Last year, Newcastle pulled off one of the signings of the season by picking up Cheik Tiote from FC Twente for just a couple of million. The Ivorian midfielder has been absolutely superb for the Magpies, with his dogged determination in the middle of the park now a key feature of the Newcastle starting eleven. I thought Newcastle wouldn’t be able to find another player of that sort of calibre for a similar price, but it seems they’ve done just that in the form of French international Yohan Cabaye.
I don’t want to get ahead of myself, but Cabaye looks like a real top quality player. We’re starting to see already why he has six international caps for France under his belt and he’s sure to get many more if he continues playing for Newcastle like he has so far. He has been getting better and better as he gets used to English football and the Premier League and he has already made sure that he’ll be a permanent fixture in Alan Pardew’s starting eleven.
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Against Aston Villa yesterday, Cabaye was immense. He was the epitome of a box-to-box midfielder, and showed how much of a threat he can be in the final third. If it wasn’t for the crossbar, a fantastic save from ex-Newcastle goalkeeper Shay Given and a lack of composure at the back post, he would have opened his Magpies account yesterday afternoon. Hopefully it will only be a matter of time until he does that, with Blackburn on Saturday the next opportunity and with his shooting ability from the edge of the box, I wouldn’t put it past him.
He has already formed a good partnership with Tiote, too, helping to make the spine of Newcastle’s really strong indeed. Both like to get stuck in and no midfielders will get an easy ride against them. In fact, Cabaye has outshone Tiote, with the Ivorian looking a little bit sluggish. However, with Fabricio Coloccini and Steven Taylor behind them, it will be pretty difficult for sides to go through the middle of the Newcastle team.
I have been very impressed with the speed at which Cabaye has settled into the Premier League, but with his style suited to English football, perhaps it shouldn’t come as a surprise. Credit must go to the Newcastle hierarchy for managing to get a French international for under £5 million, which is no mean feat. Yohan Cabaye looks like an absolute bargain, another top midfielder has arrived on Tyneside, something Newcastle are making a bit of a habit of, now we just need to unearth a striker of a similar stature.
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Massive credit goes to Mr Graham Carr again I guess?
Cabaye is outstanding. What a player.
Can’t wait to see him and Benny linking up.
Shame we don’t have our no.9 just yet but our team is looking great at times this season. Loving it so far.
Cabaye will be awesome. So much more to offer than Nolan
Agreed dan, we are looking more dangerous by the week, just need to start getting more goals! Ba is looking like he’s starting to find his feet, but I think he’s picking up habbits from bambi ameobi, best is getting into the right places at the right time, cabaye just looks like a class act with a venomous shot on him, very unlucky against villa, sammy-ammy looked pacey again when he came on, a lot more finishing product compared to jonas, obertan looked good at times but he needs to improve on his link up play personally, and last but not least stephen taylor, supberb!
Cabaye looks fantastic.
Well done Mr Carr!
@GeordieDan A striker? … Blame Mr Llambias for that one. The man’s totally useless as a MD of a football club.
Cabaye looks like an excellent acquisition and we paid what for Alan Smith??. Can we keep a hold of him if one of the top five come knocking on the door.
Actually, I think with Best continuing to deliver and Benny coming back, the need for the No 9 may lessen somewhat. We may be a thin for 2nd choices here and there (that’s what operating within your means entails), but our ideal starting 11 looks better now than for many years.
Huge credit to Pardew and the recruitment team. The disappointment over the striker can be put on hold while we enjoy what was achieved.
Quality, Quality player. But keep quiet we don’t want Mike and Del to know how good he really is or he’ll be out the door next summer.