Monroe Transfer

Pardew in!

Lost count of the amount of times I've heard/read this sort of thing. Yes, we did finish fifth a couple of years ago and our transfer policy leaves a lot to be desired. That does not excuse our performances under Pardew in the slightest and we don't really need patronising from ignorant opposition fans.

Sounds like a Southampton away-esque performance so far? I'd take another 4-0 hammering as you'd think it'd finally finish Pardew off, but I don't think even that will convince Ashley to part ways.

I can't believe how little I care about conceding goals. Not even worth a sigh.

Can't complain I suppose - got Sigurdsson in my FF team.

Why oh why can't we just play with 2 up top? Got nothing to lose, well aside from the match but that's almost a given.

Bit over the top if you ask me (you didn't, I know).

Hey - as long as we tried...

I'd like to see what this team looks like when it's really not functioning, as opposed to "not quite functioning".

There's a Swansea match thread already in existence, OP.

He's actually partly spot on there - he is very fortunate to have an owner who continues to stick with him, when he absolutely has not warranted sticking with.

Phil Thompson, everybody.

I actually felt quite sorry for him. He looked, to put it simply, sad. His body language gives me the impression he knows the game is almost up and fans chanting against him isn't exactly something he can just ignore. Fact is its a results business and he has to go, but I don't hate the guy.

My first properly lag-free game (from about 10 attempts), I get into a 3-0 lead... ... and I get another server disconnection (EA/FIFA servers, not PSN). I've found it to be an awful experience so far online. Gameplay lag, menu lag, twats disconnecting when you go in front, random server disconnects, no changes I actually like in UT, Seasons results not counting despite the match finishing.... Not to mention people (myself included) exploiting the new defending system which at the moment feels like a gamebreaker, since it is so easy to cut inside/run past people (yourself included). I know how to defend in this game, I don't think I'm ignorant of how to deal with certain situations but I still find it overly difficult once you play against attackers with pace. It feels like in every game it's been a case of through ball to pacey striker (when I'm attacking, usually Aubameyang), or just bomb wingers forward. Just read Bramwell's decent article on the main site and I agree that there just isn't much variety to how the game is being played online. Honestly wish I'd left getting this for a week or two, whilst the server/netcode/imbalances get sorted out. Rather be playing 14, and I think I just might sooner rather than later. This just isn't very fun or very satisfying and I don't think the varying amounts of lag I've come across have any effect on that sentiment.

Could have sworn I was given the option import UT coins from 14 when I started it on this? Where are they then? Sigh.

He's gone! To get some Dominos for the lads on the team bus.

The Equalizer Denzel and the widest variety of kills outside of Japan and the Saw movies. Bit shallow but thoroughly enjoyable and well shot. 8/10

Sent a few quid that way, Stevie. Good luck with it and well done to your mrs.

To be fair, he says "good", not "great", and isn't taking the credit for them turning out to be half decent. Pardew says a lot of stupid things but the above is a bit of stretch.

A packet of wine gums

They don't rate him because they didn't see him in his proper position.

I can't see us being anywhere near the top 8 as things are, given we've got no Remy/Cabaye/Ba etc to carry us. Our best chance of achieving anything this season is if Cisse continues to score. Riviere has looked poor but would probably look better paired with Cisse - yet Pardew seems to have an aversion to playing two up top - so I don't think we'll see Riviere come close to shining for us. Perez I have bit of hope for, but he's too lightweight and inexperienced. Ferrerya appears to be a bit of a joke.

To be fair, I was talking about a Pardew-led NUFC team. Put a better manager in his place and even with our obvious squad shortcomings, my expectations would comfortably improve.

Part of me also thinks he's just doing his boss' bidding and publicly reining in our (already low) expectations. Mentioning stuff like the Champions League earlier on in the summer to sell a few more season tickets, replica shirts. Bet Ashley was more angry that he was on the receiving end of some of the unrest (as opposed to it all being aimed at his lapdog), than he was about the goals conceded and the result.

Funny thing is, I kind of agree with what Pardew is saying about what we can achieve. Realistically, we'll be midtable at best. But I'm not the manager of the football club, and if I was I absolutely wouldn't dream of expressing such a lack of ambition in public. What kind of a message is that? How does that inspire the fans, or the players? Why would top players want to join a club whose manager openly states that we're a midtable club and that we should aim to be? Why would fans get excited throughout the season when we know the target is midtable, that we're not going to bother going for the top 6, and that we don't care about the cups. It's pathetic. We're not going to be competing with Man City and Chelsea for the title, but why not Spurs, Everton etc? On paper I don't see how we "can't compete" with the likes of those clubs. We finished fifth a couple of seasons back, it's not impossible. Why not just take each game as it comes and just see what happens? What makes it worse is he's trying to give the fans credit - "our fans are realistic". "But we should be competing for seventh, eighth, ninth, 10th, 11th. We have proven that we can do that in the past" - Is this meant to imply some sort of achievement has been gained? "We have proven we're average enough to finish midtable"? He shoots himself in the foot every single weekend with the nonsense he comes out with.