10 games in – is Alan Pardew doing a good job?

Posted on February 13th, 2011 | 76 Comments |

Alan Pardew, Newcastle United
How is he doing?
Alan Pardew has now managed Newcastle United for 10 games, but is he doing a good job?

Chris Hughton divided opinion as a manager with some rating him highly, others insisting he was ‘clueless’ and a plethora of opinions in between the two extremes.

His sacking, though, was a shock. It might have a pleasant shock to those who never rated him but it was a shock nonetheless. There were rumblings in the press before it happened, but I think most fans thought he’d at least to get to see out the season. I think most people appreciated that the constant changes of manager were one of the main reasons for our demise and relegation, and were hoping the club would ease up on the revolving door approach.

Hughton says he still doesn’t know why he was sacked. Ashley said he wanted someone “with more experience” and, beyond a lot of speculation and rumour, that’s just about all we actually know about things.

So in comes Alan Pardew. He didn’t really arrive to a fanfare – more of a squeak – and I think most fans were either unhappy about his appointment or, at best, nonplussed.

We’re now 10 games into Pardew’s tenure as manager and he’s clocked up 3 wins, 3 draws and 4 losses, so what do we think about him?

I can only answer that question with my own personal opinion of course, and – whilst I admit I was a fan of Hughton – I have to say that I think Alan Pardew’s done okay in terms of the football on the pitch. I think he sometimes says things he shouldn’t and I have my doubts as to how much he’d stand up to Ashley, but I think we’re playing reasonable football and the team spirit that Hughton fostered still seems to be there.

10 games is of course very little. Which is to say that it should be very little in a manager’s career, although in football these days it’s sometimes all a manager gets to make an impact. So for me the jury’s still out and Pardew will have to prove himself over much longer than 10 games and in all aspects of management, including his choices of players to bring in and the sort of impact they have on the first team.

I think he has a tough act to follow because it was under Hughton’s management that we brought in gems like Tiote and Ben Arfa and it was also under Hughton’s management that players like Coloccini, and Enrique really started to shine. Arguably, it was also Hughton that helped make Andy Carroll worth £35m to Liverpool after little more than half a season of Premier League football.

It remains to be seen whether Alan Pardew can match that, but I will say that I think he’s made a decent start in terms of the football we play.

Pardew has been talking about the scale of the job at Newcastle, saying:

I’m under no illusions about the size of this job. Ever since I’ve been here, I’ve tried to be honest about what I do with the fans.

I don’t think the average Newcastle fan feels they know me. I’ve not been here that long and I think they are probably still undecided about what I’m about. Am I honest? Am I hardworking?

It’s very difficult. When things went as badly as they did in the first half against Arsenal, the fans are going to voice that unease.

I think there was a lot of that in the abuse I received last week in the first half and I accept that, it happens and there was a lot of frustration.

Only time can buy me the respect of the real Newcastle fan, that’s all I’m working towards.

I can’t determine how long it takes, but what I am confident about is the vision I have got for the club will be backed by the chairman.

The situation we are in now, only the summer will back that up.

From now until the summer, we’ve got to show we’ve got enough character, enough ability and enough nous as a coaching staff to keep the team in this division.

So, do you think Alan Pardew has done a good job so far?

NUFCBlog Author: Hugh de Payen I'm a baby-boomer of the punk rock persuasion, currently exiled in Somerset for crimes committed in a previous life where locals keep trying to poison me with something called 'scrumpy'. Hates sprouts, coat-hangers, Cilla Black, ornaments, Steven Seagull movies and 50 Cent (he's not worth 10). Hugh de Payen has written 634 articles on this blog.

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76 Responses

  1. So far so good!
    This summer will define two things, Can he bring in quality players and also keep the like of Enrique, Tiote and Colocini? Not confident he can do either!

  2. Things seem to be going alright so far, but theres something about him I just don’t trust. He didn’t seem to be very good at his previous clubs either but time will tell I suppose.

  3. he has a great character, but does he have the skill?? He has to ensure survival this season, that im confident he will .. but next season he must be able to keep our best players (tiote, nolan, enrique, barton, colo and simpson).
    he has to strengthen the team,as well as get rid of the players who isnt good enough to take the club forward. that im not too sure of, but thats mainly because the muppets(mike and derek) in charge can do pretty much anything…

  4. We’re now 10 games into Pardew’s tenure as manager and he’s clocked up 3 wins, 3 draws and 4 losses, so what do we think about him?….

    the snide –

    “Andy Carroll’s future was one of the items at the top of my agenda. He needs to stay. He is the Newcastle No 9. As long as I am here I will do everything I can to make sure he stays. I have had reassurances about that 100 per cent. He is staying here.”….

    i think he’s full of shite – ashley’s puppet who loves the sound of his own voice.

    – doubt he’ll see the year oot.

  5. Roy Cropper says:
    February 13, 2011 at 2:43 pm

    “- doubt he’ll see the year oot.”

    When you’re talking about Newcastle United managers, that’s usually a pretty safe bet though, Roy. Unlike Hughton though, he does speak the same language as Laurel and Hardy so they may stick with him longer than usual.

  6. Pardew is doing ok and getting the best out of his squad in the same way Hughton did but we are standing still at the moment because of lack of ambition and investment in the team by the board, its almost as if this is where they want to be.
    Its a shame becuase with a bit of quality up front we could have had a scary amount of points on the board.

  7. Roy Cropper says:
    February 13, 2011 at 2:43 pm

    ashley’s puppet who loves the sound of his own voice.

    – doubt he’ll see the year oot.

    ===

    I suppose one might argue that he’ll see the year out precisely because he’s Ashley’s puppet.

    (If indeed he is – there are certain aspect of Pardew I can’t make my mind up about yet).

  8. workyticket says:

    “I won’t pass any comment on Pardew as I get lambasted every time I do!”

    Dont worry WT I’ll say it for you. IMO Patsy was brought in primarily to stand by while AC was sold and do as he’s told. He needs the gig so he’ll never do anything to upset L and H.

    CH on the other hand would not have stood by while the crown jewels were being shipped out without at least a suitable replacement. Something Fatman didnt want obviously.

    As for his ability to bring out the best in this team ? Well we’ll have to reserve judgement until the summer to see how many players leave ? I think Jose will definitely go and maybe Tiote and Jonas too. If that happens then we’re in a major rebuilding job rather than the tweaking that some have suggested.

    I agree with GOT though, Patsy needs to play Ranger over PL or Best as neither of them are up to the challenge. If nothing else it will give the youngster experience and will hopefully give those who supply the front man a little encouragement. Jose looked seriously pissed off with PL yesterday as did Jonas.

  9. Andy,

    I haven’t forgotten about Level 7 BTW. It’s my next ‘blog after an extended match report. My stomach is playing up something rotten so I’m not 100% ATM. :-(

  10. most of the points are so negative. Pardew has come in and done a good job. I dont have faith in Loverpants and he really needs to start with Ranger. Other than that i really dont have many complaints performance wise (part from Fulham)Things are looking so good for the first time in years. 35 million + to be invested in team , next season we are looking very good , ben afra back one or two strikers signed, a right winger and maybe a right back should see us challenge for europe, i cant wait

  11. The team have been playing well all season and I reckon our position don’t reflect the performances. We should be 10 points better off than we are. It’s still CH’s team as far as I am concerned but AP is still getting the same type of performance from them, it’s a pity Ashley didn’t have the bottle to let CH have a bit more time but at least he didn’t bring JK back.
    Pardew isn’t the worst manager we could have.

    Just watched the QPR game and was amused to see Billy Davies clear his nasal passages and flick any residue off his hands prior to shaking the hand of Warnock, lovely camera work. ;)

  12. i wouldnt take it that far, James. I think the retard owning the club wont hesitate to sell our best players if he gets a good offer for them. so i think as long as fat mike is in charge regardless of which manager we got we will only be looking for replacements for sold stars. and you do not get forward as a club doing that. but pardew is doing ok now.

  13. Yeh fair enough, i was trying looking at it from a positive point of view!! of course we will never know what the fat controller will do, but if we can keep our core of the team together and make some good additions we will have the best squad we have had in years, ie keeping jose, the best player i have seen at Newcastle in a long time, makes me laugh watching him sometimes because things look so easy for him

  14. Cant believe some of the stuff about Pards being an Ashley puppet and that he wouldn’t have stood around when they were selling the crown jewells :lol: :lol:
    I dont think he is anymore of a puppet than CH was, and I know CH stuck around when the fat controller wouldn’t let him get a No2, so why didn’t he walk then when it was obvious he was being undermined.
    I know Pards isn’t my No1 choice for the job or many other fan’s but he is here now and CH is gone, So would it not be better to get over it as after all while Pards is taking all the abuse the Fat controller and Owl heed are getting away with causing all the shit.
    I do know one thing I prefer Pards style of football it seems like he go’s out to win games as opposed to CH’s tactic of trying to stop the other team scoring which in the prem wasn’t really working.

  15. The question was “Is Pardew doing a good job?” I think you have to say “yes” to that. Brilliant job? No. Lousy job? No. But he has kept the team spirit together despite the massive knocks of loosing Hughton and Carroll; and I’d say that the main reason some of our better players may be eyeing the exit door in the summer is not down to his management style but more to the fact that they know they will earn higher wages elsewhere and an almost secured chance of playing in Europe, simply because Mike Ashley has demonstrated his preference for tight business practices ahead of a top four standing in the league.

  16. workyticket says:

    Andy,

    “I haven’t forgotten about Level 7 BTW. It’s my next ‘blog after an extended match report. My stomach is playing up something rotten so I’m not 100% ATM. :-(”

    Prorities WT. Get well soon and then I’d like to talk about the petition thingy. I’m sure it could run if we “targeted” all web sites plus fanzines, blogs, facebook , twitter and anything else I havent heard of yet :)

  17. Big Dave says:
    February 13, 2011 at 3:59 pm

    Don’t agree with you at all about Hoots, Big Dave. Were we being negative when we beat Villa 6-0 or the Mackems 5-1? Dont think so.

  18. Paul the Villa was a one off when Villa didn’t turn up, as for the Mackems that is a complete different ball game when all plans go out the window and anything can happen in a local derby.
    But its all down to opinions

  19. “Cant believe some of the stuff about Pards being an Ashley puppet”

    Cant believe you think Patsy was brought in simply because he had more “experience” ? Experience of what, may we ask ? Getting relegated, taking teams down to the Championship and then instigating the slide into Div 2 ?

    Come on everyone knows that Patsy and Llambias were mates beforehand (despite Patsy’s protestations). Do you really think Chris Hughton would have gone out with Fatman to a casino ?

  20. paul toon says:
    February 13, 2011 at 4:12 pm

    “Don’t agree with you at all about Hoots, Big Dave.”

    Paul, Dave’s always had a thing about Hughton and Nolan. He just doesn’t like ’em for some reason or other.

  21. People are judging him by his place of birth, that borders on racism in lack of a better word. Just because he comes from London and the daily sleesy came with an unfounded and unquoted accusation that he knows DL he has been labelled puppet by too many supporters. What is it he has done wrong? said Carroll wouldnt be sold only for him to actually get sold? Well he wouldnt be the first mangager that had said something like that only for people in power to go over his head. Keegan said something very simelar about Milner, only for him to get sold days later, is he a MA puppet?

    Get behind the manager and give him a fair chance, and put the accusions on hold till they are founded on fact rather than fiction.

  22. Just for the record I’m not defending CH but I do not believe that Patsy will take this club any further forward than CH could.

    If we really wanted to move onwards we should have brought in Jol or someone with some European experience in the long term view of things. However Patsy was already being lined up in November (that I’m aware of) to take over the job so that wasnt ever likely to happen either.

  23. “Keegan said something very simelar about Milner, only for him to get sold days later, is he a MA puppet?”

    No but KK resigned and subsequently showed up the Fatman for being the twat he obviously is ?

  24. valle says:
    February 13, 2011 at 4:26 pm

    “People are judging him by his place of birth, that borders on racism in lack of a better word.”

    What about Chris Hughton, valle? He was born in the same city as Pardew. Somewhat ironically, the man who has been a victim of “Londonism”, Mike Ashley, was born in Walsall and brought up in the Home Counties.

  25. Andymac… So Pardew has to resign for you to believe in him? kinda a lose/lose situation wouldnt you say? I always though KK lacked spine for resigning over that, since we were the ones who paid the price for his dented pride werent we?

  26. and Valle please do not resort to the bland, hackneyed phrase “Get behind the manager/team/lads or whatever”

    I am behind this team otherwise I wouldnt care enough to write on NUFC blogs and fans sites. The Board and the Boards appointed cronies I am not. As far as I was aware the two are not mutually exclusive.

  27. Worky I have up until recently disliked Nolan yes your right.
    But as for CH once again you are wrong, as I said when you basically accused me of not liking CH because I was Racist I have never disliked CH and actually liked him and felt sorry for him even if he wasn’t my choice of manager.
    So dont be spouting your sh1t Worky and trying to tell people something that is wrong.

  28. Worky… Cast your mind back to when CH was given the job, werent he a MA puppet back then? I remember loads saying he got the job because he was a “yes man” so nothing ironic there, only the usual paranoia against anyone who comes from london.

    Dont get me wrong, I understand that the paranoia is founded in bad experiences and MA has certainly earned the mistrust aimed at him. But to mirror that mistrust onto Pardew just because he is

    A) Appointed by MA
    B) From London
    C) Not the guy we hoped for

    Is kinda pathetic, so lets at least give people the benefit of the doubt till we start bringing anymore unstability to the club by not backing our manager.

  29. Andymac… If you are behind the team then there is no need for you to feel targetted by that remark. It was aimed at the people whp scream abuse at our manager because we are 0-4 behind to arsenal.

    I respect everyones right to an opinion, even if it differs from mine, but dont tell me what i can or cant write.

  30. Not backing a manager does not IMO destabilise a football club !

    The problem with Fatman and now Patsy is that we’re reliving the sins of previous administrations.

    Having supported this club for over twenty years I am only too well aware of similar conversations which took place during the Shepherd era. I hated the Fat Bastad mainly for the fact that he hadnt got a clue how to run a football club, making ridiculous managerial choices and sucking funds out of the club when they should have been reinvested.

    This is deja vu as far as I’m concerned. There were many supprters who, even when you showed them the actual evidence of the clubs mismanagement, still blandly believed that “Shepherd always backs his managers”.

    In addition to which we had to put up with some of the worst managers this club could possibly have had during the 90’s and having watched Dalglish, Gullitt and Souness come and go (knowing full well that they werent ever going to make it happen)was just demoralising.

    Now Fatman mark 2 is doing exactly the same thing and we’ve got those same fans telling us to get behind the manager. Forgive me if I choose not to.

  31. “I respect everyones right to an opinion, even if it differs from mine, but dont tell me what i can or cant write”

    Well dont tell others what to do then !

  32. Not a fan of Pardew and is no better than Chris Houghton.
    Both just very grateful of a job that they would never get at a similar size club and it suits Mike Ashley as they are probably the two lowest paid premiership managers money could buy.
    I have not bothered to look at Pardews stats as a manager but judging him so far he will definatly do as he is told and assist in totally dismantaling the senior squad in the summer on behalf of Mike Ashley.

  33. valle says:
    February 13, 2011 at 4:50 pm

    “Worky… Cast your mind back to when CH was given the job, werent he a MA puppet back then?”

    Yes of course, valle, but that was the irony. He may have been derided as a “puppet”, but the issue of Hughton being a real East End cockney from Stratford in East London was hardly ever raised. However non Londoner, Ashley, was consatntly lambasted with jibes about being a dodgy Cockney “barrow boy”.

  34. I’m sure that there are at least a few fans who are just as well upholstered as Mike Ashley who refer to him with soubriquets such as “Fat Ash” too!

  35. “Well dont tell others what to do then !”

    Im not “telling” anyone what to do, i suggest! they get behind the manager… But the way you are draggin this discussion tells me that you are not to be reasoned with, you just have your prejudices and you aint changing them. Pardew can do the world of good for us, in your opinion he will always be a croonie.

  36. Worky… True, that is bit ironic, but to be honest i aint for neither against Pardew. I just dont think we are helping ourselves when we scream abuse at our manager just because we are playing a bad half against arsenal. Imo we should wait and see how he does over at least a season more before we judge him.

  37. worky/hugh – the snide gets sacked on a regular basis & wide-load sacks on a regular basis.

    puppet or not – the form book says he wont last the distance.

    he can’t help spouting his big gob off & one of these days he’ll say something that upsets fat ash – then without delay the negotiation for his – hush money – will begin & he’ll be offski.

    get out of our club you FCB & take the rest of the scummers with you.

  38. If he keeps the three Amigos and Tiote after the summer, yes.

    For me, these 4 players with Barton are the backbone of us and I doubt we would be able to replace any of them easily.

    Also, I am disappointed by how Jonas is underrated by many. Jose is obviously an wonderful left back but he can’t do it all by himself.

  39. batty says:
    February 13, 2011 at 5:36 pm

    “worky i can on me daughters laptop and the comp up an down but not my laptop ?”

    Batty, Are they on the same IP / Internet connection? Or different ones?

  40. batty says:
    February 13, 2011 at 6:06 pm

    “worky same ip , ive recently had windows re installed ,me bro is gonna do it agen for me”

    Well I knaa I haven’t banned you :-)

    Have you had problems with any other sites?

  41. I groaned when Hughton was sacked because he had brought stability and team work to the club.

    I groaned again when Pardew was appointed because I thought he was light weight and had had few periods of success with the clubs I knew he had managed. ( I didn’t know he had been at Southampton as I don’t really follow Div 1 and 2.)

    I have been reasonably happy with Pardew since he came. As long as Ashley owns the club we can’t expect managers in the O’Neill or Jol class. That type of manager expects to arrive with a firm promise of money to spend. If they make some bad buys they expect the owner to cough up again for some more players.

    Ashley wants to balance the books and (eventually) recoup the money he has spent . With that scenario, Pardew is about as good as we are likely to get as manager. We should support him and hope he has enough nouse to make the plan work. Expect more cashing-in on our playing assets in the summer. It will then be down to Pardew to replace them with successful signings.

    I think we will stay up this year. Next year could see a quite different line up and Pardew will be responsible for whatever happens.

  42. I think AP is going to show us what he has if NUFC win at Birmingham City Tuesday. A win puts NUFC in the race for a Europa slot. If NUFC achieves that, or gets very close, then he can keep players on Tyneside either with the realization of Europe or the presumption it will happen the next year. If his managing drops NUFC out of contention for Europe, then he will have difficulty in holding his squad in tact, and a tougher climate to work in when attracting players to NUFC.

  43. batty says:
    February 13, 2011 at 6:18 pm

    “yeah quite a few gunners blogs last week lol they threatend too report me too my provider”

    I’m sure you weren’t doing anything naughty that would have upset them, batty :lol:

  44. Pardew for me. He at least tries to let the fans know what’s happening.

    It doesn’t really matter who we have as a manager as Ashley will do what he wants.

    Expect Enrique and Tiote to be sold in the summer – It’s very obvious that they will attract bids from other clubs and the club have proved they are prepared to sell.

  45. I can’t think of a more difficult time to come in as a manager than after CH was sacked- and Pardew wouldn’t have been on my shortlist.
    You may say, what about after KK walked? But the difference is that CH didn’t walk, he was pushed – and despite being a popular manager who had the players’ trust as well. Generally speaking you can’t really judge a manager until he’s had a close season to make signings, keep players etc.
    How many of us thought that after Hughton left the team might not work under a different manager? But so far the record and performances aren’t bad – and apart from the 1st half against Arsenal we have looked solid in defence. So let’s cut AP a bit of slack – I’m prepared to suspend my disbelief for the time being and get behind the team. I’m hoping we’ll stay up but taking nothing for granted until we’re mathematically safe – and I’m kinda waiting to see what we’re like if we get Strolla, HBA, Ireland etc. all back. And I have to say that I think Ranger’s best performances have been as sub – and his most ineffectual have been the few starts he’s had, so I agree with AP about using him like that at the moment. Personally, I would put Nolan up with Best, drop Lover and fill the midfield gap with Guthrie, Ireland or whoever. I know Nolan is slow but he’s strong and has an eye for goals – and won’t be out-run in midfield like he often is. I’d then bring Ranger on at about 60 mins for Best or Nolan – if the situation warrants it.

  46. magpie6699 says:
    February 13, 2011 at 6:48 pm

    “I can’t think of a more difficult time to come in as a manager than after CH was sacked”

    What about the poor gadgie who’ll have to follow Ferguson at Man U, magpie? :-)

  47. workyticket says: “What about the poor gadgie who’ll have to follow Ferguson at Man U, magpie?”

    Aye, I wouldn’t want to be that man.

  48. even wenger one of the best moaners too,just wish he would spent a bit more (i dont really)trying to do it “all”with what hes got to a degree just to prove his point

  49. What do I think ?
    Guys a self promoter of the highest order.
    Took credit for the Arsenal comeback, even though his first half tactics (a high line against one of the quickest young well drilled counter attacking sides in the league)remained unchanged, throughout.
    And had no more input on what happened in the second half, than any fan watching the game.
    Following yesterdays game, took a positive credit for defending well, for chr**t sake we should be taking points from sides like Blackburn.
    And the least said about the thirty four year old Finn battering ram, the better.
    He has been advised of the facts of life from Ashley and Sancho Panza and has accepted his role.
    Better than collecting unemployment benefits, i guess.
    What he`s shown so far is, a tactical ineptness, doubt if the squad has much respect for him, tends to put his mouth in action before engaging his brain, will take credit for anything he can and his first purchase is a joke.
    I can only conclude by saying, what on earth were Ashley and Llambias thinking, to exchange someone with Hughtons talents, for this looser ?
    Beyond belief !

  50. chuckles says
    “…we should be taking points from sides like Blackburn”
    (Pardew) …”tactical ineptness”

    Errr… how many points did “Hughton’s talents” get us against Blackburn in the home game?

    Not the most convincing set of statements to back your case!

  51. Ok mid term. If he get more that 55 points you have to say the boy done good, anything else is par.
    My early observation on Pards as a man is, if he was chocolate he would like himself to death!

  52. I wasn’t happy at all with the appointment of Pardew but I’ve got to say he’s growing on me.

    I think he’s done well so far considering the teams we’ve faced, people may say we’re no better off in the league than when Hughton was here and that’s a fair comment but I think the standard of opposition in the league since he’s been here has been tough, kind of reminds me of when Keegan took over from Allardyce in that we finished the season 3 places lower than when KK took charge but that doesn’t tell the whole story.

    So far he’s played Man City, Liverpool, Arsenal and Spurs twice, 5 games against what I think will be top 6 clubs in the final league standing.

    Unfortunately the sale of Carroll has meant that this season is now about getting by until the summer rather than pushing on this season, kind of like when we sold Andy Cole, we’ve just got to hope that a large slice of the cash gets reinvested and hopefully the club can push on from that.

    Hopefully his replacement will help us move away from the long ball football and we did try to keep it on the ground against Blackburn for a change.

    As for players getting sold in the summer, we’ve just got to face the fact that if a bigger club comes in for our better players then they will likely want to leave, all we can do is make sure we get the best money possible and that we reinvest it wisely.

    Every team has lost one of their better players in recent years apart from Chelsea and Man City, funnily enough they are the 2 clubs that have thrown money about in recent years too.

    You just have to accept it and make the best of the situation.

  53. read that hughton missed out on WBA job due to wage demands, is this why ashley sacked him? I thought he did a good job but if he is demanding big bucks maybe they thought if we are going to pay this much we will get someone with “more experience”.

    I think we would be worse off now if we had stayed with CH. He would never have gone for the win against Liverpool and would have tried damage limitation against Arsenal take away those 4points and we are a point away from relegation

  54. He,s done ok looking at the points and with a little luck we could have had 4 points more, which would have lifted his “rating”. As many have said, the seasons finishing position will define all, and, assuming we stay up, what squad we start next season with. Jeez that sounds a long way off don,t it?

  55. I think we have to stop thinking of ourselves as a selling club. We sold Carroll, and we sold Milner too. But we did so because we got crazy money for them both. All teams have to do it. Everton sold Rooney, hell, Man U sold Ronaldo. We also have to remember our status in the football world now. We are in the process of long term rebuilding after regation. If we have stand out players we may have to sell if the offer is right. We have to accept this as a means to long term stability. Oh and yes Pardew is doing a good job.

  56. Aye,
    when we consider what AP has done ‘without’ ‘you know who’, you have to give the guy some credit.
    He has kept the team spirit up & had a decent return without an established no. 9 for most of those games.
    A backlash of CH going, big no.9 going, maintained over mid table position after 10 games, all in all, could have been a lot worse.

  57. Yeah, some of the sales the club has made of proved good in the end. The lastest one was a no-brainer so me. So was there really a bust up at LFC with Saurez or was that rubbish?

  58. can’t type… let’s try that all over again…

    Yeah, some of the sales the club have made have proved good in the end. The lastest one was a no-brainer to me. So was there really a bust up at LFC with Saurez or was that rubbish?

  59. @ Tripp.

    No, there was no bust up. Its viral going around – a clip or still from Kirate Kid (i think!?!)

  60. Pjb @67….. unfortunately I think we’ll see a couple of sales we don’t like before Ashley leaves us.

    Why? He seems to be trying to get the club into a break-even situation at the least so that it looks attractive to potential buyers.

    How can he do that? In the short term, by selling and we should be prepared for a bit of news we’ll not like but there’s one thing for sure, they’ll show big profits which will strengthen the club’s financial position and maybe, just maybe attract a buyer who’ll take us forward. No pain no gain though.

  61. Have to say,most commenting positivly on Pardew are easily pleased and a little naive.
    I would like to know what the positive side of drawing with Blackburn is and getting hammered by Fulham, not to mention what the score against Arsenal could have ended up, had there not been a sending off and a couple of questionable calls by the ref.
    If we dont get all three points to-day, then I fear a repeat of two seasons ago, cause we are having one hell of a time scoring.
    Actually if we were to go down, doubt if Ashley would want to go through the same money loosing trip and could dump the club for whatever he could get for it.
    Almost worth it to get rid of this clique and if it were the case would Pardew equal Hughtons record, doubt it !