What we've learned

1) If a team plays pacey strikers against us, we will lose. Full stop. Ev) en Coloccini is **** against pace.
2) Ben Arfa has to play. Set up 1 in half an hour, I'm sure he'd have created more with more time. If Pardew picks Leon Best ahead of him again, we know he has lost the plot.
3) We do rely on Demba Ba. If we don't have another option when he leaves, and we rely on Ameobi and Best to score goals, we will not win matches.

Thoughts?

 

Not like we're doing that much anymore anyway.

The only players tonight who played well were Ba and Vuckic, everyone else deserves a kick up the arse. Colo in particular.

 

doesnt help that we play a defensive line higher than harry hills hairline ffs did the same against chelsea

 

i agree with this it seems pards needs to sort this issue out and fast

 

we cant defend against set pieces :/

 

Yea we are playing against 2 fast strikers so we play our defensive line practically on the half way like? makes no sense at all .. And completely agree we rely on Ba too much .. however i think Best played well but also agree Benny was really sharp when he come on .. apart from losing the ball in our half and almost costing us a goal. He is a very risky player to play from the start.

 

We are dreadful in the air, corners, crosses, free kicks.

We may as well just do what Raylor/ HBA did when Tiote almost scored.

Why was Vuckic taking corners, hes 6ft3 ffs, hes a beast, get him in the ****ing middle.

 

I think we should have Vuckic in the hole playing off Demba Ba

 

Krul
Simpson Williamson Colo Santon
HBA Tiote Cabaye Jonas
Vuckic
Ba​

Next game please.

 

Agree with this.... Vuckic and Ben Arfa look like they're the same type of player. V doesn't look like the kind of player who can grab a game and stuck in a la Cabaye which is what he was expected to do today. Still played well mind you but think he needs to play between midfield and attack or up top for him to be most effective

 

yes!

 

Agree with the high line comments. It was hideously obvious from the 5th minute that we needed to drop back 10 yards... but we didn't, and they ended up winning because of it

 

This, definitely.

Also I think Pards needs to be braver with his substitutions, i.e. taking off good players who are playing poor. Abeid would surely have done better than Tiote had he come on?

 

Our squad depth is awful, this is where the one in - one out method doesn't work.

 

Hatem, just checked the forum and had to laugh, you have responded to every thread visible, you're going through it like a dose of salts.

 

As a mod I feel it is my responsibility to check all of the threads on this board

 

Quite right, you're doing a grand job,you'll definitely be getting my vote!

 

We miss Steven Taylor. Ben Arfa should play more. Abeid should have been playing.

 

Vuckic had a couple of good shots and looked promising, but haway, he was anonymous for large chunks of the game.

 

Disagree, Colo is not ****e against pace. He is ****e against pace when we are disjointed and he's trying to play the role of two men. Perch is the single biggest issue at the moment and I must admit I cannot understand what Pardew is doing. He is worth 3 goals a game to the opposition. His marking on set plays is the wrost I've seen. Obviously teams are now targetting him on set plays, its ****ing killing us. He is league one standard midfielder playing centre half. For sure Long raped Colo when given the room to work in, but Long will do that to any centre half in the world when given that much green to run into. I just don't get Perch. He just stands and watches, its like he's frightened to get involved for fear of cocking up.

I agree it is indeed Ben Arfa time. Leon looks a bit low at present, he showed the odd decent touch but I think he badly needs a goal. Ben Arfa is chomping at the bit but I can see why Pardew has been leaving him out. He didn't look a picture of strength and fitness last night, I suspect he needs to up his training and fitness levels to impress Pardew. Just my opinion but I thought he looked a little chubby round the chops for him.

We do rely heavily on Demba. But the lad is a goal machine. Awesome. I think Leon may step up and combine well with Benni, but there is no doubt he doesn't have the shooting accuracy of Ba. Not many do to be honest. We still need someone in there.

We miss Saylors bravery and drive to protect goal.