aimaad22

Which is what makes that moment or two of pure stupidity so frustrating.

And I dont see anyone blaming him for that. There's a fair amount of other things though. I've generally been in the give Pards some time camp. Mainly because we aren't likely to get anyone better, so we'd at least have some stability. Its painfully clear though he'll never be anything more than below average at best. Just enough to not get us relegated, which all his boss wants.

Agree. He was pretty decent up till the last 20 minutes, lost it after that. The needless giving away of freekicks. Then failing to clear the ball in dangerous areas and trying to hold onto it as if he's, like you say, Xavi.

Im saying its not really an excuse seeing as we dont seem to fare a lot better when our first choice are playing. Colo would have made a big difference today, perhaps, but on the whole we're always liable to doing stupid things at the back no matter who's playing. Injuries are never an excuse anyway, especially when you fail to strengthen areas that obviously need strengthening.

Yeah because otherwise we're always so solid at the back arent we? Like at Everton with our captain and our 7M pound signing.

He just loses it, after playing a decent game too. Can turn into a liability at any moment.The one thing you want from your DM is dependability.

Not defending Pardew here, but should you really have to be motivated ahead of a game like this? Dont the players get newspapers? Watch the TV, or browse the web. Dont they bloody live in the city? Bunch of heartless wretches the lot of them, like their manager.

God its an expression. They were more arsed than we were, they get the points, same as last time. Nothing unfair or unlucky about it. As for who suffers well thats the way the world works doesnt it? Pointless getting philosophical about it.

Would have fit right into the heartless display today

We werent up for it. Serves us right.

What rubbish. Had to resort to long range shots throughout the game against the worst team in the league. Difficult to pick out players in such a rubbish performance but Remy and Gouffran need a kick up the backside in particular. Its funny because Gouffran usually puts himself about, didnt give the slightest amount of shite today. Not that Cisse was much better after coming on. And Tiote(who I thought was our best player up till the last 20 minutes), handing out fucking cheap freekicks. Got away with the one Fletcher took but not the second one. Cracking strike and all but the amount of times Tiote has given away needless set pieces that have cost us is hard to remember. Fucking liability. Good way to atone for the performance in the last derby lads, well done!

I think of lack of quality rather than effort is the issue here.

Thats kind of what 'cant do anything with the ball as usual' implies.

Think we've put a few decent balls into the box but noone's been there to attack them. Even after the formation change Remy has hardly been where a centre forward should be in such situations.

Scandalous we arent up for this considering what happened last time, must get better in the second half.

Only Ben Arfa and Tiote seem to be aware of what's at stake here. Sissoko is trying but he cant seem to be able to do anything with the ball as usual.Remy and Gouffran completely non existent. I'd put Cisse/Shola on for either of Remy/Gouffran.

I think if we can get past the first 20 minutes without incident we'll be okay. Need to stop anything stupid happening till then. I hope Tiote/Cabaye in particular understand that.

I was last time, so trying to be as nervous as possible for this. But yeah its hard

Sign all the Neymars and Bales you want, I dont think there's a player I enjoy watching more than Iniesta. Not at his best today but

Real a bit unlucky in the second half there. Bale was absolutely nowhere to be seen.

To be fair I think Busquets is underrated if anything, the diving part of his game doesnt help. Its funny how often that 'he's got great players around him' argument gets thrown around for Barca players, and for how many of them. Circular reference and all.

Also good to know those sort of promises to the young ones are being kept by the club.

Yup they just need some consistency. I believe Mbiwa can come good to eventually.

Missed the game. Seems like everyone put in a great shit and its a point I would have gladly taken before the match, let alone with 10 men.