Pardew's Signings

Ormiston_Addick

I am still a Pardew fan but you have to say that his signings during his year in charge (not including loan deals) have been mediocre at best.

Weaver - Good
Mouataokil - Unproven, not played enough.
McCarthy - Bad start, still major doubts/.
Bougherra - Average
Thatcher - Poor injury and suspension record
Christensen - Unproven, not played.
Semedo - Good
Racon - Unproven, not played.
Zheng Zhi - Good
Sinclair - Unproven, not played.
Dickson - Unproven, not played.
Iwelumo - Good for a free.
Varney - Promising, not started enough.
McLeod - Unproven, not played enough.
Todorov - Good start, badly missed.

The list above seems to show that too many have under-performed (McCarthy, Bougherra, Thatcher) whilst many others have not been given enough of a chance to show what they can do because of injury or non-selection (Mcleod, Varney, Mouataokil, Christensen, Sinclair).

Is Pards pursuing a two season strategy where he hopes that his young players learn the ropes this year and push on next year? If not, then you have to ask why we are signing players like Racon and McLeod and not playing them?

Rothko

Some work, some don't. He did the same at West Ham, and believe it or not, Curbs got some wrong in his time.

Ledge

being kind on Bougherra i think he is a poor poor player.

Oggy Red

Bougherra is rated by Pards' team as the most skillful defender they've worked with; the Charlton Athletic version of Rio Ferdinand. Apparently his ability & touch on the ball is second to none, in their experience.

When I've seen him play, he seems to me to be indecisive - so any problems are in his own head.
He gives me the jitters at centre back, but he seems far more suited to full back or midfield.

When he played for Crewe & Sheff Wed, he was given licence to get forward.
Pards doesn't seem to give him permission to do that - so maybe we don't see anything like what he's really capable of.

Ledge

jitters i go into a blind panic

ISawLeaburnScore

but that's the thing, his biggest gaffe today was during an attacking foray

his touch was a few yards too strong, he lost possession casually and the move developed into their penalty and 0-1

then... out of what can only be said to have been sheer embarrassment he initiated a pantomime routine of a supposed injury, with people running around with stretchers and the like, only to make a miraculous recovery

he needs to be pulled aside and told what's what before another 2mil is written off

WhenIwasLittleBoy

Jesus they must have worked with shit in the past then

Oggy Red

[cite]Posted By: WhenIwasLittleBoy[/cite]Jesus they must have worked with shit in the past then

LOL

Oh they have - and right now....(!)

;o)

Ormiston_Addick

[quote][cite]Posted By: Rothko[/cite]Some work, some don't. He did the same at West Ham, and believe it or not, Curbs got some wrong in his time.[/quote]

Nobody is guaranteed to be a success but I think Pardew's signings have been disappointing, especially when you look at what other teams with very similar budgets (West Brom, Sheffield United, Wolves) have brought in.

West Brom don't seem to have spent much at all to develop their very useful side and Sheffield United's attacking riches (Beattie, Hulse, Stead, Sharp and Webber) dwarve ours whilst Wolves look to have signed a gem in that kid Andy Keogh.

None of Pards signings have been gems so far and the most likely to really succeed looks like Dickson given his form at the Gills.

Rothko

Mowbury been given time to get it right, and probably has signed a few duds, and I wouldn't use the attacking options at Sheff U as a shining example. As for Wolves, Eastwood is hardly a success, infact I'll say him and Sharpe have been big flops

Were these signings disappointing when we were second a month ago? probably not.

Oggy Red

I don't know what West Brom have spent on attacking players (Bosmans/loans maybe?) - but Sheff Utd have done a fair bit of spending over the last couple of years - none of their forwards came cheap and how much did Beattie cost?

And I can't see Sheff Utd above us in the table yet.

Oggy Red

[cite]Posted By: Rothko[/cite]
Were these signings disappointing when we were second a month ago? probably not.

Inclined to agree with you there, Rothko.
Not too many complaints when we won 4 in a row.

LenGlover

[cite]Posted By: Oggy Red[/cite]Bougherra is rated by Pards' team as the most skillful defender they've worked with; the Charlton Athletic version of Rio Ferdinand. Apparently his ability & touch on the ball is second to none, in their experience.

When I've seen him play, he seems to me to be indecisive - so any problems are in his own head.
He gives me the jitters at centre back, but he seems far more suited to full back or midfield.

When he played for Crewe & Sheff Wed, he was given licence to get forward.
Pards doesn't seem to give him permission to do that - so maybe we don't see anything like what he's really capable of.

Bougy is El Karkouri without the goals I fear.

Ormiston_Addick

I would swap Sheff Utd's strikers for ours in a heartbeat, as I suspect most people would. Their problems have been defensive ones.

Even when we were doing well I think its fair to say that the only Pardew permanent signings (excluding Mills and Sodje) to really excel were Weaver, Semedo (at times) and Iwelumo.

The rest of the side, Fortune, Ambrose, Thomas, Holland and Sam were already here and there was a feeling even then that too many of the new signings have not proved successful so far.

Rothko

I'd swap Beattie for two of ours, but the rest Robson can keep.

How many times have you seen us play this season Orm? I'm wondering, not point scoring

Oggy Red

But Ormiston, Sheff Utd spent a lot of money on those strikers - they didn't come cheap.

The difference is that they have plenty of choice.

We've spent £3 million on Varney & McLeod. Iwelumo & Toddy were free.
We have £35,000 Dicko in reserve. And that's about it.

Varney missed pre-season & several matches at the start of the season.
And Toddy has missed best part of 3 months already.

So there's not been too many options.

Ormiston_Addick

[quote][cite]Posted By: Rothko[/cite]I'd swap Beattie for two of ours, but the rest Robson can keep.

How many times have you seen us play this season Orm? I'm wondering, not point scoring[/quote]

I have only seen about seven games live, extended highlights of another couple and the rest has just been the goals.

So, I must admit that my opinions cannot be as well informed as the UK-based regular attendees.

In response to Oggy, I appreciate that the Blades spent a lot on Beattie but it has been a good deal seeing as he has scored 13 goals already. I would also have Stead and Hulse in my team before any of our lot and think Webber is a decent player too.

Also, the Blades bought Hulse and Stead with Premiership dough.

Iwelumo is a trier but limited, Varney might come good and has done OK so far and McLeod has not got pedigree at this level. Toddy would have been massive for us this season and is greatly missed.