Gouffran: From Consolation Prize To Surprise

The talk surrounding Newcastle United's season-reviving victory over Chelsea on Saturday has centered understandably on a two-goal, could've-been-even-more performance from Moussa Sissoko. We were thrilled by Sissoko's outing, but not surprised, having watched him outperform his statistics at Toulouse this season as detailed here last week. The surprise was out to Sissoko's left, in the person of his French compatriot and fellow Newcastle new boy Yoan Gouffran.

Toon supporters could be forgiven for viewing Gouffran as a consolation prize after QPR snatched Loïc Rémy from the St. James' threshold, even though Gouffran had quietly slipped into Ligue 1's top 10 scorers while Rémy nursed a nagging thigh injury in the nightclubs of Marseille. I'll confess to not having noticed much of Gouffran in what little I'd seen of Bordeaux in league play; I remember him faintly as a guy with pace and not a whole lot else. If that sounds familiar, read what you wish into who I'm quoting next.

"He is a powerful, explosive forward who is really quick," said Gouffran's former Bordeaux and new NUFC teammate Gabriel Obertan, in an interview on the NUFC web site after Gouffran's signing. "His pace is his main quality and he will be a real asset for us this year." Alan Pardew provided an echo: "I liked the look of [Gouffran] when we played Bordeaux at St. James' Park earlier this year: pacy, direct and intelligent and those are qualities I like in a footballer."

That praise feels faint for what we saw out of Gouffran against Chelsea. Pacy, for sure: Chasing him is next to futile, making him lethal in space and on the counterattack. But there was plenty to like at the ends of his runs too, as he played a role in four chances including the shot that sprawled Petr Cech and gave a fat rebound to Sissoko, who handled a tricky bounce to knock in a second-half equalizer. (Credit on the play also to Papiss Cissé for the delicately placed ball that started Gouffran's charge.) Perhaps equally impressive was what Gouffran didn't do: make a mistake. From what I could see he literally didn't put a foot wrong all match, an accomplishment for someone new to the amped-up demands of the Premier League.

Gouffran brings fiery personality as well as pace to his new club. Ligue 1 broadcast and online commentator David Crossan has tweeted - citing colleagues covering Bordeaux - that Gouffran may chafe at playing anywhere but the middle, and according to French media accounts he can become testy when he feels he's not seeing enough of the ball. Hopefully the quality of his chances at Newcastle will trump the raw quantity, especially if Hatem Ben Arfa is on the other side of Sissoko rather than place-holder Jonas Gutierrez (not to discount Jonas' crazy header against Chelsea). If your mouth isn't watering at the prospect, you're not a Newcastle fan or you need to see a doctor.

Meanwhile Rémy, according to accounts this morning, will miss two months with another upper-leg aggravation suffered in training at QPR. There but for the grace of God and a sane wage structure go we. Sissoko is grabbing the headlines now, and rightly so. But the true stroke of transfer genius and luck that saves Newcastle's season may turn out to be a fellow French target who wasn't a first choice.

Comments

[Headless]

Great article.

[ShabillaToon]

Your completely right about Gouffran, looks like he's played in the premier league for years. It was a master stroke by Pardew to play Sissoke further forward - much like when City played us last year and Mancini brought on De Jong to allow Yaya to push forward.

Goufran looks a real player though - non stop battling for the team, and lightening pace with a decent end product. He'll do well to get anywehere Demba's goal ratio but at least there seems to be some sort of partnership there - unlike Cisse and Ba.

Cant wait until Hatem is back!

[Dave in Newcastle]

Since NUFC buys into a lot of the Billy Beane style of player management I think this quote from Beane is apropos for Remy:
"You can always recover from the player you did not sign, but you can never recover from the player you should not have signed but did anyway"
Remy had more red flags than an Arsenal Champions League match, signing him was going to be a panic move...and not a well thought out one. I think in the end we are going to be thankful 'Arry stole him at the last minute. Afterall, it appears he might be available again in 4 months, at probably a cheaper price.

[Mathew]

Best line to sum up Remy "while Rémy nursed a nagging thigh injury in the nightclubs of Marseille"
Never have the stones been more right - 'You can't always get what you want' talk about dodging a bullet!

I was saying last week we'd get a result against Chelsea, but I never thought it would be a 5 goal thriller. I felt like I was watching a game from last season.

Really excited to see how the team will gel upfront with HBA back in the fold.

[MNTOONARMY9]

Someone described Grouffan as "Obertan with a Brain". I think that's a poor shot at Gabriel who has improved this year and while Obertan isn't close at this point to being a first team selection every week, he can be a good squad player and he's still young. That said, pace with finishing style and a sense of where to go is very valuable.

I also get the sense from a limited sample size that Grouffan has a bit of a mean streak in him. The team can use some of that, too. Unlike two years ago when our set-pieces were deadly, they've been very poor this season. A little number 11 in the box with a mean-streak on the other end of a Cabaye free kick might be nice option.

Dumb unrelated question: Is Cisse going to get a ban for putting his hands on Ashley Cole?

[MNTOONARMY9]

Apologies, Yoan, for butchering the spelling in my last post. Don't go "D-Simpson" on me.

[Jaeger]

he has played quite well these two matches. and i have yet to see any real mistake from him.

my only "problem" is who to start in the three central midfielder positions.... cabaye for sure, sissoko too, but theres tiote anita and perchino now for that last holding spot. and do we place cabaye in the attacking spot or moussa? just a tactics thought.

[Mathew]

I love that we have selection headaches now! It's the best place to be!

[MNTOONARMY9]

Jaeger: My vote (as if I get one) would be

Krul
Debuchy Saylor Colo Santon
Tiote
Sissoko Cabaye
HBA Gouffron
Cisse

Almost a 4-1-2-2. Mix in Marveaux/Jonas on the wings, Anita and Perchy in the middle, Mbiwa on central defense...could slide Cabaye up to a true "#10" behind Cisse and have Sissoko and Tiote run riot in the middle too.

Just imagine what'll happen when we get Raylor and Vuckic back, too. We'll have those guys on our second team or bench. Add the injured lads and a reasonable striking option ($7-8M) and, asuming Colo stays past the end of this season, we can push for European spot next year.

[ocorious]

I think it was even mentioned on this site; but one thing sissoko allows us to do is to change our midfield set up so fluidly without even using substitutions. Both cabaye and sissoko can switch roles in game. Form, training, in-game can all determine roles. And while we have Pardew's attention I'd probably see tiote trump anita to start. But the idea of playing cabaye/sissoko/anita, three players that seem capable of attack and defensive duties intrigues me. Try tracking that central three.