Archive for tag: Alan Pardew tactics and formations.

Guest Blog: Has Alan Pardew Finally Seen the Light?

February 8th, 2013 | 48 Comments |

Pardew: Pumping his little fist once again.
Pardew: Pumping his little fist once again.
Many thanks to “ToonBano” from the Toon blog www.toonbano.com for his sixth guest blog here – wt.

As I get over the shock of actually winning a game from behind for the first time in over two years and trying to get my head around winning back to back victories for the first time this season, something amongst our latest turn in fortune has jumped out at me (apart from the new signings) and that is the system. A formation of 4-2-3-1 has been paramount throughout recent weeks and it’s about bloody time. Maybe it’s because Demba Ba is no longer in a black ‘n’ white shirt as he gets his head kicked in by Coloccini but the ‘Hoofball 4-4-2’ days seem to be over. Are they over for good?

If this is the case and we are no longer subjected to the nonsense of lumping it up to the strikers, even when we are losing, then Pardew deserves some credit for finally seeing the light. After all it’s in my opinion that it was this factor of a pre-historic style of football that was holding this club back over anything else. Not the injuries or the Europa League, but the totally cowardly non-attempt at even trying to play to our strengths and actually play some football. Our long ball stats are dropping like a stone with every game that goes by. Thank the Lord. (more…)

How the land lies.

March 30th, 2011 | 69 Comments |

Pardew: Gannin' in the right direction?
Pardew: Gannin' in the right direction?
After a decent start to his managerial contract at Newcastle, Alan Pardew’s team have slumped some what in recent games.

Obviously, recent injuries and suspensions haven’t helped the cause. But questions have also been asked about Alan’s tactics and team formations, from some quarters, in the last couple of games. Some of the formations have been forced by the aforementioned injuries and there’s not a lot can be done in such circumstances. Fans have queried why three CB’s plus wing backs against Stoke city, for instance? So it’s refreshing that Pardew has admitted to failings in such forms and took the blame.

That’s something that doesn’t happen very often. (more…)