NUFC: 8 Reasons Pardew Can Defy Expectations This Year

6. Playing The Right Formation

This wholly depends on how Pardew sets up his team tactically, and that is occasionally difficult to gamble on. In the past couple of fixtures, Hatem Ben Arfa has been dropped in favour of playing Yoann Gouffran and Loic Remy in wider attacking positions and Papiss Cisse through the middle, which has coincided with four goals in two games (though only 3 points.) No matter who plays in the front three, as long as Pardew persists with playing that formation, and not the flatter, less creative 4-4-2, which lead to the awful capitulation against Hull City, Newcastle are a better team. So far this season, the most positive performances, and the biggest wins Newcastle have picked up have come from playing a version of 4-3-3, and hopefully for Magpies fans, the manager will persist with the formation, regardless of some poorer results. The signings of Gouffran and Remy look like steps towards a sustained dedication to the 4-3-3 set-up since both players are comfortable playing wider, and both will still score.