Aston Villa vs Newcastle United

[Tom 14026]

Maybe

[Monroe Transfer 0]

There's no way I could eat an entire football to myself.

 

[Happy Face 29]

 

When in doubt hoof it out? That's school boy stuff HF, it's fine when you're massively up against it, but those 13 games weren't all against a high-pressing Man U side. Hansen was saying that, against that kind of opposition Crystal Palace cannot dally on the ball.

 

A couple of seasons ago Hansen was also saying that Swansea's insistence to pass the ball out of the back would cause them problems from time to time, but it allowed them to turn defence into attack more consistently, because it was more controlled. He would be one of the first to berate Palace for launching endless long balls because "against this kind of side, without a top class target man, they're just coming straight back at you".

 

They weren't all against top opposition, but they were all premier league opponents. 13 games, 11 starters, 143 positions to be filled. Over a third of them (49) were filled by Williamson, Simpson, Perch, Marveaux, Ferguson, Obertan, Taylor, Bigirimana, Shola & Sammy. Say what you will about their merits, these players are rough around the edges at best. Their inadequacies are well recognised by everyone on the board. You would worry if more than one of them was in the team as they would have to be carried. We consistently played several of them.

 

I have made the case previously that I don't believe Pardew in any way encouraged hoofball. There is a difference between allowing it and encouraging it. Time and time again, last season, we put in reasonable first half performances, keeping the ball and making a fist of it, and then we'd fall apart with a nervy second half, where we sat unbelievably deep and relied on hoofing it away inviting wave after wave of attack.

 

Some people took that pattern as proving Pardew was making them do it with his half time team talk of negativity. I never ever saw the logic in that. That he would spend the entire week on one game plan, that would work, and then he would encourage the opposite in his 5 minutes half time chat. It always seemed far more logical to me that the first half reflected Pardew's week on the training ground with players and those deep sitting second halves reflected the players' tiredness and lack of concentration, which is especially evident in sub-standard players.

[Happy Face 29]

Or not, as the case may be. Otherwise simple logic dictates that any team with recent good form would just get better ad finitum. Never works like that, obviously.

 

Obviously.

 

But in response to CT, it is valid to compare early season and post window form with christmas, injury ravaged form, to make some inferences about the impact of failing fitness levels and the inadequacy of cover.

 

It's not valid to argue, as he did, that one deflected goal that earned 2 points was what saved us 7 months before we secured survival by 5 points and better GD.

[Christmas Tree 4975]

Obviously.

 

But in response to CT, it is valid to compare early season and post window form with christmas, injury ravaged form, to make some inferences about the impact of failing fitness levels and the inadequacy of cover.

 

It's not valid to argue, as he did, that one deflected goal that earned 2 points was what saved us 7 months before we secured survival by 5 point and better GD.

 

I was using the form table to point out the shit we were in after 8 or so games last season and you accused me of over reacting to it. That form table included the 3 point gift from Cisses arse and the stolen points from Everton.

 

I'm not sure what your overall stance is any more.

 

We were dog shit last season and lack of backing and injuries contributed, but Pardew also played a major part by deciding to change the system to accommodate Ba.

 

He was tactically inept for most of the season whether it was sticking with shockingly out of form players (Jonas) or fannying on with the system or some of the stupid subs he made like taking Marveaux off when he was our best player (he got boo'd iirc).

 

As for pointing out some of the lesser players, a lot of the damage to morale etc was already done by then and you could also compare some of the lesser players who played such a big part just months earlier in helping us finish 5th.

 

All that matters now is whether he has learned from that. Injuries and suspensions have lead to the first 11 we all want to see play on Sarurday. It's now up to him to stick with that 11 and stick with the system as much as possible.

 

If he does that then alls good.

 

[Happy Face 29]

But this is the first time that any players have come in and deserved to keep their place.

 

Jonas missed games last year and no-one made his place their own. It would have been great if they had made more of a competition of his place.

[The Fish 11147]

 

I have made the case previously that I don't believe Pardew in any way encouraged hoofball. There is a difference between allowing it and encouraging it. Time and time again, last season, we put in reasonable first half performances, keeping the ball and making a fist of it, and then we'd fall apart with a nervy second half, where we sat unbelievably deep and relied on hoofing it away inviting wave after wave of attack.

 

 

I think that's fair.

 

Everybody seems to agree that Pardew is a limited coach and that we had a weak squad, but the disagreement seems to be where we apportion blame?

 

Is it the coach's fault that he didn't get better performances from poor players?

Or is the players fault for not performing better for a limited coach?

Or is it the top room's fault for gambling that waiting until January to strengthen wouldn't be too late?

 

Pardew is still in credit with me because of the management of Ben Arfa (who now isn't just looking like the player many of us hoped he'd be, but also looks like he's loving football again), because of the 11/12 season and some of the individual performances/results (like Arsenal 4-4).

 

I think there are a few players at the club who've disappointed me with their attitude and their performances, but I'm willing to give them the benefit of the doubt because players can make amends where it matters, regardless of off-field nonsense.

 

All roads lead to Ashley, for me. You can trace every disappointment, every anger, every negative feeling back to him. We have a limited coach because that is who Ashley wanted. We have an embarrassing DoF because that's who Ashley wanted. We've a thin squad because that what Ashley wants. I know there are arguments that he's been beneficial to the financial side of things, but I don't care. It doesn't move me like a dogged 1-0 win at Arsenal would, like a 4-3 humdinger with Spurs would, or a 5-0 thrashing of Everton would. Balance sheets and dividends are not football.