For all those who thank Andy Gray is useless and not worth his place - from the OS:
"In terms of team news, Andy Gray is a major doubt after suffering a broken nose in the draw
with West Brom.
That could see either Luke Varney, who featured for 45 minutes for the reserves on his comeback from a minor foot injury on Tuesday, or Chris Iwelumo partner Leroy Lita, who extended his loan at Charlton until the end of the season on Thursday."
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OS says a bit more:
"ZiZi and Madjid are both OK but Andy Gray got a nasty blow to the face and broke his nose," Pardew confirmed.
"We'll monitor him between now and Saturday but I cannot take a gamble, and I will choose someone else if I don't think he's 100 per cent."
Pards 'cannot take a gamble' so draw your own conclusions .....?
lol
Pace, running, intelligence
If only we had a midfielder who could pick a pass!
Back to basics on Saturday for me, Iwelumo and Varney up front. Iwelumo has made things happen last couple of game from the bench.
Lita can come on if we are struggling.
agreed Gray offers alot more his first few games Stoke and Palace i thought he linked up the play really well he has come to a new team who for whatever reason his not performing it is going to take him time to settle. I think we really need to wait until Oct time next season until we judge.
And that doesn't include our defence lumping the ball vaguely in his direction, 30 yards out with his back to goal surrounded by 3 defenders.
Perhaps it is a bit like Benty at Spurs?
we paid £1.5m for a 30 year old striker who was top scorer at his club.
paying that sort of money for that sort of player, i'd expect him to hit the ground running.
Gray has never been prolific, never will be, it was a knee jerk signing to try and replace Todarov in that holding the ball up role....trouble with Gray is that he has his back to goal, but cant turn it and doesnt have the skill of Toddy. And I think quite a few of his goals this season have been penalties....not sure where to check but I thought Id read that 6-7 of his 13 had been from the spot. Quite happy to eat my hat if Gray becomes a world beater and top striker in the future, but I think Im safe.
he cant help the pirce tag paid for him, cant say i was over joyed when he signed but he has and i think we need to give him time before we get on his back.
Maybe Pards has to think along those lines?
Hey, Pards - get out those old Burnley videos you were watching when you made your mind up to sign Gray.
They may tell you just how to get the best from him. ;o)
You can't build consistancy like that!
Pardew needs to tell them to play to feet. Iwelumo is reasonable on the ground as he showed with his goals against Sheffield Wednesday.
At the risk of being harangued for daring to criticise Pardew the problem is not the player but the tactics employed when that player is on the pitch.
Running backwards trying to head the ball after it being pumped 100ft into the air while a similar sized to defender is running forward will always win the ball more.
Play to the guys strengths for goodness sake.
Like he did for the winners against Southampton and Bristol City.
Nobody takes the ball to the byeline now. Against Southampton, Varney went bombing down the wing and rifled over the cross from near the corner flag, Iwelumo just had to get his head in the way for it to go in.
Against Bristol City away, Any Reid broke down the left wing, outstripped his man for pace (I kid thee not!) and from wide of the box, floated over an early cross in FRONT of Iwelumo to run onto and a bullet header into the net.
So, Lesson 1 for Charlton wingers: get the ball to the line and whip it back across the face of the goal.
Lesson 2: If you are going to put over an early cross, put it in FRONT of the man steaming in at the far post.
Both are nigh on impossible to defend without panic.
And Big Chris' good movement off the ball invariably ensures he's in the right place at the right time.
Someone having their nose broke was the best news you've heard for a long time?
You must live a very, very shelterd life.
Exactly the same things were being said about Shaun Bartlett a few seasons ago.