I Wish I Was A Geordie - The Blog of Newcastle United in the US

Why Pardew Should Stay...For Now

On our most recent podcast, co-blogger Bob argued that Alan Pardew should be shown the door now, in favor of a Paolo Di Canio-type fiery replacement. (Sans the fascism, of course.) While I did my best to take the other side of that argument, in truth I was so dumbfounded by the match I had just seen that I wasn't at my most coherent. But Pardew should be given the last three matches of the season to keep Newcastle in the Premier League before being given his pink slip. Here's why.

There's an obvious dilemma about firing Pardew now: who should replace him? Without a replacement, it would be a massive gamble. Even removing Pardew and replacing him with assistant John Carver would be puzzling. If Carver had the answers all along, he surely would have spoken up by now. And any of the better out-of-work managers would rather wait to find a job this summer instead of joining up with a freefalling Newcastle side with three matches to go. Maybe Mike Ashley should just dust off Joe Kinnear's contract extension from 2009. He certainly qualifies as a Di Canio-style madman.

Even if Ashley were able to dig up the right short-term inspirational leader, other problems immediately come to the surface. The sort of managers who, in theory, can give clubs a three-match boost are often poor candidates for the long term. That makes things even more complicated.

As Bob brought up in the podcast, we saw what happened at Sunderland with Martin O'Neill, and the same is likely to happen there with Di Canio. Those types simply don't have the mentality to move the club forward. So Newcastle would basically have to bring in Pardew's replacement, hope he does the job, then send him to the unemployment line right behind him, no doubt with fans and players clamoring for the interim manager to stay. If Ashley pulled it off, it would be the most ruthless (and correct) decision he's made as owner of the club.

Incidentally, those who were on the fence about Pardew shouldn't let yesterday's piece by Luke Edwards in the Telegraph sway them. If there is one thing the English press excels at, it's using unsourced articles to fan the flames around a "club in turmoil." Even as his tactical choices have been puzzling, Pardew has always seemed to have a rapport with the players. Notoriously tricky characters like Joey Barton and Hatem Ben Arfa have raved about him.

That shouldn't be enough to keep Pardew employed past this season. I don't think he could have any complaints if Ashley tears up his eight-year contract the day after the Arsenal match. But it's a slender enough thread to keep him around for the next three weeks - as it appears the club will - if only because the alternatives are no better, and potentially even worse.

On The Air: Should He Stay Or Should He Go?

On this week's bleak edition of the IWIWAG podcast, the blog's three Commissioners of Commentary enact their Americanized version of the debate going on in living rooms, pubs, walk-in clinics and anywhere else Newcastle United fans are gathering to treat the wounds from Saturday's 0-6 daymare: Whither Alan Pardew? Is it his formation? His lack of Frenchness? His expensive taste in clothes? Or just his players? If so, which in particular? Including a look ahead to summer and who might be facing the transfer gullotine (numbers only). So if your misery needs company, click below to listen, or visit our iTunes page to download your own sample-friendly copy.

 

I Wish I Was A Geordie 2013-13

 

Three Points: Humiliating Liverpool defeat

Three alarming conclusions from Newcastle United's bumbling 6-0 defeat to Liverpool at St. James' Park:

Plenty of blame to go around
Alan Pardew's conservative lineup — heavy on central midfielders and lacking Hatem Ben Arfa or Yoan Gouffran — was deflating before kickoff. Go ahead and hammer him for his selections.

But the on-field performance by those wearing the black-and-white shirts was an abomination. Newcastle played without any semblance of composure, organization or passion. Not to mention they failed to hold on to the ball, were a mess at the back and were totally overrun in the midfield. Pardew's lineup may have left the team without much creativity, but it should have at least provided a level of solidity and sturdiness.

Some fans will say the team's lack of inspiration falls on Pardew. I would suggest that if players need to rely on their manager to "fire them up" ahead of a pivotal game, then that doesn't speak very highly of their professionalism.

Indefensible
Newcastle has been anything but resolute at the back this season. Still, it was staggering just how disorganized the back four looked. In particular, the central defensive pairing of Steven Taylor and Mapou Yanga-Mbiwa appeared totally disconnected — odd, considering they've started 10 of the past 11 games alongside each other.

Yanga-Mbiwa is no doubt a talented player who has been thrust into an unfortunate situation. But he struggled badly to deal with Daniel Sturridge for the 85 minutes the speedy striker was on the field. Taylor, meanwhile, seemed to be playing a one-man offside trap at times.

On the bright side, Fabricio Coloccini should be available for next week's game against West Ham at Upton Park. Unfortunately, Mathieu Debuchy won't be, after picking up a second yellow card for a mindless lunge late in the second half. It was a brainless moment in a match full of them.

What now?
It's no stretch to say the next three games represent the biggest challenge of Pardew's managerial career.

Not only does he have to figure out a suitable formation and lineup for a team that doesn't really fit nicely into a particular alignment, he has to restore some belief to a group that's just been thoroughly embarrassed on its home field. Oh, and he also has to figure out a way to solve Newcastle's season-long road bugaboo.

A fully fit Ben Arfa would help. So, too, would a couple of vintage performances by Coloccini.

But, let's be honest: Pardew has much more at stake than nearly all of his players. If Newcastle goes down, they'll merely move on to new clubs, where they'll be paid handsomely. For Pardew, you would assume relegation would mean the end of his reign at Newcastle (if this performance didn't already seal that). And who knows when — or if — he'd get another chance at a Premier League club.

Anita A Symbol Of Season's Failure

Over the past couple weeks, we've written at length about Newcastle's disappointing season, capped off by Tom's excellent summary on Monday. He touched briefly on Vurnon Anita's stuttering start to his career at the club - in and out of the lineup in a variety of positions, with decidedly mixed results.

At the moment, he's basically an afterthought, which is pretty surprising given his own pedigree and that he cost more than any of the January signings except Mapou Yanga-Mbiwa. But if Newcastle aspires to have a successful 2013-14 season, it needs to become a team that accommodates Anita, or a player like him.

In the attack, one of Newcastle's major issues is its passing through the midfield. Either the midfield has been bypassed completely because of opposition pressure, as we saw in the second half against West Brom, or the tempo has been so subdued that it allows defenders to retreat to a strong position.

When Anita came over from Ajax, he appeared to be a player who could pass with purpose out of the back, starting attacks at a quicker pace. He sat extremely deep for the Dutch club, usually in line with the center backs, and released the ball in one or two touches. How many times this season have you watched a Newcastle defender dither on the ball, searching for someone to come free, and then just play it back to Tim Krul so he can boot it long? That's exactly what Anita's presence was supposed to avoid.

From a defensive perspective, there is certainly an issue with using Anita in this extremely deep midfield role in the Premier League. Here, again, we see how Newcastle's overall issues have been reflected in one player. If the back line had been as solid as it was in 2011-12, Anita would likely have gotten more opportunities to start in his preferred position. But all four of the club's primary center backs have had their issues, and partnerships have really failed to develop among any of them. It would be awfully risky to have a player "protecting" this fragile defense who is incapable of imposing himself physically in this league.

It's very much up for debate at this point whether Anita himself will have the career he was expected to have at Newcastle. But whether it's him, or someone else in the same role, a tempo-setting midfielder is a necessity in order to get the most out of the club's attacking players. In order to carry such a player in the starting XI, the central defenders have to play better than they have this season.

So while some of Anita's struggles this season have been of his own making - he's lacked confidence in his passing, which is the primary strength in his game - and some have been out of his control, the summer should be spent trying to set him up to succeed. If he's playing to his ability, the on-field product is guaranteed to look crisper and more effective than it has in a very long time.

What's Wrong With Newcastle? The Same Old Problems

When viewed in isolation, Newcastle United's 1-1 draw at West Brom on Saturday was hardly a result worth getting worked up over.

The performance was uneven, but Newcastle managed to secure a point on the road against a team that's spent the entire season in the top half of the league table. Not exactly an outcome that should result in calls for Alan Pardew's firing.

But that's just it, isn't it? The angry tweets, message board posts and pub discussions weren't simply spawned by one average performance, but rather an alarming trend.

Indeed, the most perplexing aspect of Newcastle's disappointing 2012-13 season has been a complete and utter lack of development. The same problems that torpedoed the first half of Newcastle's Premier League season are preventing the club from smoothly pulling away from the battle at the bottom of the table.

Save for a brief uptick in the wake of January's Gallic spending spree, Newcastle has lurched from one game to the next for the majority of the season. In all likelihood, Newcastle will survive this season with its Premier League status intact. However, the final four games will likely still include their fair share of rough patches for Newcastle — and the causes of those rough patches will almost assuredly look familiar to the fans who have watched this team all season long.

Without further adieu, here's a sampling of the deficiencies that Newcastle has failed to eradicate over 50 Premier League, Europa League, FA Cup and Capital One Cup matches this season:

The names change, but Newcastle remains brittle at the back. Injuries have prevented Alan Pardew from naming a consistent back five (including the goalkeeper) for the vast majority of the season. Still, for how highly regarded a large portion of Newcastle's stable of defenders is, the team's performance at that end of the field has been alarming.

Newcastle has conceded 60 goals, which ties for second-worst in the Premier League behind lowly Reading. Too many of those goals have been the result of silly individual errors — and despite what some fans would have you believe, not all of them have been by Mike Williamson and Danny Simpson.

Even when he's been healthy, Fabricio Coloccini hasn't been up to last season's elite form. Steven Taylor has been his usual self, mixing long stretches of solid play with the occasional ill-timed boneheaded move. January arrival Mapou Yanga-Mbiwa clearly possesses an impressive skillset, but he's still settling into the English game and has produced a handful of near-disastrous moments (particularly when trying to play his way out of trouble). Davide Santon has regressed as the season has worn on and looks totally out of ideas when pushing forward and nervous when defending. And then there are Williamson and Simpson, who are simply limited in their abilities.

When healthy, January signing Mathieu Debuchy has probably been Newcastle's most consistent defender.  

Late goals are fun, but Newcastle needs more out of Papiss Cisse. We all know Cisse wasn't utilized in his natural position for the bulk of the first half of the season. He's clearly more comfortable spearheading Newcastle's current 4-2-3-1 formation, and his play has unquestionably improved over the past three months.

Cisse's Premier League goal ratio of eight in 31 starts isn't terrible — though it's hardly impressive for a lead striker — and would be more acceptable if he was contributing with his all-around game. But, as we all know, that isn't exactly one of his strengths.

At bare minimum, Newcastle needs Cisse to be a more consistent factor in games, even if it's just by running the channels and pestering opposing center backs. Too often, Cisse has been non-existent for halves or whole games. And, unfortunately, Pardew doesn't have much in the way of alternatives at striker. He's tried to rely on Shola Ameobi to provide a physical presence, but the veteran hasn't performed like a Premier League player this season.

In essence, Cisse has become undroppable, even in spite of his inconsistent finishing and disappointing overall contribution.

Regardless of formation or personnel, Newcastle lacks width in the attack. Gabriel Obertan is probably the only player on the roster who would qualify as a “classic winger,” and the meek Frenchman has undoubtedly taken a step back this season after some early promising Europa League showings.

The rest of the players who have lined up on the flanks over the course of the season — Hatem Ben Arfa, Jonas Gutierrez, Yoan Gouffran, Sylvain Marveaux, Cisse, both Ameobis, and Moussa Sissoko (apologies if I missed anyone) — all tend to drift inside, and are encouraged to do so in the 4-2-3-1 alignment. That places the burden of spreading the field on the fullbacks. At times, Debuchy and Massadio Haidara have supplied the necessary width, but both have missed time through injury.

Too often — particularly when Santon is playing left back — Newcastle’s attack becomes incredibly narrow, and there aren’t many players on the roster capable of carving open a packed defense. Ben Arfa and Marveaux both are, but their fragility means it’s impossible to rely on them from week to week.

The midfield is far too reliant on Yohan Cabaye. In many ways, Saturday’s game summed this one up. Most of Newcastle’s encouraging play ran through Cabaye in the first half, when United created a handful of scoring chances that should have resulted in a commanding lead. The feisty Frenchman’s influence was noticeably smaller in the second half as West Brom ratcheted up the intensity and Newcastle’s struggled to maintain possession.

Newcastle has an impressive collection of central midfielders on its roster. Cabaye and Sissoko are French internationals who could break into most of Europe’s top-level teams. Cheick Tiote quickly established himself as one of the Premier League’s best holding midfielders after arriving in England in 2010. Vurnon Anita has played for the Dutch national team and came to Newcastle from a club (Ajax) that’s regarded as highly as any for player development.

And yet how many times have we seen Newcastle fail to get hold of the ball this season, particularly on the road? For the season, Newcastle’s average possession is 48.42 percent, according to Opta.

Plenty would pin that troubling number squarely on Pardew and his tactics. He’s often talked of a preference for a “rhythmic passing game,” yet Newcastle has regularly gone direct in its play. Regardless of the tactical approach, though, Newcastle’s central midfielders have frequently failed to control — “boss,” if you will — a game. And when Cabaye has been unavailable or struggling (as he was for the majority of the season’s first half), it’s been even more of a rarity.

Tiote has been one of the season’s great disappointments, while Anita, brought in as cover for the position, has failed to carve out a regular role while adjusting to a much faster and more physical league. Sissoko has largely been used in an advanced playmaking role, which looked like a stroke of genius by Pardew early on but has appeared considerably less brilliant of late. Perhaps dropping him deeper would help matters, although he’ll need to show restraint in his dribbling.

You couldn't build a team that's less effective on set pieces than Newcastle. What else is there to say? Newcastle hasn’t scored off a corner kick since Oct. 1, 2011 at Wolves. Unless Newcastle is presented with a free kick within Cabaye’s range of goal, United simply isn’t a threat to score. Corner kicks have become little more than an opportunity for the opposition to attack on the counter after the cross in is inevitably cleared.

Ryan Taylor’s absence hasn't helped, but I question how much his availability would truly matter given United’s lack of aerial threats. Steven Taylor can at least be a factor in the box, but he’s hardly a prolific goalscorer (13 career goals). Yanga-Mbiwa, like Coloccini, doesn’t really have the frame to mix it up on set pieces, as evidenced by his four career goals for Montpellier. Williamson has shown some ability to win the first ball, but there’s a reason he’s yet to score for Newcastle in 97 starts. Cisse isn’t strong in the air, and, of the midfielders, Gutierrez is sadly the best threat to score with his head.

We can leave whether Newcastle should bring Andy Carroll back to Tyneside to future posts. What’s indisputable, though, is that somehow, some way the club must take measures to improve on set pieces over the summer.

Three Points, Twitter Edition: West Brom Draw

Three Twitter-inspired takes on yesterday's 1-1 draw against West Bromwich Albion at The Hawthorns:

Can't believe how negative Pardew's tactics are. I'm all for stability but we had the team to win today. - @vazzst220

Once again, Newcastle found itself in the lead at halftime, only to throw that lead away after the break. However, "negative tactics" weren't really the culprit. Credit West Brom for starting the second half with tons of energy, helped by co-blogger Tom's favorite non-Newcastle player in the league, Shane Long. That energy didn't create that many chances for the home side, but led to a succession of corners. With everyone back to defend, clearances fell at the feet of West Brom players, creating a revolving door effect for a 20-minute stretch. It was more desperation and necessity than negativity.

That being said, Alan Pardew and his staff really need to work with the players on passing at pace to get out of danger. We've witnessed plenty of counterattacking from Newcastle corners this season, and the speed of players like Yoan Gouffran and Moussa Sissoko should help create some chances off opposition corners. It hasn't happened often enough, and shaky ball control and passing under pressure is the culprit.

"Ameobi's going to come on and put in a decent shift, run and chase the ball." HAVE YOU EVER WATCHED FOOTBALL FRANCIS. - @ToonArmyMIA

Our occasional podcast guest chimes in with an appropriate reaction to Pardew's substitution of Shola Ameobi for Gouffran in the 69th minute. Here's the thing with Shola: he had an effective run as a supersub at the end of last season, but he was being used in a completely different role to the one he's found himself in of late.

When Newcastle is leading, and really only needs someone up top to waste time and harass defenders, he can be a pretty useful player. But when the club was basically looking for one goal to secure Premier League safety, Pardew needed to throw Hatem Ben Arfa on, hoping he made an impact. That's precisely why he's available on the bench, and the manager left him sitting far too long.

Cissé's missed chances more than anything else are the reason NUFC are down at the bottom - @de_facto_phil

Given the number of points Papiss Cissé has stolen Newcastle with late goals (and we'll even throw out his accidental winner against West Brom in October), it probably evens out in the end. But in yesterday's match, and in several other excellent first halves this season, he's missed a big chance that proved costly. There aren't many easier opportunities than the one he had 10 minutes from the break, when Jonas Olsson's bizarre pass had him through on goal. Somehow, he couldn't tuck it away.

For all the rancor directed at Pardew's tactics and decision-making, he's basically managed things the same way he did last year. For the reasons I talked about earlier, the second half has often been a struggle, just as it frequently was last season. The problem has been magnified because of all the matches Newcastle has been trying to hold a one-goal lead that really should have been more.

Newcastle's Crosses A Formula For Failure

37 crosses, 28 from open play. That's what Newcastle's attack produced against Sunderland on Sunday. Though 13 of those 37 crosses were deemed "accurate" by Opta, meaning they found the head of a teammate, they certainly weren't much of a threat. Considering the team generally lines up with only Papiss Cissé through the middle, and hasn't scored from a corner once this season, is it any wonder that this mode of attack isn't working?

My co-blogger Bob, in his meticulous analysis of Premier League statistics over the last several seasons, has concluded that the amount of crosses a team produces has no correlation with success. But in Newcastle's case, I'd go even further - a high cross count is a sign of a misfiring offense.

In recent weeks, the club's goals have not come through stereotypical wing play. Instead, Cissé has thrived on the low pass from the byline, which allows him to react against slower defenders, rather than try to beat two men in the air. Passes from that same position - right where the byline meets the 18-yard box - also produced Moussa Sissoko's game-winner against Chelsea and Yoan Gouffran's deflected goal against Tottenham.

However, getting to that crucial spot requires an uptempo attack which catches defenders on their heels and out of position. It's something that Newcastle has done sporadically this year, but too often the offense has been slow-paced, with very little movement off the ball. The result? A defender or winger hovering along the edge of the field with no option other than a hit-and-hope effort into the box.

As far as the derby goes, Danny Rose has to get a lot of the credit for forcing Newcastle into a crossing game. He used his speed well to neutralize Sylvain Marveaux and Mathieu Debuchy down the right. But the lack of attacking urgency has been an issue all season. With the array of talent on offer, the end product should be far, far better than it has been this season.

Of course, the number of aimless crosses and corners we have seen this year is likely a reason that rumors of Andy Carroll's return are again surfacing. Certainly, his aerial prowess would help rescue some of those lost causes. And while I'm generally against bringing him back to St. James' Park, £7 million would be a low enough fee that it's worth considering.

But it really shouldn't take Andy Carroll to fix this club. We have seen Newcastle up its pace at various times this season - lately at the end of matches, but also early in the Fulham and Wigan matches at the December 2012, to name two examples. With the passing ability and speed available in the front four of the 4-2-3-1 that Alan Pardew now favors, it should be the default approach every single week. 

Yet too often, the attack becomes static, stagnant, and cross-happy. It's the story of the season, and it has to change. And when looking for striker options this summer, Newcastle would be better off paying up for Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang, whose pace would slot perfectly into an uptempo assault, than buying back Carroll, whose aerial ability works best only when the rest of the club is falling flat.

NBC's Premier League Coverage Gives NUFC A Boost

When planning my tour of Newcastle fan hangouts across the country, I ran into one serious logistical hurdle. How could I be sure that after booking a flight and a hotel, I'd actually see the match live? Not every bar can accommodate matches shown online, meaning that I was limited to watching my beloved club play, and lose to, TV-friendly opponents. Though I love co-blogger Bob's Milwaukee spot, the Highbury, online matches are relegated to one slightly outdated computer monitor. Not exactly the array of flatscreen TVs the Liverpool fans were greeted with when I paid him a visit in October.

I've put the tour on hiatus until next season so that I can go to St. James' Park next month. And it turns out that decision may pay dividends, as NBC has just announced the details of its Premier League coverage for the 2013-14 season,and they're quite encouraging. The key point:

All games not aired on a designated NBCUniversal channel will be made available to distributors on Premier League Extra Time, a package of overflow television channels available at no extra cost for each of their customers who receives NBC Sports Network.

That's right. In addition to spreading select Premier League matches across the panoply of NBC-owned channels, special channels are being created to show all the other matches live, for free, the same way NBC handles the Olympics. For fans of a club that hasn't often found itself in the spotlight under the current American TV deal, it's an absolute godsend.

I recently submitted a piece (with fingers crossed) to XI Quarterly about the development of Newcastle fan groups in the United States. One of the biggest hurdles to further growth has been the TV problem. The ubiquitous Man United and Chelsea groups know they'll be able to see their matches every week, so it is easier to find a rhythm with fellow supporters. But some Newcastle fans may go weeks without being able to actually see the match in a pub, making a matchday routine virtually impossible. 

Because of this, quite a few wannabe Geordies who live in close proximity have yet to actually connect and start a group of their own. For example, we've gotten a handful of tweets and emails asking where to watch matches in Orlando, and have yet to come up with a satisfactory answer. Those people who asked just haven't been able to find each other in the same bar on the same day. But a chance encounter will be much more likely next season, knowing that every match is going to be televised. 

As my friends in Philadelphia can attest, it's well worth the effort to find a bunch of friendly Toon fans and get them together in the same bar. NBC's expanded coverage will make it much, much easier to make that happen. Hopefully Newcastle will give us a bit more to cheer about come August.

Three Points: Sunderland Loss

Three infuriating conclusions from Newcastle United's lifeless 3-0 defeat to Sunderland at St. James' Park:

Lazy day at the park
Sure, Newcastle was three days removed from a physically and emotionally sapping loss to Benfica in the Europa League quarterfinals. But the lack of energy and sharpness throughout the United team was stunning given the magnitude of Sunday's match.

Perhaps the likes of Yohan Cabaye, Moussa Sissoko, Mapou Yanga-Mbiwa and Jonas Gutierrez, all of whom had poor games, have simply been run into the ground over the past few weeks. Still, Alan Pardew included enough players whose workloads haven't been as heavy of late that fatigue can't be trotted out as an excuse for Sunday's team-wide malaise.

Sunderland, on the other hand, played the match as if it was the most important one of its season (and at this stage, it was). Paolo Di Canio's goal celebrations may have been over the top, but they typified the sort of commitment his players displayed all over the field (and, in particular, in the midfield).

For whatever reason, Newcastle's players couldn't match that enthusiasm.

Newcastle won most statistical measurements, but it lost the intangible contests handily.

Defensively undone
The returns of Steven Taylor and Mathieu Debuchy should have given Newcastle a considerable boost at the back.

Debuchy motored up and down the right wing throughout, but, like the rest of his teammates, lacked sharpness in the final third of the field. Taylor, meanwhile, looked nervy throughout, as did his center back partner Yanga-Mbiwa. And it's hard to defend confidently as a group when your two center backs look unsure of themselves.

Sunderland striker and boyhood Newcastle fan Danny Graham, who's not exactly been in his best form of late, caused Taylor and Yanga-Mbiwa problems throughout.

Gutierrez, operating once again as a fill-in left back, continued to remind us all why he's not a natural at the position. His foolish attempt at a cross-field pass led to the game's first goal.

All of Sunderland's goals were scored on the counter attack, and Newcastle looked vulnerable any time the visitors came forward on the break.

What might have been
As ugly as Newcastle's performance was for large stretches of the 90 minutes, United might have been able to rescue itself had Papiss Cisse not been incorrectly flagged for offside on his would-be equalizer in the 61st minute.

Cisse had two good chances in the first half, only to be thwarted by Sunderland goalkeeper Simon Mignolet. Unfortunately, that was pretty much it for goalscoring opportunities. The introductions of Shola Ameobi and Hatem Ben Arfa in the second half failed to add spark to the attack.

Pardew has some decisions on his hands moving forward as he tries to generate offense from a team that's scored just five goals in its past seven games. After a bright start to his Newcastle career Yoan Gouffran hasn't looked like much of a difference maker of late. Sissoko's influence has also waned and he seems increasingly dribble happy. Sylvain Marveaux is the team's best passer in the final third, but can be tricky to fit into a lineup from a positional standpoint. Ben Arfa's return is a boost, but he's the sort of player who forces other players to adapt to his style.

While Cisse has come on over the past two months, Newcastle continues to look disjointed in the attack of late.

Three Points: Europa Dreams Dead

Three sad reflections on yesterday's 1-1 draw against Benfica which saw Newcastle eliminated in the Europa League quarterfinals:

Pardew's plans

The number one talking point from the match has to be Alan Pardew's decision to essentially hold back until the last half-hour. Some fans wished he had a more aggressive approach from kickoff, while others thought that the way the match played out seemed to vindicate his approach. Personally, I'm somewhere in the middle, as much as that can be possible.

That the match was still 0-0 when Hatem Ben Arfa and Sylvain Marveaux came on was as much by luck as by design. Thank the returning Massadio Haïdara (who had a strong performance on the whole) for clearing off the line from Tim Krul's mishandle at the edge of the penalty area. Benfica also dominated possession and buzzed around the goal in the first half - not exactly a point in favor of a strategy designed to slow things down. Subdued performances from Yohan Cabaye (48/60 passing; 80%) and Vurnon Anita (31/39; 79%) were a big reason why that plan didn't seem to work.

Nonetheless, the overall approach was logical, given the need to target a 2-0 result. And when Ben Arfa and Marveaux came on, it sure looked like that result was going to happen. My quibble with Pardew would be from a timing perspective. The lethal French duo should have been given a little more time to work their magic, coming on at halftime rather than on the hour.

A pre-derby boost

Even as Newcastle exits the Europa League, the frantic second half certainly boosted the energy of the team and fans going into Sunday's derby. It's hard not to be excited about taking on your biggest rivals with nearly everyone healthy and available. Expect Marveaux to return to the starting lineup, along with Europa-ineligible Yoan Gouffran and Mathieu Debuchy, as well as fit-again Cheick Tioté and Steven Taylor. Ben Arfa will be poised to terrorize Sunderland's back line as a substitute, exactly as he did at St. James' Park last season. It has the potential to be a memorable derby indeed.

Wait until next season

Unfortunately, the biggest cliché in sports has to get a run out today, as Newcastle will end another season without a trophy. That spot next to the Intertoto Cup certificate in the trophy case is getting awfully lonely.

However, just as things appear to be coming together ahead of the derby, they appear to be similarly building towards a special 2013-14 season. With no obvious outgoing transfers of key players (Fabricio Coloccini excepted), and no midweek matches to tax a fairly deep squad, it certainly looks like Newcastle could make a statement in either of the cups, the Premier League, or both.