It’s Alan Pardew’s job through the end of the season – there are still 36 points to play for in the Premier League – to get as many points out of those games as possible – that’s the overall goal with the short-term goal being to stop the rot of seven defeats in the last nine games in all competitions. It’s going to be a challenge of his motivational skills.
Alan Pardew – our goals will not slip
The squad is back in training for the game against Aston Villa on Sunday, after another blank weekend because we are out of the FA Cup.
This is what Alan has said in the local press today::
“We have 12 games left and we have to maximize as many points as we can.” “At the minute we are in a terrible run.” “And the only way out of that is to really focus on what we are doing.”
“I never let the goals slip here, and I won’t let them slip from now on.” “Tottenham was a really tough game to be manager of this football club. I make no bones about that.”
There will be a big build up to this game, but all that counts is what the players do on Sunday afternoon in the early kick-off game , and if – heaven forbid – it’s another defeat and another listless performance from our players, that would be disastrous.
What we want to see is a spirited performance from the team, and we should have Fabricio Coloccini, Cheick Tiote and Loic Remy all back in the side.
But it could be that Colo is still an injury doubt, and he’s the player who can calm things down for the team on the pitch.
We are hoping the captain will be fit for the game, and that being the case, we should have a decent side out that can win the game.
That’s the hope in any case.
What do you think?
Comments welcome.
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32 comments so far
Slank
Feb 17, 2014 at 9:04 AM
Comment #1REPOST
Sage
Abeid appears to be doing well. I always rated him but unfortunately for him he was always in the shadow of Cabaye and Tiote.
Players thrive on confidence and it must be a huge boost to them to play on a regular basis in a first team.
Transfer Sage
Feb 17, 2014 at 9:07 AM
Comment #2slank
yeh he has had 2 good loan spells now, remember he looked great in our pre season 2 years ago, then his once game at brighton he got he looked lost, but was in a totally changed team where everyone struggled.
Also amalfitano is playing regularly so maybe worth a look at again.
Black and White with an army lol
Feb 17, 2014 at 9:07 AM
Comment #3I can’t see us finishing above 10th place, maybe 11th or 12th just because we are 9 points ahead of 3 teams doesn’t mean we are safe with teams like WHU, Swansea & Villa starting to get victories and we aren’t
Slank
Feb 17, 2014 at 9:08 AM
Comment #4Ed,
Not to worry as Villa will be put to the sword.
Transfer Sage
Feb 17, 2014 at 9:09 AM
Comment #5I feel we will be around 8/9th come the end of the season, we are 9 points clear and bound to pick up another 9/10 points from our remaining games at the very worst.
Black and White with an army lol
Feb 17, 2014 at 9:10 AM
Comment #6i think with Remy back this will boost the lads up knowing we have a goal scorer in the team
Ben3arfa
Feb 17, 2014 at 9:12 AM
Comment #7Mr. Pardu never like making bones about things, why is that? :/
Greebol1892
Feb 17, 2014 at 9:12 AM
Comment #8“Never let the goals slip…”, eh?
Plenty of goals slipping into our net these days, Alan, while you continue to leave our best CB MYM on the bench and continue to persevere with Santon at LB then sub him at half-time (he would be better at RM/RW). I thought it was “never change a winning team” NOT ‘losing team’?
Get ready for strolla who will play against Villa as a target man and to help defend set-pieces…… *yawn*
Black and White with an army lol
Feb 17, 2014 at 9:13 AM
Comment #9Transfer Sage
with our current performance we are a hit and miss team, most teams we are against next will want to be higher up the league and will know Newcastle won’t cause them a threat.
Basically all teams knows about our doom and gloom and will take full advantage of this
jayphoto
Feb 17, 2014 at 9:13 AM
Comment #10hoping Abeid gets a chance next season! If he wasn’t our player now he would be the kind of player we would be scouting! Personally feel either he or vuckic should have been recalled the moment Cabaye was not replaced and given till the end of the season to find their feet in that position in the premier league
jayphoto
Feb 17, 2014 at 9:15 AM
Comment #11would have given Campbell a go too if theres any chance of him breaking through although he’s not setting scotland alight
Black and White with an army lol
Feb 17, 2014 at 9:15 AM
Comment #12Greebol1892
true mate, it still bugs me that as soon as Collo comes back MYM gets pushed aside, i guess this is why he’s frustrated even when Taylor is ahead of him it must just p!ss him off
JAMSHA
Feb 17, 2014 at 9:19 AM
Comment #13SACK PARDEW
Black and White with an army lol
Feb 17, 2014 at 9:20 AM
Comment #14when Willo & MYM were partnered in defence we never conceded a goal and both looked good, then suddenly Collo comes along then BANG the goals start coming I’m not blaming Collo I’m blaming Pardew, every body knows when you come back from injury you don’t start them straight away ( look what happened to HBA last season )
jayphoto
Feb 17, 2014 at 9:20 AM
Comment #15the team selection vs Villa for me will be a big test for Pardew.
Theres no way on recent performances Santon and Taylor should start. It should be MYM and Dummett.
Though Cisse looked ok against spurs surprisingly and just lacked the finish but he got into areas where he would have chances. Think Luuk De Jong looks like a player that is going to create space and chances for whoever he plays alongside though. Not sure Remy should walk back into the side either his form for the last 3-4 months has been just as bad as cisse and if im honest I think an onform cisse out scores an on form Remy
Toon-Prodigy
Feb 17, 2014 at 9:21 AM
Comment #16Colo would be my first choice centre back out of them all.
He is class when on form. I hope he slots straight back in.
catchy in norway
Feb 17, 2014 at 9:26 AM
Comment #17“I never let the goals slip here, and I won’t let them slip from now on.” “Tottenham was a really tough game to be manager of this football club. I make no bones about that.”
hmmm
give the guy credit, he sets the bar high for the next guy, what records are left to break, that’s being greedy in my book, in 3 years he must have set 10 new records
Black and White with an army lol
Feb 17, 2014 at 9:26 AM
Comment #18jayphoto
i think Remy needs to be put back as a left inside forward with HBA on the right and LDJ as our striker, but i can guarantee Pardew will set up a 4-4-2 with them both up top.
imo and personal experience i would set up a 4-3-1-2 with Remy & LDJ up top with HBA giving a free role in AMC, nearly every goal we scored came from the centre because this is where our main threat is
Transfer Sage
Feb 17, 2014 at 9:29 AM
Comment #19black and white
they might well try to but we are still a decent side with good players, we will give most teams a run for their money really…think with tiote, colo, remy all back we will have a good chance.
These teams below are fighting for their lives which might motivate them more but equally could make them freeze with the pressure.
catchy in norway
Feb 17, 2014 at 9:29 AM
Comment #20is it 3 points or the performance v villa that is important
I can live with being beating by the better team, I carnt live another poor performance and a wonder goal, there is simply no foundation to build on
Toon-Prodigy
Feb 17, 2014 at 9:37 AM
Comment #21Catchy,
Both!
Sunday will give us all a good idea of the quality of football and the system which we will be looking to use in the future since Cabayes departure.
I wonder what Pardew has up his sleeve?
Testing times. But exciting also.
stuart no9
Feb 17, 2014 at 9:38 AM
Comment #22I think the trouble with us at the minute is, opposing managers know how to handle us. Any manager worth his salt should look at us and know where we are vunerable, and how to nulify any attack ( if any).
If i was was manager of any team playing us at the minute , my natural instinct would be to attack us from the off , pressure our back 4 and put 5 across the middle leaving 3 defenders to soak up any attack , bearing in mind our goal scoring record at the minute. We have no confidence , we lack ideas , we have no game plan , basically we are in a mess . i think its going to get a lot lot worse in these coming months.
jimmysmith
Feb 17, 2014 at 9:46 AM
Comment #23Why must Pards continually insist on bringing bones into it in the first place.
Most peculiar, if you ask me.
Greebol1892
Feb 17, 2014 at 10:49 AM
Comment #24Black and white
MYM senses danger much quicker than anyone else & has pace. Colo is assured on the ball and good tackler has always been dodgy at reading long balls towards our box. Always seemed strange to me because you have more time with long balls.
Sav
Feb 17, 2014 at 11:19 AM
Comment #25Ben3arfa, How’s about getting your nearly namesake to put in a decent shift instead of sniping Pardew every post? Its getting repetitive. Without Colo (injured, Cabaye (sold) and Tiote (injured) there was a dismal lack of spirit on the pitch in the last match. And without Remy, little chance of a goal, either. Hopefully, this will be put somewhat to rights at the weekend.
mag
Feb 17, 2014 at 11:34 AM
Comment #26Pardew hasn’t got a clue how to change the club around four seasons of mediocrity and his vacant expressions tell you that.
John Tudor
Feb 17, 2014 at 4:59 PM
Comment #27🙄
John Tudor
Feb 17, 2014 at 5:01 PM
Comment #28😡
John Tudor
Feb 17, 2014 at 5:03 PM
Comment #29:mingwall:
John Tudor
Feb 17, 2014 at 5:05 PM
Comment #30:pottytrain1:
John Tudor
Feb 17, 2014 at 5:06 PM
Comment #31:chumpman:
John Tudor
Feb 17, 2014 at 5:10 PM
Comment #32:keith: