QPR vs Newcastle United full match video, extended highlights and interviews

Posted on May 13th, 2013 | 351 Comments |

Queens Park Rangers vs Newcastle United full match video first half.

Queens Park Rangers vs Newcastle United full match video second half.

Highlights.

“Match of the Day” highlights.

Post match interview with Alan Pardew.

Score and Goalscorers.

Queens Park Rangers 1 (Remy (pen) 11), Newcastle United 2 (Ben Arfa (pen) 18, Gouffran 35).

Teams and other match facts.

Queens Park Rangers (4-4-2): Robert Green (G), Jose Bosingwa (Fabio da Silva HT), Nedum Onuoha, Clint Hill (C), Armand Traore, Andros Townsend, Jermaine Jenas, Stephane M’Bia (Shaun Derry HT), Junior Hoilett (Adel Taarabt 84), Loic Remy, Bobby Zamora.

Subs: Brian Murphy (G), Fabio da Silva, Esteban Granero, Shaun Derry, Ji-Sung Park, Adel Taarabt, Jamie Mackie.

Newcastle United (4-3-3): Rob Elliot (G, Steve Harper 81), Mathieu Debuchy, Mike Williamson, Fabricio Coloccini (C), Mapou Yanga-Mbiwa, Yohan Cabaye, Cheick Tiote (James Perch 52), Jonas Gutierrez, Hatem Ben Arfa, Papiss Cisse, Yoan Gouffran.

Subs: Steve Harper (G), Danny Simpson, James Perch, Vurnon Anita, Sylvain Marveaux, Gabriel Obertan, Adam Campbell.

Yellow cards: Yohan Cabaye (10), Mike Williamson (30), Stephane M’Bia (37), Rob Elliot (68),

Red cards: Rob Elliot (two yellows, 81).

Referee: Lee Probert (Wilts).

Attendance: 17,278.

Poll

NUFCBlog Author: workyticket workyticket has written 1093 articles on this blog.

Related Posts:


351 Responses

  1. Gone the dread of relegation,
    Now the dread of another season of Pardew.Oh where is that glimmer of hope?

  2. I think I would have rather got relegated than have Pardew in charge for the next 7 years.

  3. The sentiments seem all round the park relieved, but pretty disenchanted with pardoo ! Thing is cash will not want to sever a contract at a cost of several million punds as its not business sensible !
    So pardoo will stay and we will again be subject to mid-lower table mediocrity …ugh …

  4. nzedtoonman says:
    May 13, 2013 at 10:12 am

    “Thing is cash will not want to sever a contract at a cost of several million punds as its not business sensible !”

    nzed, the eight year contracts were all about conpensation for Ashley if a big team wanted to poach Pardew and his backroom staff. Ashley will only have to pay a small amount of compensation if he sacks Pardew, who is one of the lowest paid managers in the Premier League anyway. On the other hand, Ashley will get more conpensation if someone wanted to poach Pardew and his backroom staff, which, as crazy as it sounds now, Ashley genuinely believed at the time.

  5. According to the Chronic & Journal, Toady boy, Has been assured his job is safe.
    I thought once he secured their 60 million quid, It will be onwards and downwards, I’m afraid.
    The one thing you learn with Ashley & Co, They never change, So this development, comes as no great surprise.
    It was a knocking bet, That this would be the outcome.

  6. I don’t think I can tolerate another season under this regime with Pardew at the helm.
    The football has been terrible since Pardew arrived…I can’t remember the last time we put in an outstanding shift over two halfs with decent attacking football.

    Some of Pardew’s comments about happy to be out of Europe and not bothered if Arsenal beat us 4-0 are incredible to say the least !!

  7. Well to be honest there hasn’t been discontent at the matches really. There’s not much chanting for him to go, he thinks it’s been “tough” for him here this season but he hasn’t had what previous managers who’ve actually had better win percentages receive.

    His tripe seems to have won over many fans who actually believe him. The constant “we don’t have the finances of Chelsea” etc, or “injuries” or “Europa League”. It’s just like Souness in his excuses, I’m sick and tired of seeing everyone and everything take the blame except him.

    Jokes aside I genuinely think he’s lost the plot, and not only does he sound deluded to me, he actually believes everything he says. At first I thought he was trying to manipulate fans with his tosh, but I now think he actually believes it himself. He will continue to repeat the exact same mistakes of this season, next season. The bloke is 51 years old FFS, in the same footballing school as Tony Pulis. I would say Sam Allardyce but in fairness to him he can set up a corner routine. Suppose you can say the same for Pulis too.

    If I read another “David Moyes did this” or “Sir Alex Ferguson did that” I’ll go mad. Both of them were successful before they arrived at their clubs. David Moyes inherited an awful Everton side that battled relegation regularly. He didn’t have the squad available to him Pardew has done when he finished 17th.

    “I don’t care if Arsenal beat us 4-0, thankfully we’re not in the Europa League next season”… This just about sums up Pardew. No ambition at all. Then really what is the point? Forget about cups, forget about Europe, let’s just exist in the Premier League. Roll on another seven years.

  8. If we are going to be stuck with him for at least another season (odds on) and if Ashley has seen enough to realise he aint another Sir Alex. Perhaps he might invest in a decent coach, similar to Sir Alex’s, he may become available as Moyes apparently wants his Everton back room staff to move with him. I wouldn’t put money on MA doing this though.

    I would love to see Wigan win Tuesday, that would set a few thousand sphincters loosening and make for an interesting weekends football. We can now, as someone else already said, express (or is it feel) a little schadenfreude!

  9. Speaking on MotD2 yesterday evening about taking a tiny Spanish club, Getafe, to the quarter finals of the Europa League after reaching the Spanish Cup final the previous season, Michael Laudrup had this to say on competing in Europe:

    “I do not believe players get tired. It’s a mental issue, and you need to manage the situation so that players get in the right mindset for each different type of competition”

    Basically, not for the first time, a man who has won trophies Pardew can only ever dream about is saying that Pardew is talking bollocks.

    Like Jose Mourinho, Pardew prides himself on being some kind of psychological genius who can get his players into the right mindset by pinning his motivational slogans on the walls of dressing rooms etc, yet he contantly whinges in public about his players getting tired. In terms of psycholological motivation, all this constant suggestion and excuse making will do is make his players actually feel more tired. He really is f***ing clueless David Brent type character who doesn’t know what he’s doing.

    At Reading, the players used to use his motivational slogans as targets for shooting practice. :lol:

  10. SJT, The Chronicle and especially Lee Ryder are part of the spin mate so it doesn’t surprise me. All we’re going to hear now is how we will attack the league next year, and then when the League and F.A. Cup come about, how we want to win a trophy. We’ll end up knocked out of both before the 5th round of each and the only attacking of the league we’ll do will be battling out for 14th.

  11. Pardew has back tracked on his Arsenal comment “it was a joke”.

    Kernt.

  12. I listened very closely to Laudrup last night Worky when Lineker asked him the question of the Europa League. Laudrup was spot on and was so positive, much like Martinez even with inferior squads they will go for it.

    Had we got to the F.A. Cup final versus City, Pardew would have set up defensive and we’d have got smashed. He’s so negative in his approach to football matches you need a strong batch of anti-depressants to get through a second half. Never plays the team to their strengths and worries about stopping the opposition giving them nothing to worry about when they face us.

    We can only dream of what a manger like Laudrup could achieve with our squad. Like I’ve said before, Pardew being at this club is the same as being good looking enough to be with Mila Kunis, but being content with being with Anne Widdecombe.

  13. SJT, he’s a tool. But of course he’ll get away with those comments because people still believe his shite.

  14. He really is the perfect manager for Ashley and Llambias. He’ll never leave while they are here.

  15. Jimbob says:
    May 13, 2013 at 12:39 pm

    “The bloke is 51 years old FFS, in the same footballing school as Tony Pulis. I would say Sam Allardyce but in fairness to him he can set up a corner routine. Suppose you can say the same for Pulis too.”

    Jimbob, to be fair, Fat Sam and Tony Pubis are actually reforming their act. They’ve seen which way the wind is blowing and their long balls have been getting shorter. Since Pardew’s protege Brian “long balls” McDermott has been sacked, Pardew is the only manager who has been going the other way.

  16. The Uzi Blogger is firmly behind Pardew. There’s a surprise.

    Looking at Pardew’s all round record his win percentage is 36% (awful). Forget league standings, when you review a job or role you analyze the whole performance. With inferior squads Roeder 45%, Souness 43%, Gullit 34%. You could argue Souness’ squad was better than ours now. I think Sir Bobby Robson’s team was our best in the last 20 years prior to Keegan’s in 1996. Souness had horrendous injuries, but he told us every 5 minutes (sound familiar). I didn’t like Souness, but Roeder’s inferior team was destroyed by injuries yet he never once complained. He got us a 7th place finish after taking over half-way through a season. the following year a UEFA Cup QF, and a 13th or 14th (can’t remember) finishing position with a ravaged injury hit squad. By far the worst I’ve witnessed as a supporter. How is it, venom was spit towards them but Pardew gets away with it? Shouldn’t we have kept these managers on because like Pardew they could of been the next Sir Alex Ferguson?

  17. Jimbob says:
    May 13, 2013 at 1:38 pm

    “SJT, The Chronicle and especially Lee Ryder are part of the spin mate so it doesn’t surprise me.”

    Jimbob, the Journal’s Mark Douglas is every bit as fawning and “on message” as that fat baldy with the porn star name. The former anus licker who went over to the dark side, Luke “who’s talking” Edwards was right about one thing, the blackmail. Any hacks who go off message will threatened with the same fate as him.

    It’s the same with most celebrities nowadays with their PR reps. If you want access to them you have to sign all kinds of agreements saying that you can’t write anything they deem to be negative, you can only ask certain questions and frequently, the results must be submitted for appoval before they are published.

  18. Worky, Allardyce has adapted his game. I remember reading in a paper during the Euro’s how he never uses the 4-4-2 system, due to how ridged it is in today’s game. He’s always had interesting set-piece routines too. I remember when the offside rule adapted to ‘not interfering with play’ and Allardyce while at Bolton pushed 3 or 4 players to the goal line for free-kicks.

    The Germans seem to be leading the way in the tactical game, though they always have been superior in that aspect. I think it was Gary Neville the other week said he’s been on courses over there and they were discussing how the game will eventually move towards using a 2-8 formation.

    I think Pardew was out in Germany on a course when he got the job here. Obviously didn’t learn much. Maybe that’s why we play a 6-3—-1 formation to counter other teams positive approach play. :-)

  19. Another season of failure, long back rusty football and a lack of goals. I cannot wait!

  20. Agreed Worky. Mark Douglas is the same but I will say at least he does air his own personal views on Twitter, and they are not always rectum reaming. Lee Ryder’s another story.

  21. Jimbob says:
    May 13, 2013 at 2:19 pm

    “The Germans seem to be leading the way in the tactical game, though they always have been superior in that aspect. I think it was Gary Neville the other week said he’s been on courses over there and they were discussing how the game will eventually move towards using a 2-8 formation.”

    Jimbob, Vialli and Klinsmann (a German former Bayern manager) said that about Guardiola’s Barcelona long before Neville said it about the Sausagemunchers. Barcelona started to go into a decline when Joan Laporta left and Sandro Rosell took over and the Germans have picked up the baton.

    As I mentioned in a comment here a few days ago in a comment about Txixi Begiristain leaving Barcelona, and eventually joining Man City as Director of Football.

    Barcelona started to go into decline when Rosell took over the Presidency of the club from the Cruyffian Laporta. Rosell’s first action was to strip Johan Cruyff of the lifetime Presidency and the second purge of the Cruyffians began. The first one happened under President Nunez when Cruyff himself was sacked as manager. After Laporta left, Guardiola left, Begiristain left and the club is becoming more like Real Madrid, a Hollywood club which has punched below it’s real weight in europe ever since they sacked del Bosque for not winning the Champions League every single year. It’s the end of a cycle. Guardiola will be Bayern Munich’s manager next year not because thay are the club who would pay him the most, but because they are the club who are like Barcelona used to be.

  22. His 4-0 comments about the Arsenal game were supposedly a joke? No, you are the joke Alan, your tactics, your game plan, your substitutions, your excuses.

    I can’t believe that Ashley would keep him after he tried to pass the buck upstairs. Maybe there is some truth to what he said but there are numerous things that Pardew did that almost got us relegated.

  23. It might take losing 0-4 to Arsenal on the final day to actually convince Mike Ashley that he has a total tosser of a manager. The cloud with the silver lining.

  24. Worky, Neville never said it about the Germans, he was just mentioning an example of what’s been said in the coaching courses there. It was a Wigan game he was referring to, and how Martinez is virtually heading that way with his 3-4-3. Napoli are a good example of a team in which uses that formation. Bayern are almost a complete team, they can adjust their game plan accordingly unlike Barcelona who only have one way of playing. Both teams are light years ahead of teams like us. Maybe Pardew’s the one who can instill this kind of philosophy into our team. The bloke thinks he’s “tactically astute”, and his teams always “play on the front foot”. Like I said above, I don’t think he’s manipulating fans, I really think he believes it which is frightening. :-)

  25. Jimbob @ 12#

    I totally agree and believe I said something similar on the blog previously.
    Face it, the man is not entirely sane, obviously delusional and should not be paid attention too.
    If you compare his mood swings and the variety of his babbling, it becomes obvious, this is not your normal human being.
    What’s crazy is, as you stated, it’s not an act, the man really believes his own nonsense.
    Like you I thought he was a con artist, but have changed my mind over time.
    That’s why he convinces some, he really believes he’s a master tactician and a great manager.
    It’s just that too many obstacles have been placed in his way , to prove it.
    If he’s not fired as the local rag claims, then we will be sure that Ashley has no clue and deserves whatever we have in store for us , if we continue with this clown.

    As for the bring back Andy Carroll crowd, that would be a mistake.

    If I were the likes of Cabaye, Sissoko, HBA, I would be putting out “come and get me calls”, which may very well happen.
    This club is in disarray, it’s obvious neither our owner or his sidekick have any clue as how to bring either stability or any kind of success, their ignorance is only exceeded by their arrogance.
    That fact should not have escaped our recent recruits attention and they must think they have landed in some kind of crazy farm.
    I guess I just have no faith in Ashley, who as we know runs everything and is therefore bears all the responsibility for what goes on.

  26. Howay man!, Give pardew him a chance!, After all he’s the new Fergie, It’s all about stability, At the end of the day!
    Let us all build temples to worship, The footballing God, ALAN PARDEW!
    “There are bushman, and there’s Mick Dundee”
    “there are football manager’s, And there’s Alan Pardew”
    A true prince among us mere mortals, It’s only a matter of time before England come calling, And we lose the best manager we’ve had since the Great Bobby Robson.
    Newcastle’s loss will be England’s gain, But if we love someone, We have to set them free.
    With the 5 million compensation package, Derek Llambias will be able to fund a whole Premier League winning squad, Along with the Wonga, Wonga!
    GOD SAVE US FROM THIS NIGHTMARE!!!

  27. Jimbob says:
    May 13, 2013 at 4:29 pm

    “It was a Wigan game he was referring to, and how Martinez is virtually heading that way with his 3-4-3. Napoli are a good example of a team in which uses that formation. Bayern are almost a complete team, they can adjust their game plan accordingly unlike Barcelona who only have one way of playing.”

    Jimbob, I’m sorry but you can’t get away from Michels, Cruyff, Ajax and Barcelona. :-)

    The 3-4-3 was developed by Cruyff in his first managerial job at Ajax, and he later took it to Barcelona. More recently, it was also the formation Rafael Benitez switched to in the second half of the 2005 Champions League final, and when Wigan stuffed us 4-nowt not so long ago amongst other things.

  28. Sometimes i sit yeah, Feeling alone.
    I got no one to talk to, I got no telephone.
    And at night i wake up, I just lie and stare.
    Come on and save me from this nightmare.

    Hi Ho silver, here come the lone Pardew.
    He’s riding on down, To rescue me!

    Get a noose for my neck now, ffs, Another season with that imbecile!

  29. I can think of 3 managers with Premier League experience who will be available – Laudrup, Rafa and Martinez. We could have our pick and one of the others would go to Everton. The bigger clubs than us have management in place or wouldn’t choose any of these 3 (Citeh).

    It seems so obvious what we should do. That would give us stability. Someone who has managed in our league and has had success. Someone with a plan and a football philosophy.

    I don’t even agree with the “yes man” argument for Pardew. I have never heard these managers blame their chairmen or really complain that much about money or players.

    I know Laudrup said he wants to manage Swans in Europe, but I bet he would leave for us or Everton.

  30. How can this idiot say that draws at West Brom and West Ham PROVE team unity. Did he watch the second halves of those games? Did he miss the Liverpool and Sunderland games? Does he ever think before he opens his mouth?

  31. GS says:
    May 13, 2013 at 5:09 pm

    “I can think of 3 managers with Premier League experience who will be available – Laudrup, Rafa and Martinez.”

    GS, what is so important about “Premiership experience?” When Arsene Wenger was far less experienced in the Premiership than he is now, he had trophies coming out of his ears. Now he’s one of the most experienced, but he’s won shag all for ages. Did lack of Premiership experience bother Mourinho when he came over to manage Chelsea? On a smaller scale, this season was Laudrup’s first in the Premiership with a tiny team and he won the League Cup and so on…

  32. Worky @44: Yeah, but why the hell not have premiership experience if you can get it with the other qualities we need?

    Chuck listed these and a bunch of other managers the other day that I would be glad to have over Pardew. And we could all probably add a few to those.

    I just think that the 3 I mentioned would “check the boxes” for Ashley if he was to make a change. I am not ABSOLUTELY sure they would take the job though.

    I could go into a ponderous explanation of why each would be good, including that Martinez’ success is relative and it was Laudrup’s first season but he showed enough to be worth the chance, but I wanted to keep it short.

  33. GS says:
    May 13, 2013 at 5:46 pm

    “including that Martinez’ success is relative”

    As I mentioned to Chuck the other day, Steve Bruce (11th and 14th) did better in the League with Wigan than Maritinez has.

    Martinez has had Wigan more or less exactly where they should be. Of course, he’s won the FA Cup with them now, which is great, but he has never had Wigan punching above their weight in the League. It was about the same with Moyes and Everton too. As I’ve also mentioned previously, they could actually do better now than they did under Moyes if they make the right choice of new manager.

    As for Hughton, and Lambert before him at Norwich, they should have been relegated.

  34. Since we have Shearer’s Bar, can’t we have Pardew’s Comedy Club? He could do stand up on Thursday nights with special guest appearances from Mike Ashley and Derek Llambias.

    Or a Pardiola Worship Temple just beside St James’ Park.

  35. I know Worky :-) It’s rarely seen though which is my point. Wigan and Napoli openly use it, and other teams will eventually.

    Chuck, I agree. I really do think the man is insane.

  36. Worky: I think Wigan have a high Championship squad, but for us success starved fans… oh for an FA Cup.

    I have a question though. The Chronicle are saying Goufran’s goal is worth 60 million. Is this the additional money over the 3 years of the new deal (they don’t say, typical Chronic). I have also seen it mentioned that relegation would have cost us 75 million.

    As usual, the press bandy about these numbers and never back them up because I know there are parachute payments etc.

    I know there is extra money to all premiership clubs, I just don’t know how much and I am a bit confused by what the press have said. Also, a contributor on here says it is 5 billion, but I am not sure where that comes from and how it is distributed.

    It will be interesting to see what we do with it and whether this will inflate transfer fees here and from abroad? Will other teams progress with the extra cash whilst we pay off Mike’s loan and stagnate? Is it even an issue if Pardew is still there and we are still playing mind-blowingly awful football?

  37. Chuck, when you say “Their ignorance is only exceeded by their arrogance” it sums it up quite nicely.

  38. On transfer fees, if we sell to buy it should be a wash. What happens to wages is another matter. You would think they couldn’t go much higher but that is not how this market will work.

  39. Jimbob: we have said for most of the year that Pardew is a comedian. He has now back tracked on the Arsenal comments and the “Ashley partly to blame” comments in the past 24 hours.

    Still said that it he wouldn’t want to get into Europe through the Fair Play table. Maybe comedian isn’t strong enough, he is a f*cking CLOWN.

  40. Also, Pardew said he has “worked twice as hard” this year as last year. Maybe that’s part of it. Let the players play. Don’t fill their heads with Brentisms and crap tactics. And we know they are crap because we haven’t scored from a corner all year. We have one game to go. Has that ever been done before in the Premier League? Perhaps that will be Pardew’s legacy.

  41. He’s a hoot GS. I think he said once that he’s the best manager in the World and the West Ham fans were w**kers or something like that. Of course it was a joke though.

    There’s a Facebook group I joined years ago for Newcastle. It never showed in my newsfeed until recently for some reason. There are some level headed people on there but mostly it’s full of Pardew lovers. Not a single one of them has any way of defending him factually. It’s all about Alex Ferguson this or David Moyes that. Not one of them blames Pardew, they’ve fully swallowed his injuries, Europa League, etc. Or the players are all shite it’s their fault. You can factor all those in as part of the problem, but he’s not even taking any of the flack at all.

    Some have brushed off the Arsenal comments, they don’t care it was a joke. It’s not the point. It’s highly embarrassing for a manager at a club like ours to say that. It’s not funny, especially after shipping 9 in our previous two home games. They better forget about the lap of honour this weekend. No doubt he’ll be at the front fist pumping away.

  42. GS says:
    May 13, 2013 at 6:16 pm (Edit)

    “Worky: I think Wigan have a high Championship squad,”

    When does a “high Championship squad” become a low Premiership squad, GS?

    Norwich’s squad is poorer than Wigan’s (as is Reading’s). But Norwich finished 12th last year with Lambert and they are currently 12th with Hughton. Wigan should be hovering around just above those two, either at the top of the bottom three or just above it. Instead of being consistent however, they are shite then put on a dramatic late, late show which is exciting and leads to Martinez receiving more plaudits.

    Moyes has been similar too. His teams have been crap at the beginning of seasons, then they do the same exciting late, late shows, eventually assuming the kind of position they should have had all along (7th or 8th in Everton’s case) and everyone goes into paroxysms about how wonderful they are.

    Of course, you have dysfunctional basket cases like QPR this season and Newcastle United (2008-9 and this season), to upset the predictabilty at the bottom. Last season higher up the table, you had Liverpool and Chelsea having crappy seasons, and they made us look two places better than we should have been (scrapping it out with Everton for 7th).

  43. GS says:
    May 13, 2013 at 7:02 pm

    “Chronicle NUFC end of season survey:”

    Whatever the fans really say, the Chronic will find a way of twisting it into “95% of Toon fans think the sun shines out of Alan Pardew’s hole, and that Mike Ashley is brilliantly taking the club forward from the dark days of Fat Freddy.”

    Not that I’m cynical or anything.

  44. Well it looks like 101 people (idiots) have voted yes in Workys poll, anyone care to admit to being one. My name is certainly not (in capital letters) on that list.

    Pardew could probably paper over the cracks in his shortcomings with a better coaching staff, can’t see it happening somehow.

    Looking forward to the Brighton/Palace game tonight, I fancy Brighton to be the 3rd promoted team we will be playing next year. Incidentally I wouldn’t mind Poyet as a manager for us.

    And Martinez might well be a Wunderkid manager but it is looking odds on that Wigan are going down, don’t be surprised if they go all the way down as well, even if he stays with them (Unlikely)

  45. goofys goal was class yesterday made it look so easy also great pressing from jonas

  46. Worky: I am not a total fanboy of Martinez. I am impressed that he won the FA cup and he plays a nice style of attacking football. He was on at the World Cup over here and he seemed to be likeable and know what he is talking about. Maybe I am jumping on the bandwagon. F*ck it, they are all better than Pardew, but Rafa or Laudrup it is then.

    On the Chronicle questionnaire the last question asks you to sum up the season in one word. I bet what I put is the most common answer – “SHITE”.

  47. All I can say is that as AP’s tenure has goes on, I have less and less of an urge to actually go out of my way to watch our matches. I haven’t watched any in their entirety at the time of airing since Sunderland. And I certainly feel no urge to buy any merchandise.

    Have to say I agree with SJT @ #4. Seriously.

  48. Jimbob says:
    May 13, 2013 at 6:47 pm

    “Not one of them blames Pardew, they’ve fully swallowed his injuries, Europa League, etc. Or the players are all shite it’s their fault.”

    What I don’t understand about these idiots is that if you criticise Pardew, they accuse you of “not getting behind the team.” Then however, when they give you their idea of what the propblem is, they start ripping into the players, saying things like Williamson or Simpson, or now even players like Cisse should be taken out and shot etc and we need to buy new players, then, if buying new players doesn’t work (like in January), we have to buy more new players and so on…

  49. TOONARMYELITE says:
    May 13, 2013 at 7:14 pm

    “goofys goal was class yesterday made it look so easy also great pressing from jonas”

    Aye, they did well Toon, but it was actually QPR who made that goal look so easy.

  50. I was impressed with Mbiwa, could easily turn out to be our best xmas buy.

  51. Pardew was never going anywhere. As if Degsie would actually admit that the awarding of the ‘eight year contract’ was the act of a numbskull.

    Let’s face it; eating that much humble pie could probably kill somebody.

  52. This is from SJT’s link @1. Pardew said:

    “Now we are not in the Europa League — God willing we won’t get in through the Fair Play Award — means we can have a good run in the Premier League.”

    I had to put this up as a standalone quote as it just about sums him up. Excuses and no ambition. Let alone not having a thought for the fans who quite enjoy their trips to Bordeaux or Amsterdam etc.

  53. Thinking more along the lines now of whos ganna be coming in, and whos going to be leaveing meself, now we know we in the prem next season.Like every1 else i aint happy about the season,but would also point out, we had a lot of iffy decisions go against us this season, which in turn have cost us points and places in the league table.We need to put this season behind us and jog onto next season as soon as poss in my view.

  54. TOONARMYELITE says:
    May 13, 2013 at 7:45 pm

    “we had a lot of iffy decisions go against us this season, which in turn have cost us points and places in the league table.”

    And many other teams have had decisions go for and against them too. It all pretty much evened itself out in the end though.

    For instance, do you remember when Krul got away with a penalty and being sent off in the Europa League qualifiers? We would probably have been knocked out by little Atromitos in the first stage if the ref spotted that.

    Do you remember a couple of weeks after that when Everton scored a perfectly good goal against us which wasn’t given, losing them two points and gaining us one? That’s two examples for a start but there are others, just as many as went for us.

  55. Demba Ba’s handball goal v Reading. Anita’s tackle against Anzhi. Cisse’s backside against West Brom. The penalty at home to Southampton that changed the game. It’s not all been against us, though it’s drummed into peoples heads every time there’s an interview.

  56. Surprise surprise, the “nothing to see here, AP’s the man, move on” crowd are already queuing up for servings of transfer gossip tripe. If AP’s still here, I won’t be paying any attention to comings and goings because in my opinion they won’t matter.

  57. GS says:
    May 13, 2013 at 7:41 pm (Edit)

    “This is from SJT’s link @1. Pardew said:”

    “Now we are not in the Europa League — God willing we won’t get in through the Fair Play Award — means we can have a good run in the Premier League.”

    GS, another version I read was:

    “I will make sure that we are well prepared for next season, and thank God we are not in the Europa League again.”

    Pardew’s comments in the same interview about the Arsenal game caused the most kefuffle in the media, but that’s the one which will really rile the fans.

  58. @ workyticket
    thats easy will = that with the 2 iffy decisions at wigan next

  59. tunyc: the problem is that if we went down we don’t have the choice to watch any games as hardly any Championship games are shown here.

    I was out of town yesterday and was almost glad that I couldn’t see the game. Luckily we got a result but it sounds like it was the same old dross.

    I still haven’t had the intestinal fortitude to watch Worky’s highlights (never mind the interviews) although I did see the goals on a Premier League review show on Fox.

  60. <<<<<<<<<, needs 2 hands to count all the goals that were onside but called offside next

  61. and after i watch the seasons dvd i think i might need to take a sock off as well :)

  62. know what peeps say about things evening out but thats not the case this season had way more go against than went for us in my view

  63. @ Jimbob saw that bud the other day think hes got a fair few points meself

  64. Just watched a Nani-like incident in the Championship play-off and no sending off. No wonder there are complaints and conspiracy theories about Refs when there is no consistency.

  65. last season i would of laughed that off, but i aint so sure any more bud, after that major beting fix that came to light at the start of the season.If i was runing a beting scam, i would be buying off as many refs and linesmen as i possibly could meself bud

  66. Stuart Latimer? I know nothing about him. Is he a blogger or actually work for the Mag?

  67. Toonarmyelite, it certainly happens in World football but I don’t think we’re subject to it. I just think the author sounds ridiculous. There was a lot of nonsense written about that Matthew Wilkes (I think that’s his name), the assistant i the Wigan and West Ham game. There was nothing going on other than negligence in the Wigan game and all officials were accountable. The West Ham ‘goal’ wasn’t a goal after Sky Sports did their virtual reality thing. Which does work quite well. If it was proved it did cross the line fans would have backed video.

  68. Jimbob says:
    May 13, 2013 at 9:06 pm

    “Stuart Latimer? I know nothing about him. Is he a blogger or actually work for the Mag?”

    Well, in the link I posted it said he was a guest contributor, but it doesn’t say that in the one you posted. I think he’s a guest contributor.

  69. Jimbob think its all ready here meself bud, and linesman and refs aint on the sort of money the players are on, and i see them very open to corruption meself, and 1 thing i do know, is major crimnals head for were the big bucks are, and in terms of football that would be the prem league

  70. It’s probably here mate I agree. Just I don’t think it’s affected us like the author of that piece reckons.

  71. We got a fair share of decisions our way last season. I do think overtime they do even out eventually, whether it’s this season or next season. It’s been a rotten campaign, I’m glad to see the back of it.

  72. yeah disaster of a season,but at least the team stood up and dug us out of the mess we found ourself in, and can look forward to the summer transfer window, as going down would of been a disaster in my book :).Also think we will do a lot better next season

  73. Jimbob @ 77: that is one of the stupidest things I’ve read in a while. Really hate this post-PC phenomenon of folks wrapping themselves (or whomever they’re defending) in the mantle of victimhood so as to forestall any criticism. Ridiculous. Long memory for bad luck, no memory for good luck. That Everton game with Anichebe’s disallowed goal is the best example if you ask me. We were THOROUGHLY outplayed for all 90 minutes and were fully deserving of the 0 points we should have gotten. Even if the officials present a bit of an extra challenge at times, I’m not buying that a club ends up where they are at the end of a 38-match season because of refs’ bias. There has been plenty of room for our squad to play better and for our manager to manage better if we want to consider why we didn’t have a successful season.

  74. Usually when a Manager gets a vote of confidence/is told his job is safe, it is the kiss of death and he is one bad result away from the sack. I hope this applies to Pardew.

    I know there are counter examples, probably Ferguson and Moyes who everybody likes to refer to. Maybe even Steve Kean.

  75. Pardew may indeed, and probably will, be maintained as our manager into next season on the basis that we need continuity, a stronger squad, and that his excuses for being so crap awful this season held water, BUT he will not be allowed to continue indefinitely. If we are once more in dire straights by Christmas, I have no doubt that Mike will pull the plug. Simples.

  76. Paul on the Left Coast
    How could any sane person believe Pardew is in any way a manager that can compete in the EPL.
    His whole history is one of failure.
    Why would Ashley believe he is the new Alex Ferguson ?
    And if he does, then he’s dumber than I think he is.

  77. I was just reading where we are interested in a possible signing of James Mccarthy.

    It was mentioned before and my comments were, if he is available sign him, no matter at what cost.
    Why ?
    For those who have watched Wigan recently, that should be obvious.
    The guy is IMO a better midfield engine room , come controller of the game than our highly rated Cabaye.
    At twenty two, the guy is a highly skilled midfielder, who will be the key to any club he ends up playing for.
    A virtual Roy Keane, without the aggression.
    Get him now before the price rises and whole we are at it, why not get Martinez to replace our idiot boss Pardew
    if at all possible.
    But what am I talking about, our idiot’s couldn’t find there ass with both hands, never mind a deal.

  78. I really did have the most chilling nightmare last night.

    I dreamt that Mike Ashley sacked Pardew (so far, so good). Then though, it all turned sour. As the ultimate piece of cruelty, he appointed Iain Dowie as his replacement. After that, I decided that I had to become a Geordie Lee Harvey Oswald and assassinate Ashley in his seat at SJP from the East Stand. I managed to get my gun in there and I was going to carry out my mission, but then I woke up with a start.

  79. tunyc, others in the USA: the Arsenal – Wigan game is on Fox soccer this afternoon if you are interested

  80. GS In that piece he also refers to Ameobi as a Key player.Pardew wouldn’t know a good player if he kicked him up the a#se.

  81. So, there is a meeting after the season ends to evaluate Pardews performance. What criteria will he be judged on? Some possibilities:

    League position – underachieved

    European Campaign – pass

    Other cups – dismal fail

    Communication – gobshite

    Motivation – gobshite

    Has a vision – no

    Brings along young/fringe players – fail

    Use of resources – fail

    Integration of new players – fail

    goals conceded – worst in league

    entertainment – you are joking!!!

    coaching ability – see goals conceded

    choice of coaches – fail

    tactics – fail

    adapting tactics to game situation – see 2nd half of every game.

  82. It doesn’t matter who we bring in over summer, pardew would play them out of position and demotivate them. We’ve scraped past relegation more by luck than judgement. He has to walk. We have good players he genuinely just doesn’t know what to do with any of them!

  83. Sorry to bang on about Pardew and nothing else but I see him as being the main culprit in a dismal season. We have little hope until he goes as he never learns.

    They have a Canadian produced soccer show over here with a very good Scottish pundit called Bobby McMahon. I’ll paraphrase what he said of the QPR game:

    “QPR were dismal and played awful football, Newcastle if anything were worse. They couldn’t put more than 3 passes together and misplaced passes of 5 yards. They resorted to long balls up to Cisse which invariably didn’t get to their target”

  84. Worky: I wish you would do an article about how to evaluate a manager. I have given my ideas. It is all relative and we have seen from Chelsea and Man City that different criteria are used at different clubs.

    There should be some objective measures and maybe some club specific measures that we can help Ashley out with?

    Toadying ability, and deflecting criticism from the Owner should not come into play.

  85. Chuck, If we were to sign anyone from Wigan, I would sign maloney, He can cross a ball no bother, And would be a considerable step up to, “Pocahontas”, Who cannot cross the street, Jonas!

  86. GS @ 105: what that proves (if AP is allowed to continue) is that AshleyCo’s goals aren’t the same as ours. Consider…

    Communication: pass, received one-way directives from ownership and never complained, accepted their position on personnel, showered fanbase with owner’s propaganda via media.

    Vision: pass, has no independent vision for the squad/club and no likelihood of developing one, just how our owners like it.

    Coaching ability/other coaches/tactics: N/A, AshleyCo doesn’t have the knowledge to evaluate those things.

  87. Now we are safe, do you think Pardew will start 4-3-3 again against Arsenal? He did last season when we had nothing to worry about.

  88. dont want James Mccarthy meself or the rat fat fella they got in charge there

  89. quite surprised man city sacked there manager meself though he can be a bit unstable at times his win per centage of 59 per cent aint bad,prob the best manager they had in the last 50 years

  90. saw that stupid i love the camera wigan owner on sky sports says he hopes they get the 3 points at chelsea lmao, hey fat twonk you aint playing chelsea

  91. I see where one of our contributors has paraphrased Pardews take on our survival, with a …

    “But at least the team stood up and dug us out of the mess we found ourselves in”

    Is that how anyone else saw it ?

    What I saw was a poor side that for the most part (QPR)
    outplayed us and apart from gifting us both a penalty and an easy goal, virtually handed us the three points.

    It was one of the worst games I have had the misfortune to watch, but having waited for it to come on telly, on a delayed tape and not knowing the result, was fixed like a deer in the headlights.

    Look i’m glad we got (not earned) the three points, but a couldn’t care QPR side and a bit of luck, got us through, there was no one digging us outta any hole.

    We were as bad as we have been all season.

  92. TAE @ 117: just like Mourinho @ CFC-whatever they say, this is about Champions League futility. Winning 25% of your matches in the CL does not cut it when you have the ambition of City’s owners.

  93. sees 1 of our contributors thinks 10 mil is a steal lmao
    There’s a rumor young McCarthy may be heading to Spurs, for a mentioned ten million quid, a deal IMO.

  94. Appears we are heavily weighted with both French and African players, many who play for their countries.
    What will we do during the African international tournament, or while France plays in the world cup qualifier games.
    Then we have the new rule regarding home grown players, where a certain number of the squad must be from the UK.
    Though I understand that rule has already reached the judicial system with a challenge of “restriction of trade” or something similar.
    By the same lawyer apparently who introduced the famous Bosmaan case.
    But never the less, perhaps it’s time we looked at some home grown players, now during the summer window would be a good time.
    I would certainly go for McCarthy, who at twenty two is already a top midfield engine room.
    Watch him to-day, everything goes through him, he sets up the plays with some incredible passes and like Cabaye, gets his own goals.
    Actually I would trade him straight up for Cabaye, believe he’s both younger and better.
    But hopefully we will start to look for some good young home grown talent to balance out the side.

  95. Well apparently Spurs think he’s (Mc Carthy) worth the money and consider him to be their future.
    I suppose they are about to dump their midfield engine room, apparently Arry wants Scott Parker at QPR to help him climb back into the PL.
    So to be thought of as better than Parker, is not a bad position to be in.

  96. If you want homegrown Chuck, and McCarthy goes to Spurs, why not pick up Huddlestone (perhaps we already have that type of player though in Sissoko, we haven’t tried him in his natural position yet)?

    Wigan level. C’mon, I want to see the Mackems squirm.

  97. Another amateur statistician has been unravelling Pardew’s bollocks, in this case his post Europa League “tiredness” bollocks.

    Well done Beckit Ronog whoever you are.

    Stats Prove League Results Were BETTER After Euro Matches For Newcastle And Six Other Quarter-Finalists:

    Newcastle United after Europa: W5 L7 D1 Win percentage: 38%
    Newcastle United no Europa: W6 L11 D7 Win percentage: 25%

    http://www.themag.co.uk/the-mag-articles/stats-prove-league-results-were-better-after-euro-matches-for-newcastle-and-six-other-quarter-finalists/

  98. Aahh. Time to pick over the bones of Wigan and for us to watch out as Arsenal will be desperate for a win against us. Pardew may get his 4-0 wish :)

  99. Memo to Mike Ashley: Er… Mike, have you noticed how un-tired Wigan seem just three days after playing in a cup final, and all 11 players started who played at Wembley. Maybe just a little more bollocks from your pathetic manager about players being tired…

  100. How about hiring David Platt as first team coach. At least we will have someone to step in when Pardew gets sacked?

  101. dokky says:
    May 14, 2013 at 4:34 pm

    “WAN’T A LAUGH? WATCH THIS!!!!!!”

    Looking at that video, I would say that he has some very serious mental problems, dokky.

  102. GS says:
    May 14, 2013 at 9:44 pm

    “How about hiring David Platt as first team coach. At least we will have someone to step in when Pardew gets sacked?”

    Aye, I’m sure that he would jump at the chance, GS.

  103. Well how about the manager’s job straight up? I want rid of Pardew and may be clutching at straws but I am not the one dreaming of taking the matter into my own hands :)

  104. GS says:
    May 14, 2013 at 10:14 pm

    “Well how about the manager’s job straight up? I want rid of Pardew and may be clutching at straws”

    You’re clutching at straws, GS. He’s tried being a manager, firstly in Italy, then Notts Forest, then the England U21s. It wasn’t a great success by any means and that final step doesn’t seem to be for him.

  105. Toons already told pards he will be there next season wether we like it or lump it may as well get behind him,if things dont pick up for us then dont think he will be here by january

  106. Ah well, a game too far for Wigan.
    Guess it’s all over apart from the two North London sides vying for the final spot in the champions league.
    It’s all speculation for the next three months, who’s going where.
    With supposedly the lowest finishing side expected to earn more than M.U.’s earnings for winning the PL championship.
    Should be an inducement for all to spend, in order to remain in the league and cash in again, in the seasons
    to follow.
    Following our drastic season, can we then count on the big Kahuna to put his hand in his pocket, in order to avoid the same situation, repeating itself ?
    He would be better off, Calling Laurent Blanc or Martinez, now that Wigan have gone down.
    As there’s no guarantee of any side QPR or Wigan, achieving instant promotion anymore.
    Bring in Blanc now and give him an opportunity to put a side to-gether, it will take a while, new broom and all.
    But to stick with Pardew is just prolonging the agony and certainly will not endear Ashley to the fans who by now want Pardew out, by a large majority.

  107. TOONARMYELITE says:
    May 14, 2013 at 10:48 pm

    “Toons already told pards he will be there next season wether we like it or lump it”

    Toon, maybe they have, but all I’ve seen is Lee Ryder or someone like that writing “it is understood that.” Also, Ashley is a compulsive liar and conman who could say that to Pardew one day, then sack him the next.

  108. For those of you who will attend the Arsenal game, a few bedsheets and a vociferous crowd, chanting “Pardew out”, may in fact give Ashley pause for thought about keeping him.
    Look he may as well do it now, because contrary to what that footballing genius “Llambias” thinks, he will never come close to being a stabilizing force, but instead a divisive one.
    And his time has come, take him out of his misery and call a cab FFS !

  109. Toonarmylite sez

    Can sum up in four words, why we don’t want Martinez.

    “HIS TEAMS CANT DEFEND”

    And Pardews can ?

  110. @ chuck we still in the prem tells me pardews team defends just a little bit better not by much mind but enough to keep us in the big bucks league. Were as the dude who you flying the banner for rat face as i call him,is always in a relegation fight wonder why :)

  111. Worky
    Yeah! the fact there has been no official word as yet, that and an apparent lack of any communication between the two, gives me hope that Ashley will see what’s obvious to everyone else.
    If I were Ashley I would have started lining up my ducks a couple of weeks ago (future Management possibilities)
    I remember there was a similar disconnect with Shearer and Quasimodo and the axe didn’t drop until well after the seasons end.

  112. Thanks Worky, I didn’t follow Platt’s managerial career closely at all (obviously).

  113. chuck says:
    May 14, 2013 at 11:10 pm

    “For those of you who will attend the Arsenal game, a few bedsheets and a vociferous crowd, chanting “Pardew out”, may in fact give Ashley pause for thought about keeping him.”

    Aye, I’m taking my bedsheet into the Platinum Club, Chuck.

    Which reminds me, I’ll be at the Arsenal game, which might have consequences for the matchday blogs like the match banter and so on… I’ll try though.

    Just thought I’d let you all know.

  114. Army
    I’m just saying what’s commonly accepted by most football people that Martinez is a good manager.
    Otherwise why would people be touting him for the Everton job.
    As for his goal average, with castoff defenders like Caldwell and Charner, who was on the bench of a German side, it’s not hard.
    Neverth less our goal difference is almost as bad as Wigans.
    Plus we were just gifted a win against QPR, resulting in safety, had we had the same three games in nine days, against the same sides, where would we be?
    But he has put a decent side to-gether considering the amount of money he has had available, buying selectively
    and cheaply.
    The real question is not about their being relegated, but in fact, how on earth has he managed to keep them up since he’s been there.
    And finally who won “The FA Cup” was his name not Martinez ?

  115. I reckon Martinez will stay at Wigan. Wouldn’t surprise me to see them promoted next season.

  116. >chuck says:
    And finally who won “The FA Cup” was his name not Martinez ? and the manager in charge when wigan went done is he not also Martinez ?

  117. wonders how many managers have won 1 pot and lived off that the rest of there careers

  118. chuck says:
    May 14, 2013 at 11:39 pm

    “Army
    I’m just saying what’s commonly accepted by most football people that Martinez is a good manager.
    Otherwise why would people be touting him for the Everton job.”

    Chuck, maybe, maybe not or somewhere in the middle.

    I’m not saying he’s bad or good. My point is that Football is a very small world. There’s only a handful of League managers, never mind Premier League managers and they all say nice things about each other in front of the camera or in the ‘papers. They don’t badmouth each other in public. When someone sticks a mic in front of ’em they all say “Ah, he’s doing a great job etc…”

    I do wonder about Pardew’s LMA award though. By all accounts I’ve heard from people in the game, Pardew’s about as popular as rickets. Unlike Fergie, he really is as he seems. I’m nursing a conspiracy theory that his peers gave him that award because they new that his head would expand and he’d blow it the next season with his hubris, as he did at West Ham. :-)

  119. Pardew was a few minutes away from winning the FA Cup, and Alex McLeish did win the League Cup and get relegated at the same time. Didn’t Bryan Robson make a Cup final and get relegated too?

  120. Worky: didn’t Boro get docked points that year and go down because of that? That would have been a bummer and who knows how miserable Bryan would have done if not for the relegation.

  121. His winning the FA Cup is all the more enhanced, by winning it with a side that got relegated.
    And by beating the second best side in the EPL, not
    only that but outplaying that side, that cost probably twenty times as much a his patched together side of unknown Central Americans, Scotsmen, a veteran German, well you know the story.
    That’s what i’m talkin bout !
    On the other hand Mancini is regarded as a great manager, well if he was well beaten by a guy with a patched to-gether side, having spent a fortune of gulf oil mone on his side.
    Then who between the two is the better manager ?
    Obvious innit !

  122. GS says:
    May 15, 2013 at 12:19 am

    “Worky: didn’t Boro get docked points that year and go down because of that?”

    I just checked, GS. They made BOTH cup finals (League and FA), had three points deducted for cancelling a game too late and yes, they would have just survived if they had those three points.

  123. chuck says:
    May 15, 2013 at 12:20 am

    “His winning the FA Cup is all the more enhanced, by winning it with a side that got relegated.
    And by beating the second best side in the EPL, not
    only that but outplaying that side, that cost probably twenty times as much a his patched together side of unknown Central Americans, Scotsmen, a veteran German, well you know the story.”

    Chuck, make your mind mind up. Weren’t you saying that they had a few good players we should be going for not so long ago? And weren’t you also suggesting that one of them was worth £10 million and was better than Cabaye too? And now you’re trying to convince us that him getting relegated makes him even an even better manager? :-)

    Wigan have a better squad than Norwich and they’ve been mid table the last two seasons. Southampton’s is about the same and Swansea’s is only marginally better though they’re in the top half of the table.

    Admit it, Roberto and Brendan give you a stiffie and you say anything to try and make them look good, even if turns your argument into an illogical, inconsistent basket case. :-)

  124. This makes interesting reading…

    http://www.nufc.com/2012-13html/premiership-stats.html

    Like I said above a few days ago. Why is Pardew loved so much by certain fans. The same fans who scream and shout when asked why was Roeder not good enough, but Pardew is. A lesser squad, more injuries by far, 13th place finish and a UEFA Cup quarter final. I can’t remember how far we got in League Cup and F.A Cup that season but I’ll have a look.

    The argument will be ‘Pards got us 5th’ or something. Roeder got 7th after picking the team up halfway through a season started by Souness. Couldn’t of been easy.

  125. @ Jimbob
    the new players we brought in january might have something to do with it,there used to playing in a slower league imho.the prem is non stop running they need time to build up there stam but think with work with the coachs that wont happen next season.And to be fair to the new dudes we did throw them straight into a relegation scrap :)

  126. We got to the League Cup QF losing to Chelsea 1-0 and the third round of the F.A. Cup when we got spanked by Birmingham. We won the Intertoto Cup, Owen was out for the entire season and had Antoine Sibierski beside Martins up front. 57 games, including 6 in Europe just to qualify for the UEFA Cup.

    Various news outlets called it the worst injury crises in the clubs history throughout the season.

  127. Toonarmyelite, I don’t think it’s anything to do with the new lads as it’s been the same story before January.

    The Chronicle survey left Ba out of the ‘player of the season’ question. I firmly believe that without him, and Ben Arfa’s first half of the season form we’d have been relegated weeks ago.

  128. I also think the hatred Pardew has towards passing, moving and keeping the ball on the deck in favour of hoofing and losing possession regularly, will knacker any player who’s asked to play that way.

  129. @ Jimbob
    my opion on it is we aint got the players to hoof it and if we ganna play that way would like to see douglas carrol and fellani land in toon in this transfer window

  130. TOONARMYELITE says:
    May 15, 2013 at 1:35 am

    “@ Jimbob
    the new players we brought in january might have something to do with it,there used to playing in a slower league imho.the prem is non stop running”

    Toon, football shouldn’t be about non stop running, whether it’s in the Premier League or overseas. That’s bad football and unsustainable. Though with Pardew blah blah…

  131. 1 thing im sure of is that def need sorting, and a few need to go, condeeding nearly 2 goals a game is simply not acceptable in my view.if ya want to be competeing for a top four spot thats got to be cut in half

  132. The Germans and the Dutch really love each other:

    “Ach, not the Dutch again. You are all arseholes anyway and Adolf should have gotten rid of you.” – Lothar Matthaus

    It paints a lovely picture of the great German captain. :-)

  133. Just think peeps could be worse, we could have a manager, marching up and down the touch line in his jack boots, like scumberland have lmao :)

  134. Worky
    I’m really not going on what others say, nor give a damn.
    I have a pair of eyes and can see what’s happening, without a pundit having to tell me.
    And i’m telling whoever wants to listen, that Martinez is a good manager.
    I can’t say I welcomed Pardews appointment and unlike our footballing genius Llambias, didn’t take me long to become convinced I was right.
    I cant wait to see Pardews face and the fans reaction, this weekend when we get hammered by Arsenal.
    Now that he doesn’t give a shit whether Arsenal beats us four zip, actually that could be a good prediction on his part.
    He seems to think that survival, equates to him keeping his job, I wouldn’t be so sure if I were him.
    For all intents and purposes, we were gifted that win, all you had to do was look at Arry’s face, it told the whole story.
    It really had little to do with our effort.

  135. Worky at 159
    What I did say was McCarthy not anyone else was a good young player, whom I think can only improve and has been playing much better than Cabaye of late and yes I would swap one for the other.

    I believe Spurs think the same, or they would be coming after Cabaye.
    He wouldn’t be the first player they stole from Newcastle.

    And no I never said they have other good players, only that as a team, they play well together, down to Martinez, who I think is a good young manager.

    And that’s a general opinion not just mine.

    As for Rodgers, yes he is another good youngish manager, who has imposed his pass and go tactics on to a Liverpool side that is much improved over a season of learning a different style of play.

    The same guy left the core of a good side at Swansea, for your hero the Prince of Denmark, who did little to improve over last years results.
    Though I wouldn’t want to judge him over one season.

    There’s plenty of football to be played and we will see who is right in their judgment of managers.

    Though Wigan are going down and Whelan is trying hard to keep Martinez, there’s no guarantees, I believe it’s in Martinez best interest to take his shot if a good offer is made, same with McCarthy, without them, the chances of seeing Wigan in the PL again, are slim.
    Just the nature of the game.

  136. Worky

    You come out with certain statements as if they were undisputable facts.
    “Wigan have a better squad than Norwich”!
    Errmm ! who said so? other than yourself of course.
    As for Southampton, they are playing in the PL for the first time with a new manager, who most people had never heard of, until he showed up, as for Swansea, this is by no means their first season in the PL, who have a well known manager, with quite a bit of experience, who inherited a decent well drilled side from his predecessor, but failed to improve much over last season.
    These are facts, not personal judgments.

  137. chuck says:
    May 15, 2013 at 6:56 am

    “And that’s a general opinion not just mine.”

    Chuck, I’m not interested in general opinions because many of them are myths. I have a good brain which is capable of holding alot of information so I study things for myself before I reach a conclusion. That’s why I get things right more often than some who just copy what other idiots are saying.

    I stand on my record. ;-)

  138. Well it looks like Pardew has been well and truly raped, with Loic Remy.
    I see the Chronicle are becoming worse, As the days pass.
    In today’s riveting edition, They are doing the recruitment drive, For the summer’s transfer dealings.
    The idiots are mentioning decent enough players, Who are out of contract, But most of them are over 30 and Bosman’s.
    Why bother with rubbish non stories like that?, Every knows that fat greedy barsteward Ashley, is only interested in young players, Who he can punt on, For profit.

    It’s coming to something when even a local paper, Is happy to accept mediocrity, And pander to Ashley and Co’s, Pathetic propaganda!

  139. chuck says:
    May 15, 2013 at 6:56 am

    “The same guy left the core of a good side at Swansea, for your hero the Prince of Denmark, who did little to improve over last years results.
    Though I wouldn’t want to judge him over one season.”

    Chuck, they lost alot of their best players after last season, like Joe Allen, Scott Sinclair, Gylfi Sigurdsson, Danny Graham, Steven Caulker etc. Below is a list is a list of Swansea’s departures and arrivals this season:

    http://www.transfermarkt.co.uk/en/swansea-city/transfers/verein_2288_2012_default_default_alle_a_default.html

    “Though I wouldn’t want to judge him over one season.”

    I know his whole career and the way he thinks, who his influences are etc, that’s why I predicted that he’d do well and you didn’t, and also that Michu would be such a great success too because I’d seen him at Rayo Vallecano. That’s why I new that they would be more attacking, more vertical and more exciting to watch than they were under Rodgers and you didn’t.

  140. Chuck, In terms of Martinez, We’ll just have to wait and see.
    Although i doubt there will be many people banging down his door, For his services.
    Don’t get me wrong, I would like to see the bloke given a chance, on a bigger stage, To see what he could do.
    you also have to agree with Worky, They were doing a hell of a lot better, When Mrs Doubtfire, Agent Brucie, Was at the helm, At Wigan.
    Whether that is down to Whelan running out of cash, and not been able to kick them on, Season upon Season, I don’t know.
    They do seem to have a talented, Albeit a small squad, but i would say, Some of the clubs around them, Have worse squads.
    Norwich stayed up, But i wouldn’t say their players are better than Wigan’s.
    When it comes down to it, How many relegation scraps have they been involved in, Since Martinez took over?
    So there is something not right with the set up.

  141. joe hawkins says:
    May 15, 2013 at 12:53 pm

    “Why bother with rubbish non stories like that?”

    Advertising.

    “It’s coming to something when even a local paper, Is happy to accept mediocrity, And pander to Ashley and Co’s, Pathetic propaganda!”

    As Luke Edwards explained, if they don’t toe the party line with the propaganda, their access to the club is restricted. Thst’s one thing he was right about. You can’t go near celebrities nowadays without signing all kinds of agreements that you won’t say certain things, you won’t ask certain questions, you won’t be negative, things can’t be published until they receive apporval etc etc…

  142. Swansea played decent flowing football under Rodgers, But there was without doubt, the lack of a goal threat.
    The Prince of Denmark has kicked them on, in that respect, Hence the mothballs coming out of trophy cabinet.
    It would be interesting to see how many goals they scored during Rodger’s tenure, And what there ratio is now, Under Laudrup’s supervision?

  143. joe hawkins says:
    May 15, 2013 at 1:14 pm

    “Whether that is down to Whelan running out of cash, and not been able to kick them on, Season upon Season, I don’t know.”

    They have lost some big players for them like N’Zogbia and Valencia in the past, Joe, but they have brought some in too. As I’ve mentioned before, judging by their squad, they should either be at the top of the bottom three (which is where they are now) or hovering just above it. Reading are the bottom side, Norwich should have been second bottom but Hughton’s lifted them out of that as Lambert did before him. QPR are the dysfunctional basket case who have replaced them.

  144. joe hawkins says:
    May 15, 2013 at 1:20 pm

    “The Prince of Denmark has kicked them on, in that respect, Hence the mothballs coming out of trophy cabinet.”

    Like Guardiola, he’s an intelligent man who learned under Cruyff, and Cruyff is the best.

  145. Worky, I’ve never been more disillusioned with the way things are now.
    I had the misfortune of turning on the idiot box, To see Phillip Schofield & the utterly terrible Holly Willoughby, Trawling through the day’s Newspapers, And acting as though the rags, Print the gospel truth.
    What a sad state of affairs, It has all become!

  146. Aye you cannot get much better than Cruyff, And his meticulous approach to Association Football.
    I wonder who Pardew took his inspiration from?, It must have been, Sir Clive Woodward lol.

  147. Worky, the way things are now, Are like something approximating, “The Running Man” or “Robocop”, The dystopian feel to everything.

  148. Joe, This is the handbook for the modern corporate state, “Propaganda” by Ed Bernays, the nephew of Sigmund Freud. He wrote it in 1928, using the insights of his uncle, along with the ideas of Gustave Le Bon and Wilfred Trotter on crowd psychology to develop techniques of mind control so that society could be run for the benefit of corporations and a very small group of people at the top.

  149. Old “Zero Tolerance”, Ray Mallon, Aye he thought he was Eliott Ness, For a time there, He even dressed like a “Prohibition era” cop lol.

  150. We have talked way too much about Wigan and I know who is to blame :) I even got involved in the conversation when in fact I care nothing about them and little about their manager.

    I’d rather talk about Rooney, yeah right :)

  151. GS says:
    May 15, 2013 at 3:38 pm

    “We have talked way too much about Wigan and I know who is to blame”

    Well at least he hasn’t brought in Rodgers yet, though he is funny in an unintentional way (Rodgers, not Chuck).

  152. Last from me on Martinez (but it is related to NUFC). Doesn’t he play three at the back and push the wing backs up? It works some of the time but leaves them open to the counter attack. Does he ever change this style?

    It’s a bit like when we go a goal down and Pardew changes to all out attack leaving us open to the counter. We better get the goal(s) back or we could be in for a hiding (Liverpool).

  153. They had that Liverpool documentary over here which might have been interesting as Rodgers did come off as a bit of a dick in the trailers. I couldn’t watch it for fear of hearing the constant throat clearing accents of Gerrard Gerrard and Carra.

  154. GS says:
    May 15, 2013 at 3:48 pm

    “Last from me on Martinez (but it is related to NUFC). Doesn’t he play three at the back and push the wing backs up? It works some of the time but leaves them open to the counter attack. Does he ever change this style?”

    GS, Martinez doesn’t play 3-4-3 all the time, he send them out in different formations like the almost ubiquitous 4-2-3-1 etc… The 3-4-3 tends to come to the fore when his back’s against the wall in the latter part of the season and he goes for shit or bust, as Benitez did to great effect in the second half of that 2005 Champions League final.

    At the link below, Cruyff explains his diamond, then he explains his 3-4-3.

  155. Why do we change our style of play when we go a goal up or down? Most teams will do it for the final 10 minutes, but we do it whenever it happens. I think this is a major problem with Pardew – he cannot stick to a system. It must confuse the hell out of the players.

    It also must be confusing that we send both our slow center backs up for every corner. They aren’t even that tall (excepting Williamson, no goals ever however), so why invite the counter?

  156. Cheers Worky @206: I have to go out but I will watch it when I get back. I’ll watch the Bernays clips too as I haven’t had a chance to read the auto-biography I bought.

  157. GS says:
    May 15, 2013 at 4:05 pm

    “Why do we change our style of play when we go a goal up or down?”

    Because (to borrow from the Joey Barton show), he’s a shit manager with shit tactics. :-)

  158. @Chuck
    ive said it once and il say it a bit slower so even you can understand Martinez

    HIS
    TEAMS
    CANT
    DEFEND

  159. Toon, well it’s certainly true that Martinez’s lot have conceeded more goals (71) than any other team this season, though we’re not far behind (67).

  160. @ workyticket
    go back and look at there goals condeed season after season soon see what i mean

  161. I think I get it now. When it comes off for Martinez he is a genius and it is spectacular, like that 4-0 against us and the FA cup final. Other times the lack of quality (and firepower) is completely exposed and he doesn’t really have a plan B. Happened last night, but I remember a real tonking by Chelsea once.

    Therefore, we might play nice football under Martinez but we are probably in for a rollercoster ride?

    Is he worth the risk for Ashley who is probably only in it for the money and advertising at this point?

  162. I watched the Cryuff clip and couldn’t totally follow it as they kept interrupting and it was a bit fast.

  163. GS says:
    May 15, 2013 at 4:29 pm

    “I think I get it now. When it comes off for Martinez he is a genius and it is spectacular, like that 4-0 against us”

    That 4-nowt was 3-4-3. When it comes off it’s like football art, but to use Rinus Michels’s words when he saw Cruyff’s, it is “spectacular but risky.”

  164. TOONARMYELITE says:
    May 15, 2013 at 5:01 pm
    “any1 seen them rooney rumours”

    What rumours?

  165. GS says:
    May 15, 2013 at 4:29 pm

    “Other times the lack of quality (and firepower) is completely exposed and he doesn’t really have a plan B.”

    You’re pressing players very high up the pitch with a very high line, but there’s always a danger of the opposition getting round the back.

    Remember when we beat Southampton 4-2? I know that they were a 4-2-3-1 but they were playing a very high pressing game. Well they looked great when they started off. They were camped in our half, pressed us mercilessly and scored against us in no time. They were dominating completely. However, Southampton’s guard slipped eventually and we got around the back and for once, Pardew’s long balls actually worked.

    With coaches like Pochettino and Bielsa, the method can take a while to sink in with the players and early results can be either erratic (as with Pochettino’s Saints), or just plain crap. Sometimes however, you have to take a few hits before you win the war.

  166. TOONARMYELITE says:
    May 15, 2013 at 5:01 pm

    “any1 seen them rooney rumours”

    “SportsDirect News, which is owned by Newcastle supremo Mike Ashley, has claimed that the England international could be on his way to St James’ Park.”

    Toon, if anything come from Mike Ashley or anything to do with him, it’s probably a lie. :-)

    Rooney would be north of £50 million like Torres so hadaway and shite to that one!

  167. Yeah everyone is putting his five cents in about Wigan.
    But the reality is, Wigan have under Martinez, made teams like Man. U., Chelsea, and the rest look poor.
    And done it on a shoestring budget, having been forced to sell most of their more talented players.
    They certainly picked our pocket, N’Zogbia for Raylor, FFS.
    And lets face it here anyone watch the Cup Final, they as I stated, a patchwork of Scots, Central Americans and no names, outplayed a team with more expensive talent than any other in the league and kept a clean sheet.
    So much for cant defend.

  168. Like Ashley and Llambias, Pardew is also a compulsive liar:

    “For us that Europa League is an experience that we’ll be better for. We can take that from this season. It was my first campaign in Europe”

    No it wasn’t, Pardew, it was your second. Your first was with West Ham but it didn’t last very long.

  169. Chuck says:
    May 15, 2013 at 5:33 pm

    “They certainly picked our pocket, N’Zogbia for Raylor, FFS.”

    Chuck, it was Raylor + several million for N’Zogbia.

  170. While we are on the subject of tactics and who as a manager employs the tactics of someone they admired , who came before their time.
    I can only speculate Pardews hero, must have been Walter Winterbotham.

  171. @Chuck
    failed to mention also fighting relegation season after season,condeeding goals like the titanic ships water,and that he is only prem manager in prem history to go down after winning the f. a cup

  172. and before ya pipe back about the cup i would rather be in the big bucks league than win the cup and go down

  173. Chuck says:
    May 15, 2013 at 5:39 pm

    “I can only speculate Pardews hero, must have been Walter Winterbotham.”

    Chuck, why Walter Walterbottom?

  174. Yes I do agree that Wigan can appear to be something of a conunderum.
    What I mean by that is on any given day they are capable of beating the best, then again they have at times looked poor.
    Especially defensively and Martinez never denied that.
    Look at who they had, a Newcastle castoff, from early in the SBR reign, plus a gut on loan Scharner, from the bench of a German side.
    Not exactly top shelf.
    At present there’s one good player, who could start for any PL side, McCarthy, the rest are a mixture of decent and mediocre.
    To manage a mediocre side and have some of the successes Martinez had, certainly against top sides (not us) can only be as far as i’m concerned, punching way above their weight.
    And due only to the coaching ability of Martinez.
    And puleez, his name is not pronounced Martin-ez, it’s Marteen-ez.

  175. @ Chuck
    the way his team plays was the tactic i surgested last season, but to play like that and not get stung, you need 2 high energy defenders to get back in case you lose the ball,basically to play like that, collo and williamson would have to go they aint got the pace to play that game,which i surgested last summer and nearly got lynched in here for it lmao :)

  176. and Martinez plays like that when he aint got the 2 high energy defenders to do it whats that really say about him bud

  177. workyticket says:
    May 15, 2013 at 5:49 pm

    Chuck says:
    May 15, 2013 at 5:39 pm

    “I can only speculate Pardews hero, must have been Walter Winterbotham.”

    “Chuck, why Walter Walterbottom?”

    Or even Walter Winterbottom!

  178. hes been at wigan a good while now and has not figured that out and changed his cb which tells me he aint the man for us bud

  179. Worky

    Just being facetious, as they were still playing a supposedly 2-3-5 in those days, which was in fact more of a 3-4-3, the center half often dropping back with the full backs and the two inside forwards dropping back in a fetch and carry role.
    Actually not that bad a system when played right.
    But anyway i’m sure some had to google wor Walter.
    Who by he way along with other England managers, personified the hubris of the English football establishment, who forced people like Jimmy Hogan to go to countries like Austria, Switzerland Etc. because he didn’t fit.
    It was not until the Magyars proved that in fact the English teams were way behind the curve, scoring six goals against them at Wembley and shocking the then football establishment.
    That changed the fact that it wasn’t how you spoke or looked in a blazer, but what you knew about tactics, that counted.
    Although great coaches were never given the chance to manage the national side because of their personalities.
    Brian Clough anyone.

  180. Chuck @234: I have always thought you are a brilliant man, but figuring out how we pronounce Matinez just from blog posts is a special gift :)

  181. Hey Chuck @239: I am not up to speed at all on the old days. I see that the managers have probably changed but you really can’t say the same for the brass at the FA and Premier League. Correct me if I am wrong, but that still seems to be a bit old-school-tie.

  182. Toonarmylite

    Yes we all have our differing opinions, that’s why blogs like this exist!

  183. “When you play a 4-3-3, you rely a lot on the full-backs to get high up the pitch. You shouldn’t look at a system as away to win a football match, it is the players that play the system. Maynor [Figueroa], Gary [Caldwell] and Antolin [Alcaraz] have been so solid with a back three, and it allows [other] players to be high up the pitch, like the wing-backs. They aren’t full-backs that need to get deep and then forward to give us an extra man, they are in positions where they can do both a little bit better, and we can be a little bit more solid.

    “The difference is the width that we get…before, we had to compromise a little bit, when you want to be very attack-minded, the full-backs have to push on, so you leave two players at the back. Now you’re still pushing the wing-backs on, but you’ve still got three players at the back, plus probably a midfielder. In the West Brom game, as Paul Scharner will tell you, we were attacking with seven, eight, nine players and they were surprised it, and that’s what the system gives you, without being weak at the back.

    “It suits our players. When you’ve got a Jean Beausejour who is a specialist in that position, you take advantage of that. The back three gives you that. Then there’s the energy we’ve got in midfield, players who can play between lines like Shaun Maloney and Jordi Gomez. It’s so difficult to play against…there’s a few clubs playing it around Europe now, Napoli are one: they play it with Cavani, Hamsik and Lavezzi…this is the advantage of this system – it goes where the danger is…it’s not in defensive lines, it’s not working as a unit of four, it’s not man-marking.” – Roberto Martinez on Wigan playing 3-4-3.

  184. I was referring to the abominable pronunciations of foreign players by the tv people.
    Are they not given cheat sheets, with how to pronounce non standard British names.
    Being so many of the players in the EPL are from elsewhere, it’s annoying and there’s no excuse for it.

  185. Chuck @244: of course I know you were. Just playing. Now answer what Worky put in Martinez’s own words @243 and explain why they have then shipped the most goals in the premier league (or thereabouts). Even more than your buddy Pardew?

    From what Martinez said they shouldn’t have such a leaky defense, and yet they do. He seems happy with the players, you say they are mediocre and he has them punching above their weight.

    I think I would rather have the Napoli players he mentions though :)

  186. Worky

    My point in comparing Martinez with Pardew.
    Who believes he is a good tactician, but who I doubt fully understands tactics on such a level.
    At least if he does he has never proved it on the pitch.
    We have seen Martinez change the whole tactical approach , simply be replacing a player, who in turn, informs the side we are now changing to whatever was practiced with that player on the training ground.
    I have seen it time after time, where we lose the game in the second half, through Pardews timidity and lack of what can only be described as nous.
    Face it for the most part, he simply attempts to protect any lead, by putting at least nine men behind the ball.
    That’s not tactics, it’s an attempt not to play football, but earn points.
    And when things turn brown, the default game becomes hoofball.
    Very fundamental nonsense.
    But apparently there are still those who’s main concern is stability, listen with his guy the chances of stability are zero.
    What he brings is repetition of an outdated style of football and has been sussed by every team in the league.
    Yeah they all say nice things about him, cause the want him to stay, as he is repetitive and they know what to expect.

  187. Chuck says:
    May 15, 2013 at 6:28 pm
    “I was referring to the abominable pronunciations of foreign players by the tv people.
    Are they not given cheat sheets, with how to pronounce non standard British names.
    Being so many of the players in the EPL are from elsewhere, it’s annoying and there’s no excuse for it.”

    Chuck, Garth Crooks needs a cheat sheet on how to pronounce English names and Hansen needs a sheet on how not to mumble.

  188. Chuck says:
    May 15, 2013 at 6:19 pm

    “But anyway i’m sure some had to google wor Walter.
    Who by he way along with other England managers, personified the hubris of the English football establishment, who forced people like Jimmy Hogan to go to countries like Austria, Switzerland Etc. because he didn’t fit.”

    Chuck, I’m afraid you’re wrong, and the truth was the exact opposite. It was Winterbottom who dragged the English football establishment into the modern age and without him his successor, Alf Ramsey wouldn’t have won the 1966 World Cup.

    When he started as an England manager, he couldn’t even pick his own team and it was Winterbottom who actually opened the debate on tactics and so forth. He was the one who eventually persuaded the establishment that the England manager should be able to select his own squad. He was the FA Director of coaching who gave us managers like Bill Nicholson, Bobby Robson, Ron Greenwood, Dave Sexton, Malcolm Allison, Joe Mercer, and finally Vic Buckingham, the man who went to Ajax, where he spotted Cruyff and developed ideas which Michels would evolve into total football. He also went on to manage Barcelona too.

    Winterbottom was a football legend.

  189. I can’t believe we’re having a debate about Winterbottom on the same page as Pardew. One’s a legend. The other’s a knob end.

  190. pete_toon says:
    May 15, 2013 at 7:03 pm

    “I can’t believe we’re having a debate about Winterbottom”

    Chuck’s on his anti English thing again, and he overreaches himself alot so I have to keep putting him straight. ;-) I really should be doing another blog now.

  191. Petetoon: we have Ian Wright commentating in the US recently. He latches on to one aspect of the game and then harps on about it repeatedly, ignoring everything else that is going on.

    Still probably better then the rent-a-scot that they usually have. The Yanks can’t understand them, they have told me so.

  192. GS says:
    May 15, 2013 at 7:12 pm

    “Still probably better then the rent-a-scot that they usually have. The Yanks can’t understand them, they have told me so.”

    On the subject of unintelligible Scotsmen, I do like that legendary curmudgeon, Gordon Strachan. His post match interviews are short, but absolutely hilarious.

  193. It’s not brain surgery, against Citeh, Wigan played a 5-4-1 lineup, against Arsenal it was a 4-2-3-1 or at times a 4-3-3.
    They kept a clean sheet by using the 5-4-1 a more defensive lineup, but I feel even though at one stage they made it 1-1,against Arsenal, they were obviously a tired side.
    I have to say the tactic against Citeh worked well, along with some good goaltending.
    Moloney did well to dive for the foul, then net the resulting free kick.
    I suppose that was the plan, play a strong defensive game and hope for an opportunity and it worked and i’m happy for them.

  194. Classic Gordon Strachan

    Reporter: “Gordon, can we have a quick word please?”

    Strachan: “Velocity” (walks off).

    Reporter: “Gordon, you must be delighted with that result?”

    Strachan: “You’re spot on! You can read me like a book!”

    Reporter: “Gordon, do you think James Beattie deserves to be in the England squad?”

    Strachan: “I don’t care, I’m Scottish.”

    Reporter: “Bang, there goes your unbeaten run. Can you take it?”

    Strachan: “No, I’m just going to crumble like a wreck. I’ll go home, become an alcoholic and maybe jump off a bridge. Umm, I think I can take it, yeah.”

    Reporter: “There’s no negative vibes or negative feelings here?”

    Strachan: “Apart from yourself, we’re all quite positive round here. I’m going to whack you over the head with a big stick. Down negative man, down!”

    Reporter: “So, Gordon, in what areas do you think Middlesbrough were better than you today?”

    Strachan: “What areas? Mainly that big green one out there.”

    Reporter: “Is that your best start to a season?”

    Strachan: “Well I’ve still got a job so it’s far better than the Coventry one, that’s for sure.”

    Reporter: “You don’t take losing lightly, do you Gordon?”

    Strachan: “I don’t take stupid comments lightly either.”

    Reporter: “Gordon, if you were English, what formation would you play?”

    Strachan: “If I was English I’d kill myself.”

    Reporter: “Could changing the shape of the team be the one way in which to surprise Spartak?”

    Strachan: “Well, not if you and I keep talking about it.”

    Reporter: “How does it feel to be back managing where it all began all those years ago?”

    Strachan: “Old.”

  195. Has anybody ever fallen off those open-top parade buses? Some of the players in Manchester and Barcelona looked precariously perched up there. I know they dropped a cup once and ran over it :)

  196. GS says:
    May 15, 2013 at 7:25 pm

    “I know they dropped a cup once and ran over it”

    Me and my mates dropped the FA Cup when I was a bairn at school. My mates dad brought it round in the back of his car. That was the year the Mackems won it.

  197. Chuck says:
    May 15, 2013 at 7:22 pm

    “It’s not brain surgery, against Citeh, Wigan played a 5-4-1 lineup,”

    Chuck, I didn’t watch the Arsenal game you mentioned properly but I did watch the Cup Final and Wigan played 3-4-3.

  198. Again that’s your opinion about Winterbottam and that’s all it is an opinion.
    You just cant seem to get over the fact any criticism that comes from this side of the Atlantic and any criticism of things English no matter how valid, you become overly defensive.
    To put it in a nutshell, Winterbottam was in charge of the England side from the mid forties, the post war years until 1962 (a long time in England manager years) During which he won nothing and it wasn’t until 1953 when he got a lesson from the Hungarians on how to play football, the 6-3 score may have brought about that change of direction you talk about and why not !
    But to say he was comparable to say an innovator like Jimmy Hogan and others who had to leave the country to introduce any improvement tactically or otherwise.
    Who were scorned for their ideas by a hide bound establishment, who’s attitude was we invented the game.
    a hubris that continued well into Winterbottams career.
    Face it the FA is has been and possibly always will be, both a very conservative and possessive a bunch as you will find anywhere.
    And he Winterbottam played as large a role as anyone.

  199. Man City were crap (for them) and Wigan played very well down the flanks, especially so on Espinoza’s side. Martinez deserved the win.

  200. Worky

    perhaps both Wigan and Martinez had something to do with Citeh playing crap.
    Credit where credits due.

  201. Chuck says:
    May 15, 2013 at 7:56 pm

    “Worky

    Again, that’s simply your opinion, no more valid than mine.”

    What’s “simply my opinion,” Chuck?

  202. I watched Wigan/Arsenal and Martinez might have been better off playing the same way he did Citeh. They were much more open and Wolcott on the flank destroyed them. It looked like he thought he could outscore Arsenal but that was a massive gamble. Perhaps, Martinez is a bit more naïve than some think he is.

    He certainly has a blind spot as far as talent is concerned when brings up Cavani, Hansik and Lavezzi in the same sentence as his lot.

    Sorry Chuck, he is not the Messiah.

  203. I would still rather have Martinez than Pardew. But they are not the only choices.

  204. GS says:
    May 15, 2013 at 8:19 pm

    “I would still rather have Martinez than Pardew.”

    I’d rather have a Gumby man than Pardew.

  205. Chelsea just scored from one of those corner kick thingies. You know, that tactic where we usually give the ball back to the other team to counter-attack.

    I think that is 15 goals for them from corners this year. I am not certain, but I think that’s the number.

  206. GS says:
    May 15, 2013 at 9:45 pm

    “John Terry did it again. He is out on the field with full kit on”

    He could go into the Guiness Book of Records for being the fastest man to put his kit on, but I wonder who would win between him and Pardew for being the fastest man to get his kit off when other players’ WaGs are around?

  207. Demba Ba collected a medal (in a suit), how is that? He was cup tied because he played for us.

  208. Reading between many lines, I’m with Chuck on Marteenez. I like the man and the way he plays football. Neither can I say about our present manager.

    I would like to see a new manager at St. James’ Park and I think my preference would be for Rafa if he would be offered the job and, and an even bigger if, he would take it. We need a guy who knows what he is doing and is not out of his depth when he manages to scrape a fortunate win at QPR.

  209. Henrikh Mkhitaryan is 24 with 30 goals/11 assists in 46 games. 30 goal-midfielder

  210. So,now we are getting Rooney,I guess we are in for falcao,messi and fabregas.or did rooneys agents try the same thing they did when we bid for Rooney and Ferguson was saying man u didnt want him only to offer more money..

  211. sampdiago says:
    May 16, 2013 at 9:31 am

    “did rooneys agents try the same thing they did when we bid for Rooney and Ferguson was saying man u didnt want him only to offer more money..”

    It could have been Mike Ashley promoting his new sports “news” site, now they have finally launched with their own material rather than relying on third party content. Everyone knows about it now.

  212. TOONARMYELITE says:
    May 16, 2013 at 4:52 am

    “Henrikh Mkhitaryan is 24 with 30 goals/11 assists in 46 games. 30 goal-midfielder”

    I looked into him some time ago, Toon, he’d be too dear for us. My choice for a player in his position was Adam Maher, but he’s probably gone out of our reach now too as the big clubs have now picked upon him.

  213. Is Ashley starting his own news service?, Then say no more about the Rooney story.
    Either that or it’s time to renew season tickets, And it’s time to look proactive, Before they hang Pardew out to dry again, After another fruitless summer, In the transfer market.

    On the subject of Rob Martinez, We used to have a certain Ozzie Ardilles, And we played good football under him, The trouble was, We couldn’t win a game, For love nor money lol.

  214. joe hawkins says:
    May 16, 2013 at 11:02 am

    “On the subject of Rob Martinez, We used to have a certain Ozzie Ardilles, And we played good football under him, The trouble was, We couldn’t win a game, For love nor money lol.”

    He has the worst record of any Newcastle United manager (P47, W10, D18, L19), and that was in the old Second Division (we were bottom)!

  215. On the subject of Newcastle United players getting tired, Romario once played 71 games in a season, scoring 65 goals for Vasco da Gama.

  216. Worky, It just goes to show it’s a results business.
    A few fans want martinez, But just because he gets his teams to play good football, Doesn’t mean he would be the right fit.
    I think he would get swallowed up in the maelstrom of this club.
    The one thing Pardew has got going for him, Is his insanity.
    The fans could call for his head, Call him all the useless barstewards, But he will still think the fans love him.
    It’s like the sign in some work places, “YOU DONT HAVE TO BE MAD TO WORK HERE!, BUT IT HELPS!

  217. Worky, I wouldn’t mind him to honest, He’s supposed to be a meticulous manager, Who players like to play for, So i’ve heard anyway.

  218. I would hate to be Spurs this weekend – relying on us to get them a Champions League place.

    Conspiracy theories:

    Was Coloccini’s party a farewell party?

    Does cancellation of the Radio Newcastle Pardew phone-in mean he has been told to shut up or does he have one foot out the door?

  219. joe hawkins says:
    May 16, 2013 at 12:38 pm

    “Worky, I wouldn’t mind him to honest, He’s supposed to be a meticulous manager, Who players like to play for, So i’ve heard anyway.”

    Though he’s very interesting and inspiring as a coach, he really hasn’t done that well in the league despite having a decent squad. This season he hasn’t done well at all. Although I’m very interested in his methods and tactics, I’m not completely sure that I’d want him as the manager of my team.

    On a similar thread. Southampton Chairman Nicola Cortese has been talking about walking out due to lack of backing from the owner, Liebherr the Crane man. El Loco’s former student, Pochettino has said that if Cortese goes, he’ll go with him.

  220. I haven’t followed him this season, But he is someone that has worked in difficult circumstances, ie “The Basque Cantera System”, And we all know what Ashley and Llambias are like,With their transfer policy.
    If nothing else it would be entertaining, And he would be a match for Ashley’s BS.
    He would give the horrible one’s, A run for their money.

  221. @workyticket 276
    10 to 15 million for a 24 year old 30 goal midfielder is not out of our reach in my opion dont get to many of them lampard eat ya heart out buddy lmao

  222. That new Sports Direct site is absolutely awful. I was reading a story about Manuel Pellegrini going to Man City and the story said:

    “Reports suggested City would need to pay €4m to release the experienced manager but Malaga have waived the fee and will allow his departure in the next few weeks.” err right oh :lol:

    Than I looked at the byline, and it was someone called “Kevin Doocey.” Isn’t that the Irish teenager who does that Ashley arse licking blog, “Tynetime”?

  223. TOONARMYELITE says:
    May 16, 2013 at 2:25 pm

    “11 assists in with that also is well impresive in my view”

    Wayne Routledge has got 10 so far in a better league and Pardew dumped him for Obertan.

  224. @workyticket
    im starting to find that obertan very frustrateing,think we all know hes got pace to burn and never bloomin uses it

  225. TOONARMYELITE says:
    May 16, 2013 at 2:55 pm

    “is starting to find this dude laughable”

    Which dude, Toon? Coloccini or Ed the Uziblogger?

  226. You would think with all the money Ashley has, He could come up with a better website than that!
    It looks completely amateur the way it is set out, Those horrible thick light blue bands around every story, What’s all that about?
    He couldn’t resist though, At the top of the page, A sign with “EVERYTHING MUST GO!”, He’s one tatty herbert, I don’t know how he gets away with it?

    The new away kit is in today’s “Chronic”, Apparently they went for the light blue piping, To accentuate the Wonga Logo, These cnuts are priceless FFS, Everything about them is low rent and shabby!

  227. TOONARMYELITE says:
    May 16, 2013 at 3:04 pm

    “ed bud lmao”

    Well an Uzi will fire about 600 rounds per minute, but that isn’t quite as fast as Ed with his blogs.

  228. Is Ed still running his blog?, I thought he was chucking it in?
    I stopped going on there ages ago, When he started with that Word Press log in, It’s easier to get into Area 51, Than his blog FFS!

  229. @workyticke
    will admit he fires them out at some rate he needs to slow down a bit,put a bit of thought into it.

  230. joe hawkins says:
    May 16, 2013 at 3:11 pm

    “The new away kit is in today’s “Chronic”,”

    Joe, there’s been pictures around of all of them for quite a while. The home kit is awful.

  231. Ed is back on board. Recently, buried in his usual re-posts of news-now were a few critical comments of the regime and tactics. However, he has resumed his uncritical view of our fearless leaders.

    I do like the game day posts on there. It is like a manic depressive ASBO stream of consciousness.

  232. Worky, The pictures are always bandied around, But once their in the “Chronic”, I suppose it’s official.
    You always get some cnut coming up with snidey photo shopped stuff.

  233. Worky, you should put youself forward to do Ashley’s site for him.
    You will never want for another pair of trackie’s and trainers lol.

  234. joe hawkins says:
    May 16, 2013 at 3:24 pm

    “You always get some cnut coming up with snidey photo shopped stuff.”

    They were the real ones, Joe, including the one in the Chronic.

  235. @GS
    we left that debate bud just ended up going round in circles lmao :)

  236. Worky: are you going to get the links up for the game? For some reason when I go directly into Wiziwig I can never find a decent link. We have the Mackems on TV here on Sunday. Anyway, enjoy the game live.

    I don’t have much faith that I will enjoy our game. It does give Pardew a chance to be a bit more adventurous. I wonder if he will take it? Sometimes it works and we have a decent first half. Other times we are 4-0 down by half time.

  237. Worky: enjoy the prawn sandwiches. I was at “The Millionaire’s Club” at Churchill Downs, Kentucky. They had a buffet which was a massive let down – meatloaf and man ‘n cheese. I was a bit pissed off there was no horsemeat, that’s where the nags I bet on deserved to be.

  238. TAE: Yep, different games. There is a chance it might be on ESPN but the programming isn’t up yet.

  239. understand bud thought them were beam world wide.Has another american bud i play mafia wars with he ussally watchs on fox or something like that

  240. he even gos cold turkey now when we aint got a game,thinks im a bad influnce on him geting him hook lmao :)

  241. TOONARMYELITE says:
    May 16, 2013 at 3:50 pm

    “understand bud thought them were beam world wide.”

    Toon, “Sky” and “Sky Sports” is “Fox” and “Fox Sports” over there.

  242. TAE: Fox is owned by Murdoch so is really Sky USA. They use the British commentators but have Americans on to discuss the game. The exception is Warren Barton who is actually very likeable and very good. I wish he would learn how to say “think” rather than “fink” though.

  243. GS, do you ever see John Tudor over there? Like yourself, he buggered off to the other side of the pond to do coaching. I thought he might have done a bit of TV punditry as well.

  244. Barton was pissed off at Pardew yesterday during the Chelsea game. Said it was a disgrace what he said about not caring if we lose 4-0 to Arsenal.

  245. Not Tudor. Ray Hudson did the same thing and coaches a couple of MLS team. If you can get past his whiny voice he is hilarious. He commentates on European games and is like the Sid Waddell of Spanish football.

  246. C’mon folks, you are getting boring, what no imagination ?
    OK here’s one for you to bite into.
    The bookies have Pardew as the favorite to go.
    We know Benitez is looking for a club in England.
    Why not give the guy a couple of years on a, “lets see how it works contract”.
    Face it, where would you get he opportunity to hire someone with his resume, a guy whom many players have praised for both his tactical nous (something we have been unfamiliar with of late) and how he helped improve their game.
    On the other hand, it’s unlikely Martinez is really looking forward to managing in the second tier and may be interested in coming to St. James’ Park.
    If neither of the above meet your approval, we have the
    possibility/probability of Potchettino leaving Southampton ?
    OR we could give Laurent Blanc a call, see if he is interested.
    I mention interested because i’m sure all of the above have some knowledge of the situation at Newcastle.
    The low wage usually on offer, the fact Pardew has little input (IMO) in regard to who is recruited and the fact Ashley micro manages everything.
    If you think theres a more deserving manager, I hear Jol may be available, another competent guy, plus Poyett at Brighton, the guy who knocked us out of a cup run.
    Whadda you think ?

  247. TAE: It would be quicker for our few English speaking players to learn French.

  248. Hudson ?

    Yeah I’ve had the misfortune of listening to his color commentary a few times, the guy is a joke, constantly trying to convince an audience that what they are watching is exciting.
    That was fine in the days of radio commentary.
    Plus he is for the average American, I would be kind to call it , difficult to understand.
    One guy in a bar wanted to know why there was a foreign language broadcast for a MLS game.
    Plus he has the wrong vocal chords for broadcasting, though I have to admit I found him unintentionally funny at times.
    But for the most part, to listen to him throughout an entire game , is an ask too far.

  249. Chuck man, just because it is not one of your subjects… You don’t have to get involved if you don’t want to. I am happy to talk about Rodgers and Wigan.

  250. Chuck, I couldn’t listen to Hudson when I first heard him. If you get past the Geordie Old Woman voice he is INTENTIONALLY very funny. In the textspeak of TAE I find myself LMAO quite a few times each game.

  251. Army lite sez

    “Does he speak English” (Laurent Blanc)

    Army, he played in the EPL if you recall, in which case what do you think ?

    Besides as opposed to Pardew he can fluently pass on his instructions to our French contingent, who are in the majority.
    Get it ?

  252. For the rest of you, if you haven’t heard of Ray Hudson he is an original. I said he was a bit like Waddell but he is different as well, but has that same enthusiasm. I think he even played a couple of games for Newcastle. His descriptions of the game are funny as f*ck and seem unrehearsed. They are funny by intent and can even make an old curmudgeon like Chuck chuckle.

  253. @328: I think Pardew has an interpreter and can pass on his ideas. They happen to be the wrong ideas and different ideas from game to game and half to half. That’s where the confusion lies.

  254. What’s my subjects tell what they are not and that’s boring, unlike some, who only come on the blog to take cheap shots at others.

  255. Chuck man, I am not taking cheap shots. I am not even trying to wind you up at all. You usually have a thick skin, except when it comes to me.

    I enjoy your comments, so don’t take me seriously.

  256. One thing though Chuck. You’re on here quite a bit so it would be normal for me to respond and you get so hot under the collar that you almost invite an argument.

  257. They are advertising “Survival Sunday” on Fox Soccer today. Somebody forgot to tell them that Wigan were relegated on Tuesday. That’s what it is like here, they know a lot but you can tell they are new to this game that the rest of the world embraces.

  258. wow ask a ? and chuck seems to be geting his feathers ruffled over there lmao

  259. TOONARMYELITE says:
    May 16, 2013 at 4:48 pm

    “chuck seems to be geting his feathers ruffled over there lmao”

    His feathers are ALWAYS ruffled, Toon.

  260. TAE: you forgot to add “get it” :)

    (now calm down Chuck, I am just pointing out how you sometimes invite a reply that could include the word f*ck and off)

  261. TOONARMYELITE says:
    May 16, 2013 at 4:11 pm

    “Laurent Blanc dos he speak english ?”

    Some say that he does, and it was reported that he was having English lessons in preparation fr a move to the Premiership. I haven’t seen anything substantial though so it might be bollocks.

  262. NEWS FLASH. Beckham is retiring. Funny, I thought he did that when he came to MLS.

  263. @workyticket
    thanks bud i know hes a big name in france but unless he played for us never really take much notice of were they played during there career.

  264. TOONARMYELITE says:
    May 16, 2013 at 5:04 pm

    “@workyticket
    thanks bud i know hes a big name in france but unless he played for us never really take much notice of were they played during there career.”

    Toon, the last club he played for was Manchester United.

  265. @workyticket
    faded into the distant memorys for me bud must be geting old lmao :)

  266. TOONARMYELITE says:
    May 16, 2013 at 5:15 pm

    “stick Laurent Blanc in the think about box”

    Toon, if Ashley sacked Pardew and brought in Laurent Blanc, I think that this is what most Geordies would be singing.

  267. jimbob @ 161: that’s absolutely stark. The 2012/13 season is likely to see NUFC:

    -manage our 3rd lowest win total (11) of any PL season (out of 19 seasons)
    -lose more matches than in any other PL season (currently on the previous high of 18)
    -score the 5th fewest goals in any of our PL seasons
    -CONCEDE MORE GOALS THAN ANY OTHER PL SEASON. THIS ONE IS ALREADY LOCKED UP. Consider that: remember our relegation season? We didn’t concede as many goals then. Remember the era of “you score 3, we’ll score 4”? Our defense was better then. Stark.

    worky @ 227: that’s just like him, isn’t it? He seems to promptly and completely forget about any failure for which he holds any responsibility.

    If we’re stuck with him until January, maybe I’ll wait until then to start watching matches again.

  268. workyticket says: “I’ve been sorting it out Hugh.”

    Okay, drop me a line when you’re happy with it. I’ve had to reset a few things just in case.