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Good morning ladies and gentlemen. It's an early morning for me, and it seems that I'm a bit ahead of the online news cycle in England, so the links are a bit puny thins morning. Please feel free to bring your own links to the party for everyone's enjoyment as you read the small bit that I've managed.
In today's mini-links, we still lost to Fulham and our transfer market dealings look a knee-jerk reaction to that loss... so in effect, we're still talking about "The Capitulation". At any rate, take the jump, and you can get stuck into my little feeder links. It's a baby, but it'll grow (if you help it to).
Defeat not down to formation - Guthrie (From The Northern Echo)
We went 4-4-2 once we were chasing the game, but I don't think that made any difference either. It was the same personnel on the pitch. "There were words said after the game, and rightly so. It's hard to take after being so much in control throughout the first half." The adjustment of formation allowed Hatem Ben Arfa into the Magpies' attack, with the young Frenchman's contribution since his return to the side not going unnoticed by his manager. "I thought Hatem did some fantastic things," said Pardew.
In match I did not like the switch back to 4-4-2... it frankly didn't address where the problems were coming from. Perhaps if we'd switched to a 5-4-1 or something similar there are extra credit points available... Also, at least looking by stats through Opta StatsZone, the assertion that HBA became more involved after the switch to 4-4-2 is patently false. I checked many periods of time within the match to try to make my argument that HBA disappeared for a large portion of the match, and his involvement was quite steady through the whole match.
The Press Association: Pardew calm despite collapse
"The second half, we will reflect on and make sure that never happens again. We just lost our way, and that can happen in a Premier League season. "But there is nothing to panic about or worry about. We are in a fantastic position and if our fans are a little bit concerned after Saturday, they shouldn't be.
Eh- on a grander season-long view, I suppose "The Capitulation" is only of minor concern. The real concern is that we have been re-exposed as being vulnerable to speed. Not every club in the PL can take advantage, but...
The Magpies enquired about the centre back but we understand their first offer was not even considered by Watford as it was substantially less than what would be required to take Mariappa away from Vicarage Road.
We want Mariappa because he is fast. (see also, knee jerk reaction)
And that's that, really. Please help the sad links by posting your own story finds below!