Pardews Pre Tranmere comments

[Smirking_Saint]

Very impressed with the recent video online on saints player from pardew, everytime the man speaks he talks with good ideas, optimism and sense.

 

I like him and i am glad he is in the red and white.

[Nineteen Canteen]

 

As to your point about me questioning our strength of squad then yes I am. I dont believe it is that strong once you get past the first 15 or 16 that AP normally picks from. With James out injured, and now Holmes again as well the choice of who plays through the middle if Hammond or Morgan are not availiable becomes limited. He will play Wotton but who else ? Doesn't seem to rate Simon Gillett very much so you would have to move Puncheon back into the middle and go with Antonio. Puncheon through the middle seemed not to work at Wycombe according to those who went. We may have the squad numbers but out of the 40 odd players listed on the matchday programme every week then I defy you to get past 20 and still retain any real quality.

 

QUOTE]

 

I couldn't agree more with this statement and IMO it will be our inability to field a team to cope with the circumstances of each match that will ultimately result in our failure to reach the play offs.

 

That is why I found Coretese's comments pre the Norwich game ill founded as clearly Pardew is still building a squad to win promotion and the one we have isn't ready to do that except for our defence. You can't sell what people don't want to but so hopefully the inherent deficiencies can be released as contracts expire and the obvious gaps many of us have identified will be filled so that next season there are no excuses.

 

I agree with you that the best parts of a 'sticky' pitch are on the wing but the challenge is getting our wingers (especially Lallana) to play out there and stop cutting in. Ironically for his detractors the one player who perhaps does use the wing to occassional good effect is Waigo but with his ability to often get the ball stuck under his feet at SMS or run into cul-de-sacs what will happen even on the wings of a poor pitch? Hence my suggestion to play Wotton and at least we can have a chance of controlling centre midfield someting we failed to do at Wycombe. Play Wotton , Hammond and Schneiderlin in a 4 5 1 and hopefully force our wingers on to the wing which means dropping Barnard or Lambert and playing Waigo or Lallana and Puncheon wide or play 4 3 3 . Our full backs should be capable of playing more like wing backs and getting forward and Wotton can provide cover when they do. The issue in a 4 3 3 is like you say who do we play up front with the other two and again given squad restrictions you have to play Waigo but run the risk of taking him off early if his 'wizardry' gets stuck.

 

I read Pardew's comments with some interest on the Echo website and as usual he was very erudite but I would take issue with the following comment:

 

“I expect it to be a sticky surface and we’re going to have to try and play as near as possible to our game on that surface, whatever it is.

 

Now I may be wrong but common sense tells me if you know the conditions of the pitch are going to be a problem, trying to do something that probably won't work, i.e trying to play as near as possible to our game, then play another game plan. Trouble is we can't as we don't have the quality of the resources required to meet the different demands of this league.

 

So I agree my suggestions can be easily described as flawed or ill-considered but they are just off the cuff suggestions to be honest to promote some conversation. However, is my logic anymore flawed than suggesting we play the same 11 and trying to play our game as best we can knowing that it has failed on other occassions when the tide of confidence has been equally as high?

 

Within that 40 strong squad Pardew must have some alternative solutions that are not immediately obvious to you and I and Gillett should be one but like you say is out of favour and therefore his confidence for a game like this will be low especially as Pardew seemingly believes he cannot determine a player's attitude. Sounds like some of those under utilised players are on their own with regarding confidence building and positive attitude but thats another argument for another day or hopefully not.

 

Your apology wasn't necessary as I wasn't offended just that exaggeration can somethimes get in the way of a potentially interesting discussion as it stops people from posting their thoughts for fear have any merit in their comments or suggestions completely ignored and shredded. He who shouts loudest and all that. You should know by now that as long as things don't get personal with unproven statements or innuendo then I don't get offended that easy.

[speculator]

Thank god you're not the manager! You'd change our emphatically winning starting 11 then & actually drop Puncheon & Lallana after their last 2 performances?! Who would you start with instead, Wotton, Pulis & Gillet?

 

It take all sorts....

 

PMSL:rolleyes:

 

Oh dear. For those who do nothing but mock they often run the risk of making themselves look very silly . 19c seems to have been talking some sense for a change.

[Saint_clark]

Oh dear. For those who do nothing but mock they often run the risk of making themselves look very silly . 19c seems to have been talking some sense for a change.

 

Yes, because if we're dropped Lallana, Puncheon and Morgan for this game we definitely wouldn't have lost.

[speculator]

Yes, because if we're dropped Lallana, Puncheon and Morgan for this game we definitely wouldn't have lost.

I dont think 19 was advocating dropping all 3 but suggesting it was folly to play the same 11 and as near to our normal game as possible. Love him or loathe him he was right dont you think ?

[stmusicdude]

i agree with 19 too pretty much nails it

still think we are in for some more shocks along way I think on here & other forums I have said colchester to shock, i predicted Walsall to be firing today after hamering ( gillingham shocked me) but this happens every season to the top 10 because pressure, stress resources starting to be stretched etc & it will this season just as always but It's too much for us now I think but ... i think we may just wish at end of season that today was a win & that AP put a team out today to mix it up ... & I do understand not changing a winning team & all that but we had issues that needed addressing .. but I still think AP is ok, good in fact .. roll on next game

[Johnny Bognor]

I dont think 19 was advocating dropping all 3 but suggesting it was folly to play the same 11 and as near to our normal game as possible. Love him or loathe him he was right dont you think ?

 

 

You would know, wouldn't you

Edited 8 March, 2010 by Johnny Bognor