Improved Squad

Exactly. 'So?'

Same goes for Nolan. You could argue that Ba had the advantage of being new in the EPL. The fact is we have to wait and see. You can discredit pretty much every player in the world if you try and you can make pretty much any player twice as good as he is.

 

That's a fantastic way to look at it

Of course those are the only two options to ever have in football. You can never have a mix of both.

 

Butt was never much of a leader.

I'm sure Nolan and Barton done much of the team talk in that 4-4? This isn't a school, players speak up in the dressing room. Pardew may have spoke to them but captain and vice captain did as well. And inspired the comeback. Barton mostly but Nolan showed he had the fight and the desire. That is one thing I worry about. I don't know about the character of the new boys. I mean they're french

 

I was exaggerating to get my point across. Some comments on here make out that we cannot achieve anything because we lost Nolan, when all he can bring is leadership. I would much rather play Cabaye, who has more quality, and has demonstrated leadership qualities at Lille, where I believe he was captain for a while. Leadership should stem from Pardew, and feed its way through the players, not just one player, i.e. Nolan.

 

How can you be so sure? What if Barton and Nolan were having a massive dump during the half time team talk?

 

But the fact is, it doesn't. Look at every great team ever. They have leaders all over the pitch. Players sometimes need a kick up the arse. If they don't have a massive respect or fear of the manager (neither of which Pardew seems to have in abundance) where do they get it from? Simple: another player that they respect (or fear). I don't car if it's Nolan or the mad ****ing hatter, as long as it's someone. Do we have that someone? Barton, yes, but it's only one voice so he better make sure it's a bloody loud one or else we'll end up putting 90% into games

 

What people seem to forget is that we had brilliant leadership last year because we had so many players that could do it. Just because we've lost Nolan the whole thing won't fall apart there are plenty of others who can do it (probably) it's just Nolan was the captain and one of the more 'in the spotlight' ones

 

I can't believe some of you are optimistic of replacing our English steel with french peasantry. Honestly think about how many times they proved themselves this season time and time again against some of the top teams in the world, even after Carroll and Hughton were sacked. Now Nolan is gone and Barton told that he can "Leave the club"

Because Barton is still possibly staying with us I have a sliver of hope that the team can rally among him as he becomes our icon player, but if he's gone then we're guaranteed going to crumple midway through the season after the inevitable long-term injuries pile up mid season and Sol Campbell is cleaning it up at the back with his good friends Perch and Alan Smith

 

I think we lack strength in depth. When the games start coming thick and fast we are bound to lose some players to suspensions ( tiote, Barton if here, Taylor, colo) and injuries ( ben arfa, ba, marveux, gosling). Take out 3-4 of our first team and we lack quality cover IMO.

 

All true. Except that last season we had several players who could score.

I understand that's quite an important part of football.

 

I think we're weaker but hey each to their own. The window isn't shut and if we get a quality striker and a left back to replace Enrique when he goes I think we'll be moreorless the same strength. Obviously the left back is gonna struggle to be as good as Enrique and the striker as good as Carroll but you never know

 

I think that people make far too much of the 4-4.

People seem to ignore the fact that we went 4-0 down and Arsenal ****ed it up. I am not trying to dismiss a great 2nd half performance but the whole team were **** in the first half and no-one knows what Pardew did at half time.

What about the 5-1 defeat at Bolton? No inspiration from Nolan on that day! He was excellent for us over the last 2 seasons but that does not mean that the players that we have brought in will not be better.

 

I agree with your team but would take one of the midfield out and play Shola against 5under1and, it has to be done.

 

Kevin Who? See West Ham's game last night!!!

Cabaye, Coloccini, Ba, Harper and a few more have very good leadership qualities. We are definatley short on leaders in the dressing room.

 

nolan was the captain. he rallied the players, pulled them together etc etc

barton fed off nolan and nolan likewise fed off barton.

just as a side note... how many games did we win without nolan last season? and how many of those did barton play in? anyone?

can you guess the answer?


i feel this argument has become all about nolan, which wasn't my original point. the trouble with barton lately means our main leaders from last season are likely to be absent for this one, at least from the start. Add to this half a dozen new players in a team (with our midfield pair tiote and cabaye barely having seen each other never mind played) and our team work, team spirit, understanding etc etc is definitely something to be concerned about (hope it'll be ok though)

 

After watching Nolan for WHU yesterday, we're not missing much at all. He looked dreadfully out of shape and had no pace, even for the Championship. A leader he was, a major influence on the pitch, he was not. On the pitch it was Barton, off it, it was Nolan.

 

Exactly, Nolan was great off the pitch but so's Smith and I dont see a clamour to keep him.

 

still doesn't coincide with the fact we never won a single game without the pie monster in the team

 

He only missed 6 games though and half of them we didnt have Barton either.

 

correlation doesnt equal causation