Now I must make clear that this is only a rumour at this stage and the provider of this inside information is Foot Mercato. I took the time to have a look at their website but to be honest, it proved fruitless as my French speaking abilities really comes down to a few cuss words at best.
This rumour does seem to have some legs though. After playing in most of the pre-season games Mbiwa has been a noticeable absentee in the Premier League thus far and really doesn’t look like breaking into the starting eleven any time soon. Couple this with reports that we are interested in Micah Richards and Virgil Van Dijk and it seems that there really may not be any future for Mbiwa at Newcastle.
After signing from Montpellier in January 2013 for a reported £8.5m fee, Mbiwa came to Newcastle with a very good reputation and great deal of excitement was building amongst Newcastle Fans. During his first season he played 14 games (three as sub) and looked a little off the pace as he tried to adapt to the cut and thrust of the Premier League. I can’t speak for everyone but most fans were more than willing to give him some time to adapt and show what he was really capable of.
The 2013/14 season was his chance to show what he could bring to the team but unfortunately he struggled to keep a hold of a starting place in the first team. In the end he made 23 appearances (five as sub) and between some promising performances there were some terrible gaff’s that really seemed to set him back. His red card against Liverpool was the moment he lost the faith of Alan Pardew in my opinion. Even when we were leaking goals at the end of the past season, Pardew seemed reluctant to give the young Frenchman another chance and centre half. When given the opportunity to play it was left back and this could hardly be called his preferred position on the park.
So, what of Mbiwa. Is he a good player that has not been utilised properly and given the time to come to terms with the Premier League? Or is he simply out of his depth and Newcastle are wise to move him on so they can look at getting a new centre half signed before the transfer window shuts?
What are your thoughts?
Never looked the part, if be wasn’t French, and didn’t come with a reputation, he’d be slagged off like Willo is. Au revoir to the new Boumsong. Will probably come good back in the French League. We need a replacement, at least as first choice CB reserve, however.
GTE(Quote)
Looks a good defender on his day at CB but if woeful at full back. Playing out of position won’t of helped the lads confidence. I think handles right the lad could of been Colo’s replacement but it looks as though he has been Pardewed and moving back to France is the best thing for him to get back to his best.
Oblong(Quote)
Oblong, maybe Pardew is is not seeing anything from Mbiwa on the training track as well?? He really seems reluctant to give him a go..
Aussie Magpie Fan(Quote)
TBH I haven’t really seen anything from him to make me think he would be a top player for us.
Yeah I know he has been played out of position etc but that still doesnt stop a player doing the basics, and worse of all for a defender he shouldnt turn his back for fear of getting hit with the ball and I have seen him do it several times.
Yeah he might find a bit of form back in France but for me he isnt suited to us.
Big Dave(Quote)
The big problems with this situation is that he just hasn’t been given the opportunity to get use to the English game like Colo and Enrique did. they looked pretty wretched in their first season but we stuck by them and when they got up to speed they were good.
Also hasn’t helped him being played here, there and everywhere.
Crying shame in my opinion.
Stuart79(Quote)
Pards obviously doesn’t like the look of him. As Dave said he does look a bit soft and turns his back on play at times. Pards seems to favour strong defenders.
Colo isn’t strong but he doesn’t mind getting stuck in. Maybe it’s just that Yanga lacks grit?
Oblong(Quote)
True enough, Collo and Enrique only hit their straps after a good run in the championship.. They came out of that as better players, or better adapted to PL.. Collo in particular, looked well out of it early on…
Aussie Magpie Fan(Quote)
Good point Stuart.
Colo and Enrique were terrible in their first season. The season in the Championship was the best thing that ever happened for them
Oblong(Quote)
Spot on Dave – same in MF, where we’ve needed a bit moreniggle for a while, which Colback is providing, Pards wants tougher defensive players, and Mbiwa will never give him that.
GTE(Quote)
Yeah I agree with others points that he hasnt been giving a proper chance, but as I said turning his back because he’s not brave enough to take one for the team is what makes my mind up.
As GTE said about Colback, for me he is not a player that I would think of as being a special type of player but for me he has the guts to take a hit for the team.
Big Dave(Quote)
The lad was pardewed.
hitman(Quote)
He’s only left on loan though hasn’t he?!.
I actually think it’s a good move – if he plays regular football.
If his move to Marseille means we get Richards in then I think it could prove to me a good bit of business.
Sharpy17(Quote)
Sounding Like the old git I am, that’s the problem with footy in the Skysports age – real football teams are built on organisation and a bit of nastiness, whereas all the media attention and many fans’ attention goes on step-overs and mash dribbles. When Nolan and Barton left, we lost not only runni g beyond the forward and decent crosses, but also all of our in your face niggle. We definitely need, on top of that solidity, the pace and flair to win games in the PL, but right now, (and we can debate the reasons, Pardew or failed transfer policy) we are back to the stage of building solidity – Pardew seems to have wrestled more control over transfers, we’ve still barely replaced outgoings, so the odds are against him, unless we sign more than we expect before Monday, but at least I can believe that we will have the tenacity to hang on in games, even, maybe, come from behind once in a while. That’s why I shed no tears for Mbiwa.
GTE(Quote)
Xavi Alonso goes to Munich for £8.5m – bids for Tom Cleverley £9m 😆
Sharpy17(Quote)
I didn’t think he was that bad, the lad never really got much chance to impress . Colo and Enrique as has been pointed out, were both **** at the start but were afforded the luxury of time and came good. It’s also a shame he’s been often played out of position which is un fair imo.
kIMTOON(Quote)
Cleverly £9m is a joke
kIMTOON(Quote)
http://www.shieldsgazette.com/sport/football/newcastle-united/newcastle-united-boss-alan-pardew-accepts-icy-challenge-1-6811610
Cue Benny 😉
kIMTOON(Quote)
I think history will show £9m for Cleverly a bargain.
Stuart79(Quote)
There’s no doubting MYM’s talents – they’re just not PL talents. He’s simply not tough enough, mentally or physically. A real shame but he’ll find form again back in France.
Eight now I hope the rumour is true so we can get Richards or V.Dijk.
Whumpie(Quote)
£9 for Cleverly would be a bargain. £9.99 wouldn’t!
georgio(Quote)
Mapou has joined on LOAN, he is still OUR player.
Sharpy17(Quote)
Whumpie – They’re not PL talents yet. History shows given time and a chance he could well be. He was captain of a chamoionship winning side and a French international do I find it hard to see how he wouldn’t be better than Williamson or Taylor. French defenders in the PL do take time to settle but most of them come good.
Stuart79(Quote)
I disagree about Mbiwa not being tough enough. Many many times I’ve seen both Willo and Colo turn their backs on shots. Taylor doesn’t but that’s no way to judge a player. Mbiwa looked a fantastic dominant CB in France. The everton game turned it for me same as with Benny. Pardew took them both off at half time then benched them like naughty boys. Both Debuchy and Colo had nightmares in that first half.
Players need the confidence of their manager. A GOOD manager would have a confident Benny and Mapou playing well every week
georgio(Quote)
Sharpy, if Newcastle loves Mbiwa and we let him go and then he comes back, he is ours forever. If he doesn’t he was never really our to begin with! 😆
Aussie Magpie Fan(Quote)
Someone on twitter has just compared us with Norwich last year… Bossed many games but just couldn’t score. Hope that’s not us like…
Stuart79(Quote)
Aussie – he looked good in France, but at times looked like a rabbit in the headlights for us.
He’s not a RB, looked ok at LB and better at CB, but won’t play much ahead of Colo and Willo. But Colo and Willo are 30 something’s and are probably in line to be replaced soon.
Mapou isn’t going to improve in our reserves and he isn’t going to catch anyone’s eye there either.
If him going to Marseille means we get Richards, then that’s us strengthening IMO.
Sharpy17(Quote)
Stu – time will tell, but it’s still early days for me yet mate.
Sharpy17(Quote)
Agree Sharpy, would love Richards here. .
Aussie Magpie Fan(Quote)
Sharpy – Mbwia hasnt gone yet fella.
Talk we turned down Van Dijk. Let me tell you thats the wisest move going. My old mans a celtic fan and said he is often prone to lapses of concentration and can look ordinary in SPL.
Thats worrying when you consider the level is championship at best.
Id rather get Richards in a man who has the potential, is English and despite being injury prone could be a real bargain
Liam Southern Toon(Quote)
Richards for me too! However, you’ve got to ask – what have they been waiting for. 1 in 1 out is a ridiculous policy designed to strangle development.
We still need a decent striker too. Armstrong’s not ready and the rest? Jury’s out on them all even though they’re an upgrade on LDJ and Shola. Actually I’m not sure Riv is an upgrade on Shola. 😥
georgio(Quote)
so Remy has said again today that he does not want to come to SJP after toon bid again for him y/day,we should not show our selfs up like this.
i think its a pity hes leaving toon,never really had time to bed in like some others have imo,but if needs must and we get someone in fair enough
icedog(Quote)
Oh Georgio, that’s harsh, I loved Shola, but Riv has already shown more ball control, trap / lay-off ability, aggression and speed than Shola ever had – their finishing, so far, is on a par, I grant you 😥
GTE(Quote)
Richards at CB and we have our next England international 😛
Ice – what has Remy got to do to to make our lot realise that he simply isn’t interested in coming to NUFC – you’re right mate, we are embarrassing ourselves now like!.
Sharpy17(Quote)
I don’t know…Remy is, presumably, still holding out for a move to, say, Arsenal or Spurs, and doesn’t want to come to us. What if, come Sunday, Webeck’s at Spurs and Arsenal don’t bid – then it’s stay at QPR or us. I don’t really think it’ll happen, but I also don’t take any agent talk at face value.
Really need a good CB, however.
GTE(Quote)
He’s better than Taylor. For me that sums up the situation, we should be getting rid of the dross first. They are on similar wages too. Sadly I guess championship clubs can’t afford him, and he won’t want to move abroad, so I guess Mbiwa is the only one to go.
Can’t help but think we should have given Colo the chop when he started his bitching and got another first choice in at that point. Gigantic wages, a hugely unconvincing captain and wants away. If we’d forced Mbiwa to adjust maybe he’d have come good playing with someone other than Colo. Ah well.
Newkie(Quote)
Agreed Newkie, he is better than Taylor. I personally believe Taylor is **** at defending but no other club in the league would be stupid enough to buy him. Instead of keeping or second best defender, we are selling in the hope of finding someone better. It doesn’t make sense, however the loan route does in a way. Pardew doesn’t know his **** from his elbow.
stem(Quote)
Colocini will be gone at the end of this season. What will we see Taylor and Williamson 😐 We are doomed.
stem(Quote)
Saylor certainly has the best bantam rooster strut of any defender in the league! The guy is his own biggest fan! 😉
Aussie Magpie Fan(Quote)
Tomorrow is just about a must win game. We need 10 wins and 9 draws to reach the magical 40 point mark. Crystal Palace at home has to a targeted 3 points. I think it will be very difficult now they have a leader and Palace have only lost to last minute goal against one of the top four sides and West Ham scored two worldies against them last week. With our defensive strategy can’t see it being a goal feast. (Note everybody now rushing to the bookies to bet on 3 or more goals)
Goaless and lack of incidents in the first half may see the strawberry corner shouting for Ben Arfa
Toby le Rhone(Quote)
Bit harsh comparing him to Boumsong. At least he wasn’t signed and thrust straight in there to make **** up after **** up. He was given time to adjust to the league but he hasn’t really done that. Appears to be the first significant mistake in terms of signings since the Xisco kid days.
No big deal. As long as we’ve got a replacement lined up. Would be great if it’s a real first team centre back but even a promising youngster would be ok for our 3rd/4th choice. Not going to be happy if we have Saylor as 3rd choice and Streete as 4th choice though…
ToonDarnSarf(Quote)
Isn’t Richards a right sided centre back or right back? I’d be happy to sign him but I’d have thought he would compete with Willo (and Saylor?) for that role. MYM leaving might indicate that we’re looking at a left-sided centre back as cover for Colo? Unless Pardew feels that Willo, Saylor or Richards (?) can comfortably play that side too.
ToonDarnSarf(Quote)
http://youtu.be/ZLs_SXTEmjs
Pardew And Colback Accept Ice Bucket Challenge
Ryan Taylor Become the reporter for NUFCTV? 😯
AngelOfDeath(Quote)
TDS I don’t agree totally with you. Remember that 2-0 win against Chelsea and that 1-0 win against spurs. MYM then gets dropped shortly afterwards but he deserved a run of games after that.
stem(Quote)
STEM
I don’t agree with the concept that players deserve a run of games. The manager has to select the best 11 to win each game. Pardew made it clear that Colo and MYM are competing for the left-sided centre half role. If MYM hasn’t demonstrated in matches and training that he’s better than Colo then he shouldn’t play unless Colo is injured/suspended or it’s a suitable game to rotate.
He obviously hasn’t shown enough in training or they would have kept him. Have we let any players go recently and then been proven that we should have kept them?
ToonDarnSarf(Quote)
Why would Remy want to join NUFC on loan? It’s absolute folly! How amateur can we get?
Stuart79(Quote)
Why wouldn’t Remy want to join NUFC on loan? He’ll probably be in a relegation battle at QPR or he can be in a top 10 team with ambitions to try and push into the top 7. With him, we might have a chance of pushing Everton and Spurs…
But he’s probably still holding out for the likes of Arsenal to make a late bid…
ToonDarnSarf(Quote)
MYM – i think it’s a crying shame. Sure the lad could have come good if he had been given the time like Colo and Enrique were given to settle. How many people would have sold them at a moment’s notice because they looked poor in their first year and it took a long time to adapt. At times MYM has looked class and at others has been very poor. Being dropped on several occassions after playing well (especially to allow a want away Colo to slot straight back in) made to play in a variety of positions, being frozen out etc I’m sure the lad is well p*ssed off. Yet another potentially good player stagnating. The thought that captain bloody fist pumps would take his place is gut wrenching. It’s clear our manager wants a certain type of defender and MYM doesnt fit the bill, a player who likes to play the ball out. Can’t believe we are happy for a french international with good potential to slip through our fingers as he doesn’t quite meet Pardew’s standard – pretty laughable.
Geordie Deb(Quote)
Geordie Deb
I don’t get it…what would you rather we do? Play an inferior player in games in the hope that he’ll get better? How do you justify that to the dropped player? Best option might have been to loan him to a PL team towards the bottom of the table. If those PL clubs rated him, you can’t tell me that they wouldn’t have made an offer rather than him going back to France…
ToonDarnSarf(Quote)
Deb – Pardew standard. Love it!
TDS – “a top 10 team with ambitions to try and push into the top 7” You sure about that?
georgio(Quote)
GEORGIO
Actually, yes I am. For me it’s clear, just that the timescales aren’t quite what a lot of fans want them to be. And the communication has been so poor over recent years that whatever the club says, they get questioned.
I keep meaning to put this article together on how I interpret Ashley’s plans for the club. Suffice to say it isn’t overly exciting or thrilling and I think we’ll only have an outside chance of CL football in the short term but I think the right things are done to have the foundation of a club that can push on. Before, we’ve tried to push on without that foundation and when we’ve failed, we haven’t really had much to fall back on.
ToonDarnSarf(Quote)
TDS are you Alan Pardew?? You always seem to be overly positive about the club.
What did with do with Colo and Enrique we stuck it out with them and they played and found their feet. We didn’t do that with MYM so we won’t know how it would have turned out. I ahve been one of Colo’s biggest supporters but he was slotted staright back into the team last season after wanting away and went on to play very poorly over several games. It seems there is one rule if youre favoured by Pardew ‘the undroppables’ and another rule for the rest. We don’t deserve MYM. He won’t achieve anything under this manager and I wish him well and hope he achieves his potential elsewhere.
Geordie Deb(Quote)
TDS – you comment about playing an inferior player and justifying it to the dropped player – Pardew has done it often enough with Benny – how does he justify that?
Geordie Deb(Quote)
I don’t get the Mbiwa love, nor, in this instance, the Pardew bashing. From what I’ve seen, I wouldn’t pick Mbiwa over Colo or Willo. There may be a bit of this which is about the Pardew vs Carr battle, but sometimes players kist don’t work out – Cissokho who played well for Villa last week flopped at the Bindippers, does that make Rodgers a rubbish manager?
GTE(Quote)
Geordie Deb- surely you mean that Benny, an inferior player in terms of impact on the game, got too many games at the expense of others? Sorry, Benny has exceptional skills but lacks either a brain or any sense of team play. Was the case at his previous clubs, and is the case with us.
GTE(Quote)
Geordie Deb
I’m positive about the club because it’s my club! Actually, I think I’m more realistic really. When we made all these signings this summer, there were some who thought we would continue to sign players and we’d be challenging the top 4. I never thought the signings or the squad were really good enough for that.
Colo and Enrique were signed as first choice players in those positions so they played. MYM was not. He was signed as a highly promising youngster who would learn the league, provide backup in the meantime and then hopefully earn a first team spot. You don’t play an inferior player in a position just to help them learn.
Colo was deemed the superior player in that position, and I agree with that assessment. He’s also the captain. You talk about playing, but how was Colo supposed to get back to his best form if he didn’t play?
No undroppables…but every manager has an idea of his best 11. Cisse was dropped plenty last season, as was Santon. Cabaye wasn’t played until he got his head straight either and I think Tiote and Goofy were both dropped for times too.
ToonDarnSarf(Quote)
TDS – it’s not the communication over the last two years mate. It’s the football! Have you looked at our results this year. Suggest top 10 pushing for 7th do they?
georgio(Quote)
Geordie Deb
You’re judging HBA purely on his technical ability? It’s a team game and every player needs to fit into the team and perform his role. HBA clearly doesn’t. If a player is assigned a role and doesn’t perform it, how do his teammates feel about that?
I don’t get the obsession with this guy. He’s had the same problem at every club he’s been with and it’s not as if big clubs are banging the door down to take him off our hands and turn him into this world class player is it? You’re telling me that we wouldn’t accept £5M for him right now? Not even QPR or West Ham have been linked…
ToonDarnSarf(Quote)
GEORGIO
If a league lasted 2 games then I’d have to agree with you. But we have 36 more games to go mate…
A few of our players are still bedding in and we were fairly solid in both games. Just need a bit more understanding between our players and then to show some cutting edge in front of goal.
We’re a top 10 club and I’m sure the players and manager want to challenge the top 7.
ToonDarnSarf(Quote)
I disagree with TDS about Mbiwa but to say he is Alan Pardew, just because he has a positive outlook on the club is totally ridiculous. There are plenty of fans that share that outlook.
Players written of after 2 games is totally mental and in Ferreyra’s case, he hasn’t even played yet.
Santii(Quote)
TDS, well someone fancies benny
http://www.turkish-football.com/news_read.php?id=6442
And Demba Ba has recommended him to them too.
kIMTOON(Quote)
SANTII
Beauty of fans…we’re all allowed to have different opinions on players. Well that’s the beauty of football isn’t it? If everyone had the same opinion on players and incidents, then there wouldn’t be much to talk about…
I know plenty of people would like to see MYM given more of a chance but I’ve just never been convinced by him when he has played. And I can’t see the point in playing a player who isn’t deemed the best in that position. I also can’t see why the club would let him go if they believed he could make it. And as I said, surely if he was capable of making it in the PL then the likes of Leicester or QPR would be up for signing him? I can’t imagine they would rather send him on loan to Marseille rather than Leicester, QPR, Burnley etc.
ToonDarnSarf(Quote)
Sorry Deb, but I’m going to agree with TDS on this one. Giving game time to a poorly performing player – especially a CB – is a huge luxury. The manager has to make his decisions based on performance in training and analysis of opposition.
As someone has pointed out, he already pushed his luck with Benny, continuing to play him – mostly off the bench – despite a long run of awful and costly performances. Skilled and pretty to watch is one thing; helping to win games and avoiding losing them is quite another. Benny – like it or not – was a bloody liability more than he was an asset. I’d rather have seen Sammy given his slot; at least he would have worked hard to keep it.
The difference with MYM is that I suspect his attitude is actually very good. Also, it’s definitely true that he’s been played out of position… but not always, and he’s been shocking at times in his preferred role. At his age and after a season and a half in the PL if he’s still not showing enough in training to unseat Willo or Collo then the manager has to start looking elsewhere. It’s sad, but we’d all be the first to jump on Pardew’s back if we lost 3 on the trot because we leaked goals through the middle of our defence.
Get him out to somewhere where his talents are suited, and get Richards in. Please!
Whumpie(Quote)
KIM
Hardly a ringing endorsement when he’s further down the list than Ruiz from Fulham…
If he goes to Besiktas then that tells me that no big club in a major league wants to take a gamble on him. Not even for £5M.
ToonDarnSarf(Quote)
Remy can’t make it any more clear he does not want to play for u again – that’s his choice and if he ends up staying at QPR, then that’s his look out. I’m not annoyed with him, I’m annoyed with the board wasting time going after a player who has no interest in playing for us. It’s one thing persevering with a deal if a player wants the money but the club doesn’t want to sell – you can eventually meet somewhere in the middle. But when the player himself doesn’t want to come, it’s time to move on.
The issue is, move on to who?!
Sharpy17(Quote)
TDS, but someone does fancy him, admit you were wrong if you can 😉
kIMTOON(Quote)
Remy wants to move to a club that gives him the best profile for the highest wages. He’d be an idiot to close the door on us completely and I don’t believe he has. The question for him is, if he doesn’t get a move to a CL club, which team (QPR or NUFC) gives him the best profile to get a move to a CL club next summer or the summer after?
I reckon he’ll stay at QPR because he can still score PL goals for that club and if he leaves in Jan or next summer, then that’s no problem. We wouldn’t let him leave so soon, and certainly not cheaply.
ToonDarnSarf(Quote)
Remy can do one, I’m am sick of hearing us linked to him ,he ain’t THAT special or as TDS would say top clubs would be after him. Even Pool had to resort to the old failed medical trick when changing their minds.
kIMTOON(Quote)
KIM
Hey, someone fancies everyone…but they’re not always pretty… 🙂
ToonDarnSarf(Quote)
I’d love to see Benny go to somewhere like Besiktas, where we don’t have to play against him and he’s someone else’s problem.
I’d also love to see him grow a team spirit, buy a pair of salad tongs, stop being a sulky gallic ****, respect his team-mates, put some work in and earn a spot in the side – but I suspect that won’t happen. So we need his space on the squad list and payroll, thanks.
Just flog him to one of those top teams who have been bidding so fiercely all summer.
Oh, wait… 🙄
Whumpie(Quote)
Sharpy @64 – you’ve kind of hit the main point with Remy there. Yes, he’d obviously be here for reasons we don’t like. But unless there’s a viable alternative, it may be him or nobody.
I think you can argue that the nobody option is preferable, but to just swipe away one option and expect the club to magic up another just doesn’t seem like a real argument to me. Unless you’d prefer to stick with what we’ve got up front?
Whumpie(Quote)
Great posts by Whumpie and TDS regarding Ben Arfa. Total waster. He has been touted as a world beater and hasn’t lived up to a fraction of is potential.
Santii(Quote)
TDS, Besiktas are currently 140 in the world club rankings we are 203 and Scum are 156 so I don’t think us Toon fans are in a position to look down on Besiktas in any way tbh, oh and they have never been relegated either.
kIMTOON(Quote)
I remember reading somewhere that on the 9 occassions last season he was played in his normal CB position we lost only twice conceeding less than normal – sure someone will be able to dig out the stats.. Willo and MYM played pretty well together at times, by contrast when Colo came back he played very poorly by his standards. We had a very promising young player who was one of the youngest captain’s of a ligue 1 winning CL team, who had been extensively scouted by us and was deemed to have the correct mix of abilities and temperament. He was signed as a replacement for Colo I believe. He can only perform and improve if he gets consistent games in his rightful position, not chopped, changed and dropped. Whether he would have come good who knows, but the fact is we will never know because he hasn’t been given the chance imo.
Geordie Deb(Quote)
Santii, things never seem to work out for Toon , In Benny we have a very talented guy with issues who loves the fans and the club if not the manager . A lot of fans love him others don’t ,the marmite thing. Then there is Loic who doesn’t want to be anywhere near here unless he’s got no choice I suspect, yet the manager is chasing him around like a bit of skirt and a section of fans love him ,go figure.
kIMTOON(Quote)
G Deb ,agree, he did well and was dropped the second our want away captain was back.
kIMTOON(Quote)