Saturday's game provides the ideal opportunity for all of us would-be pundits and armchair experts to predict the top three things that Pardew will try to make happen.
I'll get the ball rolling (see what I did there?) with:
1) He will have noted that our recent success stems mainly from a midfield which passes the ball comfortably and which feeds Lloyd Sam as the main goal and supply threat. Pardew will therefore deploy one or more of his players to kick Semedo, Racon, Shelvey and Sam up in the air at the first opportunity, just to let them 'know we are here".
2) He will know about Kelly. Whether N'diaye plays or not, expect to see most of Southampton's attacking moves down our left flank.
3) Llera will be closed down rapidly whenever he is on the ball.
Up to ten points, awarded at my discretion, for in-match evidence of each of your predictions. Winner gets a beer from me at next week's Supporters' Trust meeting.
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2) Pardew will stand with his arms crossed for atleast 54% of the match, throwing his fists in the air if Soton score
3) Speed will be used more than height, he'll try to get them playing fast football
4) He'll use some sort of N'Diaye joke after the match, N'Diaye wasn't too impressed with Papa, along those lines
5) Sam will be 'raped' at every oppurtinity, they'll go hard on him to not let him have an easy game
6) He'll intimidate the North Upper in some form
7) I expect atleast 5/7 here.
:-)
(he will fail at this though)
Im trying to stem the fall of a once great club...being given the chance once again, I aim to prove my detractors wrong...it was out of my hands at West Ham and Charlton
Its nice to be associated with a club that is on a sound financial footing and able to keep pace with my need to spend my way out of a crisis
Papa's Mrs is a bit of alright...nudge nudge wink wink
There is no truth whatsoever that I'm on commission....
He will give a pre match interview full of cliches
Southamton will line up451 with Lambert up front and try to intimidate in that way Pardoo teams always fight tooth and nail.;-)
2) Llera will deploy a bigger headguard for extra reach
3) Southampton will use the tactic - give them possesion and let them come at us
2. I think that he wont just get semedo booked he will have a player sepecfically target getting Semedo sent off within the 1st 20 mins of the game.
3. When we score he will ignore the threat from where the goal came from.
4. If they are losing with 15 to go he will make a substitution that does not seem obvious to any one there not us nor them.
5. If they get a hiding of more than 3 goals he will look to say that they were beaten by a better team that included several of his signings and for what ever reason have refound the form that he wanted them to have whilst he was here but they never due to the takeover.
6. If it is a close fought game with them losing by a goal or getting a draw he will make us sound like the favourirtes for the league and that it is a massive win for his team (obvious i know) but he will spend great emphasis in saying it.
7. He will mention that Jose Semedo has that side to his game and that he needs to calm it to be a top player, He will not mention any of the shenanigans that lead up to it.
8. He will hold the ball too long when it comes near him for our throws delaying us.
9. He will throw the ball back to his team doubly quick on their throws.
10. He will get into an altercation with either a fan or a member of the coaching staff on the touchline.
He's history.
C'MON YOU ADDICKS!