Watching the first half of Monday’s match between Everton and Newcastle was such a spanking that I literally felt bad for Newcastle fans.
Yes, Everton were playing beautiful football but Newcastle looked like garbage out there.
For the first 45 minutes the team had that look of constipation on their faces, frozen in fear like a deer in headlights.
They deserved to be down 3-0.
It was at that time, of course, that Alan Pardew decided he should bring on the club’s playmaker and best footballer, Yohan Cabaye.
And wouldn’t you know it?!?! Things got a whole lot better better!
Shocking how that works.
To be fair, Cabaye entered the match with a slight groin issue but if Pardew was planning on using Cabaye for 45 minutes of that game, wouldn’t it have been more intelligent to start Cabaye?
That way you can see how he’s handling the injury at halftime. If he’s holding up well and wants to press on for the second 45, he can do it. Plus, by starting Cabaye – who Newcastle are completely hopeless without – there’s a good chance your team isn’t going to be out of the match by halftime.
But Pardew didn’t do that. He kept Cabaye on the bench, waited until his team went down three goals, and then through risked bringing on his star. Absolutely ridiculous.
The move almost worked.
Almost. ‘Horseshoes and grenades,’ my Dad would say.
The fact is, if I’m a Newcastle supporter, ‘almost’ isn’t good enough anymore. The Everton match was just a small sampling of the silly decisions Pardew makes on a weekly basis that prevent his squad from achieving what they’re capable of.
Newcastle have incredible talent and should be competing for a Top 7 spot each year. Pardew helped the side to a 5th place finish in 2011-12 before barely escaping relegation last season (16th), which is the same position the club currently sits.
I recognize we’re only six weeks into the new season but in my humble opinion if things don’t improve drastically for Newcastle by the new year, Pards needs to go.
No excuses from Newcastle. Don’t want to hear about how the club tied Pardew down to a 7 year contract last fall. It was a silly move, but correctable one. Eat the contract and chalk it up as a lesson – no more excessively long deals.
And no excuses from Pardew either. Quit whining about having to work with Joe Kinnear and having communication issues due to a predominantly French-speaking squad. Pep Guardiola began learning German in anticipation of his move to Bayern Munich so the question has to be asked – how is Pardew’s french coming?
It’s not good enough from Pardew. Newcastle deserves better.
And I, for one, smell a sacking.
