Cabaye eyes Europe.

Yohan Cabaye on Europe and pretty football.
Yohan Cabaye has been a man of few words since he joined Newcastle from Lille back at the start of July, but today he has spoken about his move, his ambition, and what he is setting out to try and do at Newcastle.

Cabaye has said that he is going to try and help to bring attacking football back to St James’ Park, prove himself in the Premier League and, ultimately, help get the club back into Europe.

Sneer all you like at his aim, but fair play to him I say. At least he is willing to give it a go.

First off Cabaye spoke about aiming for Europe:

“My first ambition is give my best possible performances on the pitch and the second is it should be possible for Newcastle to look at qualifying for the Europa League,” he told The Journal.

“The club has the potential to be at that level. We have to show a fighting spirit, as a collective, if we want to get there.”

Before moving onto discussing why he traded Lille for Newcastle:

“Firstly, I just thought it was the right time to change club.

“Yes, I could have stayed at Lille and played Champions League football, but Newcastle offered me the chance to play in the Premier League, which I believe is the best competition in the world,” said Cabaye.

“I want to prove to myself I can succeed away from Lille, in a different culture and in an environment my family and I can adapt to. I want to go to the next level.”

Of course Cabaye is unproven in the Premier League at the moment although from what I’ve seen of him he is a cracking acquisition. I’m not the only one who thinks that way either although it is early days. Incidentally the 25-year-old added to his international caps last night as he came on a second half substitute for France and, thankfully, escaped injury after being on the end of a rough tackle.

He could be some player for us this season, and he was quick to give us an insight of what he is all about as a player. If he lives up to his own billing he will soon become a fan favourite in the eyes of the Toon Army. Again speaking to The Journal, Cabaye lifted the lid on how he and the team are going to attempt to play this season.

“I love passing the ball, the passing game. I love having the ball at my feet, shooting at goal, defending, tackling and sometimes I score goals, too. Newcastle have a proud history of attacking football and I relate to that. I adore that,” said Cabaye.

“For three years at Lille, we worked hard at playing that kind of football and it brought us the championship. I hope it is the same at Newcastle. Looking after the ball is the best way to play the game, because you have the pressure, the advantage.”

It’s this bit that really interests me as I want to see nice football. Few can deny that we were gritty last season, almost pedestrian in fact, but we now have players who can give us a bit of something different, a bit of pace, and as an added bonus we still have some grit and determination left in the tank with the likes of Cheik Tiote, Steven Taylor, Fabricio Coloccini, Joey Barton (if he stays) and even the new lad, Yohan Cabaye.

It’s about balance, and hopefully we’ve got it right. I want change, but I worry about changing too quickly although I guess only time will tell. I do think it’s unlikely that all of our new signings will hit the ground running but I’m willing to give them time, in much the same way it took Enrique and Coloccini time.

I wonder if people have learned not to write players off so quickly thanks to them?

About toonsy

A lifelong Newcastle fan and current webmaster of this very 'blog who has the sole aim of creating a place by Newcastle United fans, for Newcastle United fans.

145 thoughts on “Cabaye eyes Europe.

  1. Robert, I feel it’s our duty to reassure you and get those rose-tinted specs back on. I’m sure everyone can chip in with their particuar point of optimism.

    Right, me first:

    This time last year, the press all had us down for relegation and terminal yo-yo disease. The blogs were full of theories about how our squad was full of championship players who couldn’t cut it and so on. In terms of top-level, proven international players we had, um, Collo and, um, Jonas.. kind of… and, um.. Oh, dear. I’ve run out.

    And yet we finished 12th and but for one brain-fart it would have been 9th. NINTH! Relegation my ****.

    This year we’ve got Cabaye, Benny, Marveaux, Obertan to add to that lot, plus loads of other additional talent with so much promise like Gosling and Vukic. We’ve lost Nolan, for whom we have better replacements. Carroll is still a problem, but it’s not like we don’t have goal scorers is it?

    We’ll be fine mate. :mrgreen:

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  2. @icedog

    lol we do, his purse is under his floor boards.

    Ir rather sell Ranger, he’s been away al week rioting in Tottenham 😆

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  3. FSOTC – LEON BEST 13 goals if healthy. actually, thinking about it we dont need another stiker 😆

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  4. yes..we dont need another striker – and we can use that money we save to pay off debts, and other fun stuff!!

    yaay!

    its great being a toon fan! 😀

    toon army!!!

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  5. Whumpie, I was optimistic but i am sick to death of the ongoing deceit with one load of ***** after another being peddled to the fans and another absolute pile from Pardew this afternoon at the presser, you can swallow it if you want but ive had my fill.

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  6. FSOTC-

    Realistically, I think Best is good for 6 – 8 goals. I know he had that many last year in limited action, but I think the hat trick against a poor West Ham side was a bit of a fluke. And if we stick with a one-striker formation, he won’t be seeing that much playing time. He could be important filling in for Ba during the African Cup, though.

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  7. @Fans Should Own The Club

    easily 10 if he, as you said played a good part, which he probably wont. so about 2 😆

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  8. I think Best n Sholla are good for 5-10 goals each next season depending on amount of games they play.

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  9. Tevez to Arsenal and Nasri to Man City straight swap . City to pay half Tevez’s wages for first season , done deal

    apparently, thats coz L’don is that bit closer to S.America 😐

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  10. fifthofficial The Fifth Official
    I reckon ESPN should start marketing the Newcastle Arsenal clash on Saturday as the “Disarray derby”

    Very Very True.hahahaha 😆 :mrgreen:

    cwarr07 Colin
    Xisco no longer a #nufc player, signs a permanent deal with Deportivo

    For the first time,i hope this is fugging true. 😯 🙄

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  11. @BB

    if that was our coach Pards saying that it would be a clear indication to “come and get him”

    in the bag I say…

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  12. yeah I like your logic :mrgreen:
    fingers x’d then. Wont be done in time for sat tho 😥

    Looking forwards to the match either way.

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  13. @BB

    we don’t need him for sat, It’s only ****, well pass them off the park and still give them a 4-0 start 😯

    toon toon

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  14. Robert. I year ya. Just need to get a bit of optimism back in despite all the ***** fella. It could, despite everything, be a cracking season.

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  15. @109

    lol pic 7, do you like that Jose, would you like me to touch the other one, faster or slower, u like it..

    he could of tucked his shirt in for his interview, the tramp!

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  16. who the **** sells there left back when they havent got a replacement ready aand they are facing arsenal in 2 days time!! its absolutely clueless!!!!!!

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  17. Well here we go again lads, our best (and only experienced) LB gone and nobody in to replace him yet. Good luck to you Jose. I wish it hadn’t been Liverpool. Ashley’s policy is definitely get some cash in hand then spend less on the replacement. Hold your breath until we see who really comes in. If it is Pieters I will be satisfied but it may not be if it will cost us more than what we get for Jose. If it is Perch against Arsenal on Saturday I will be shaking in my boots. They will attack him all day. What an insane way to run a club. Raise expectations then crush them over and over again. Cabaye and Tiote better be prepared to do a lot of running, and Jonas as well if he plays.

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  18. feel sorry for xisco should never have come; he wasted his early part of career here…. well done lad hope you do well at depor!

    mind you i wouldnt have cared either on £60k a week……. 👿

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  19. you feel so sorry 4 someone thats sat on there **** to earn 60k a week 😆 , he did nothing 4 us so im plzd hes gone!!

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  20. ne hurry, I thought we had established we’re a one out one it club. I expect one in the next few days.

    A left backs for life not just for Arsenal 😛

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  21. Army69

    August 11, 2011 at 17:04

    who the **** sells there left back when they havent got a replacement ready aand they are facing arsenal in 2 days time!! its absolutely clueless!!!!!!

    Army why are you so surprised. Howay man this lots been clueless since day 1.
    We’ll get something eventually, not convinced it will be someone like Pieters tho.
    Probably be a case of see how Fergy gets on against le ****. If he ok then make do until january 😯
    If he gets pasted, then make a panic purchase of someone cheap 😯

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  22. If it’s permanent then fair play to the lad, he could have collected another 2 years wages here and still played in Spain on loan, he’d have collected only half of that with Deportivo if they’d stayed in La Liga and he’ll prob get even less than that because of their relegation…………unless fatboy paid of his contract, in which case **** off you greedy c@nt 😆

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  23. Yes Beardsleys Boots @122 the plan is to replace Jose with someone cheaper. That is always the no. 1 consideration. The no. 2 requirement is that they are young and can be signed to a cheap long term contract so they can be sold for a huge profit. No. 3: always focus on selling a player (Jose, Carroll) who plays a position where we are very weak. Yes the plan is clear all right, the only thing that matters is making a profit.

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  24. Oh, for chrissakes, children!!!

    The deal for Jose’s not even signed yet and you’re shooting Pardew in the head because he’s not got the replacement in??

    Give it a rest. You don’t like Pards or the club bosses. We get it.

    If we get to September 1st with no LB, THEN you can have a go at him. But only if you can come up with some idea as to what he could have done to keep Jose…

    No?

    Thought not.

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  25. Just a thought: wouldn’t it be great to see one of our wingers skin Joey at Anfield this season? I reckon Obertan may be able to do just that. 😀

    Nah – let’s be honest, he’s a cracking LB and a loss. But the club did everything they could and he wanted gone, so bubye now. Let’s see who we get in.

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  26. Maybe a possible approach to have taken would be for the club to have a little ambition Whumpie. No offense even though you are fairly insulting yourself @126. I’ll keep it civil. The unhappiness about the club’s dealings stems from the general approach taken in dealing with players, and supporters. I don’t see an overall football plan in place. I also don’t see a good football mind as managing director, just Derek Llambias. Everyone takes their own approach to talking about the team. There is no need for insults. Stay calm Whumpie, others have a right to their opinions believe it or not.

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  27. Whumpie – its just the fact everyone has known that Jose wanted away, and that lifterpoo wanted him. Pardew said we already had a player lined up to replace him.
    You would have thought the replacement would be here having his medical if that was the case no?

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  28. whumpie what are you chatting aboot? let me spell this out to ya as methinks you dont get this:

    WE HAVE SOLD OUR ONLY LB TO THE BIN DIPPERS AND DO NOT HAVE A REPLACEMENT ALREADY IN PLACE (normally this is what properly run football clubs do..shock innit)

    WE ARE PLAYING LE **** IN LESS THAN 48 HOURS WITHOUT SAID LB WITHOUT SAID REPLACEMENT

    WHICH PART OF THIS MAKES YOU FEEL THAT EVERYTHING IS GOING SMOOTHLY??

    bloddy ell

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  29. WE BLODDY NEEDED COVER AT LB WITH JOSE FFS!!!!

    IM FECKIN FED UP

    sorry for telling you to calm down earlier robert – those pictures oh him at melwood just brought it home to me

    carroll, now jose

    ffs

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  30. Mr Parp speaks

    “Jose showed no motivation to sign a new contract and when a player is in the last year of his contract it is a difficult situation when it comes to accepting a fee.

    “A replacement is ongoing as we speak. We need to put in place our back-up plan now but I think it’s unfair to name names in public

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  31. the rest of the conversation

    “We have several players that have shown great desire to fill Jose’ shirt, R Taylor for one and remember Perchy had a great season when needed last year, so we have cover if we don’t sign anyone this window”

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  32. Ah alright Sy mate ,

    Na just havent seen him a a few weeks the little puff.

    So he’s off getting humped by a turkish waiter , is Kev with him 😆 😆 😆

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  33. @toonsy

    was reading an older post earlier, congrats on the baby front 😀 get involved m8 as it soon passes, best days of your life 😆

    stock up with infacol 😯

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  34. HAHAHAH,
    Did you bring him yeah ,did he have a little ale :mrgreen:

    Hes a reet little puff aint he 😆 😆 😆

    Did you meet Al down there

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  35. DIFSB@131, No problem, but you are right, i need to calm down but im finding it harder and harder as each day goes by without anything really to re light my boiler.
    Although we rarely hear from Lambliar much, It appears they have bought all this sentimental guff about Ameobi and they must have thought it was a PR coup making his improved contract announcement when the reality is its just kicked the majority of fans in the nuts, especially on the eve they let Enrique go 2 days before the Arsenal game.
    I retain a slim hope that they actually have a plan for the first transfer window ever, im not holding my breath but you never know, surely we deserve a lift after 5 yrs of grief.

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  36. “STUART says Is it unusual to shake hands like?

    kna m8 unless its ashleys ”

    It’s not unusual for Ashley to shake hands.
    If he ever shakes yours, you better check you still have your watch on afterwards, though.

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