Pardew leaving is a nonissue. We didn't sack him - he left for a more ambitious club who sign players based on what they need and not just for sell on value. He left us. We didn't sell him. we had the chance to replace him with a good manager and we didn't.

He done well when we finished 5th but was determined to shoehorn our players into 442 or 4231 when 433 was working so well. he wasn't helped by the board only signing Anita after we finished 5th but to go from 5th to 16th is unacceptable.

I dunno why you keep referring to calendar years either - seasons aren't played over calendar years. Pardew underachieved in 2 full seasons of his 3 full seasons at Newcastle. Simple as that.

You're keep pointing out how Wijnaldum is bad which is fair enough - he's playing out of position so is always going to struggle at first/not produce consistently yet keep referring to Sammy Ameobi as better who is a bad player yet playing in his natural position?

Ashley needs to invest more in January, Charnley needs to get signings made quickly rather than drag them out until the last week of January and Carr/his scouting team need to identify players who are good enough for Newcastle. It sounds simple because it is. We could do with sacking McClaren due to his terrible performance but I really doubt that will occur. He will relegate us imo unless something huge occurs in January. That will make it 2 relegations and 2 relegation battles under Ashley - surely he can see his business model isn't working?

He had a contract here. We could have said no. Newcastle let him leave, just the same as we let players leave. Also 'ambition' we've massively outspent Palace.

He is adaptable with his tactics, he's played 4-3-3 loads. Everyone romantices that period Cisse was scoring loads, and HBA was brilliant, but it was literally 6 games of the season. The next year and people moaned about Cisse on the right. He also played it the next year again with HBA and Remy on the wing behind Cisse.

I agree calendar stats are totally meaningless, I never use them today, as it's exactly one season on. Remember that next time someone point out Newcastle had the most losses of any team over a 15 month period spanning two season. Meaningless.

Wijnaldum has moved inside in each of the past three games. It's quite possible you just haven't noticed. He disappears completely every time.

Underachievement is amazing. The mega fans were all insisting Newcastle would be relegated as we 'only' signed Remy. Newcastle finish 10th = Underachievement.

Finishing 16th was poor, but Cabaye stopped playing, Ba left, Cisse went off form, and HBA got injured. - We didn't get the luck that season, (whereas we did when we finished 5th) And we still at least had a good Europa League run. Which does seem to often cripple mid table clubs.
At the very least the next season Newcastle regrouped.

#305026 Newcastle Thread

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28 Dec 2015 18:54:27

If West Ham were in the relegation zone people probably would be saying 'yeah maybe they should have kept Allardyce'.

And does come across as delusion for tipping Newcastle for relegation, when the manager leads them to a top ten finish with the best player leaving mid season and 4 other 'stars' seemingly stopped playing over the season.

#305009 Newcastle Thread

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28 Dec 2015 18:20:41

By Poe | On 28 December 2015 - 18:01 PM GMT

Aye 2014 wasn't much better under Pardew. We had Remy too for half of it who is streets ahead of any of our strikers now. Better replacement needed.

And I know you're being sarcastic but I'm sure Wijnaldum has more goals and assists in 15 games than Ameobi does in his entire career.

Started 2014 in 8th finished it in 9th. Were 17th. Not comparable in the slightest. And our poor form was a lot down to Remy who basically stopped trying in the second half of the season.

Wijnaldum attacks the ball brilliantly. He does nothing else though. I'm sure you wouldn't take any of the West Brom lot, but at least one of their players but a decent cross into the box. Wijnaldum was up against Craig Dawson, and he completely disappeared after half time.

#305000 Newcastle Thread

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28 Dec 2015 18:06:53

In the full season since Pardew left. - Newcastle have picked up 30 points, Crystal Palace have picked up 63 points. Are you really telling me losing Pardew is a non issue?

And it's easy to say he's inherited a better squad or something but this stage last year Newcastle had 26 points and Palace had 16. He's racked up 89 points in the past season and a half non Pardew teams have got 46.

Mark Hughes' has got 54 points over the past 38 games, Koeman 51 points, Martinez 52 points. West Ham 42 points. Pulis 50 points. Swansea 47 points.

Alan Pardew is massively outperforming better resourced clubs. He seems the standout manager of the Premier League, mid table and lower club. Only Koeman is comparable.

#304988 Newcastle Thread

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28 Dec 2015 17:20:14

By Poe | On 28 December 2015 - 17:15 PM GMT

8 wins in 41 games in 2015.

Good lord

And people still believe getting rid of Pardew was an excellent decision.

#304987 Newcastle Thread

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28 Dec 2015 17:19:29

McClaren needs to stop making his substitutions before the game. Twice in the past three games he's taken off Newcaste's best offensive player.

Also big up the Carr and Charnley Express - Seemingly eager to sell Rob Elliot for next to nowt and spending £4m on a much worse goalkeeper. Must have spent £30m on Cabella, Thauvin and Wijnaldum and Sammy Ameobi is still the better than all of them.

And when we played a 4-4-2 with no wingers under Pardew - Newcastle went to win 7 from 8 or something.

#304580 Newcastle Thread

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26 Dec 2015 14:56:08

Not saying McClaren is a good manager, but how is he stopping Wijnaldum playing - it seems he has freedom to do whatever, and he's normally anonymous. Even the Norwich game he was anonymous for large parts of the game, and Norwich were on top dictating play for large parts of the game.

I think our board room looks wrong. Ashley doesn't seem to want to be involved on a one to one basis. Means Charnley seems to have free reign. He's picking the players, picking the manager, sacking the manager. Dictating the longer term aims of the club. He seems to be Chairman and a proxy 'Sporting Director' - I think his heart is in the right place, but he seems to have unchecked power, and seems quite bad at it.

#304545 2015/16 Barclays Premier League Thread

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26 Dec 2015 13:19:54

The sports media are absolutely precious in this country. Can give out it out, but can't take it.

Did anyone see the Garry Monk/John Cross thing?

John Cross said Monk wasn't at training due to 'crunch talks' - Swansea's media guy posted a jokey picture of a 'Garry Monk lookalike' taking training - thus proving Cross 100% completely wrong.

Cross writes an article about how Swansea moved to deny reports Monk wasn't at training etc.

#304104 Newcastle Thread

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23 Dec 2015 21:34:24

Wijnaldum was rancid in the middle. He got shunted out wide because we kept losing every week. Anita and Colback have been massive upgrades. I mean he still basically plays as a CM half the time and is completely anonymous.

I dont know just imagine Charnley doodling formations in his notebook and buying players to suit that - and McClaren realising its not going to work weeks into the season. He was lucky Pardew managed to make it work for so long.

#304056 The Great Managerial Merry-go-round guaranteed to entertain *not guaranteed

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23 Dec 2015 18:33:15

AVB seems very quiet. Won the Russian League last year and topped his CL group.

#304053 Newcastle Thread

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23 Dec 2015 18:28:29

Gini Wijnaldum and Sissoko are clearly our two best players who can't get in ahead of Vurnon Anita. We've now got a ridiculous amount of 'genuine quality' Mbemba, Thauvin, Sissoko, Wijnaldum, Janmaat, Mitrogoals, Perez it's amazing how we're in any sort of trouble. Maybe it's Williamson's 0 minutes. Mitrovic looks like a immobile lummox most of the time. Sell Riviere it's the obvious solution.

Steve Black sorts the players personalties into colours. We'll hit top gear as soon as he realises Karl Darlow is a Maroon rather than a Vermilion.

If anything this season has exposed is the manager needs to have more imput into the players bought. The Managing Director and Chief Scout are buying players to suit their tactics. And the manager is playing a different set of tactics. Pointless.

#303922 2015/16 Barclays Premier League Thread

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22 Dec 2015 22:51:56

Fair play to Ozil. Proving the Ozil doubters right.

#303913 Newcastle Thread

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22 Dec 2015 22:24:19

I agree tbh. I'm not sure what the fuck McClaren does to be honest. We look like we're playing with 9 men half the time due to Sissoko and Wijnaldum being fucking shit. But Newcastle only look dangerous when they are on the ball.

Basically if Anita and Colback aren't totally overran due to being outnumbered we've got a chance. When Sissoko comes alive after an hour.

Think De Jong actually looks like a good player now that he seems fit. Which is a positive though.

#303882 Newcastle Thread

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22 Dec 2015 20:46:48

No not Sissoko. Nooooooooo. Please No.

We could buy another Wijnaldum, Thauvin, Mbemba and Mitrovic.

The dream is some real stupid cunts who've seen MOTD come in and offer £25m for Wijnaldum. Imagine that.

8th impossible I admit. imagine as being as good as Watford, Palace or Leicester. Imagine the superstars of World Football at SJP, like Danny Simpson, Damien Delaney or Ben Watson. Unthinkable.

#303594 2015/16 Barclays Premier League Thread

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21 Dec 2015 21:52:18

By bluemoon. | On 21 December 2015 - 21:44 PM GMT

Welcome to my world. I can't stand him at the moment. He's infuriating.

At least when Sissoko turns up, he's not actually that good anyway.

#303584 2015/16 Barclays Premier League Thread

Shola

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21 Dec 2015 21:41:03

Don't think I could cope with supporting Man City. Would spend most of days absolutely being frustrated as fuck by Yaya

#303579 The FIFA Thread

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21 Dec 2015 21:34:57

Arsenal are actually complicit in the 'corruption' but why not?

#303560 The Great Managerial Merry-go-round guaranteed to entertain *not guaranteed

Shola

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21 Dec 2015 21:13:15

Are Man City that well run? They seem to have been going through the motions, and have seemingly stuck by a manager for two years just to wit for another. And a lot of there signings seem to have just not worked.

#302822 2015/16 Barclays Premier League Thread

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17 Dec 2015 18:31:05

Arsenal should do the right thing. Thank Wenger for taking them as far as he can go - and appoint a proven winner.

#302706 Premier League Team of the Season So Far

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16 Dec 2015 23:42:59

By Based Jorge | On 16 December 2015 - 22:43 PM GMT

Butland
Bellerin - Smalling - Koscielny - Monreal
Kante - Dier
Mahrez - Özil - Wijnaldum
Vardy

Fucking hell.

#302690 Premier League Team of the Season So Far

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16 Dec 2015 22:39:07

Butland

Simpson
Kompany
Smalling
Ake

Mahrez
Drinkwater
Ozil
Willian

Vardy
Lukaku

#302688 Premier League Team of the Season So Far

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16 Dec 2015 22:33:31

By Franck | On 16 December 2015 - 14:34 PM GMT

Vardy - Okazaki

Schlupp - Drinkwater - Kanté - Mahrez

Fuchs - Morgan - Huth - Simpson

Schmeichel

No Ozil??????

#302687 2015/16 Barclays Premier League Thread

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16 Dec 2015 22:28:37

Mahrez wasn't used that much during their great run. And some of Vardy's technique is fucking top drawer as well tbf.

Why is Vardy scum out of interest, the racism thing?

#302307 2015/16 Barclays Premier League Thread

Shola

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14 Dec 2015 21:56:38

What was it?

#302299 2015/16 Barclays Premier League Thread

Shola

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14 Dec 2015 21:37:45

Leicester are far too fucking casual here

#302279 2015/16 Barclays Premier League Thread

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14 Dec 2015 20:10:05

Don't think it was neccessarily a lack of effort - but Eriksen seemed wasted on the wing, Kane was never upfront, and Alli just had poor composure. I'm not sure if it was tactical that Lamela and Eriksen were narrow to attempt to overload Newcastle between the lines (where McCarthur had so much success), or that Kane was supposed to vacate the space as a false nine.

Spurs biggest issue I think was either they ran out of steam due to a midweek game their high energy style, or they were complacent, and allowed Newcastle to dictate the second half. Poch tried to fix it I think by putting on another forward to drag them up the field.

#302276 Fitness Thread

Shola

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14 Dec 2015 19:52:41

Hoping to put on some kg's in muscle over the festive period. As Mitrovic might say.

#302266 2015/16 Barclays Premier League Thread

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14 Dec 2015 19:07:28

In fairness didn't think it was anywhere as cringey as it seemed before seeing it. Klopp trying to thank the fans and put in a relationship isn't a bad thing - especially as he's also willing to have a go at them.

Tom Carroll also seems to be getting slated for what was a pretty inofensive performance - Eriksen, Kane and Alli seemed to be the bigger problems - as well as the Spurs players taking their foot of the gas.

#302098 2015/16 Barclays Premier League Thread

Shola

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13 Dec 2015 18:57:44

Liverpool out Arsenaling Arsenal there. At least the players looked embarrassed.