As usual I’m just looking at how many points each player has contributed to, and comparing that to the average.
So far we have used a smallish pool of players. Only 19 players have started games and several have only got a few starts.
In goal Tim Krul has started all bar one game where Rob Elliot stood in. No real surprises there then. Quickly moving on to central defence, both Fabricio Coloccini and Mike Williamson have started 14 games, with Mapou Yanga-M’biwa starting 10, Steven Taylor four and Paul Dummett just one. When Coloccini has started we have gained 23 points with 16 goals conceded, whereas with Williamson it has also been 23 points but with only 14 goal conceded. M’biwa helped us to 14 points from his 10 games with 12 goals conceded. Neither Steven Taylor (three points from four games with nine goals conceded) nor Dummett have really contributed enough to be analysed. Even looking at combinations shows that whichever combination of the three central defender starting has little difference. Each gaining about 1.5 points per game and conceding one goal per game.
Our Fullbacks have been equally consistent. Mathieu Debuchy with 29 points from 19 starts and Davide Santon with 36 points from 21 starts. Neither M’biwa nor Haidara have been as effective or had a large amount of playing time in these positions.
In midfield Yohan Cabaye has been our stand out performer with 31 points accrued from 16 starts and one substitute appearance including six goals. Next up Moussa Sissoko who has started every game and has amassed 36 points from 22 appearances with one goal. Vurnon Anita just edges Cheik Tiote with 19 points from 13 starts against 26 points from 19 starts with neither having had a goal allowed. Other than that Hatem Ben Aarfa has started 10 and gained 11 points. He has also scored three goals – one when coming on a sub which seems to be his main role now. Sylvain Marveaux has started two and Jonas Gutierrez, now with Norwich, just the one.
Up front we have tried two strikers, normally Yoan Gouffran and Loic Remy or three with Shola Ameobi. Strangely, even though he has not found the net, when Shola has started we have gained 14 points from eight games, whilst without him we’ve racked up 22 points from 14 games – ratio of 1.75 points per game with him and 1.57 points per game without. This tends to suggest that we are better playing 4-3-3. If so a goal scoring target man would maybe improve things. Unsurprisingly Remy with 32 points from 19 games and 11 goals is our best striker with Yoan Gouffran (29 points from 19 starts and one sub appearance with six goals scored) is also not to be sneezed at. Papiss Cisse, who is way off form, has only started seven games scoring only twice, one a penalty and the other as a substitute. His points per game is also below par.
So where does that leave us? Well first off it tells us that pretty much all of our core players are all contributing. In theory our best XI would be Krul; Debuchy, Colo, Willo, Santon; Cabaye; Sissoko, Anita; Remy, Shola, Gouffran, playing in a 4-3-3 formation.
How Cheik Tiote fails to get in defeats me, but Anita edges him out. Never mind. M’biwa and Ben Arfa deserve a mention as well.
Outside of those 14 players others have been peripheral to our cause this year and either need replacing or bringing on. Colo is still our best central defender and Cabaye our standout player. Yet both are potentially moving on in the summer. Colo would need replacing although Yanga-M’biwa and Williamson make a decent pairing. Cabaye whilst not irreplaceable is vital to our team. We need cover for right-back, a replacement for Shola and a far stronger bench would not go amiss.
Lets sort it now so that we can get players adapted for next season.
we go thru this same scenario, window after window.
should be used to it by now.
roll on 1st Feb.
Beardsleys Boots(Quote)
expect to hear Pardew all over the news tomorrow.
yet more of his guff to appease the faithful.
or should that be gullible
blah blah derisory bid
unsettling our players
over the line
blah blah targets
guff guff squad is strong enough
I love Mike he saved this club from destruction barf
Beardsleys Boots(Quote)
http://metro.co.uk/2014/01/26/shrewd-mike-ashley-is-no-mug-and-intends-to-be-at-newcastle-for-the-long-term-4278095/
KIMTOON(Quote)
I’m actually surprised we haven’t received huge bids for Debbs.
He has clearly been one of THE best full backs in the league this season
still time
Beardsleys Boots(Quote)
cheeses Kim 👿
Beardsleys Boots(Quote)
Lee Ryder @lee_ryder · 53m
Courbis on Cabella: “If he stays at Montpellier and improves little details, in 6 months he could go to a Chelsea, a Tottenham or Arsenal.”
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this guy is a first class ***, why is he still banging on about us if he has no intention of selling him. Me thinks he protest too much 😉
Lee Ryder @lee_ryder · 53m Montpellier boss Rolland Courbis again on Cabella: “For me, Newcastle is not the club for Cabella” #nufc
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KIMTOON(Quote)
BB, I said the other day I don’t see him selling us anytime soon, it suits him having us promote his tat on the world wide stage,that’s why he’s desperate we stay up at any cost, namely the cups and Europe. 👿
KIMTOON(Quote)
BB, there will be bids a plenty for Debs come the summer if he continues his good form, he’s been outstanding.
KIMTOON(Quote)
so are we just waiting for moyes to scrabble together some loose change or what?
I feel certain Kebab would rather go to manure and stay in the EPL than go back to france
not long now surely
Beardsleys Boots(Quote)
We’d look at selling Cabaye and then using Anita more and then progressing someone new onto our substitutes bench, like Marveaux.
funkyjesus(Quote)
Cabs could actually be the only recent player to leave NUFC and move on to greater things. All the others have bombed 😛
Beardsleys Boots(Quote)
lol
I think Marv is history
clearly Pardum doesn’t rate him
and lets face it, Pardum knows his onions.
NOT
Beardsleys Boots(Quote)
oops, maybe Fraizer Forster is an exception.
In a league of 1
Beardsleys Boots(Quote)
Spot on Kimtoon @381. It’s all a plan to raise the value of Cabella by Courbis. We won’t get him for 4M quid as we did Cabaye. They’ve cottoned to that little scam now over in France.
GeordieTwo(Quote)
Well I’ve worn myself out thinking about our lovely lad of an owner and our performances in cup competitions. Off for now mates.
GeordieTwo(Quote)
So far it looks like Cisse, Cabaye, Strolla (no great miss) and Marveaux will all be gone by the end of the season.
Stuart79(Quote)
… if you believe newspapers.
But of course nobody does. 🙄
Brisvegas(Quote)
@G2
I heard Pardew implied that Marveaux was lazy.
Normally you wouldn’t question the manager but Pardew has previously said that Anita was rubbish last season when he was clearly one of our best players!
So i don’t really believe anything that comes out of Pardew’s mouth.
In any case, it’s the performances on the pitch that count & Marveaux has outperformed every player at the club this season & last season in terms of creativity.
KK(Quote)
@BB – 387
You might be right but it’s probably not just Marveaux that’s history.
Pardew can’t accommodate creative players so i would also expect Ben Arfa to leave despite him performing just as well as the likes of Cabaye.
KK(Quote)
@Stuart79
I’d expect Cisse to stay because we won’t take a loss on one of our biggest transfers.
You’re probably right about the others.
KK(Quote)
KK – Cisse will be gone this week.
Stuart79(Quote)
I wonder if Cabaye will be “fit” for the norwich game.. 😉
mark(Quote)
The close season is going to be fun and games at the toon for sure… We might end up seeing the back of 4-5 french players … Cabaye, Obertan, Marveaux, Amalfitano…and it’s only a question of time before Debuchy leaves, especially if his best mate Cabaye is off.
The Jonas part of our Argentinian era is also coming to an end, though I can see Collo sticking around at least one more season…
Munich Mag(Quote)
http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/football/25907989
Tom Ince to go to Premiership team on loan. Well, it is a loan….
funkyjesus(Quote)
Kk, when and where did Pardew say that Anita was “rubbish”? Please try not to make up “rubbish” to support your wafer thin arguments against Pardew..
Aussie Magpie Fan(Quote)
Aussie that comment could be aimed at half the people on this thread. 😀
Santti(Quote)
@aussie
Pardew said Anita was rubbish in his first season. He said it last month & last summer.
Obviously he didn’t use the word rubbish but it was implied that last season Anita wasn’t good enough despite the fact that he & Marveaux were better than Tiote & Cabaye.
My arguments against Pardew are not wafer thin, they’re as thick as you:
“I would expect him to make 20, 25 appearances this year and for a second year at a big club that is a good start,” – That’s not good enough for our most important team player.
“This year, you have to pay tribute to him because he has been a lot, lot better and he is pushing for a place.” – He hasn’t been better, he was already very good last year as he is this year. He would be better if he didn’t have to keep making way for other players.
“It has been good for him because he has made himself stronger in the gym,”
“He has had a little bit more time to reflect on some performances last year, where I think he struggled a little bit.”
KK(Quote)
KK – I read those extracts as Pardew saying that Anita struggled to adapt to the physicality of the league – someone Anita said himself!.
At no point do i read that Pardew is suggesting Anita is rubbish in any way – but then I don’t hate Pardew so blindly that I twist his words 😆
Sharpy17(Quote)
I will be pretty ****** off if Tom Ince joins Swansea on loan til the end of the season, then a free in the summer like! 👿
Not only is he a talented young English player – something that we should be looking out for!
But with Gosling already at Blackpool it would be a straight forward swap deal I would have thought – and if Ashley/JFK needed further convincing, Ince has loads of profit potential.
I thought we lost out when Redmond joined Norwich for £2.5m, but to loose Ince to Swansea would be a joke IMO.
Sharpy17(Quote)
Yes, Anita has worked hard in the gym to bulk up since joining and he did say it was more physical than he was used to . But I tend to agree with KK in that Pards did seem to be a bit ott with his criticism of him when he first arrived. I think he doesn’t always put things in the right way, instead of saying he’s an incredibly talented guy but just needs to build up his strength a bit for our league. He bangs on about reflecting on his performance!!,to me that’s something you say about someone who hasn’t even tried and at no point did the lad not put the effort in, but it is just my opinion like.
KIMTOON(Quote)
Also didn’t Pards refer to Willo as ‘ the other guy ‘ like an after thought after Mbiwa joined and did well , well he certainly isn’t the other guy now is he 😉 . There is no doubt he does suffer from foot in mouth like, and I was pretty shocked at what he said to pelligrini too, you have to wonder how he talks to the players when /if they get his back up.
KIMTOON(Quote)
Talking of Iron Mike 😀
http://www.shieldsgazette.com/sport/football/newcastle-united/newcastle-ace-williamson-focused-on-club-not-country-1-6398225
KIMTOON(Quote)
“Pardew said Anita was rubbish in his first season. He said it last month & last summer.
Obviously he didn’t use the word rubbish ”
Brilliant, quote of the day methinks 😆
KK-have you thought maybe Pardew was telling him he was doing a better job this year to increase his confidence, give him a little boost and that? Managers now are really into their psychology, while I don’t think Pardew is quite Zimbardo I think he’s generally been pretty good with our players. Pardew said he struggled, Anita said he struggled.
Straight forward enough really.
Newkie(Quote)
Kim-so do you think Pardew’s comments had an adverse affect on Williamson, did they upset him and make him want to leave or give up trying? Just a coincidence he is now performing as well as he has ever done for us? I thought they were harsh at the time but if those comments forced WIllo to work harder in training and consequently on the pitch then you have to say they were clever comments. None of us are privy to what goes on in the training ground or intimately aware of squad morale. But if he kept pissing off these footballers they would make it clear and get him sacked, as any elite group of players in the world can do.
Newkie(Quote)
Newkie, I don’t believe he’s overly impressed with him now tbh, otherwise he’d be starting him.
KIMTOON(Quote)
Kim – I think the ‘other guy’ comment might well have been an inside joke you know. Has comments can’t be that cutting, I don’t remember a single player having a pop at Pardew – in fact all only seem to say good things about him and the spirit within the squad seems excellent.
I prefer Pardews honesty myself, and maybe the players do as well. Yeah he’s had a pop at Anita and Williamson – but both now are in the first team and playing well.
If he’s asked why a player isn’t in the team, he’s always gave an honest reason why, but said the door is always open if they graft hard and make the necassary improvement.
I may be uncomfortable to hear at times, but sooner that than the fluffy mush some managers come out with.
Sharpy17(Quote)
Besides, compared to what our fans say of these players and especially Williamson, Pardew’s words probably sound like milk and honey.
Newkie(Quote)
Kim-because his job is to win games and get us up the league and he puts out a side he thinks is best set up to do that. Not appease one player by making sure he is in the team. . So far he’s been doing a pretty good job of winning as well I’d say, for a completely clueless manager etc.
Anita has had 12 starts and 6 subs in the league, not bad for someone Pardew is ignoring…
Newkie(Quote)
KK, every one on this blog thinks that you are an imbecile, they have said it last month and last summer. Obivously no one has used the word imbecile but they have drawn that conclusion from all your posts 😆
Aussie Magpie Fan(Quote)
Newkie, no I think Willo has stuffed those comments right down his throat and good on him,but that isn’t the issue here is it .It’s how he chooses to talk about players in public and how he conducts himself in public ( Pelligrini ) , I don’t think his language that day was befitting our club , it’s an horrible word to call anyone, and he’s admitted that himself ,doesn’t alter the fact he did it though. If someone said that to you in the street you’d deck them one. As for players getting him the sack, don’t make me laugh ,he’s on a 8 year contract and Ashley will never sack him imo as he knows he’d have to replace with an equally good/ better manager and that’s no easy task given the restraints they’d have to work under. 🙄
KIMTOON(Quote)
Aussie@414, Bit harsh that, just cause KK doesn’t tow the blog line 😉 , nice to see diverse opinions imo.
KIMTOON(Quote)
Newkie says@413
Not appease one player by making sure he is in the team. . So far he’s been doing a pretty good job of winning as well I’d say, for a completely clueless manager etc.
Well , first off I never said he was clueless did I, and he has attempted to appease one player, Ba threw out his toys and was put back up front in place of Cisse, after a couple of post game interview moans and soundbites from his brother 🙄 .
KIMTOON(Quote)
Aussie 😆
Kim-good on him for shoving the comments down his throat, but maybe that’s what Pardew wants? Good performances from his players? I honestly don’t think he cares on a personal level if fans are going to say he looks silly-not if his team are doing the business because that’s what is actually important. The way he talks about players isn’t too different from how most talk-like how pellegrinni wished he’d made 11 subs against watford, although luckily for him he couldn’t as aguero won it for them with his goals!
As for how he acted towards Pello I can see your point, it probably doesn’t look too professional and I can understand if people don’t like it. Personally I was absolutely raging and if I was Pardew I would have probably decked the ref as it was. Pel said we got all the decisions and they had no help, if anything I find that more insulting, he could have at least acknowledged how fortunate they were to hold onto the lead at that point.
I come out with all kinds of colourful language when watching a game so I can’t really judge, I’ll try and tone it down when children are about but when I feel that frustrated it’s a hard ask.
As for sacking Pardew, Ashley would rather sack him than the players for sure. And if Ashley is all about the money, sacking a bad manager and ensuring the our players play well and in turn sell for a high value is surely more important? Pardew’s payout clause will be a couple of mil at best, nothing in grand scheme of transfers and agent fees.
Newkie(Quote)
@416-but he does follow the blog line which is straight up Anti-Pardew, only those who feel that way are a bit embarrassed (I assume) so they’ve quietened down for a little bit. KK gets attention either because he is a WUM or because his statements are so outright mental that it’s tough to find middle ground on. But he knows that 😆
Kim-I didn’t say you said he was clueless, it was just a general comment. Most people seem to be of the opinion he is clueless and all I’m saying is he is going about his job as any average guy would. As for Ba being on the sidelines, he was put there and Cisse was favoured massively by actually playing up top and starting every match. Ba gave Pardew no choice but to play him-because Ba actually scored and played well when he came on. Cisse didn’t and therefore got the drop. This has been gone over a lot but people try and rewrite history. Ba was benched at Everton, we get smashed, Cisse does nowt. Ba comes on at half time and scores 2 to get us a point. How on earth do you not let him carry on playing after that 😕
Newkie(Quote)
Kim, sorry but I don’t think kk adds any diversity to this blog, he just wheels the same barrow as many of the posters on here. He really is struggling to get out of his brother Troys shadow! 😆
Aussie Magpie Fan(Quote)
Aussie, are you telling me KK is actually B &B 😯 😆
Newkie, Still don’t ever see him sacking Pards .
KIMTOON(Quote)
So are we saying Pards is tactically a genius now, because we are doing ok in the league?, or is it really because there is no Europe ,and now no cups to contend with.
KIMTOON(Quote)
Newkie, in fairness I do swear a lot too,but try hard not to use the C word, especially in public where little ears may pick it up. I reserve the C word for our illustrious owner 😀 Oh and JFK. 😉
KIMTOON(Quote)
Kim-he will do whatever it takes to protect his investment imo. He sacked Llambias who was a mate anyway. I wouldn’t sack him on this seasons evidence anyway although I know many want to.
Newkie(Quote)
Kim-who’s saying he is a genius? Nobody at all. Nobody even did when we massively overachieved to get fifth, anyone who has ever given Pardew the benefit of the doubt or continues to do so hasn’t even said that. One side is full of hyperbole (worst manager ever, worst players ever, worst owner ever) and others just call it as they see it i guess.
As for the C word 😆 Kim I thought you were a lady! I’m an admirer of the English language, the harsh K and T sound makes it one of the best for voicing ones displeasure, it’s quite a unique one for our swearwords and that’s why hearing it can be so offensive, and saying it can be so joyful 😉
Newkie(Quote)
Newkie, I’m come from a long line of Merchant seamen, dockers and lorry drivers, what can I say 😀
KIMTOON(Quote)
Newkie ,I thought lamearse resigned cause of Joe 😕
KIMTOON(Quote)
We tried, honest.
http://www.shieldsgazette.com/sport/football/newcastle-united/newcastle-bid-for-french-midfielder-1-6398884
KIMTOON(Quote)
Kim, yep, they/he is one in the same!
Aussie Magpie Fan(Quote)
Kim-you’re a born fishwife then for sure 😆
As for Llambias, he was essentially forced out. Constructive dismissal really wasn’t it, but Ash would have given him a backhander and Llambo would have been biting his hand off to get out of that role and leave Joe to the headsman.
Newkie(Quote)
Newkie, Ah right, I thought Mike wanted him for Rangers 😕 but he turned it down like.
Aussie@429 😯 I didn’t know, thought he got banned.
KIMTOON(Quote)
If Ashley wanted pardew out he would do it without a second thought, He showed that with fat sam and his army of physios and coaches who went off with huge cheques in their **** pockets for a job dreadfully done (Charlatan twats)
Pardew on the whole has done well this time round: Aye the Hull/sunderland matches and the FA cup were horrible, But none of us expected Williamson to come back as strong as he has. Sissoko, Gouffran, MYM and Debuchy are showing their best, Tiotes back to his form of old and Remy has been great after many of us didnt want to give him time of day again.
The result at old trafford was one of the highest points of any season, The away form in general has been nowt short of superb and were even dishing out the odd thumping again provided the opposition get two sent off and give away two penalties like 😈
With a bit of help from his boss in this window we could challenge for europe again as were already much stronger than two years back but i wont hold my breath…
CC(Quote)
@AUSSIE – 414
😆 I was wondering how you would reply. You’ve done You’ve done Troy & the Pardew fanboys proud 😆
@Newkie
‘all I’m saying is he is going about his job as any average guy would’ – Agreed! There is nothing special about Pardew. He is just like an average guy who happened to know the right person (Llambias).
He has some experience but does he really have above average intelligence, skill, management ability etc than most of the population? No.
Therefore most people could actually fumble along just like him.
I’d thought you would have moved passed assuming i was a WUM. Most of my comments are very sensible:
I’m pro ashley
Anti Kinnear & Pardew
I think Ferguson was a good manager but not great
I think Marveaux is being wasted
I think Pardew struggles to accomodate attacking players.
He’s also never had to work with so many foreign players.
None of these are extreme. They’re bang on the money!
KK(Quote)
From the Chronic: “PSG played down talk that they’d bid for Cabaye yesterday afternoon with claims in the French media that the £14million price tag had simply been discussed.”
Hmmm..
‘Discussion’ begins:
PSG: “‘Ow about €14 milliuuurn?”
JFK: “‘Ow about you faack ooorf?”
‘Discussion ends. 😆
whumpie(Quote)
@CC
Pardew hasn’t done well, he has done the bare minimum.
Sure we’ve had some good results despite poor performance (Spurs) – not really sure how Pardew get’s credit for that?
We’ve also had some bad results because some of the players were fatigued – some responsibility goes to Pardew for not rotating the team.
If we were any lower it would be embarassing. After all, no cups, no europe & a squad that is as good as Everton’s
KK(Quote)
@newkie
You wouldn’t sack Pardew because he’s done ok this season?
What if there were better alternatives?
You would want us to replace a player doing ok (Simpson) with a player that will hopefully do good (Debuchy).
It’s only logical to replace a manager that is doing ok with a manager that will hopefully do good.
The only time you don’t change manager is if there are no better alternatives.
Pardew is a Championship level manager. His CV shows that.
KK(Quote)
KK-I meant average for a manager, not for a person. **** me our club would truly be a mess if some of the clowns around here or worldwide took charge. “Change from 4-4-2 to 3-1-2-5 and we would totally win lol” Even the none OTT ones are a joke, insisting last year 4-3-3 was the only way we could win with these players, that 4-4-2 is dead.
But yes he is an average manager-because that is all our **** of an owner wants-the owner that you love and adore! I’m not getting into it because the averageness and all the wrong appointments we have had from day one (getting Keegan back included) have stemmed from him. Simple as.
Newkie(Quote)
KK assuming we finish no worse than 9th this season, Pards will have a top 5 and a top 10 finish to his name. Other than SBR & KK you have to go back to 1952 to find another manager with the same credentials. That was a year before even I was born. So there you have it 3rd best manager for decades and people still want him sacked because he is not good enough. 😯
Premandup(Quote)
KK-Christ sake man. There are better options but Ashley WILL NOT GET THEM. He will get similarly average ones, or worse (kinnear)-so no, I would not sack him for cyclical averageness.
Newkie(Quote)
Prem-is that right? No other one between then had two top 10 finishes? That’s mental 😕
All hail Pardew 😀
Newkie(Quote)
Newkie we had three top 10s with Joe Harvey 10th, 9th & 7th in seasons 67/68, 68/69 & 69/70, but no top 5. but yr right it is mental. I still see that as what we should be achieving but it is very rare.
Premandup(Quote)
Oh or is that top 5? That would make more sense
Newkie(Quote)
Yeah Prem thought that would make more sense, bit slow, Monday mornings and all that. Still quite scary though. We should be top 10, and if Chelsea and Man City weren’t in the money then maybe we could say top 6, but those two muddy the waters for us really.
Newkie(Quote)
Prem – don’t sweat it; The Chron survey showed that KK is in a tiny minority who want did of Pards. His actual support is very high. Quite right too. If you had told me a few years back that Ashley would still be here and making decisions against the interest of the club to favour his other businesses, yet we’d still be up in contention for Europe and improving our squad… Bloody hell I’d have snapped tour hand off and assumed the manager was up for a Nobel prize!
whumpie(Quote)
Yes they have shown that if you are willing to spend a billion you can buy top 4. I think that Europa league and the occasional cup win would be a lot cheaper though. Still Ashley and Pards have built a very stable platform.
Premandup(Quote)
BREAKING : #PSG assistant sporting director Olivier Létang is in Newcastle today to finalize the deal for Yohan #Cabaye. #NUFC want 25M€.
Goodbye Cabaye…. 😥
AngelOfDeath(Quote)
Is there any PSG players available…. let’s do a swap. 😆 😆
AngelOfDeath(Quote)
🙄 🙄 🙄
Twitter where rumours become fact and the sky falls around us…
You got to love it
Prem shut the hell up we have a god given right to be in the top 4 we bring in 52k fans every week. I will not listen to yours lies 😀 😆 😆
There is no room for sense in this discussion so leave 😆 😆
Santii(Quote)
KK
No he has done well, If we avoid defeat at norwich then we will have a higher point ratio than two years back at the same point.
The teams above us are stronger hence us being lower
CC(Quote)
Prem-exactly. Any cup, preferably a Europa Cup win against a euro giant in a final, that would be as sweet as we could hope for I think.
Though i’m not sure how stable we are. Volatile fans, unpredictable owner, a manager without a completely sparkling record. There is always trouble round the corner up here 🙂
Newkie(Quote)