Cabaye’s Capital Gains! West Ham 1-3 Newcastle

Cabaye celebrates the opener
Cabaye celebrates the opener
Newcastle returned to winning ways following a run of four defeats by deservedly beating West Ham at Upton Park yesterday.

Yohan Cabaye stole the show once more as he pulled the strings from midfield and bagged a goal either side of a strike by Loic Remy.

However an unfortunate own goal by Mike Williamson just before half-time gave the hosts a way back into the match which made things more nervy than West Ham deserved on the day. The victory was deserved and could have been by more goals with some more clinical finishing but a win is a win and that is just what the doctor ordered.

Newcastle took the lead 16 minutes into the match when Steven Taylor surged forward playing the ball down the left for Yoan Gouffran who passed in field to Yohan Cabaye who stroked the ball home after sidestepping West Ham defender Razvan Rat.

It should have been two soon after but for Gouffran’s effort being cleared off the line before Moussa Sissoko spurned another great chance to double the lead by firing tamely at Adrian after being played in by Cabaye.

A second goal did arrive just after the half-hour mark as Loic Remy applied the finish to a fine team move by controlling Moussa Sissoko’s right-wing cross with his chest before poking home.

At 2-0 we were cruising and fully deserved the lead but a goal just before half-time gave the hosts some hope as Mike Williamson bundled into his own net after Carlton Cole’s initial shot was saved by Krul.

Half-time: West Ham 1-2 Newcastle

As you might have expected, a goal just before the break gave the hosts a platform to build on as they launched the ball forward at every opportunity. And it would have paid off had Cole not fired a Matt Taylor cross wide from six yards before Andy Carroll, introduced just after the hour mark, skied Stewart Downing cross way over from eight yards.

But despite a bombardment of high balls into the box, the kind we painfully know Allardyce’s football can produce, United held firm and sealed the win deep into stoppage time. Hatem Ben Arfa was brought down on the edge of the West Ham box giving Yohan Cabaye the chance to line up a free-kick, which he did perfectly curling his effort up and over the wall and into the back of the net via the post.

Full-time: West Ham 1-3 Newcastle

That’s six away wins for the season already – last season we managed just two so we’re looking at a vast improvement in fortunes on the road. It’s also our fourth win on the spin in London where we always used to struggle.

Yes it could and probably should have been more comfortable but the home side were always going to give it a go in the second period after a dire first half. That is just how it goes, but we held firm and got the win we deserved.

Howay the lads!

West Ham: Adrian, Razvan Rat, Roger Johnson, James Collins, Matt Taylor, Matt Jarvis, Mark Noble, Jack Collison, Mohamed Diame, Stewart Downing, Carlton Cole

Subs: Jussi Jaaskelainen, Andy Carroll, Modibo Maiga, Ravel Morrison, Alou Diarra, Joe Cole, Leo Chambers

Newcastle: Tim Krul; Davide Santon, Mike Williamson, Steven Taylor, Mapou Yanga-Mbiwa; Cheik Tiote, Vurnon Anita, Yohan Cabaye; Moussa Sissoko, Loic Remy, Yoan Gouffran

Subs: Rob Elliot, Massadio Haidara, Paul Dummett, Gabriel Obertan, Hatem Ben Arfa, Shola Ameobi, Papiss Cisse

Attendance: 33,343

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.

353 thoughts on “Cabaye’s Capital Gains! West Ham 1-3 Newcastle

  1. SIDEKICK you being such a long time toon fan it shocks me that rate shola to be even on the bench never mind in the team,but its your right to have your view,IMO he’s bloody **** and has been for ten years or more 😯

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  2. When Shola came on Saturday he was offside twice within minutes yet no one mentions it, that’s reserved for Cisse 🙄

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  3. KIM beats me how he gets in team I have watched him play many times at sjp over the years he does not know what onside means,cissie has a bad season and now he’s all sorts of ****,beats me mate,would rather put a wheelie bin up front than shola

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  4.  Retweeted by Lee Ryder
    Quinny. ‏@JonathynQuinn · 33 mins Cant believe this has happened! Hatrick vs Sunderland at SJP?! unbelievable support, thank you so much, love the toon!!!! Best feeling ever!

     Retweeted by Lee Ryder
    mick quinn ‏@mickquinn1089 · 1 hr @JonathynQuinn Well done tonight on your hat-trick,good to see the name Quinn in a Newcastle no 9 shirt again

    Expand

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  5. I don’t think Cisse is disigned for the way we play. I don’t doubt that he wouldn’t score somewhere else. His got pace and that’s his main trouble. I wish he could do the headers like Shearer and simple tap ins. It doesn’t matter as long as he can hit the back of the net.

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  6. Kimtoon I like Shola but he was a better player under Bobby Robson. My favourite game was when he scored a hatrick against B lev in the champion’s league on Bobby’s birthday. Cant spell the teams name

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  7. stem ,it’s such a puzzle, he’s a great goal scorer, scores stuff he has no business doing really, yet something has clearly rocked him, he doesn’t even smile anymore .He badly needs to get his confidence again ,I think he realises Pards isn’t fussed on him anymore, I would want out asap in his shoes. 🙁

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  8. Djg
    Forget champions league, it’s his third season there and he’s still yet to experience Europa! 😆

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  9. The funniest thing is Cisse played better with Ba on the wing. Ba was very selfish but if Pardrew could play Remy in midfield and Cisse up front, even with Shola holding the ball then it would be great. He just needs that lift but Pardrew seems to have a problem with him. Our team was **** last year, really ****, not just Cisse but everybody. It Pardrew can’t get him playing then his not a good manager. Bobby Robson would of had him firing on all cylinders.

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  10. Stem ,yep in the home tie ,shearer hat trick. 😆 we had Carl Cort back then too. Sorry for slow reply watching something on ebay at same time.

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  11. Stem , no I’m too tight to go high stem 😆 ,people pay daft money at times. My daughter spent £5 plus postage for some moshi monster stuff at xmas only to see it in the £1 shop a week later 😳 😆 I won’t let her live it down.

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  12. Stem ,I agree about the Ba on the wing with Cisse thing ,it did work well at the time but Ba wasn’t happy out on the wing. It’s funny Shearer could put a great cross in too, instinctively knew where it needed to go/ where he’d want it. 😉

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  13. I’m glad it wasn’t something expensive that your really wanted. This Dhabi trip has got me feeling a little excited Kim. I don’t know why I think this but there might be something more in it.

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  14. Just on the Shola issue. I remember on Saturday when West Ham were all over us, and it was backs to the wall stuff I could see Shola strut around the centre circle for about 3 minutes straight. Never broke a sweat once when we were trying to relieve the pressure. I dont know why he gets away with it, but he is the laziest player we have by a country mile

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  15. From what I call, Shearer’s patchy form was often the result of coming back from injuries where he looked a little shot of confidence and his sub appearances never “forced” Dalglish et al to start him as it were. That being said he was a player who had hit 30 goals a season in three seasons and pre leg break/ligament rupture in 97 was regarded by many as the best striker in the world.

    Cisse is totally different. Far from being injured he played more than anyone last year. How do we get him firing? Low crosses and cut backs I suppose. Buy a striker who will knock down or make space for him. Personally I think there are better options which would also lead to more attractive football on the whole.

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  16. Buddy,
    He’s the shittest player we have by a country mile. We’ll never have a worse player EVER that gets a testimonial at the Toon.

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  17. Newkie,
    Until we sign a striker that is a replacement for Cisse. Then we should make giving him a chance a priority.

    If we signed a quality striker on a permanent deal, then I wouldn’t mind letting Cisse go. I’m sure he’d do well where ever he went.

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  18. One thing we will miss with Cabaye that won’t be simply replced by Cabella or many others will be shots at goal from free kicks. For general delivery from corners/free kicks we won’t miss him overly much, but with shooting? Ba could have a punt from outside the box. Raylor won’t be in the side. Benny and Marv have never looked too convincing… 😕

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  19. NEWKIE@254,attractive footy,nowt better than the two smokers he put past Chelsea plus others he scored IMO he’s a good striker,his trouble is there is no one at the toon able to put the lad back on track,he’s been pardewed

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  20. Stem @242 makes an excellent point.

    Cisse scored 13 last season (with several wrongly disallowed goals). That playing in a team very low on confidence and creating very few chances.

    His conversion rate was a goal every seven shots. That is not bad at all.
    Remy’s conversion rate this season is one goal every six shots.
    That’s in a team with a lot more confidence. And I’m sure everyone would agree that he’s had a good season.

    Cisse wasn’t great last season. But he wasn’t bad in terms of converting his chances either. He should have had around 20 goals and that includes playing in a position foreign to him for a third of the season.

    He only really got six games before he got the boot this season. And he missed preseason tours because of the Wonga fiasco.

    People really need to lay off him a bit. I’m sure if he had played in place of Remy in all those games, he wouldn’t be that far behind in in terms of goals.

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  21. JJ-Aye, I suppose we will wait until January and see if anything changes. I get your point about trying to re energise him, but if we are in the market for Remy then surely we don’t want to **** him off by benching him completely? If we aren’t going to try for him at all then yeah I’d probably try and play cisse-unless he too isn’t in the long term plans in which case we may as well recall Campbell and start him for the rest of the season!

    Pardew will get slammed by sections of the fans if we start losing with Cisse leading the line. That could easily lead to a downward spiral of form which could carry into next year-it would certainly be relevant for the summer when we look for players to buy/our players want to leave. Like Santii I want us to finish as high as possible, but ideally finding a way to include Cisse more.

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  22. Well have we signed anyone yet 😀

    JJ I think your wasting your time on Cisse I think Pards and some fans have gave up on him and some even think the super striker Strolla overs more 😯

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  23. It shouldn’t really bit that difficult to play Remy & Cisse should it?

    It means we would have to drop someone like Gouffran or Sissoko (my preference).

    We’ve certainly not been playing with two strikers. It’s been more 451 or 433 with Gouffran & Sissoko as wide players (despite Remy preferring a wide role!).

    Results have been good enough to avoid criticism but i really hope Gouffran does not get pushed deeper & deeper into becoming a defensive full back. He’s better than that.

    Sissoko is not a right winger. Some fans think he is & they credit Pardew for ‘discovering’ his best position but Sissoko has said himself that he feels he is better in the middle.

    We need a real winger & not a box to box midfielder filling in.

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  24. @newkie

    Cabaye is not much better than Ben Arfa or Marveaux when taking free kicks. You’ve just seen him take more & therefore score more.

    RTaylor is better than all 3 of them but it’s not the hardest skill to learn so i’m sure it’s not something we will miss to much.

    What i do miss is Robert’s free kicks!

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  25. Why should we jeopardise our position in the league and potentially a place in Europe just to try and fit an out of form player back into the team.

    understatement of the week goes to newkie 😀

    “Pardew will get slammed by sections of the fans if we start losing with Cisse leading the line.”

    I can just imagine the abuse. He can never win with the various sections of fans.

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  26. KK I guess you have been down at training watching them everyday hit free kicks and that’s what your basing your opinion on. I don’t think Ben Arfa has scored a free kick for us. Has he? he has hit a few as well.

    Marveaux cant even make the bench never mind about his free kicks.

    Ryan Taylors specialty is free kicks so I would not argue on that point but I wonder who has scored more free kicks for us Cabaye or Taylor

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  27. Santi@266, I think the real question is does Ashley want us in Europe again ( the Europa that is) .

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  28. KK-Bullshit. If you can’t admit Cabaye is a great shot from free kicks of all distances and directions that’s up to you pal. Fact is he is and in reality he genuinely hasn’t had that many punts at goal.

    Now corners and general deliveries are a different matter-they can be decent but are often gash, but shooting from them? One of the best in the league. Ben Arfa scored a wonder goal for France at some point from a free kick and all of a sudden people think he’s going to be awesome at them. He’s had a fair few chances and never scored one.

    Santi-Pretty sure Cabaye has about 5 free kick goals? Scored more than Raylor in the prem at least, a few of Raylors have been cups.

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  29. Kim if you believe that nonsense fair enough. personally I think its all media driven bullshit.

    It all comes from the comments made at the first fan forum meeting really which sounded perfectly reasonable to me considering the previous season.

    So do you think we should jeopardise our league position just to tailor cisse into the team?

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  30. KK

    Disagree on that point,

    From what I’ve seen I’d say Cabaye has a better conversion rate from free kicks than Raylor (when shooting at goal).

    Although I’d say Raylor is the better at crossing it.

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  31. Icedog
    I have never rated Shola. I Have dozens of posts on here each year wondering how our manager can not see how utterly useless he is.
    Look back at some of those posts and the responses I have provoked from the Shola fan club on here 😀
    I was one of those utterly horrified when Pardew arrived with virtually his first act being a contract extension for Shola. I have hated Pardew ever since. 🙁
    My post at 224 was to register my concern that Pardew is deliberately unsettling Cisse to get Shola another contract extension. 😥

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  32. Santi, I would think Pards hates the idea of the Europa impacting on another season and Ashley would have to invest in a couple more to make sure it doesn’t. It won’t of gone unnoticed by either of them that Swansea are 15th on 21points at present either . League position is everything to Mike that’s where is priority lies, that’s been confirmed ,same as the cups aren’t priority. Now if you are talking top 4 that’s different , I’m sure he’d love that as he’d be coining it more than ever 😉 .I think they want 7th/8th tbh , that’s my firm belief and sorry but you won’t change my view on it. Re Cisse, yes play him ,he’s on a good wage so let him earn it, or do you think Shola is better ❓

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  33. Big Dave,

    Shola has a conversion rate of one goal every 13.1 attempts in the last three seasons. Considering he’s averaging one attempt a game this season, he’ll chip in with two goals somewhere along the line this year 😉

    Cisse has a conversion rate of one goal every 6.4 attempts in the last three seasons. This year he’s averaged 1 in 10. While Shola has averaged 1 in 23. But wait, hold one, he’ll chip in with an assist or two… wait, no he has no assists either. While Cisse has two.

    Just to put it in perspective. Suarez conversion rate in the last three seasons is one goal in 6.35 attempts. He only betters Cisse because of this season.

    Now of course Suarez has a much better all round game. But anyone who tells you Cisse can’t “hit a barn door” is clearly clueless.

    All strikers miss chances. His are just more noticeable because we haven’t really created that many opportunities for him.

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  34. Kim I agree. Our club Finances are 7th and everything is set up for the club to achieve top 10 finishes. Whether they see any further success as a bonus or a nuisance is IMO not clear. I would hope the former, but would not be surprised by the latter.

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  35. “I was one of those utterly horrified when Pardew arrived with virtually his first act being a contract extension for Shola. I have hated Pardew ever since. :sad:”

    Ditto

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  36. SIDEKICK my mistake mate,I never set out to offend you,anyway I should have known better of a football lad 😉

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  37. Without wishing to spoil an article sent in.
    With Shola starting we average 1.75 points per game. Without him that drops to 1.57. Meanwhile when Cisse starts that has been 1.43. All relating to EPL this season only.

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  38. JJ, spot on @275, But I’m afraid there is a section of fans who just don’t rate the lad. I kinda hope he does leave and go where he’s appreciated more, but what will Pards do without Remy ( if he leaves ) and just Shola and possibly De Jong ( if he comes ) ,do we think De Jong is the answer to our problems, not sure on that tbh.

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  39. Kim no I think Remy is better than him though… Who would you start Remy or Cisse?

    Prem sounds like you are about to make a whole load of new friends 😀

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  40. KIM De Jong is having a season as bad as cissie so where do we go from here then??,you could say cissie has played in PL so knows what its about who to say Jong can play in PL many cannot 😉

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  41. Does anyone else think its a bit strange that we are not going all out for a striker at the minute or even making much noise about getting one?

    With Remy and Shola only here until the summer you would think there would be a panick from the manager at least. Maybe we already have a deal in place. Gomis could have already joined the revolution but has to see out his remaining contract.

    I feel like that’s how the press come up with their stories 😀 think I could work for the national press i just need to use the word “considering” and “preparing” a bit more. Maybe throw a few insults out about Ashley and Kinnear and i will be selling my piece in no time.

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  42. Santii-it probably means we are hoping to sign Shola up for another year and hoping QPR don’t get promoted so we can loan him for another year 😛

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  43. Newkie

    my source tells me we are considering preparing for a bid for and unnamed French player who plays striker but he might be dutch or another nationality and he actually might not play up front.

    Why would we not get Shola tied down now though? reminds me a bit of Danny Simson who wanted a pay rise which the board considered to be to much. Maybe they think Shola wants to much now.

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  44. @ SIDEKICK 273
    hate should never be involved in footie matters bud it what the players do on the pitch that opions should be formed about,and to hate a manager just cause he gave a contract to a player is very silly in my opion and will cloud ya judgement thats for sure

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  45. Santii- 😆 You may just be onto something!

    Re Shola It’ll be because they don’t see him as a high priority but one they can fall back on. I’m sure Pardew wants someone better to work with (despite what some fans say) but he is using him now because he recognises his uses, albeit they are few – but he does have them (again, despite what some fans say)

    They will also want to string him along to ensure he doesn’t get upset – I believe he is a good player for squad morale and has even led a few of them team hustles, a decent cheerleader if you will 😉 . They will be hoping they can swoop for someone else between now and the summer, but if the deals fall through we’ll resign him until we can try and pick someone else up…

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  46. Santi I would have Remy on the left in a 4 3 3 formation with Cisse in the middle. I have read comments on Eds blog suggesting that Remy is a selfish player. Instead of setting someone else up in a better position he squanders the chances instead. I understand his a talented player but I think Pardew needs to have a word with him. Cisse could be our secret weapon if Pardew plays him. Cisse has years left in him and Shola’s on his way out. A good servant to the club and deserves a testimonial match as does Shay Given.

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  47. Prem,
    I think you should have focused those stats on Cabaye rather than Shola. But regardless, they are meaningless stats. You can’t base team stats on the influence of one of eleven players. Especially when you take into account the opposition is different. Team form. Form of all 10 other players.

    Don’t know why you find such a meaningless stat so fascinating.

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  48. Stem-why would Remy honestly listen to Pardew care about providing for Cisse much? He is a striker and they are naturally selfish to begin with, but also he isn’t even our player right now, he’s playing for a world cup squad and arguably a move abroad/to a top team-we’re only paying his wages by proxy.

    Cisse is just as selfish if you ask me, his two assists were mis hits/shots that were saved and spilled after all. Although it’s hard to tell whether he is selfish or he is so poor at passing he feels he might be better shooting from any angle, and he could be right.

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  49. Newkie,
    I wish Shola would do the same for the fans morale.
    Everytime I see him on the field I have a sudden onset of depression.

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  50. Liverpool have more points per game without Suarez, than that do with Suarez.

    So basically that renders any argument for the value of any one individual based on points per game useless.

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  51. JJ-I know mate, you make it known well enough on here whenever a match is on 😆

    He boosts my morale just by being around. I think Shola appeals to the 1/10 toon fans who are actually enjoying themselves/capable of enjoying themselves during a season. It’s also funny watching people get so worked up about him, throwing some credit his way is like stepping into no-man’s land circa 1916. He’s like a sentimental piece of furniture, your wife wants you to throw it out, old, no movement, creaks from time to time. But he reminds me of happier days (i.e Bobby Robson) 🙂

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  52. Newkie sometimes you have to sacrifice your own game for the benefit of the team. Cisse is our player, did our scouts not realise he couldn’t pass the ball before purchasing him ? He trains every day and can’t pass the ball it says a lot about our coaching staff.

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  53. Pardew afraid to drop Remy and I can see why. There’s no better options and we could lose points. This is Ashley and Kinnears fault but our defence has been very solid most of the time this season.

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  54. I’m not just talking about Cisse but a player in a better position. If Remy doesn’t care about what the manager says or the club we our best rid of him.

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  55. Stem-but that’s my point, why would Remy bother to drop his own game? He has a slim chance of making the world cup squad but he is desperate to do so-only way he will do that is if he plays at the top of his game doing what he does best. If he were our player that would be a different matter but as it is we can’t just order him about so simply.

    As for the others, you’ll have to ask Carr. As for his basic footballing skills-he lacks quite a bit, as you can tell from his touch and passing skills. However he has such an instinctive finish that has served him so well (up until now) that it has glossed over his general abilities as a player, IMO.

    A lot of that I would put down to limited coaching. He only started playing regularly at the top level four years ago with Freiburg, at the age of 24.

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  56. You make a good point Newkie. I think a gentle word from Pardew might help rather than an order. Assists are still good. Like Rooney at United but he didn’t like being second to RVP last season.

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