For the first time in weeks I gave undivided attention to two sporting events on television although I went to bed in the early hours shortly after the second half commenced of the Superbowl between the San Francisco 49ers and the Baltimore Ravens.
Although I expected Newcastle United to lose against the European, former Premier League and F A Cup winning Champions, Chelsea I wanted to view how the new arrivals from France were performing after an excellent win, the first away win of the season against lowly Aston Villa last Tuesday evening, The commentators had noted the rally by the Villa in the second half and suggested that the Newcastle would find Chelsea a different proposition because of the defeat against Swansea in the FA Cup and the succession of recent 2.2 draws.
To mark the French invasion of new players into the squad the club shop had ordered 1000 berets and these had quickly sold out and the pub next to the ground the Strawberry was reported to have changed its letter board to the French equivalent. There has been these kind of marketing stunts before, some of which have taken off but given the dramatic loss of form this season compared to last and the selling of Demba Ba to Chelsea something was desperately needed to move the club out of the relegation zone.
Ba was replaced by Frenchman (1)Yuan Gouffran b 1986, with 69 goals to his credit, 12 this season to date and European playing experience. I thought his performance was very encouraging, Newcastle’s problem this season has been the comparative failure of Papiss Cisse from the French speaking player from Senegal who has still scored 7 time but missed a host of chances and whose all round play is also being questioned. They join the locally born Ameobi brothers and one other Englishman (Ranger)
The Newcastle midfield was already dominated by Frenchmen with one of the most creative players in the Premiership, capable of dazzling runs (2)Hassam Ben Arfa b1987 who scored a brilliant goal during one of my few visits to the ground last season, scoring 7 in total with 3 more this year (32 career total). His return eagerly is anticipated after two months of injury to which he appears prone. He has played 13 times for his national side. (3)Yohan Cabaye b 1986 can also score goals, often long range shots which delight the crowd and who also has played for his country 19 times. He has scored 42 goals in total with 4 for Newcastle this season.
(4)Gabrial Obertan b 1989 is more of a holding midfield player with 7 goals, 1 for Newcastle and is commanding a regular first team place, (5)Silvain Marveaux can also score goals 19 in total with 2 for Newcastle in his 23 appearances this season, joining the club last January, (6) Romain Amalfitano b 1989 has played 5 times for the club this season from Reims. I will write more about the other new signing from France bringing the total number of midfield Frenchmen to 6 alongside Dutchman Anita, Gutierrez- Argentinean, Tiote-Ivory Coast, Vukic-Slovinian and. Birgirimania- Burundian.
In the defence there is (8)Mapou Yanga -Mbiwa b 1989 from Montpelier club and who has played three time for his country this year. (9) Massadio Haidara by 1992 from Nancy club is only 20 and is yet to play for the first team (10) Mathieu Debuchy b 1985 from Lille club has played for France 13 times, (4 this year) and played 4 times for Newcastle. They join six Englishman including local man Stephen Taylor, one form Northern Ireland, the Argentinean Coloccini and the Italian Santon while regular first team goal keeper Krull is from Holland with Englishmen Harper and Elliot.
So with ten French outfield players in the squad it is no exaggeration to talk of a French invasion.
Gouffran, Cabaye, Debauchy lined up on Saturday afternoon with the new midfield man and immediate Tyneside legend Moussa Sissoko born 1989 from the Toulose Club where he scored only 23 goals in 200 appearances, Yanga M’biwa and Marveaux came on as substitutes,
Although I expected Newcastle United to lose against the European, former Premier League and F A Cup winning Champions, Chelsea I wanted to view how the new arrivals from France were performing after an excellent win, the first away win of the season against lowly Aston Villa last Tuesday evening, The commentators had noted the rally by the Villa in the second half and suggested that the Newcastle would find Chelsea a different proposition because of the defeat against Swansea in the FA Cup and the succession of recent 2.2 draws.
To mark the French invasion of new players into the squad the club shop had ordered 1000 berets and these had quickly sold out and the pub next to the ground the Strawberry was reported to have changed its letter board to the French equivalent. There has been these kind of marketing stunts before, some of which have taken off but given the dramatic loss of form this season compared to last and the selling of Demba Ba to Chelsea something was desperately needed to move the club out of the relegation zone.
Ba was replaced by Frenchman (1)Yuan Gouffran b 1986, with 69 goals to his credit, 12 this season to date and European playing experience. I thought his performance was very encouraging, Newcastle’s problem this season has been the comparative failure of Papiss Cisse from the French speaking player from Senegal who has still scored 7 time but missed a host of chances and whose all round play is also being questioned. They join the locally born Ameobi brothers and one other Englishman (Ranger)
The Newcastle midfield was already dominated by Frenchmen with one of the most creative players in the Premiership, capable of dazzling runs (2)Hassam Ben Arfa b1987 who scored a brilliant goal during one of my few visits to the ground last season, scoring 7 in total with 3 more this year (32 career total). His return eagerly is anticipated after two months of injury to which he appears prone. He has played 13 times for his national side. (3)Yohan Cabaye b 1986 can also score goals, often long range shots which delight the crowd and who also has played for his country 19 times. He has scored 42 goals in total with 4 for Newcastle this season.
(4)Gabrial Obertan b 1989 is more of a holding midfield player with 7 goals, 1 for Newcastle and is commanding a regular first team place, (5)Silvain Marveaux can also score goals 19 in total with 2 for Newcastle in his 23 appearances this season, joining the club last January, (6) Romain Amalfitano b 1989 has played 5 times for the club this season from Reims. I will write more about the other new signing from France bringing the total number of midfield Frenchmen to 6 alongside Dutchman Anita, Gutierrez- Argentinean, Tiote-Ivory Coast, Vukic-Slovinian and. Birgirimania- Burundian.
In the defence there is (8)Mapou Yanga -Mbiwa b 1989 from Montpelier club and who has played three time for his country this year. (9) Massadio Haidara by 1992 from Nancy club is only 20 and is yet to play for the first team (10) Mathieu Debuchy b 1985 from Lille club has played for France 13 times, (4 this year) and played 4 times for Newcastle. They join six Englishman including local man Stephen Taylor, one form Northern Ireland, the Argentinean Coloccini and the Italian Santon while regular first team goal keeper Krull is from Holland with Englishmen Harper and Elliot.
So with ten French outfield players in the squad it is no exaggeration to talk of a French invasion.
Gouffran, Cabaye, Debauchy lined up on Saturday afternoon with the new midfield man and immediate Tyneside legend Moussa Sissoko born 1989 from the Toulose Club where he scored only 23 goals in 200 appearances, Yanga M’biwa and Marveaux came on as substitutes,
No comments:
Post a Comment