NUFC's Outlook Without Cabaye

Even though his 2012-13 season was uneven, I love Yohan Cabaye as a player. I even own a French away jersey of his from Euro 2012. So it truly does pain me to write this post. But after Cabaye sat out yesterday's match against Manchester City because his "head was turned" by bids from Arsenal and possibly PSG, he has to go. Though Newcastle will miss the ability he can bring on his best days, there is no room at the club for someone who so obviously wants to be elsewhere. I don't know how he can come back and play again given what's happened. Assuming he is gone for good, how can Newcastle move forward?

In some respects, sorting out the Cabaye situation will bring clarity to a midfield that simply hasn't functioned in the formation Alan Pardew prefers to use. Of all the things that fans wrongly blame Pardew for, the midfield situation is entirely his fault. He's continued to employ a setup that fails to take advantage of the players he has. But without Cabaye, some 4-2-3-1 combinations begin to make more sense.

I'll talk about this more in my West Ham preview on Friday, but the primary option should be Cheick Tioté or Vurnon Anita (depending on the opponent) and Moussa Sissoko in the deeper roles, with Sylvain Marveaux in front of them. Pardew was too generous to Newcastle's first-half attack in yesterday's press conference. But watch the half again, if you can bear it, and you'll see a team trying to play on the ground more, trying to press a bit in the midfield and chase after loose balls. Those are steps in the right direction, but it was clearly not enough against a superior opponent.

The main thing missing was the additional incisiveness around the penalty area that Marveaux brings. Despite limited playing time, he led the team in assists last season. He also created chances at a higher rate than anyone in the squad, even outdoing Cabaye on the creativity front. Newcastle may not be able to depend on him for 30-plus starts a season, but as long as he is healthy, Pardew should make the most of his skills. Cabaye's impending departure opens the door for that to happen.

However, the loss of Cabaye will complicate Newcastle's transfer strategy, as if it hadn't become complicated enough. It means that the club will be forced to expand its list of targets beyond Ligue 1. Besides close friend Mathieu Debuchy, Cabaye also crossed paths with Sissoko and Mapou Yanga-Mbiwa with the French national team and in league play. I suspect his recruitment influence was vital to bringing those players in. My co-bloggers have been banging the drum for a less French-focused approach for a while, so selling Cabaye obviously helps on that front.

But what would that leave in terms of an approach to recruitment? You can knock the emphasis on young French players, but at least it's a strategy. Now, what sort of players could Newcastle hope to bring in, whether in the last two weeks of the window or beyond? It fights tooth and nail on transfer fees and wages, doesn't play any identifiable style or system to draw players in, and has a manager who may not see out the month of September. That's not even mentioning the influence of Joe Kinnear!

It has become apparent in recent weeks that the club suspected that someone would make a tempting enough offer for Cabaye in the relatively near future. Unfortunately, as we have seen too many times of late, it didn't appear to plan for what would happen next. Positive results in the next few weeks may ease the immediate pressure, but someone needs to be developing a longer-term vision for success. If such a vision is in place, it's certainly not obvious to me.

Comments

[MNTOONARMY9]

I love Cabaye as a player, too, with a Home Jersey #4 hanging in my closet. I do think that while we may not have pulled a good result out of the Man City Match, we would have been more competative and settled in the midfield. Our setpiece plays missed Cabaye's deft touch.

I don't want to see him leave, but if it is true that he refused to play it would be hard to see how he can play for us again (unless he signs a new 3 year extension or something). As we've all agreed, if players don't want to be at Newcastle United, they need to be sold.

Just stinks.

Exit question: How will a Cabaye exit impact other French internationals?

[Ben]

If he wants to go , let him go... why have someone wearing the black and white and not giving it his all...

this is not the first time cabaye has had a whinge if you remember last season.
u think he was the only person in the premier league with depression or hangover?

[Dexter]

I've been reading post after post on this sort of thing. I also believe no player is bigger than the club. In this case Cabaye should go! Pardew I believe should stay because we could end up with a terrible manager that will put us in an even worse state. I credit Ashley for what he has done, but if you look atthe bigger picture, We should spend money, bring in 5-6 players to reinforce and challenge for trophies and the league. Which in turn will bring money back in to the club.

I dont like what im seeing at Nufc at the minute, but it will never stop me being Newcastle through and through

[tom foreman]

IT HAS JUST OCCURED TO ME HOW DID CABAYE FIND OUT ABOUT THE ARSENAL BID!!! SURELY ARSENAL WOULD HAVE APPROACHED THE CLUB, NOT THE PLAYER !!!!!!!!!!

[tom foreman]

I DO THINK THAT ASHLEY IS HAVING A FIRE-SALE, SELLING ALL HIS MOST VALUABLE ASSETS AND KEEPING THE MONEY FOR SOME OTHER PROJECT (GLASGOW RA NGERS?)OTHERWISE WHY AS A SUCCESSFUL BUSINESSMAN HE HIRES THE MOST INEPT IDIOT AS DIRECTOR OF FOOTBALL!! MAYBE HE KNEW THAT JOKE KINNEAR WOULD NOT HAVE A CAT IN HELLS CHANCE OF BRINGING QUALITY PLAYERS FOR THE TEAM!!
I REALLY DONT THINK THERE WAS ANY PLAN FOR BRINGING NEW PLAYERS INTO THE CLUB!! IM NOT AN ASHLEY KNOCKER BECAUSE AT THE END OF THE DAY HE IS A BUSINESSMAN FIRST !!! SO DONT BE SURPRISED IF HE DOSENT SELL CABAYE BEN ARFER AND KRUL BEFORE HE SELLS THE CLUB !!!!!!!

[Jaeger]

i did see more ground/passing play in the first half. i thought gouffran was the best at it, and ben arfa had a few good runs. tiote looked better too but city were just too good.

i know this is a lost hope but i wish players would honor their contracts more and see them out. if the club wants to sell them with a year left to make some money, fine, that's just business but they signed for that long of a time and should stick to their word. thats professionalism and class.

we need a more physical striker. cisse is more of a faster tempo striker when its back and forth, can't force himself into position in the box or win any crosses.

[rob]

I still think we need an attacking midfielder who can play centrally, pretty much a number 10. I think Hatem and Sly are more suited to be wingers. A guy like Adam Maher from AZ Alkmaar could be a nice option to explore. We also still need a big target striker and after last night, I'd say a RB who can at least push Debuchy for his spot, as he seemed to put in the worst shift of anyone last night.

[Derek]

You can make an argument for HBA to be on the wing but I find it shocking that anyone still thinks Marv is better out there. He looked much better last year when played centrally, doesn't have the speed you would want in a wide player, and has said many times before that he hates playing wide and sees himself as a more central player. Marv often looks to make that final pass where as HBA will often carry it himself and only looks to pass if he gets into trouble.