Pardew - Europa League Is No Excuse

Pardew, who was without the suspended Fabricio Coloccini and Cheick Tiote, admitted he doesn't know why his team lacked bite against West Ham. Pardew's men mounted a concerted fightback both before the break and after it with Yohan Cabaye and Hatem Ben Arfa both forcing keeper Jussi Jaaskelainen to make important saves. But ultimately, they were unable to produce the kind of quality which served them so well last season and with the Hammers defending determinedly, they made it to the final whistle without mishap. Alan Pardew: "We lacked a bit of power on the pitch. It was a game for Tiote, really, and unfortunately we didn't have him available today. "That sending-off has proved costly for us because it has cost us three points. "I don't really want to make an excuse about the Europa League, I really don't. We were fresh, we were in a good mindset for the game, we just didn't click."   Source: Newcastle United Mad

Source: FOOTYMAD