Alan Pardew, Excellent man management skills.

I think he has the potential to stop but like everyone else, his confidence is shot. Taking the safe option. He's young though and in good hands.

 

I don't think anyone even expects carpet football, just a better mix than our current reliance on long-ball. Our better games under Chris with "championship level" players were a billion times better than what Pardew has served up since that departure, and he played direct.

Like I say, I don't think anyone is explicitly wrong to want Pardew out, and I personally side more with you on sticking with Pardew for a while yet. But none of us have crystal balls, I just see the other side of the coin because I'm not a grumpy sod

I want to see a better performance starting against Southampton, and less long-ball ****. There's no reason for it and no tactical justification I can see for hoiking it to Demba all the time, because Southampton's defence has been more exposed through midfield passing and through balls than easily defended ****. It'll be a massive mark against his name if we see the same sort of play in my opinion.

 

Some have made it clear they do want him out right now by the way. Two regular posters straight off the bat and there are others wavering. I don't have a problem with it, everyone is entitled to their opinion. But if I see that as fairweather, its fair enough to say that too.

Personally I feel overall we've played better football under Pardew than Hughton. I do think Pardew has simply continued that slow progression he started and don't think he has done anything Hughton wouldn't. We'd have signed Cabaye and the others under him. We were really direct under Hughton to begin with, but gradually got better. I think that Pardew has stepped up on that. I would expect him to as he has had Cabaye, Benni at his disposal.

I can almost guarantee they'll struggle to pull a rabbit out of the hat tomorrow. You don't get confidence overnight and suddenly pass the ball better. Willo will not all of a sudden start being able to play football properly and have the confidence to go short. Krul will not suddenly realise the error in his game and correct it. It'll all take time and require patience. We'll also be fielding a team tomorrow that have never played together, it is simply not realistic to expect cohesion. Football is not like that for me. And with that in mind I imagine our play will remain dogged and unattractive.

Its not what the fans want of course but it is just the way it is at present. I'd like to see it start with Pardew at least encouraging the two main culprits, Krul and Willo, to get better. And I'd also like to finally see some variation in our set pieces which are not acceptable at this level.

 

They train week in week out with each other. They haven't been thrown together at a whim or on transfer deadline day, they've had a whole pre-season together, and most of them have been here a while now. Changing the style of play could be done easily, and attractive football is not the domain of the rich and powerful only. See Blackpool as a very obvious example, while Swansea and their ilk have added several players over several seasons, yet they all come in and adapt to playing better within pre-season. Routledge is one, who was somehow deemed surplus to requirements here for not being technical enough... But Obertan is? To me, there's no reason on Earth anyone can fathom as reasonable for saying this team couldn't play a more attractive football style, because unless the players we have can't pass 5 yards between them, it's hard to play worse than they have been playing. Through the additions that have been made, it seems direct 4-4-2 was the obvious design of this team, and it's not working out, yet we're going to keep getting it.

Also, you really think we've played better under Pardew? We smashed Villa 6-0, Sunderland 5-1, Liverpool 3-1, West Ham 5-0 etc etc under Chris, all massively convincing wins. We were a bit more sporadic, no more or less so than when Pardew completed the season, but had enough games a season where we were playing good football that the fans were content with finishing wherever. The convincingly dominant performances that I've seen under Pardew have been against Man Utd 3-0 (Where it was long-ball all game) and Arsenal 4-4 second half... Other than that we've seen scrappy win after scrappy win. Fine when you finish 5th, but more than a bit dull when the tide turns, and let's not forget most people would say this side is supposed to be stronger than the one that came up. Basically, Pardew was supposed to have made us harder to beat and brought in players to nick the odd goal for the win... Not play more attractive football. I think you're right in saying it's fairweather supporting to want him gone now it's not working as well as last season, but in truth it was always going to happen when the team isn't winning. The trade-off is good football vs winning, and considering where he's set the bar of where his style could take us, and the fact he's not keeping up to standard now, the questions were expected. Sir Alex, Arsene Wenger et al definitely did not play the style Pardew has us playing.

If I were to nail my colours to the mast, I'd say Pardew will not take us much further than mid-table ever again, unless football implodes financially. It would take real guts to say that to the fans though, and his mixed messages about the club in recent months have left our current status in limbo. I'm happy with mid-table for the time being, and happy to give Pardew a chance I think he deserves after managing very well last season in terms of results. He's not going to play really attractive football at any point in his tenure, and I don't expect it from him to insist on passing football as a standard, but if he sees out half his contract and allows the scouting team to put the playing staff in place while he keeps us mid-table, I think he'll have done a good job for the next appointment to take over. Realistically, I think we'll find it hard for a period now, perhaps very hard, with our style being increasingly found-out in time. I would love to be wrong, though, and love to be reminded of my doubts in a few years as we pass rings around Barca as Pardew minces around the technical area, pushing down a host of female assistant referees. Can't see it myself though. Think he'll be gone in 2 years

 

Man U was probably our most direct win under Pardew. Understandable given oppo and that they had been done by Blackburns direct play week before.

Last season we gave some cracking performances early on if not necessarily football wise. Stoke 3-1 was sublime and the most complete away performance we have given in many a year. We kept the ball unbelievably well. Man U away we did well for an away team at Old Trafford. Had our spells and kept the ball well when we could. Fortunate to get a draw but a cracking performance relatively speaking. Bolton away 2-0, good away performance, kept the ball well 2nd half. Arsenal was great fun but no where near our best.

Mid March to Chelsea we were superb football wise (aside from one abject display against an in form Wigan no one could cope with). At one stage winning 5 off the belt, Cisse scoring for fun and conceded only one goal. 1-0, 3-1, 2-0, 2-0, 3-0, 2-0 all fabulous performances with lovely working of the football. West Brom, Stoke, Bolton, Norwich, Liverpool all dispatched with ease playing an expansive brand of attacking football. Throw in Cisse banging them in from everywhere, Benni magic and some superb passing from Cabaye, they were heights of consistent quality football rarely reached under Hughton. And Jose had to go in nets. Don't get me wrong though, I'd never have sacked Chris Hughton, he was doing a great job.

They can train together all they like mate. Football has never ever changed whatever the level. You can't just throw teams together and hope it all gels. It rarely happens, not even at Sunday league level and there is a good reason for that. Match time together breeds a knowledge of what a teammate will do in live match situations when the pressure is on. Where a guy likes a ball played, when they will cover. They'll be working their bollocks off on the training ground. We are actually the perfect example of this. Last season our two best runs came when we had everyone fit and played the same team week in week out.

The football under Sir Alex in his early years was shocking when they were in rough times. The exact things being levelled at Pardew now are only half what he was getting. Wenger granted has often managed to keep a certain style but he has never been short of resource either! And that is not to say I haven't heard Arsenal fans say "we can't pass the ball 5 yards" when things aint being going well.

Not a perfect science whatever these rich billionaires may think.