Monroe Transfer

Or he'll be annoyed because his side could have gone above them if they'd won themselves.

Except your point was that we "roll(ed) out the red carpet and treat(ed) them like the Harlem Globetrotters". We definitely tried more against the Manchester sides. No-one's said we didn't lose comfortably against Man City and no-one's said we didn't deserve to lose that Man Utd game. Im always tongue in cheek, of cource we tried. I still have the feeling Pardew is a bit too grovelly when it comes to the top teams... gut feeling I guess, and our record vs them this fall. We tried but I didn't see the same level of effort that I've seen in most of our games. They played a much better pressing game. They just seemed to be more up for it and we were a bit of a mess to be honest. We're better than that - I wouldn't have minded losing so much if our performance had been better. There's no real shame in losing to Liverpool at Anfield especially given how NUFC tend to lose there.

Teams tend to improve significantly when a new manager comes in, especially when it's a renowned and decent one. I'm not surprised to see them getting good results - even if said results come about through winning goals scored in the last 5 minutes of matches (as has happened in 3 of O'Neill's 4 games)

Except your point was that we "roll(ed) out the red carpet and treat(ed) them like the Harlem Globetrotters". We definitely tried more against the Manchester sides. No-one's said we didn't lose comfortably against Man City and no-one's said we didn't deserve to lose that Man Utd game.

Don't think you understand the difference between playing at home and playing away and we gave Man Utd and Man City much more of a game than we did against Liverpool.. Which makes it so annoying Pardew didn't play it the same way against the worst of those three sides! Ben Arfa played well against City and won the pen against manu, but doesn't feature against the scousers! I honestly - and I really hate to say this - think the Anfield crowd played a signifcant and very positive role in Liverpool winning that game. As I imagine did their frustration over Suarez and their lack of wins despite chances created. Many factors played a role in our performance but we really seemed to be intimidated. Concentration levels were poor and we gave the ball away far too much. It was loud on television.

Don't think you understand the difference between playing at home and playing away and we gave Man Utd and Man City much more of a game than we did against Liverpool..

Isn't that the third time in recent matches that they've nicked it in the last few minutes? Anyone else and I'd be laughing.

What I don't get about this whole thing is the defence of "well it's OK in Uruguay". I mean fair enough if he'd gone straight to Liverpool from Uruguay. But he didn't, Suarez spent 4 years in the Netherlands.

I'd genuinely pay Stevie to present his own podcast or something like that. Paying no more than a pints worth, mind.

Looking forward to hearing what King Kenny has to say.

Don't let one see that post, we'll never hear the end of it.

Unsurprisingly RAWK are outraged and are still fully in support of their man.

Those sort of jokey comments have to make sense in the context you're telling them. Unless "please stop posting about football, I'll talk about something else if it stops you talking about football" is considered hitting on a girl in Norway? If that's the case then I'm guilty as charged. edit; hope that little education lesson will improve your banter in the future, maybe it's just a Norwegian thing.

Just a bit of Uruguayan banter.

What is then? Remembering Perch is next in line behind colo/willo. I know. I'm not talking about the now, the current. Not the possibility of Colo/Williamson being out. To me a striker is needed more, because we know for a fact that in a couple of weeks we'll be without our main goal threat and I don't think our other strikers will score enough. A fullback (preferably one who can also cover in the centre), a natural CB and a striker are all needed in their own ways and will be more essential than the other at certain times.

I think Williamson has done alright. We definitely still need cover for that position but at the moment it's honestly not our most pressing concern.

Ridiculous comment. I think he means this season. Not forever, I'm sure he gets ready for the big teams in a few years. I should have explained that one a little further (still not in a great mood following that performance, sorry Salty). It's too early to write Vuckic off against top 6 sides - he wasn't that bad and he's still a teenager who had his second start. You ease youth players into it, which is something Pardew did not do last night. Playing at Anfield on a Friday evening is not the same as a mid-table club at home. You want your experienced players for that kind of match. Im in a shite moot too MT, sorry for the blowout. I obviously meant that for the time being, Vukcic is not ready and should not have started in that formation, away from home, against liverpool in these circumstances. In a few years Im sure he will be more than ready, but that is no way to accustom a player to the PL. He should be brought on on a downhill run, wind in his back, team looking confident against suitable opposition. Just the circumstances thats all. That being said, I think he performed above expectations. Its just that I didnt expect much from such an inexperienced player. Exactly. Heard from someone else that they could understand playing him ahead of Ben Arfa because Ben Arfa is a "luxury player". I didn't even try to argue that one. Even if they're not as defensive as you might like, against an intimidating (and it clearly and sadly was intimidating) atmosphere like they experienced last night, you want more your more experienced players playing. It's not the time and the place to take risks.

Played into deep trouble by Tiote he hoofed it out for a throw in ?????????? (that's a clearance in my book) Tiote picked Gerard up from the throw (for a nonosecond) and then inexplicably just let him go. I saw the goal as it happened and didn't care for another look, so fair enough I guess if that's the case. By clearance I meant just kicking it down the pitch as far as possible, not putting it out of play. Rest of that section still stands, don't play short passes against a pressing team if you don't strongly support the man with the ball. I could see the frustration on Simpson's face.

What annoys me also is that the goals were avoidable. First goal less so - but I'm sure it could have been better defended. Second goal - very debatable whether it was a free-kick in the first place. Was it taken too quickly? Would Krul have saved it if Simpson hadn't stupidly gotten in his way? Third goal - was the really annoying one, and just summed our night and sloppy performance. Playing short passes near our goal, Simpson suddenly finds himself outnumbered and has no-one to pass to so instead of just clearing it he loses the ball and it eventually finds its way into our goal.

Aye, why the fuck would he make a rod for his own back. People seem to have some vague notion that by coming out and saying 'we need a striker' it will put pressure on Ashley to go out and buy a striker. No it won't....some owners yes, but not Ashley, he doesnt feel that sort of pressure at all. All it'd do is cost Pardew his job. And I mean that without compensation too....I wouldn't be surprised if his contract isnt so locked down that it contains caveats that he cannot go to the media and state the need for players without prior agreement from DL. I didn't say any of that though (if you're referring to my post), particularly the thing about putting pressure on Ashley. DIdn't imply that at all. I know he gets asked questions, it's not like he's said these things in press releases. I'd rather he was just more vague. On the other hand, you could call it honesty on his part.

Who knows? At the end of the day don't forget that it's only our second season back. The first was all about staying up. If you look at it from a newly promoted side's point of view, you'd want to take it in stages: First season - stay up Second season - security of mid-table Third season - kick on from there, look for a lower top half place We admittedly are different because we should have never been relegated in the first place, we're a big club and we've lots of experience of the Prem and a bunch of quality players too.

I don't think anyone outside of you knows what tariff 2 is.

It depends on our injury situation (we are missing Marveaux and Taylor, two likely starters), who we get in January if anyone, and worryingly anyone we lose in January. PLus the ACN on top of that. I'd take it right now I guess - but we almost had that target last season anyway before we threw it away against West Brom.

Exactly. He worked so well with Enrique because they had full confidence in each other's ability. If Enrique needed a bit of extra cover, Jonas was there to help him out. If Jonas needed a bit of support offensively, there was Enrique to help him out. I really wish Pardew wouldn't come out with stuff like "we're only in for a defender", "we're only after 1 player because of the market" etc. It's as if they've set a target and we should be happy if they meet it. Instead just do whatever you can, you might find a bargain along the way. Not that I'm saying we should take everything Pardew et al say at face value in the first place.

Doesn't matter who you get them off?