referee that offers no explanation.
More often than not like Mark Hughes the other week he gets sent to the stands for it.

Love him or hate him I'd say Pardew is actually one of the more classy managers out there, particularly when he's quick to apologise in interviews and congratulate opponents.
There's not many that do that quite frankly and it's easy to knock him at understandably low moments.
He's also a manager that doesn't benefit from the support of his own very wealthy owner so he knows the wafer thin squad out there has to fight for everything. It's pressure.

Plus playing the Bobby Robson card is an easy stick to beat anyone with – I can tell you now if BR had been there today you wouldn't have called his language classy either!
Pellegrini and staff will have done their bit too don't worry, just probably not in English.

As football fans we're quick to act all virtuous when it suits but it's a tough game and there are few angels...

Apart from that, good stuff. You need luck to win anything in football and with a touch more like that City also have the players to claim the title, no question.

 

I'm glad Pardew had some choice words. If he'd sat there, took that pathetic display from the ref with a shrug, there'd be questions about his attitude, his desire.

As it is, he got as angry as anybody would do in that situation, and to my mind, acted passionately. He went a bit too far (not with the ref), and apologised, but in all honesty, I'm not sure you would have got a classier performance had you put anybody else in his shoes.

I certainly think the vast majority of our fans would have throttled the ref, never-mind simply pointing out he was wrong.

 

Here, here. Don't get me wrong the fella isn't perfect but I think being too critical of him here is rich quite frankly.

We've got to remember that these guys lose their jobs on these results and it belies the work they do all week really.
Given the performance and reaction from his players I reckon he put a shift in this week and was ultimately undermined. He is under pressure with results.

But he gets grief when he's too anodyne and grief when he shows some hurt and passion.

I would also applaud his apology again, because there also seems to be a tendency these days to reject a public show of contrition when it should be credited and encouraged.

 

Excellent write up. Spot on about the substitution of Anita destroying our shape. When he went off for Cisse I knew the game was lost.

 

This ^^^ Dreadful decision by Pardew. Doesn't he know that games are won and lost in midfield and we were dominating in midfield until anita was taken off.

 

Cheers paulpowersleftfoot always good to see things from the other perspective, as football can make fans from every team become horribly blinkered.

Regardless of anyone's feelings about the ref's decisions, in the end your boys had the extra quality going forward and the clinical finishing to make the most of the chances. I was just pleased it wasn't the cricket score I had feared before the game. Probably just as well Aguerro wasn't playing.

City do look a class outfit. I think the title race this year will be one of the best in a long while. Could keep changing hands right up to the final match, so best of luck to City. Always liked City fans.

 

Thanks, you are fantastic on the break and Zabaleta is the best RB in the league.

 

I can fully understand your feelings but it is happening to other teams one of Sunderlands was so bad it had to be rescinded after the game it was so blatant

 

Fair assessment. The big difference was the forward line. Negredo is quality. Thing I like about him is that he is not one of these lads who does 10 rolls or looks to get people booked. He gives a bit, he takes a bit. He just gets up shakes hands and gets on with it. Willo wiped him in the corner. Obvious no damage done but if that had been a Nani or Ronaldo, they'd still be rolling around now. Negredo just jumped up and tapped Willo on the back as if to say "No harm done fella". He knows the game. He had a few tussles with Willo and Saylor, and was cute enough to give them a nudge here and there. It was nice to see some good honest one on one battles again. Dzecko is like a different player. He has really toughened up. Quality pairing and what we would give to give to have one striker of that powerful nature and quality.

 

Newcastle's goal should have stood, Yanga should have been sent off. Not very good reffing...when is it ever.

Chitty have the best squad and should win the title, Manure without oil money and the grasping Glaziers taking money out will struggle..great love it.