Pardew happy with current strikers after all, are you? [Poll].

Posted on January 17th, 2011 | 122 Comments |

Pardew: Looking to strengthen in other areas now?
Pardew: Looking to strengthen in other areas now?
Alan Pardew, who has said in the past that the aquisition of another quality striker was one of his main priorities, seems to have had a rethink.

After recent performances by Leon Best, who, to the surprise of many fans, scored a hat-trick in a 5-0 victory against struggling West Ham, and Shola Ameobi, and may be switching his priorities as far as targeting new players.

Speaking in an interview, he started by comparing Shola Ameobi and Leon Best, the strikers who played in Sunday’s 1-1 draw against Sunderland, with their opposite numbers in the home side, who are much coveted £10 million+ hitmen, Darren Bent and Asamoah Gyan.

Pardew said on the pair’s performance at the weekend:

“Shola and Leon were as good as the home strikers,”

“They did very well indeed, and, for me, it was evens in the striking department.

“That’s good, because we have Andy carrying an injury.”

Moving on to how this would affect his planning in the striking department, he continued:

“This has altered my thinking in the transfer window. We might be looking to improve in other departments now. It’s a possibility.

“It depends on other areas. We may look to strengthen there instead now.

“I have been really buoyed by Shola and Leon – they may just have saved me a problem looking elsewhere.”

But what do YOU think? Do you think that signing a new, quality striker is a high priority for the club? Or do you agree with Alan Pardew that it may indeed be better to focus his priorities elsewhere on the pitch?

Please leave your thoughts in the comments section and vote in our poll below.

NUFCBlog Author: workyticket workyticket has written 1092 articles on this blog.

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Comment on this post

122 Responses

  1. I honestly think that we have enough to stay up this season. I would rather we saved money and spent more in the summer instead of rushing and getting a striker now that we wont want or need next season. Decent strikers cost too much in Jan (Bent for £18M!!) as clubs don’t want to lose potentially 10 -15 goals for the second half of the season. I say we wait until summer and she who is available then, the only position I would improve in this window is either cover for leftback or one more for the wing

  3. MattyB says:
    January 17, 2011 at 2:30 pm

    “I would improve in this window is either cover for leftback”

    I thought that one would come up, and you probably have a point there, MattyB.

  4. You might be right. It’s a bit tight in jan.
    & more players become available in summer, also, if we’ve stayed up well, it gives us a few better options, with more players prepared to move.

  6. @:MattyB
    There is always the possibility of getting the striker on lona till the end of the season. ;)

  7. Honestly think we need another top man up front with Andy.
    We can´t trust Lovendkrands, Best or Ameobi and don´t get me started on young Nile. Need someone with experience…

    With another top striker we´ll be great.

  8. If the back up strikers were any good we would have coasted the game yesterday, chance upon chance wasted.

  9. CLiNT FLiCK says:
    January 17, 2011 at 2:55 pm

    “worky,
    has everyone slunk off to uncle simon’s?”

    I can’t seem to get his site at all ATM, Clint.

  10. What we have at the minute should keep us ticking over till the summer, i dont see the point in wasting cash which might be better spent come the end of the season, plus hopefully when ben arfa is up and running he will chip in with a few goals, we got the makings of a decent side just needs tweaking, not to say were doing to bad for a newly promoted team like.

  11. Yeah I agree that a loan deal may be worthwhile but what team would want to loan a good enough striker? Surely they would want to keep any player that is good enough to score anything between 8-15 goals in the second half of the season. I think shola and best are good enough cover providing they get the correct service, not to fulfil our longterm ambitions but certainly until the end of the season. I would love someone in the mold of Krancar and I think that would see us through to safety this year quite comfortably

  12. I agree totally with bigbadbob. If Andy Carroll had the 2 chances Ameobi had yesterday, he would have taken at least one of them. As for Best. You can’t judge on the West Ham result. They were beaten 0-3 at home at the weekend. Apart from that hattrick, what has he done since he came here? He is a Championship player.

  13. Maybe AP is right. Looks like Ranger may bes rising to the bait (barbs) with a hat-trick vs. Wigan today. Shola gives you a game when he is healthy. No reason why AP could not plug in Nolan next to Carroll and still have a very strong midfield with Barton, Tiote and the wings. (If Nolan only had to run half of the field rather than box to box, the old boy would have plenty of gas to buzz about.)

  14. I think Best and Ranger will come good Ranger is still young and Best has had very little chance so far
    With better service I think they will be ok
    After all the £18mil Bent was nothing to shout about yesterday!!

  15. Completely agree about Best.
    The only reason why Best scored that 3 goals was because West Ham’s defence was awful.
    Last Saturday,even with Bridge in their rank,3 goals went past their Net.
    Best was lamentable in the derby game.
    No pace,No technique,No talent.
    We dont need a ”Drake” wannabe.
    The website Goal rated him as Newcastle worst player on the field yesterday and even Smith bettered him.
    Would you believe that.
    He was attacking with no passion.
    There was one time on the field,he was one on one with a defender,thought he was gonna try to get past him,but NO,he kick the ball on the player itself just to get a Corner.One cannot be so lame!I was like Wtf!
    Was really anonymous in the first half! -.-
    I say a liabillity.

  16. Unless our scouts have identified a number of young strikers, whom they believe have the potential to be succesful in the EPL and could be available, then go with what we have untill the seasons end.
    As for buying Boothroyd @ twenty eight or nine, really no better than Shola or Best, not a good idea !
    We have also been linked to SWP ? no!no!no!, please !
    Again no better than what we have, as inconsistent as he is hang onto Routledge, even if he just subs for Joey.
    Now there`s a guy who has finally shown what he`s all about, having a great season and if i were Ashley, I would concentrate on giving both he and El Toro new contracts, before those demon agents start turning their heads.
    I thought Gosling was supposedly a DM and would be available to sub for Tiote? guess i had it wrong.
    So with Smith injured and Tiote carded, guess we need a backup DM, a role which seems particular to African players, Essien, Tiote, Sissoko etc.perhaps thats where we should be looking ?
    We do need a right winger, a backup LB, a RB and eventually a center forward, but lets not panic, we have to be sure they are better than what we have and not start bringing in retreads and mediocrities.

  17. How about going in for Suarez ? :smile:

    Ajax boss Frank de Boer has confirmed Suarez, 23, has indicated that he wants to move on if an offer comes in and said that plans for his replacement are already in place.

    “I’ve had a showdown with Luis,” De Boer said. “I wanted to know what his plans are and what the future will bring. Luis is training hard. He told me that if a big club comes in for him now he is ready to talk to them.

    “I’ve a back-up scenario ready.”

    Hopefully he does makes a good decision and don’t choose liverpool. :cool:

  18. If a real quality players becomes available at a decent price, if not stick with loans or with what we have imo.

  19. Sinner says:
    January 17, 2011 at 3:51 pm

    “Last Saturday,even with Bridge in their rank,3 goals went past their Net.”

    I saw that game, Sinner. The goals were actually Bridge’s fault more than anyone else in the West Ham team. He was pretty awful in that game and seemed lost.

  20. @sinner: FYI the corner that Best forced the defender to concede led to our goal remember??!!!!

  21. Agree Worky…I’d go to as far as to say Bridge’s was one of the worst debut’s I’ve seen in quite a while.

  22. “Best awful in the Derby”…Excuse me? You must not have watched the second half, where his hold up and link up play served us very well. He played a massive part in our goal in both winning the corner and getting a slight touch on Ameobi’s header. Goal.com are utter tripe and to be honest I am a bit surprised you even visit the site.

  23. Bridge is a mediocre player, and I have always said that. However, having your debut against a full strength Arsenal is far form ideal. They are the best team in the country right now.

  24. we’re 4th highest scorers in the league, we should be looking for strength in depth in other areas (LB, RW) then shift out some of the deadwood in the summer.

  25. richietoon says:
    January 17, 2011 at 4:10 pm

    “Agree Worky…I’d go to as far as to say Bridge’s was one of the worst debut’s I’ve seen in quite a while.”

    I could only think that he must have been completely out of practice in proper games, because he didn’t look like Wayne Bridge at all.

    chuck says:
    January 17, 2011 at 3:54 pm

    “I thought Gosling was supposedly a DM and would be available to sub for Tiote? guess i had it wrong.”

    Chuck, You’re not wrong but like many of the players signed by Hughton, he’s very versatile. He’s usually known as more of a ‘box to box’ player who can attack either on the right or the centre of midfield. However he can also be a more defensive player who can fill in at right back and play a more defensive midfield role too. I haven’t seen him in lots of games so I’m not the greatest expert on him, but I know that he can play in a defensive mid role. Hughton saw him as a box to box player when he signed him, but as I’ve already mentioned, he did seem to like his players to be as versatile as possible and Gosling definitely fits in in that regard.

  26. I see Howdy Pards is blaming the equaliser on the extra 5 minutes…if we’d got that 2nd goal out of the many other chances we created, it would’ve been a consolation only.

    What were our shots on target as opposed to shots not yesterday…? That’ll tell us if our back up is good enough. On yesterday’s evidence, I reckon not…

    I thought Shola stepped up to the plate on link play, but should’ve deffo scored one of his three main chances yesterday. Thought Best was out of his depth…not much seemed to stick at all…

  27. It was only Best’s 3rd start of the season (including Stevenage game where he was clearly still carrying that injury) I think we should hold judgement until he has had a proper run in the team. He will still be finding his match fitness and building his confidence at the minute. I’m not saying that he is necessarily good enough but at least give him a chance before slating him. I think he is a decent option to have, decent squad player and we can strengthen our attack in the summer

  29. Saw a brilliant reference to Steve Bruce resembling Susan Boyle today.
    What a clown, last week it was, 6th in the league blaah!, revenge blaah!, got a record for them after the game blaah!, little did he know what Monday had in store for him, Lee Ryder on twitter has got Steven Ireland heading to the sos as part of the deal, priceless.

  30. Aye,
    judgement has to be reserved on Best for now.
    Not enough games to say.
    Saying that, we can’t argue with his first prem start hat-trick. To do so is churlish.
    Like Matty & others, we have to give the lad a chance, lets see what he’s like if he gets another 6-10 games under his belt, consecutively would be better.

  31. BBB – Part of what deal? Interested to know as I can’t find owt.

    Why don’t we look at getting in Kyut on loan? After all he would be moving to a more ambitious team. :-)

    Come summer we could offer peanuts for Torres. ;-)

  33. I read on a blog/web site yesterday that in the writer’s opinion Best looked as though he’d won a “Play in a local Derby” competition at the Stade du merde :)

    Not only was he useless he was huffing and puffing for the last 15 minutes or so and should have come off much earlier. Unfortuntely Pardwho doesnt seem to rate Ranger at the momenet so it looks like Best will get the nod even after AC returns as a support striker :(

  34. Bent to Villa? That boy has ambition. Whatever we might think of Sunderland, he has more chance of playing PL footie with them than villa.
    Wonder if that means Young would be available?

    Bent is a decent forward who I would actually be happy to see partner AC up front. He’s just wasted at 5under1and.

  35. A rumour at the weekend was that Bruce was interested in Owen from Manu, this could well be true if the Villa bid was in, he would be a proper bogie man then.

  36. Owen to the mackems. Ha ha. Just about sums up Mrs Doubtfire.

    Has anyone read how Nial Quinn has asked one of the Miliband brothers to become a board member at 5under1and? Can’t remember which one, but it’s the one who isn’t the leader of the Labour party.

    Apparently he will be a great asset to the club. In a non-executive position of course.
    I fail to see what he can bring.

  37. ~ El Toro ~ says:

    “Best awful in the Derby”…Excuse me? You must not have watched the second half, where his hold up and link up play served us very well. He played a massive part in our goal in both winning the corner and getting a slight touch on Ameobi’s header”

    Sorry El Toro but hitting the ball against a defender to get a corner is hardly a “MASSIVE” part in the goal :) He was nowhere near the incoming corner and neither was Bumble. Peas in a pod ?

  38. Micky Toon says:
    January 17, 2011 at 5:23 pm

    “Can’t remember which one, but it’s the one who isn’t the leader of the Labour party.”

    David Miliband, Micky.

  41. Aye ant,
    but the worst ever labour party bod is better than dave fron eton & his liberal lap dog.
    :)

  43. scotland & dundee utd player dave goodwillie has been charged with rape, shouldn’t that be badwillie?

  44. Gary Bennett says he cant understand why Bent wants to leave the Makems as he’s running at a goal every two games, 6th in the Premiership and playing for a quality team ?

    Well two out of three maybe Gazz :)

  45. I have been really buoyed by Shola

    That quote strikes fear into me. The worst player Newcastle have had for the past decade.

  47. mark,
    don’t think Shola’s been our worst player in the last decade mate.
    Plenty worse.
    Second highest Toon scorer v the mackems like.
    ;)

  49. CLiNT FLiCK says:
    January 17, 2011 at 5:35 pm

    “but the worst ever labour party bod is better than dave fron eton & his liberal lap dog.”

    Clint, if you had to be either a Tory or a Mackem, which would you choose? :-)

  51. CLiNT FLiCK says:
    January 17, 2011 at 5:40 pm

    “Second highest Toon scorer v the mackems like.”

    Second highest European goalscorer in Newcastle United’s history too, Clint.

  54. Clint @ 41

    I’m starting to think there’s little difference between any of them these days…Like me old grandad used to say, but I didn’t have a clue at the time what he was on about…

    ” They all p*ss in the same pot ! ”

    We vote one lot in then the other…same shit happens…we vote the old lot back in and call it progress…
    :0)

  55. For me Ferguson will be the next player st break through to the first team and he’ll cover for Jonas and Jose so I think the Left side will be covered. I’d say we need a right winger more urgently.

  56. Antmanbee,
    Y’shouldn’t change which lot you vote for mate.

    It’s either left wing or right wing.
    There doesn’t seem to be much difference if you believe the media, but they are owned by the rich(right wing).
    I don’t believe in either, but i know who’s better at looking after the working class. & it ain’t rich right wingers, who look after themselves & the rich 10-15%.
    It’s a no brainer really mate.
    ;)

  58. antmanbee says:
    January 17, 2011 at 6:25 pm

    Clint @ 41

    “I’m starting to think there’s little difference between any of them these days”

    I usually find that “converts” tend to be the worst. By this I mean politicians who go from one political extreme to another, and I count Tony Blair in that. When they switch, a rather extreme characteristion of the other side still remains and they seem to ape it. In Tony Blair’s case this expressed itself in an even more Draconian approach to “law and order”, and warmongering than Mrs T. They are insecure and dangerous. The American Neo Conservatives also used to say that they were “Liberals who were mugged by reality” and the man who coined the phrase, Neo Conservative godfather, Irving Kristol, did used to be a Trotskyite as did many other Neo Conservatives.

    But this is a football blog!

  64. BTW Clint…off topic for a sec…had a quick look at some of the news about the Captain…like you said, it was M.S. He still kept up with his painting, though, still getting stuff into galleries and that. He was 69…

    Well, he’s livin’ on in my house…on vinyl ;0)

  65. CLiNT FLiCK says:
    January 17, 2011 at 7:04 pm

    “Or Len Shackleton?”

    Still highly controversial, Clint. Immensely talented footballer who was a star for Newcastle then switched over to the dark side! :-)

  66. Worky @ 58: Spot on…

    Clint @ 60: LMAO

    Sorry about the topic drift Worky…but we were on about left and right wingers, mate, honest !!

    ;0)

  67. ant,
    me too mate.
    Been playing Troutmaskreplica & Ice cream for crow in the car for the last few weeks.
    Got all the vinyl too.
    Me fave is still ‘Lick my decals off, baby’ though, closely
    followed by ‘Clear Spot’, truly great albums, if not master pieces & changed music.
    Long live the captain!
    ;)

  68. Decals was the follow up to Trout Mask, yeah…I like that a lot, but being a guitar heed, I love the two guitars in Trout Mask…me all time fave. If you pan each track hard left and hard right you can totally seperate each guitar line…( and learn ’em ;0)

    Also love Mirror Man.

  72. Nnngggg. Got to agree with Stu on this one. With Carroll we would have battered them yesterday. We need another striker, preferably a proven PL guy with experience, but where do you get one of those who is less than 30 years of age, costs under £5m and isn’t Robbie Keane?

    Talking of Keane see his deal fell through because of his wage demands.
    In the real world when you can’t get a job you drop your wage expectations, seems Mr Keane thinks he’s better than he actually is.

  73. antmanbee says:
    January 17, 2011 at 7:36 pm

    “( Soz Worky…)”

    I wasn’t being too serious about that, ant. I’m usually the one who goes off on political tangents anyway!

    Stuart will tell you that too.

  74. ant,
    aye mate.

    Micky,
    we are still crying out for a nippy no. 8/10, working the channels, as they say.
    We’ve got too many big lads, that’s why we have just stick with either PL or LB for a few games, for now at least. So they learn to feed off of AC.

  77. Thanks, Worky…wouldn’t want to pee anyone off…I always seem to get cracking on with Clint, either on or off topic !

    Good crack…;0)

  79. got to agree with stu we are powder puff up top,but would not like us to pay silly fees for a new striker in this window,not the best time for buying imo,then again cannot ashley spending big at any point,so maybe a good loan player and push on with what we have,as i have no faith in ashley at the mo,pity benny wont be able to show his best this season

  80. I used a 13th Floor Elevators ref before that now and again, when I did more reading the blog than typing me bit.

    Stopped using that after slagging Barton off early on in the season, and gettin me words rammed down me throat by his performances this season !!

    How wrong can anyone be…

  81. Agree with that Clint, nippy striker. Might get us away from 4-4-2 and get us playing something like 4-4-1-1 or even 3 at the back, 2 wing backs, 3 centre mids and an attacking pedro type player just sitting off AC.

    Now that would be an attacking side, just need the players to fit the formation. :-)

  83. icedog says:
    January 17, 2011 at 7:49 pm

    “then again cannot ashley spending big at any point”

    Ice, Llambias did suggest very strongly that Ashley would stick his hand in his pocket more once they’d got over the financial hit of relegation and the first season in the Premiership was over. Then again, they do talk some shite sometimes!

  84. antmanbee says:
    January 17, 2011 at 7:50 pm

    “Stopped using that after slagging Barton off early on in the season, and gettin me words rammed down me throat by his performances this season !!

    How wrong can anyone be…”

    He was out for so long that it was probably always going to take some time for him to get back in his stride, antmanbee.

  86. With Andy out I think we have enough in Shola and Best to get us to the end of this season. Plus Nolan gets goals. Strikers cost too much money, we need to get a premier quality winger if anyone in this window. I think Shola and Best would score more if they got some service.

  87. been a few rumours knocking aboot today on a big meet in toon t/morrow,or is that just what it is a rumour?

  88. Yeah, Worky…it seemed that he was giving the ball away over and over early on…bit ring rusty as you say. I also think, and said at the time that the decision to switch him to r/wing by Hoots ( canny appearance this week on Goals on Sunday ) was a master stroke and gave us the balance we’d lacked in midfield.

    Using that analogy, I thought Guthrie looked much better yesterday than his previous return showings…good to see, as I was excited about his prospects this season…

  89. icedog says:
    January 17, 2011 at 7:59 pm (Edit)

    “WORKY the last part of your sentance is spot on m8”

    Ice, do you remember:

    “Chris is our manager and will remain our manager. It’s our intention to renegotiate his contract at the end of the year.”?

  90. Mickey – You seem like you don’t like agreeing with me! Happens to most people in the end though.

    Ice – What meet you on about?

  91. antmanbee says:
    January 17, 2011 at 8:08 pm

    “and said at the time that the decision to switch him to r/wing by Hoots ( canny appearance this week on Goals on Sunday ) was a master stroke and gave us the balance we’d lacked in midfield.”

    Alot of people say that Chris Hughton was tactically inept, that all the good signings were brought in over his head etc. None of them are true.

  92. i would perfer to get taarabt or wright-phillips over bringing in a striker as i think the long term thinkin of the club is to play ben arfa with carroll

  93. WORKY or A.S.is 100% our manager and with lead us into the new season our pre-season is already in place blah blah blah,do you think worky we could write a book on un-truths of nfuc :)

  94. i hope its jus a rumour bout the takeover i like the ashly is running the club tying down are best players to new deals, the wage structure is the ryt way to go and youth academy is the best its been in years, yes he cud put bit more money in at times but he is running the club the way a club should be run these days, u cant be thrownin money n wages like city are once these new eufa rules come in we are gonna be in healthy position n lets face it he aint ever sold any player that hasnt wanted to leave

  95. Worky

    I think the writing was always on the wall for Hughton from above this season, regardless…the sight of Laurel and Hardy in the stands smiling at each other, and rubbing their hands together at the end of the L’pool game still makes me blood boil…like they knew what they were doing, and were vindicated on their shitty decision to sack him.

    I heard /read one of the reason’s he was sacked was that he played the young ‘uns/fringe in the cups ! ( As if the 1st team, thin as it is, doesn’t need resting, or the fringe/youth don’t need experience/minutes !? It’s not as if we’re Man U for squad depth, either…Remember Acc Stan, and the excellent Chelsea away result…you could see the team spirit in the 2nd team was as strong as that of the 1st…all lost on Fatso..)
    Hope he enjoyed the Stevenage debacle…and the wisdom of that philosophy…!

    At least the lads still seem motivated…:0)

  96. antmanbee says:
    January 17, 2011 at 8:08 pm

    “Hoots ( canny appearance this week on Goals on Sunday )”

    antmabee, I meant to write a ‘blog on that, but I couldn’t watch the original one on the telly and it ended up a bit too late in the end.

    Here’s a link in case anyone else missed it.

    http://bcove.me/ugq5ru0c

  97. icedog says:
    January 17, 2011 at 8:28 pm

    “do you think worky we could write a book on un-truths of nfuc”

    Where would you start on that one, Ice? :-)

  99. antmanbee says:
    January 17, 2011 at 8:33 pm

    “regardless…the sight of Laurel and Hardy in the stands smiling at each other, and rubbing their hands together at the end of the L’pool game still makes me blood boil…like they knew what they were doing, and were vindicated on their shitty decision to sack him.”

    I sometimes think that they didn’t feel comfortable with Hughton was because his honesty and rectitude was so alien to them. They always wanted a flash spiv like Pardew who they could identify with.

  100. My view is that I have nothing against Ashley’s financial principles for the club.

    Where he fails is in matters of communication and football, and I’ve always thought that if he appointed – and more importantly trusted – a football-savvy Chairman to take care of those matters he wouldn’t have caused half as much trouble.

    And he’s a tit of course, but that’s by the by.

  101. Then of course there’s the matter of Derek Llambias who, as far as I can see, is similar to Ricky Ponting’s batting gloves in that neither serves any useful purpose.

  102. Aye, Worky… and all that crack about paying off his casino gambling debts as the main reason, etc…Lol !! You couldn’t make it up !

    If Pardew bites the dust, who do you reckon they could exhume next !? ( Maybe a new blog subject…? :0D )

    Is Gordon Lee still managing…

    Laters…Vinyl junkie time ( before the bairn gans to bed…) Er, canny Rock’n Roll, eh…;0)

  103. Stuart79 says:

    “Davy – Takeover?”

    Alleged rumours that NUFC have booked rooms at Gosforth Park for a number of nights. However I doubt it because

    1. Gossy Park aint the No. 1 hotel in Newcastle now
    2. Arabs would book their own places with their entourages
    3. Something this big i.e. a takeover would be held in far greater secrecy than the Gosforth Park Hotel

  104. I wish people would move on from Hughton. Stevenge aside the football has been getting better aswell. We were running out of ideas under Hughton IMO.

  105. I definitely think that instead of going after more strikers and not signing anybody, we should go after a left back and creative mid-fielder and not sign anybody.
    (Is that irony, sarcasm or cynicism?)

  107. Stu – Our opinions are usually poles apart, so it’s more of a surprise I’m agreeing with you, rather than anything against you.

    AndyMac – Good points. Also I’m inclined to think that anything as big as taking over the club would be done in London with Ashley having to visit the buyers, especially if they are Arabs.

    Most rumours are just wishful thinking. People want Ashley out. Who are the only people with money at the moment? Russians, Chinese or Arabs.

    Next thing you will hear is that there is a consortium of stowell street restaurant owners looking to buy the club.

  110. AndyMac – They could be racing fans? Them lot from Dubai like the gee gee’s, plus they already own most of Weardale estate ect…

  111. magpie6699 says:
    January 17, 2011 at 9:09 pm

    “Why is my comment “awaiting moderation”? How should I moderate it?”

    one minute, magpie…

  112. Magpie, there doesn’t seem to be anything awaiting moderation from you at the moment.

    Was it just now? Did it have any very rude words in it?

  113. To be honest the goal of this season was to ensure we were still in the prem next year, jan is a crap time to be buying players as it shows a desperation and clubs are letting players go who are a: second rate and b: overpriced
    Reckon we can def stay up with what we have so job done for this season, couple of players in during the summer and we can push on

  114. Pardew is an interesting character – whilst he obviously was completely leftfeild as a choice I think he’s done ok since he came in. I certainly didn’t agree with the Hughton sacking but he’s gone now and at least pardew hasn’t rocked the boat – he seems to be setting the team up to attack whether home or away which I like
    He does love the sound of his own voice like but hey ho you can’t have it all
    We’ll be ok this season and that’s a step forward, even andy Grayson reckons we’ll be mid table the Scottish twat :)

  115. The problem with Pardew, for me and I suspect quite a few other people is that he comes with a bit of a poor rep. His public outing of some of the issues he is having with the players is a mistake, but apart from that he hasn’t done anything else wrong.

    Does this count as an anti-pardew post? Don’t want to tar the blog as being anti-pardew. :lol:

  116. Frigging iPhone spelling – interesting to see bent has tabled a transfer request with villa putting forward an 18 million bid if the papers are owt to go by – that’s decent money but Sunderland will be well fvcker without his goals – reckon wr should easily finish above em if he goes

  119. Interesting to see the huddersfeild fans forever slating Lee Clark, he’s got them to 2ndin league ffs – just shows fans expectations are usually bizarre

  120. Im on the same track as many others, one more left back. But I would also like to se a midfielder with the same type of skills as Adam Johnsson. Payers like Reyes in Atl Madrid.

    We might not afford these to players, but someone with the same typ of playstyle.

  122. We need cover at LB and LM more so than a striker imo. Look what happens when Enrique is injured, this means we have no left footed players in the side = no balance.