I Wish I Was A Geordie - The Blog of Newcastle United in the US

Three Points: Fulham Win

Three snap takeaways from Newcastle United's stress-relieving 1-0 victory Saturday over Fulham at St. James' Park:

Instant replay. While there was improvement at the back, particularly in confident performances by Mapou Yanga-Mbiwa and Mathieu Debuchy, the first half's aimless offense was a chillingly exact copy of the previous week's 0-0 draw against West Ham. Newcastle had the edge in possession and position, and a scattering of decent chances, including a juicy 42nd-minute cross from Debuchy that Papiss Cissé nodded just wide. (Is there a worse club in the league at finishing headers?) But the pressure was neither consistent nor urgent. The first goal of the league season seemed dreams away.

Adrenaline shot. The reception from the crowd was understandably mixed when petulant transfer target Yohan Cabaye entered at the 65th. But while Cabaye's contribution would turn out to be minimal, the club seemed to get a boost in pace and belief from his presence. Loic Remy's smooth debut eight minutes after amped the attacking volume yet higher - he looked like a thoroughbred among cart horses. Hatem Ben Arfa's classic side-step thunderbolt that won it in the 86th minute was well due when it came.

Pretty on paper. By the time the final whistle blew, the stat sheet looked more like a five-goal whitewash than a 1-0 tussle. Newcastle racked up 13 corners to Fulham's 2 and outshot the Cottagers 24-3; the Magpies' nine shots on target were nine times their total season output before Saturday. ("We should've had at least a point," said Fulham manager Martin Jol, sparking worldwide demand for whatever it is he's smoking.) The numbers were a better reflection of the last half-hour than the full afternoon. But they might be a sign of better days to come if Newcastle can hold off Cabaye's suitors and keep a promising rent-a-striker fit.

On The Air: Squad Depth, Cup Dreams

Newcastle has had to show its depth recently, and in this edition of the podcast, we have to do the same. With Bob and Tom doing their best Yohan Cabaye impression and sitting out, we bring three guests in on loan to fill out the lineup: Phil Lavanco (@Lavanglish), Barry Anamoby (@ToonArmyMIA), and Rob Moyer (@yanknufc).

The makeshift squad breaks down West Ham: was the scoreless draw encouraging or disappointing? We do a Morecambe post-mortem, then look ahead to Leeds. Could this finally be NUFC's year for a cup run? We assess the depth of the squad and the problems with the academy's lack of production. And thinking about the Fulham match on Saturday, we take on the issue of Cabaye's involvement. Finally, we muse about whether newly single Papiss Cissé will be primed to score on the field, while demonstrating our own lack of finishing ability by having to record the ending three times. That's what happens when you bring in the reserves sometimes: the lack of composure is telling.

Click below to listen to the podcast, or visit our iTunes page to download it.

 

I Wish I Was A Geordie 2014-4

 

Lineups Vs. Fulham: Return For Cabaye?

Alan Pardew's team selection against West Ham was baffling. Instead of using pace, movement, and passing to undo the Hammers' defense, he tried to batter it into submission. It didn't work, as Newcastle fired 16 shots at goal, 9 of them from outside the 18-yard-box, without forcing Jussi Jääskeläinen to make a single save. I tried to warn Pardew this would happen, and he didn't listen. Perhaps I've got his attention now.

As before, I've selected my starting eleven for tomorrow's match. But this week, I suspect Pardew will have an identical lineup to the one I chose, so there's no need for a separate prediction.

Back five: Tim Krul; Mathieu Debuchy, Mapou Yanga-Mbiwa, Fabricio Coloccini, Davide Santon

Why mess with a good thing? Barring a couple lapses, Newcastle was solid enough on Saturday. However, by all accounts, Yanga-Mbiwa was disappointing in the Capital One Cup match against Morecambe. The one frustrating thing about his brief tenure at the club has been his dependence on his center back partner. When playing next to Steven Taylor, or Curtis Good on Wednesday, he's struggled. With a more mature partner in Coloccini, he has been able to show the ability that made him such a sought-after defender in France. Eventually, Yanga-Mbiwa needs to be able to fill Coloccini's role as a leader and organizer in the back line. For now, let's hope he continues to learn from him.

Midfield: Yohan Cabaye, Vurnon Anita, Moussa Sissoko

I really did not want to put Cabaye in my lineup for this match. It's not right for him to go straight back into the team after making it clear he'd rather be elsewhere. If Sylvain Marveaux had not played almost the entire match on Wednesday night, he'd be starting instead. But with his injury situation, it seems pretty clear that he can't play two full matches in a week. So Cabaye, unjustly, gets to start as if nothing happened. At the very least, the wantaway Frenchman should be motivated. He didn't make the French squad for September's World Cup qualifiers because he hasn't been playing. Now he knows he'll have to perform to earn his national team spot back.

While I thought Pardew largely got the team selection correct against Morecambe, Marveaux would be my one quibble. He has demonstrated repeatedly that he's good in a number 10 role, but a poor winger. Sticking him on the wing against a physical opponent virtually guarantees a disappearing act, and that seems to be what happened on Wednesday. Even if Gabriel Obertan is not great, perhaps his pure speed would have caused some problems for the League Two side. He would have offered at least as much as Marveaux did as a winger, and freed him up to start against Fulham. Sadly, Pardew didn't seem to be thinking ahead.

Forwards: Yoan Gouffran, Papiss Cissé, Hatem Ben Arfa

It's the proverbial last chance saloon for Cissé, who I thought should have been benched against West Ham, then did himself no favors with his performance. Where has his movement off the ball gone? Watch the run he makes for this goal at Freiburg: have you seen anything like that from Cissé in the last year or so? 

It's difficult to coach all of the selfishness out of Ben Arfa's game, but he needs to do a better job of spotting the runs that Cissé does make. There was a point early in the West Ham match that Cissé ran himself offside down the left channel. There wasn't a defender within 10 feet of him. He didn't end up getting the ball, but it completely stalled the Newcastle counterattack. The real culprit in that sequence was Ben Arfa, who held onto the ball for too long instead of putting his striker in on goal. Those are the sorts of opportunities that can lead to Newcastle's first goal in the Premier League this season...or at least a shot on target.

Ba Reunion Would Be A Risk, But One Worth Taking

At first glance, bringing Demba Ba back to St. James' Park seems like a no-brainer for Newcastle United.

Manager Alan Pardew could sorely use another bona fide goalscorer. Ba has scored 38 goals in the Premier League over the past 2½ seasons.

Newcastle badly needs some sort of physical presence up front, the type who can hold the ball up and combine with his teammates. Ba excelled at linking with his fellow attackers during his season-and-a-half stint at Newcastle.

The multiple formations employed by Pardew require an adaptable forward who's capable of playing a variety of roles. Ba has extensive experience as an outside forward throughout his career, and also frequently acted as a second striker, playing just underneath the frontline, during his time at Newcastle.

And then there's the intangibles factor. The current team seems to lack self-assuredeness, particularly when things aren't going its way. Ba has a certain bravado and mental strength about him that might be the missing ingredient.

So why should Mike Ashley and Joe Kinnear tread carefully when contemplating re-signing Ba from Chelsea? Because, for all of the needs that Ba addresses, he raises just as many question marks.

First and foremost, how would his teammates react to his return? Ba bailed on them in January in the midst of a turbulent season to land a lucrative three-and-a-half-year contract at the mega-rich London club. It might not be fair to blame Ba for looking for a big payday, considering his deal at Newcastle was reportedly heavy on incentives, but the never-ending speculation fueled by his army of agents didn't paint the picture of a team-first player. Would some players resent Ba for strolling back in less than nine months after leaving?

Would Ba be OK with playing as an outside forward? He was a pretty nice fit on the left of the 4-3-3 alignment Pardew used for part of the second half of the magical 2011-12 season, but it quickly became apparent that Ba preferred to play centrally. Pardew acquiesced to Ba's wishes last season and, while Ba fired in 13 goals in 20 Premier League games, Newcastle's attack as a whole didn't function as smoothly. Has Ba's experience at Chelsea — where he's scored six goals in 23 games and has slid down the depth chart — humbled him slightly?

Can he play with Papiss Cisse? There's no reason why the two Senegalese international teammates can't work effectively in tandem. Ba excels at dropping deep and linking with the midfield. Cisse is a poacher who needs to play off the shoulder of the last defender and lurk in the box. But chemistry is always the secret ingredient in sports, and for whatever reason, Ba and Cisse didn't have it. Could that change the second time around?

And then there's Ba's balky knee, which will almost assuredly end his career at some point but didn't force him to miss any time in his first stint at Newcastle.

Those are some legitimate red flags, and Lyon's Bafetimbi Gomis appears to be Newcastle's top striker option at this point anyway. Still, the club's recruitment efforts are desperate enough that bringing back Ba is an option I'd readily support because the positives outweigh the question marks.

NUFC Scouting André Ayew: Who Is He?

We talked a bit about Marseille forward André Ayew in last week's quick spin through Ligue 1. But with Joe Kinnear apparently in the crowd to watch Ayew against Valenciennes over the weekend, a more in-depth take on the Ghana international is probably warranted. Luckily, the match was on TV here in the States, so I was able to see the same thing that Kinnear did. Here's an extended scouting report on Newcastle's latest target from across the Channel.

Ayew is a left-footed forward who typically starts on the left side of Marseille's front three, but he doesn't stay there for very long. Saturday, he popped up pretty much everywhere, constantly rotating with right winger Dimitri Payet and center forward André-Pierre Gignac. (Our source in France claims Newcastle continues to be interested in Gignac, as well as Ayew, but believes Marseille is unlikely to sell him.) Unlike Romain Alessandrini, who we've frequently discussed on the blog, Ayew isn't an orthodox left winger. He strongly prefers dribbling to crossing, and loves to drift toward the center of the box when his teammates have the ball on the right wing.

That's because the biggest strength in Ayew's game may actually be his heading ability. Though not a big forward at all (he's only 5'9"), he has a knack for freeing himself inside the box and attacking crosses and corners. In fact, Marseille's winning goal on Saturday came because of this skill. Ayew won the header from a Mathieu Valbuena corner, then Gignac tapped the rebound into the Valenciennes net. Last season, he scored 5 of his 9 goals via headers. If nothing else, bringing in Ayew would make Newcastle more dangerous from corners than it's been in quite a long time.

Where would Ayew fit if Newcastle is able to make a deal with Marseille? That's a good question. He's yet another winger/striker hybrid who thrives in a fluid front three. In fact, he would perfectly fit Demba Ba's left forward role from the 2011-12 season. The club seems to be accumulating this type of player, with Yoan Gouffran, Loïc Rémy, and Hatem Ben Arfa all ideal for this approach, and most of Newcastle's midfielders also more effective playing behind such a front line. 

As much as we have wondered whether the club's recent acquisitions fit any sort of style, it definitely seems like a trend is starting to appear. Whether it's by design or accident is hard to say. Unfortunately, it's also impossible to tell whether Alan Pardew is willing to let the players actually operate in the system that best suits them. 

Strangely, based on the reaction to my post yesterday, it doesn't appear to be a style that fans want to see. I'm not entirely sure why the classic 4-4-2 has suddenly come back in vogue, with supporters pining for a big striker and crossing winger. When Pardew used it in the first half of 2011-12, most people were just wishing for anything else. Bringing in someone like Ayew to play that way would be a total waste of the money used to sign him and the effort involved in scouting and negotiating. But he'd be a great addition in a flexible front three, the same system he plays in at Marseille. If Newcastle can bring him to St. James' Park, will the manager set him up to succeed?

Cabaye to Arsenal? L'Equipe: Don't Count On It

The reliable French sports daily L'Equipe is reporting today that Newcastle United will not deal Yohan Cabaye to another English club - i.e. Arsenal - preferring that the disgruntled midfielder move to France and Paris St.-Germain. 

"A number of British media have reported a willingness by Yohan Cabaye's agents to negotiate with Arsenal, which is interested in acquiring the international midfielder," says the paper. "But Newcastle, where the former Lille player landed two years ago and now wants to leave, does not, according to our information, want to help a London club. The Magpies could be more inclined to let the player go to PSG. In fact, the French champion has decided to revive its pursuit."

While an exact source isn't named, the fact that L'Equipe is relying on its own often trustworthy information rather than second-hand reporting lends credence to the report. Also well-heeled PSG is more likely to splash Newcastle's desired cash - widely reported to be £20 million - than thrifty Arsenal.

Already at least one Arsenal blog has gone comically off the rails at the report, indignant among other things at Arsenal being called a rival of Newcastle. My French is far from perfect, but I don't actually see that in the article - perhaps the mere hint is enough to send an Arsenal fan reeling. At any rate, it appears more likely that Newcastle will soak PSG's Qatari ownership for as close to 20 large as possible, then turn Cabaye loose to swim back across the channel.

Dear Mr. Pardew: The Squad Is Not That Thin

Following Saturday’s bore draw against West Ham, Alan Pardew went on the offensive. Not with his team’s approach to the game, sadly, but about the squad that fate’s hand has cruelly dealt him. To listen to the manager of late, you'd think that the photo on the right actually represents Saturday's substitutes. How thin is Newcastle, really? The answer may surprise you.

The forward situation has been a sore subject among fans for years. But while it may seem like Pardew does not have many options there, I managed to put together a front three for West Ham that would have been more dangerous than the lineup he chose. I also didn’t use either of the two strikers he started, meaning that they’d both be available on the bench. Don’t forget Loïc Rémy’s impending return from injury, which will add one more arrow to the Toon quiver. 

When Pardew started at Newcastle, Andy Carroll’s backup was Leon Best, who had never scored in the Premier League. Peter Løvenkrands started 18 matches. Nile Ranger appeared 24 times that season. It’s safe to say that the club’s forward depth is significantly better now than it was then. It should certainly be enough to manage playing fourth-tier Morecambe on Wednesday ahead of the Fulham match. 

And despite Yohan Cabaye’s ongoing transfer drama, Newcastle’s midfield is hardly thin, either. In fact, it may even be better now that Pardew doesn’t have to wedge Cabaye, Moussa Sissoko, and Cheick Tioté into a setup that doesn’t really work. Playing Sylvain Marveaux ahead of any two of the club’s other central midfielders should create quite a well-balanced midfield. If Marveaux’s out, slide Hatem Ben Arfa over from right wing. 

The defense is also considerably deeper than it has been for most of Pardew’s tenure. For years, the club has been one predictable Steven Taylor injury away from calamity. (Though Taylor's quite capable of calamity even when he's in the lineup, as we saw Monday.) But now Taylor and Mike Williamson are in their proper third- and fourth-choice positions in the center back pecking order. And how many clubs not owned by an oil sheik or oligarch have three left backs they’d be content starting?

As I said in my recap of the West Ham match, depth is not nearly the issue that Pardew makes it out to be. Obviously, more options are always appreciated, but there is plenty of talent in the current team. The manager is simply not using that talent properly. That means avoiding braindead approaches like having Shola Ameobi bash into James Collins for 90 minutes and actually exploiting an opponent's weaknesses. I'm rapidly losing faith in Pardew's ability to put it together, and never had any in Joe Kinnear to start with, but there may well be managers out there who could do better.

Three Points: Scoreless Draw Vs. West Ham

Three rapid-fire takes on today's frustrating 0-0 draw against West Ham:

Professional and competent: Considering the nightmare that Newcastle had in its season opener on Monday against Manchester City, today was a step in the right direction. The defense rebounded from a disaster to look decent, if not exactly perfect. West Ham's aerial assault will always lead to the odd chance or two, but the back four managed pretty well. The midfield strung passes together, worked well to win loose balls, and created a few dangerous moments. Most of those sequences ended in pointless 30-yard shots, but it's progress. The corners looked vaguely threatening, a marked improvement from the aimless displays we've seen for the last year.  But is a merely passable display at home against a midtable side the height of Newcastle's ambition? It shouldn't be, and that's where things fell short for me.

Wrong lineup, predictable result: Today's Newcastle starting lineup was leaked yesterday, and a healthy portion of the fans were OK with it. After a shocking start against City, a back-to-basics 4-4-2 didn't seem like the worst idea in the world to many people. But as I said in my own lineup suggestions yesterday, that approach is exactly the wrong one against a club like West Ham.

Sam Allardyce puts physicality and aerial ability at a premium at both ends of the field. Why, then, try to outmuscle the Hammers' defense by starting Shola Ameobi? Why start Papiss Cissé (0 shots) at all, dropping Yoan Gouffran to the bench? Is it any wonder that Gouffran (terrible miss aside) and Sammy Ameobi improved Newcastle's attack in the last 20 minutes? They've got the attributes tailor-made to get something against West Ham. That's why I suggested starting both yesterday. And if I can see that from an ocean away, it's a real mystery that Alan Pardew cannot.

Excuses, excuses: Pardew summed up his attack like this: "Offensively, we know we have to improve. We had some key players missing today, but hopefully when we play against Fulham, one or two will be back." It's an excuse designed to get at least some people behind him, knowing how thin the Newcastle squad is believed to be.

But the squad isn't so thin that it couldn't earn three points in today's match. He just didn't use it properly. What use is a manager, if he's unable to make difficult decisions like starting Gouffran in place of the struggling Cissé? Sure, there were players missing. It's not realistic to expect a perfectly healthy squad every week. It's the manager's job to get the most out of those players who are available. If Pardew is not able to do that, and he continues to lean on the crutch of a "thin squad," it's time to find someone else. I defended Pardew just two weeks ago on our podcast, so it's not as if I don't have a modicum of respect for the manager. But for me today, the situation is just that simple.

Lineups Vs. West Ham: Time To Change Strikers

It didn't take long for Newcastle's depth to be tested. Injuries to Jonás Gutiérrez, Cheick Tioté, and Davide Santon, a suspension for Steven Taylor, and Yohan Cabaye's transfer saga mean that Alan Pardew will be forced to experiment in a crucial match tomorrow. In the spirit of experimentation, I offer one more suggestion to the manager: pull Papiss Cissé out of the lineup.

Benching Cissé is not solely a reaction to Monday's poor performance. Though he has struggled for a full calendar year, he has become a fixture in Pardew's starting eleven since the beginning of last season. The status quo hasn't helped Cissé, or the team as a whole, so it's time for a change. Yoan Gouffran, who I moved to a more central role in Cissé's place, deserves a chance to show his ability there. And maybe a day on the bench will inspire Newcastle's number nine to fight for a starting spot next week.

Sadly, I don't think the manager will see it my way (see my "likely lineup" at the end of the post). But he does have another option available to him, and this post is proof.

Back five: Tim Krul; Mathieu Debuchy, Mapou Yanga-Mbiwa, Fabricio Coloccini, Paul Dummett

No real surprises, as Dummett was one of the few Newcastle players who could be proud of his performance on Monday. Yanga-Mbiwa and Coloccini get a chance to develop a rapport, and won't have to worry about Andy Carroll's physical presence, as he is out with a heel injury suffered at the end of last season. Debuchy can't be any worse than he was against Manchester City. He'll be matched up against Matt Jarvis, whose crosses are vital to the West Ham attack. In other words, improvement from the right back is a requirement.

Midfield: Vurnon Anita, Moussa Sissoko, Sylvain Marveaux

Of the possible midfield combinations, this is probably the best at playing a possession and quick passing style. Marveaux, in particular, will be crucial to making this work. His gift for making the key pass will come in handy when the forwards in front of him make runs off the ball into space. And while his defensive skills are basically nonexistent, he needs to at least apply some pressure and make himself an obstacle when West Ham has the ball. A good performance from Marveaux will mean a substantial improvement from Newcastle as a whole. If the defense behind him doesn't completely melt down, it will probably mean a win, too.

Forwards: Sammy Ameobi, Yoan Gouffran, Hatem Ben Arfa

When the situation is dire, there is no room for sentimentality. Pardew is managing for his career at this point, and Newcastle desperately requires a change up front. Against City on Monday, Cissé (1 blocked shot, dispossessed 4 times) was as invisible as a striker can be. What did he do, except fire the ball into the stands and get manhandled by Vincent Kompany all evening? Obviously, he didn't have very much help, particularly after Taylor's red card. But for far too long, Cissé hasn't given opposing defenses much to worry about. Gouffran is not as clinical a finisher as Cissé can be, but his movement is absolutely superb.

Though lacking a conventional striker, this front three could actually test the Hammers' defense. All three players have plenty of speed, and by constantly switching positions, they may be able to create some confusion. Ben Arfa's dribbling ability is always capable of instilling panic in defenders. It might be unorthodox, but it's worth a try.

Who Pardew will choose: Krul; Debuchy, Yanga-Mbiwa, Coloccini, Dummett; Anita, Sissoko; Ben Arfa, Marveaux, Gouffran; Cissé

NUFC Needs A Hero

Guest post by Phil Lavanco

“I need a hero. I’m holding out for a hero ‘til the end of the night. He’s gotta be strong and he's gotta be fast and he’s gotta be fresh from the fight” -Bonnie Tyler, “Holding Out for a Hero”

There were a plethora of problems with Newcastle United’s season-opening performance against Manchester City. The lack of effort and energy for 90 minutes whipped the fan base into the depths of hysteria, and confirmed everyone’s worst fears about the dysfunctional offseason. Thankfully for NUFC, there are 37 matches left to play, and none of them is at the Etihad Stadium.

I have been very bullish on Twitter and on the podcast about how this season will be much improved from last. I firmly believe, and still do, that there is a good team currently masquerading in black and white lethargy.

But there is one intangible sorely missing from this group — a quality that is absent from the current roster. You won’t find this quality on a tactics board or in a scouting report. This team is sorely lacking a voice, a focal point who will stand up and lead this team out of the current malaise and demand better.

When Chris Hughton was sacked in 2010 — prompting one of the many episodes of “As St. James' Park Turns” — two players in particular faced the thunder clouds head on. We all know who I am referring to: Kevin Nolan and Joey Barton. When Newcastle defeated Liverpool in Pardew’s first game in charge, it was Nolan and Barton who not only dedicated the win to the former boss, but publicly voiced their displeasure at the decision (Sol Campbell also spoke up, but he doesn't fit my narrative here).

Of course, they were labeled as malcontents and quickly shipped out of town. Then came an influx of new blood. Two seasons ago, times were good, and there wasn’t a need for a strong voice in the changing room. But in tough times, like now, leaders must stand up.

Who is Newcastle United’s leader?

It certainly isn't midfield general Yohan Cabaye, who has now had his head turned more times than Linda Blair. Maybe it’s curly-haired captain Fabricio Coloccini, now that he has pledged his allegiance to the cause for the long term. What about the current No. 9? His stance during preseason was admirable, but now the club needs him to rediscover the form, and the goals, from when he first arrived in England.

Barton and Nolan were controversial and outspoken figures. On the field, however, they gave everything they had and demanded the same from those who played alongside them. We haven’t seen enough of those qualities over the past 39 Premier League matches.

We fans are tired of the excuses, tired of the lines in print, and tired of the same listless performances. On Saturday, we want 11 players to go out in front of their home fans, put aside all the drama, and fight for the cause. I just hope someone in the locker room makes sure they go out and do it.

“Isn’t there a white knight upon a fiery steed?”

Phil Lavanco (@Lavanglish on Twitter) is a contributor to the “I Wish I Was A Geordie” podcast and one of the many, many members of Toon Army NYC.