Pardew - Ba and Best are as good as any strike force

What about car tax?

 

The new car runs on cheaper fuel, so you've saved on that whatever you lost in sales tax

 

But they have spent money yes? If we didn't spend that money, we'd be very weak. So really, he's still speaking the truth. If the board hadn't of spent £20M we wouldn't be in the position we are in. We'd probably be relegation bound.

 

Acuna is 100% correct here.

 

Some of the service from midfield was delicious... and if Ba and Best were as good as any strike force, we'd have had 7 or 8 against Blackburn.


I'd be over the moon if we managed to sign a striker and Erik Pieters in January.


Pieters LB, Santon RB and another striker, and we'd be starting to look pretty tasty...

 

Plus centre half cover and I'm happy.

This threads going in circles by the way. Clearly we spent money.

 

Good post, but I struggle to see how the squad isn't bigger:

Outgoing:
Carroll
Nolan
Barton
Enrique
Routledge
Campbell (surplus to requirements)
Kuqi (emergency cover)

Incoming:
Cabaye
Ba
Marveaux
Obertan
Abeid
Santon
Elliott
Ben Arfa (signed in the same transfer window that Carroll left in)

Even ignoring Ben Arfa the numbers are identical. Theres some subjective viewing to do of course, discounting Campbell and Kuqi is valid, though Elliott feels like an unnecessary signing given our strength in keeper depth, but once you then factor in long term injury returns like Ben Arfa, Gosling and Taylor (even if removing Williamson who's back soon) the squad is unquestionably bigger. We're moving in the right direction, just need to keep it up in January.

 

When is Williamson back?

 

Physioroom says 1st October, its usually pretty good.

 

Yeha and Vuckic, meaning only Santon will be out for those that are in and around our first team

 

At the end of the day yes, the club has spent what... £20m? But it's cost them nothing, no net spend.

But anyway, what was clear from the match on Saturday was that BA looks a lot fitter and sharper than he has so far this season, judging by Tiotes earleir performances they were both suffering physically from Ramadan. Now it looks like they're just about up to par I think these two lads could have a big say in continuing this great start. And with Arfa back from injury and Marveaux looking fitter I'm really starting to find my optimism for this season growing by each match.

I think we've been lucky with the opposition we've drawn in our opening games and November is going to be a really big test but looking at the results from last season against the teams we've played so far we've got points we didnt last season. Long may it continue!

 

I am not going to comment on the money or net spend.

What I am going to comment on is the title itself. Ba and Best are as good as any strikeforce. Now clearly what he is doing here is motivating his players. Which is good. As a manager you want to keep the players happy and motivated. I just heard on the radio that a certain QPR manager said one of his own players was a 'disgrace' (traore). How can that motivate the player in any way shape or form.

You will very rarely if ever hear Pardew saying negative things about his players.

However, if you look into what he said as a fact then I am not agreeing with his statement. Ba and Best still have a very long way to go before they can be ever classed as a Good strikeforce. But for now they are doing well for us and thats good.

If come the end of the season they each have over 12-15 goals a piece they can be deemed a success for this season only for us. Other teams will have plenty of goalscorers who are much better players.

Lets be happy with what we have achieved guys. We should enjoy the good times cause by eck have we needed them. We will have bad patches this season so lets just be happy.

 

Depends on the player. Warnock clearly feels he is the type of the player that will respond better to harsh treatment. We'll see. I believe in man managers who adapt how they treat each individual, sometimes its better to be harsh. I think Warnock is just trying to further develop the group ethos. Good management for me but everyone sees it different. Pardew clearly feels its better for Best and Ba to have an arm round the shoulder and big them up. Obviously we haven't got one of the better strikeforces in the PL but I think he just alluding to that particular game. They played really well and some of their link was quite good. Pardew knows strikers are always confidence players, goals get them going.

 

Not many players react well to being called a disgrace though. In fact the ones that would are the types who are also the types to say feck off im off.

 

Loads of players would react well to being called a disgrace actually. You have to trust that Warnock knows Traore a hell of a lot better than any of us. I think there are some modern players whose ego would struggle to cope with it. But I think in general, the way the media portray things like this are viewed somewhat differently by the player. Its the same at any level of football. I used to prefer my manager told me a few home truths, it just motivated me to stick two fingers up by upping my game. In a sick sort of way I loved him singling me out in front of the lads if I had a bad game (which was never of course!) There were others that it would have been crushed and they'd have probably thought "this is not for me" and never returned. Takes allsorts. Someone like Barton would probably struggle with that kind of thing, hence Warnock will probably stick to taking the piss out of him about his ability to read! Managers know their players and act accordingly, people have an unrealistic view of professional sport if they think being called a disgrace to the media is somehow wrong. Lots of bosses criticise their own players thru the media. The media may make it a big thing but they probably just make jokes all week in training about it. Its not a big deal for me and all players should not be mollycoddled in line with some perceived way you should handle players. Handle them all on their own merit, if that involves bollocking them pubically then so be it.

 

Three points and no bookings or injuries is better than three points, lots of goals, a booking and a groin strain

 

I said that £20m is NOT a lot of money. Which part of that don't you understand? ...

 

he's only been working with him for about a month...

 

Is that an actual genuine statement? We've clearly been spoilt if you live in a world where £20m is not a lot of money.