Good news today that Cheick Tioté will be back either tomorrow or Wednesday, from his prolonged stay in Accra, Ghana to get his visa renewed.
Cheick Tiote – partnering Cabaye in midfield
And of course he will then be in contention for Saturday’s first Premier League game against Arsenal at St. James’ Park, and Newcastle fans could get the chance to see the new central midfield of Tiote and Cabaye.
Yohan Cabaye has looked impressive during the pre-season games, and he was just great against Fiorentina on Saturday, as he played the defensive midfield role in Tiote’s absence, with Haris Vuckic partnering him in midfield.
And of course the 18 year old Slovenian, Vuckic, has also looked a very good player in pre-season, and this could be the season when Haris makes the big breakthrough into the Newcastle first team.
Newcastle fans will be thinking the club has made another top drawer deal in getting Cabaye to Newcastle for only €5M, and this is what Alan Pardew said about the French International today:
“He is central to my vision of how I want to play. Last season I don’t think we had control of games, especially at home.”
“He will give us that. His passing and his grasp of the ball will be significant for us. So far he is looking good. He was the outstanding player on the pitch for me on Saturday.”
“He was playing against four top Italian internationals and he may play for France this week, so it shows we have a very good player on our hands.”
Cabaye and Tiote could form a stellar central midfield for Newcastle this season, and we should get our first chance to see the two lads in action together in a competitive game, on Saturday evening.
And Newcastle could well have Tim Krul starting in goal for the Dutch against England at Wembley on Wednesday evening, and Yohan Cabaye playing for France too.
First things first – let’s hope they don’t get injured!
Comments welcome.
186 comments so far
shearerno9
Aug 8, 2011 at 10:12 AM
Comment #1cm and gk are the only two positives at the club right now, plenty of cover and pretty good players.
Id include CB if we had maybe one more quality player as cover
phoonck
Aug 8, 2011 at 10:13 AM
Comment #2finally! was worried about wanting out of newcastle after all the mess in recent weeks! thank god he’s returning!
blissna
Aug 8, 2011 at 10:18 AM
Comment #3I don’t know if I dare say it, but Tiote seems pretty loyal.
Stuart
Aug 8, 2011 at 10:18 AM
Comment #4‘Initial reports from the Metropolitan police of a hoard of people bouncing up and down arm in arm with Newcastle scarves around their faces chanting ‘We want Ashley out’ before ransacking a London Branch of Sports Direct are unconfirmed at this stage.’
Someone just posted this on facebook. I hope its not true like. Doesnt exactly send out the best message to potential buyers lol.
toonboyjake
Aug 8, 2011 at 10:21 AM
Comment #5Stuart I think thats been said very tongue in cheek after the past 2 days of riots here
roshan MAGPIE
Aug 8, 2011 at 10:24 AM
Comment #6these guys are the best NUFC mid fielders we ever had
Stuart
Aug 8, 2011 at 10:24 AM
Comment #7Haha fair one toonboyjake. Don’t really know the crack, just know that wouldnt go down well if it was true lol.
cyprus
Aug 8, 2011 at 10:25 AM
Comment #8The bullies on this blog won’t like this article but it seems fair, providing both sides of the argument.
http://soccernet.espn.go.com/feature/_/id/939809/quiet-ashley-deserves-credit?cc=5739
DerkaSayWhat
Aug 8, 2011 at 10:30 AM
Comment #9Ashley saved Barton career,A bit of respect should be shown toward him…
xfer
Aug 8, 2011 at 10:31 AM
Comment #10Looking forward to the partnership. Will be immense. Its great to see how Cabaye can hold the midfield and yet a good attacking midfielder.
mushy
Aug 8, 2011 at 10:34 AM
Comment #11@Klatoon “…how was Nolan testerday?…”
Good question. I watched him with particular interest, and in my opinion he was OK.
On the plus side, he drifted unoticed into some very dangerous positions. His distribution was unambitious but reliable.
On the other side, work rate very poor (maybe not 100% fit yet). Generally fairly ananomous. Had a good half-chance to win the match but missed his header.
In summary, would I pay £4.5 mill for 29 year old Nolan and put him on a 5 year, £55k per week contract. Absolutely NOT. Would any Premiership manager, I don’t think so.
In fact, hands-up who would.
s_mav
Aug 8, 2011 at 10:34 AM
Comment #12Yeah, we’ve got a decent midfield, but it’s just a shame we don’t have anyone who’ll score goals. We’ve received £42million for Carroll, Nolan and Routledge. Is it so ridiculous to expect the club to go out and spend decent money on a decent striker? I’m not saying the club should go and spend £50million on one player but a little respect for the fans and investment in the team from the NUFC ownership would go a long way. Is it any wonder the likes of Enrique, Barton and apparently Simpson want to leave.
Eastander
Aug 8, 2011 at 10:35 AM
Comment #13Nasri apparently agreed 185k a week deal with city… why didnt we offer him that and we could have had him! ffs ashley out!
Sorry just thought i would join the whingers for a minute… was quite fun actually!
nufc_mad
Aug 8, 2011 at 10:35 AM
Comment #14don’t know what the rest of you think but, even though we haven’t exactly had the greatest of luck lately, I’m excited to see what these new boys can do, I think us geordies will be pleasantly surprised.
barryvenison
Aug 8, 2011 at 10:36 AM
Comment #15See we’ve been linked with Grant Holt. Norwich’s striker for 3.5 mill. Think he has 1 year left on his contract but he’s 30. He’s scored 45 goals in 84 appearances for the Canaries though they were in League 1 and the Championship. Seems we really are running out of affordable options if this rumor is true.
JackButler
Aug 8, 2011 at 10:37 AM
Comment #16If Obertan signs today our midfield is going to be very strong, we just need a striker and left back in
Stuart
Aug 8, 2011 at 10:37 AM
Comment #17s-mav – We’ll get a striker in before the window closes, no doubt about it.
Granted it would’ve been much better if it was sorted straight away but we will definately have another striker before the window closes.
Plus we have Ba and Best. If we’d had to pay a fee for Ba I reckon he wouldve cost around £10m. Signed for West Ham for £7m in Jan, then got 7 in 12 or something. Good business.
Stuart
Aug 8, 2011 at 10:39 AM
Comment #18Cant see that being true barry like. Surely if hes even on the list he’ll be at the very bottom.
Magpietillidie22
Aug 8, 2011 at 10:40 AM
Comment #19@16 Jack Butler
Agreed.
I mean Ba, if he replicates his statistical goal scoring record before joining should start banging in the goals but we also need another striker. If we sign Crouch I would be smiling ear to ear.
So underrated. Scores goals for fun when in the side, comfortable on the ball and of course he’ll bring Abi Clancy up to Newcastle… 😉
mushy
Aug 8, 2011 at 10:40 AM
Comment #20Please not 30 year old Grant Holt.
He’s perfectly Ok as a second division target man, but thats not the style we’re supposed to be aiming for surely we can do better.
JackButler
Aug 8, 2011 at 10:42 AM
Comment #21We need a striker with pace, something that none of our current strikers have
Magpietillidie22
Aug 8, 2011 at 10:43 AM
Comment #22As for our midfield, honestly I think is is infinitely stronger than last year.
Marveaux/Obertan/Abeid…. Cabaye/Gosling/Vuckic…. Tiote/Barton/Guthrie….Ben Arfa/Fergie/Jonas
Well covered across the board and then theres Smith too
Magpietillidie22
Aug 8, 2011 at 10:45 AM
Comment #23NUFC wont be signing Grant Holt lmao come on now…
Other fans dont believe me when I say it but the media HATES nufc lol…. I swear they love dragging our name through the mud, exaggerating every situation all in hoping the passionate fans kick off and give them more news to use
toonfan09
Aug 8, 2011 at 10:46 AM
Comment #24hope we arent going after pavlyuchenko like some people are saying we need pace up front not power
Cardboy
Aug 8, 2011 at 10:48 AM
Comment #25@11 … watched the game yesterday with interest. Nolan workrate looked less desire than evident at NUFC, however still got into goal poaching positions and was unlucky not to grab them the winner. Good luck to him. He will definitely net them a few goals over the season.
Magpietillidie22
Aug 8, 2011 at 10:48 AM
Comment #26toonfan09
Pav and power? And you seen him play? He is tricky on the ball, creative and has buckets more technical ability than any of our strikers. Plus he knows where the goal is, id take him in an instant
big sid
Aug 8, 2011 at 10:49 AM
Comment #27obertan reminds me of gillespie but must be ok player for mau u to sign him in first place think he needs regular games
why doesnt pardew just get it over and done with and sign carlton cole as we know its going to happen isnt that bad i suppose
on nolan
In summary, would I pay £4.5 mill for 29 year old Nolan and put him on a 5 year, £55k per week contract. Absolutely NOT. Would any Premiership manager, I don’t think so.
but nufc didnt have to pay 4.5mil as he was already here so the question is would you have kept him for 55k a week and the answer i would say is yes only 9 players scored more prem goals last season then nolan not bad for a midfielder
WWJBD
Aug 8, 2011 at 10:51 AM
Comment #28Pav is too old and expensive plus will be on high wages he won’t be coming
If we want old expensive and on high wages we would be after the Berb
toonfan09
Aug 8, 2011 at 10:51 AM
Comment #29mapietilldie
yea ive seen him play few times and before h went to spurs he is powerful…yes he has technical ability but we need a pacey striker…he has only scored 20 goals in summiy like 78 games in the premier league
BiffBaffBoff
Aug 8, 2011 at 10:52 AM
Comment #30Tiote and Cabaye together will be immense once they’ve played some games together I reckon. Those 2 sitting behind an AM (Ben Arfa/Vuckic) will be a joy to watch!
Whats this? A positive post for once! 😛
mushy
Aug 8, 2011 at 10:53 AM
Comment #31But Sid, we got £4.5 mill for him. So to have him back you’ve got to post that as a debit on the books. (the curse of being an accountant)
JackButler
Aug 8, 2011 at 10:53 AM
Comment #32When is Tiote coming back? anyone know?
toonfan76
Aug 8, 2011 at 10:53 AM
Comment #33Are we not still monitoring the situation with Shane Long, Think he could make the step up to the Prem. We need a Striker! Top priority!
NUFC_Richyg01
Aug 8, 2011 at 10:54 AM
Comment #34The two lads from PSV would see us well on our way:
Pieters & Toivonen
Stuart
Aug 8, 2011 at 10:54 AM
Comment #35supposed to be tomorrow or wednesday Jack.
Brutooon
Aug 8, 2011 at 10:54 AM
Comment #36Last season problem with Tiote-Nolan is that Nolan is not the kind of midfield who distribute the ball, he seldom got the ball but he always get the end of crosses and freekicks because he purpose is to run from midfield
Cabaye is xavi kind of player, always got the ball and will be a good young better replacement for nolan
NUFC_Richyg01
Aug 8, 2011 at 10:55 AM
Comment #37@32
Start of article reads Tomorrow or Wednesday mate
Felipe
Aug 8, 2011 at 10:55 AM
Comment #38@big sid: And who would you leave out of our midfield to accommodate Nolan? Cabaye, Tiote, Gosling, Ben Arfa? We can’t play em all and a soon to be 30 year old sitting on the bench getting £55k per week just doesn’t stack up. Ask Alan Smith…!
Stuart
Aug 8, 2011 at 10:55 AM
Comment #39@toonfan – Apparently we’ve made a £6m bid and left the ball in Readings court like. They want more, we won’t go higher so both clubs are playing the waiting game. Might still sign for us in late August.
Magpietillidie22
Aug 8, 2011 at 10:55 AM
Comment #40@29 toonfan09
Because he got pushed out for defoe and crouch… Pav and Kranjcar both are brilliantly gifted players but HR pushed em to the bench and whenever they got on the field they scored or played well.
Yeah id like a pacey forward too really but if we got someone like pav or crouch id be far from upset, in fact id be excited