Great news this morning as both Hatem Ben Arfa and Yohan Cabaye have made the French squad for the Euro 2012 Championships.
Ben Arfa in action for France against Iceland on Sunday
As expected French manager Laurent Blanc has included both Newcastle players in his final squad of 23, which he has just announced.
And Newcastle target Mapou Yanga-Mbiwa, the Montpellier captain and center-back, and Yoann Gourcuff, the midfield play-maker, were the two players cut from the provisional squad of 25.
There had been some question marks about Gourcuff’s fitness, and it seems that Blanc is not willing to take any risks with the Lyon play-maker. Mapou Yanga-Mbiwa has never been capped by France at the full International level.
This will be Ben Arfa’s first participation in a major tournament for France, and his courage, fortitude and spirit in the almost two years he’s been on Tyneside, is starting to pay off for him.
This will give the 25 year-old a huge boost, after his first season on Tyneside was decimated by a serious injury.
Both players had very good seasons for Newcastle, in what became a break-out season for the Magpies under manager Alan Pardew, who himself will be delighted his two charges have made Laurent Blanc’s squad.
To his credit Alan Pardew has been pushing this year for Ben Arfa to play again for France, and the lad now has 9 caps after playing well for France against Iceland on Sunday night, in their come-from-behind 3-2 win.
That was Ben Arfa’s first cap in two years, and Yohan Cabaye has 11 caps for France, and has been a regular starter for the side over the last year, in either the attacking or defending central midfield position.
Now all we need to do is sign Lille’s Mathieu Debuchy in the next couple of weeks, and then we’ll have three players in the French squad.
Comments welcome.
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36 responses so far ↓
1 Vask // May 29, 2012 at 11:11 AM
fog on the blog
2 cyprus // May 29, 2012 at 11:15 AM
Congrats French garyons.
In a strange way, good that Ba went off the boil towards the end or by now he would’ve been at Chelsea or Spurs. Now he just may sign an improved deal. Watch him come out all guns blazing next year, when he and Cisse will learn to play together and for each other, something neither did too much of last year.
3 Best9 // May 29, 2012 at 11:16 AM
geeeeed up, thats me to sports direct to get my france shirt
HBA or Cabaye on the back though…hmmmm
4 Dannyo // May 29, 2012 at 11:19 AM
Debuchy commented on his link up play with HBA, and was enjoying quite allot as they understood eachother well.
Oh AP, do go all out on Debuchy, he seems like such a player.
5 LGFUAD21 // May 29, 2012 at 11:23 AM
Congrats to the lad. Bet he’s thinking his career move to Newcastle was the best decision he’s made.
Right to drop Gourcuff.
6 Vask // May 29, 2012 at 11:23 AM
Anyone see that Panorama on Ukrainian and Polish football fans last night? That Ukraine looks like a nice holiday spot. Especially if you want to take in a match.
7 LGFUAD21 // May 29, 2012 at 11:24 AM
Also hopefully he gets to rack some time with Debuchy. And just loves it so much that he insists on joining us.
8 Vask // May 29, 2012 at 11:26 AM
Anyone think we should try and sneak Etienne Capoue in through the back door while the world is watching the Euros? He looks a reet beast.
9 jesperfuglsang // May 29, 2012 at 11:27 AM
Repost
Ibiza
True, and that is the hurtle I guess. But some factors can be measured, but the important thing is to not mess with the constant factors.
But when buying a defender – taking into account that we might only have £15 mil to spend – how do we decide whether to but M’biwa, Vertonghen, Douglas or Alderweireld. Who is most cost effective and who will get us 6 goals, 40 games and safeguard Krul the best?
Isn’t that the task a head?
Vask
That is what I was thinking. The problem is that it is easier to measure baseball since you have stats for everything in that sport and it’s more an individual game that football.
I still think there might be something to it.
The interesting part is, that the Boston Red Sox has won the World Series twice using sabermetrics and the owner of the Boston Red Sox are also the new owners of Liverpoool.
Maybe we will know soon than later whether sabermatrics can be applied to football.
10 brighter // May 29, 2012 at 11:28 AM
This great news is became my birthday present.
Good luck Yohan and Hatem!!
11 LGFUAD21 // May 29, 2012 at 11:29 AM
Vask
#UEFAFAIL
When will these bodies stop trying to gain nobel peace prizes and actually award a tournament to someone that deserves it. Like England.
And their reasons are that they apparently chance economies. For all of 4 bleeding years.
Wait for it. World cup 2026…Jointly hosted by Israel/Palestine
12 LGFUAD21 // May 29, 2012 at 11:36 AM
jesperfuglsang
american sports cant even compare to the market for football. It’s a far more level playing field over there.
would love to see some sort of sabermetrics applied though but i really cant see its use in football.
Would love to also have a draft system in place. College football!
13 Vask // May 29, 2012 at 11:37 AM
Aye LG I wouldn’t be suprised to see that.
It’s not as if it has been hidden from UEFA the bloke was saying that every match he went to there was open anti semite chanting and sieg heiling going on. Why would you award an international football tournament to a nation with such a hostile and xenophobic football crowd? Meks no sense.
14 LGFUAD21 // May 29, 2012 at 11:38 AM
Vask
It’ll be the same in Russia as well.
15 Ibizatoon - Back by popular demand // May 29, 2012 at 11:39 AM
Jesper…I saw the film on a flight to the states (and did sleep through some of it
), but weren’t they buying players who for one reason or another were undesirable? I.e, getting on a bit, had injuries etc? The defenders you mention above are relatively high profile, so not sure it would work the same. Either way, it certainly is an interesting idea and you’re right, with Fenway owning the bin-dippers, if it can work, I’m sure they’ll be looking at it. Not sure what calculations they used on Carrol, Downing or Henderson though, must have misplaced a zero or two and then multiplied rather than divide 
16 jesperfuglsang // May 29, 2012 at 11:42 AM
LGFUAD21
I am very much against the American system – the draft system favors the big teams and the smaller teams will just feed them
I like the European structure. The use of sabermatrics has nothing to do with that. I am merely asking whether or not it can be used to some extend
that’s all.
Football is in the same dilemma baseball was 10 years ago. And I think NUFC need to look at other ways to compete since we cannot increase our revenue.
The question I asked was, how do we decide whether to buy M’biwa, Vertonghen, Douglas or Alderweireld?Who is most cost effective and who will get us 6 goals, 40 games and safeguard Krul the best?
I think that is the question NUFC should ask them self this transfer window
17 Ibizatoon - Back by popular demand // May 29, 2012 at 11:45 AM
Jesper…You can’t beat the old trick of flipping a coin. Only decision then is who is heads and who is tails?
18 LGFUAD21 // May 29, 2012 at 11:47 AM
jesperfuglsang
Really? I dunno, i think in an imperfect world the seeding of the drafts go some way.
But then again as Pats proved in NFL (Hopefully) good scouting still reaps rewards.
Oh and in response to your question.
That is the magic one really. Imagine if Mr Carr had those answers.
19 LGFUAD21 // May 29, 2012 at 11:49 AM
Ibizatoon – Back by popular demand
A personal favourite of mine that method.
jesperfuglsang but if you want my highly subjective answer I will say M’Biwa in the lt purely because he is so young and should be easier to ‘break in’ and because of the versatility he offers.
If we are to have a smallish squad then you want that in there
20 jesperfuglsang // May 29, 2012 at 11:50 AM
Ibiza
I read this article earlier this year; thought you should read it and don’t fall a sleep mate
lol
http://socceranalysts.com/category/sabermetrics/
I don’t know if it can be applied or at least to some extend; just thought it was an interesting idea
In “Moneyball” it’s true the Oakland A’s GM Billy Bean did buy crooked players; but he bought those who was most cost effective and would, as he put it “get on base”
21 Ibizatoon - Back by popular demand // May 29, 2012 at 11:51 AM
So, Big Andy given the England No. 9 shirt. I hope for England’s sake he has a good tournament.
22 jesperfuglsang // May 29, 2012 at 11:55 AM
LGFUAD21
But that is the only question we should be asking ourselves
You say M’Biwa, not because he’ll get us 6 goals a season, 40 games or keep Krul safer
but because he’s young and versatile 
But does that make him cost effective? I am just throwing balls here
lol
I think it is fascination and I think there is something we could use here.
23 Ibizatoon - Back by popular demand // May 29, 2012 at 11:56 AM
Jesper…it was no reflection on the movie…just Brad is so dreamy
I get the concept (somewhat), just think there’s too many variables in football for is to be AS successful, not saying there wont be cases it would work
24 jesperfuglsang // May 29, 2012 at 11:58 AM
Ibiza
Hehe…enough with the bromance mate!
The forum was like steam-room yesterday…
25 jesperfuglsang // May 29, 2012 at 12:00 PM
Ibiza
You might be right…then again who knows
It is also a gamble every time Carr scouts a player.
26 LGFUAD21 // May 29, 2012 at 12:11 PM
jesperfuglsang
I did say subjective.
Sorry Im currently writing a paper on the subjective metrics and tools of marketing and whether or not they are still effective.
27 innoculator // May 29, 2012 at 12:23 PM
I reckon our current transfer policy isn’t a million miles away from ‘Moneyball’ style signings. Not calling them all crocks, but most with doubts over their heads.
HBA temperament problem, but with talent that no-one else would gamble on.
Ba with his knees.
Marveaux hamstring
Santon fall from favor at inter, again a gamble on a possibly temperamental player.
I could go on all day. The point is we are buying players other teams are reluctant to, although talent is evident, and therefore paying less. If that ain’t ‘moneyball’ I don’t know what is.
And Pards could give Brad a run for his money any day…
28 innoculator // May 29, 2012 at 12:25 PM
Oh and I’m not saying all of these signings have worked out (Marveaux and Obertan, both still have time). But as Pardew said a couple of weeks ago, if more than 50% of your gambles work out, you’re doing well.
29 jesperfuglsang // May 29, 2012 at 12:34 PM
LGFUAD21
Can we apply that to football mate
Anything would help mate
lol
30 jesperfuglsang // May 29, 2012 at 12:35 PM
innoculator
Hehe, you might be right their mate
31 pardews waxwork lips // May 29, 2012 at 12:52 PM
Jesper, ‘sabremetrics’ is used in football in ways of course a manager will check a players statistics, I.E defenders tackling clearences, interceptions and so on before signing.. And obviously a manager is also thinking with value in mind. The problem with football is there are so many people on the field creating so many differnt factors leaving it hard working out exactly what your going to get from one player. As stats are not always replicated as well at a different club. Pardew has already stated he wants a scoring defender. Any sport with tactics uses a system similar to sabremetrics regardless if it is a working or failing system.. Maybe it works better with baseball hence the actual naming of it but all it is, is doing your homework and studying stats and situations..
32 Ibizatoon - Back by popular demand // May 29, 2012 at 1:05 PM
Jesper…Ay, it did get pretty close and personal yesterday around here
Carr signings a gamble? Phh…please, the mans a genius
33 obatoyou // May 29, 2012 at 1:26 PM
So happy about this, Go Benny woo!
we all go for france heh
who you going for in france england
im still goin for england heh
go england woo, im working when the games on tho :S
34 jesperfuglsang // May 29, 2012 at 1:56 PM
pardews waxwork lips
I would say I don’t agree mate about sabermaterics really being used in football, but of course Managers look at what ever stats are available too them – and of course stats can be manipulated
There are not that much stats available in football to use compared to baseball and I don’t really think the signings we have made are down to sabermetrics…
Well maybe as innoculator posted; buying crooked players with value is some sort of sabermetrics, but there still have to be some stats behind it or else they are just cost effective.
I still think the question about which defender to buy in order to give a minimum of 6 goals, 40 games and keeping the ball out of our goal field is the real question to ask and within that lies the sabermetrics and the cost efficiency
It was just a figment of my the imagination, designed to start a debate
Just thought is was interesting that’s all.
35 obatoyou // May 29, 2012 at 4:59 PM
Hm, so the England team is picked, and I’m liking what I see.
\ Thought they might put some or one of Downing, Henderson, Parker, Milner (hate him cos he left heh)
\ in midfield, but thank Jesus and God, Young and Walcott are in there. Got some pace
\ Would have chosen Wellbeck over Carroll and would have had Sturridge in
\ the team too but Carroll might shine, he was good at Newcastle and isn’t
\ completely useless.
36 Brutooon // May 30, 2012 at 12:50 AM
will cabaye stick with the no 6 and HBA with the no 20 shirt?
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