France play Spain tonight in Madrid in a World Cup qualifying game, and Spain’s manager Vicente del Bosque has paid Newcastle’s Yohan Cabaye the ultimate compliment. We always knew Cabaye had become a much better player since he arrived on Tyneside but the Spanish manager thinks he’s France’s best player now.
Yohan Cabaye – France’s best player and like Xavi
The Spanish manager Vicente del Bosque has come out and said he thinks Newcastle’s Yohan Cabaye is not only France’s best player, but he even compares him favorably to the great Xavi.
Del Bosque was giving a press conference yesterday before Spain take on France tonight, in a World Cup qualifier and that should be some game to watch.
Here’s what the Spanish manager said:
“He’s definitely France’s most talented player in midfield. He dictates play. He’s a bit like Xavi.”
Cabaye suffered a stomach injury in training last week and he did not make the friendly game against Japan, which France lost 1-0, but he is expected to start tonight game in central midfield for France, and it will be interesting to see how he does against the best International side in the world over the last several years.
At the same time England will be in Poland, and that should be a tough game, but one that England should be able to get something out of.
What do you think?
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18 comments so far
Dannyo
Oct 16, 2012 at 9:06 AM
Comment #1Our and Frances Maestro 🙂
bills-son
Oct 16, 2012 at 9:10 AM
Comment #2Cabaye needs to dictate the play in more games for us, starting at 5under1and.
Rotonda heights
Oct 16, 2012 at 9:10 AM
Comment #3It’s so sad we ditched the 433 to accommodate Ba back in the centre. I don’t really blame Ba as he is essentially a fantastic central striker who comes up with the goods time and again in that position.
However, Ba was capable of playing out wide left in a 433 and even if not scoring he still had something to offer in that position which Cisse simply does not.
Pardew just has to see sooner rather than later that Ba and Cisse in a 442 just will never work and we will always struggle in that formation.
In a 433 / 4231 we counter at speed and go through Cabaye and Benny. In a 442 Cabaye sits way too deep.
Jonas could drop to left back and Fergie could play ahead of him.
Krul
Santon Colo Saylor Jonas
Tiote Anita
Cabaye
Benny Ba Fergie
jesperfuglsang
Oct 16, 2012 at 9:17 AM
Comment #4Repost from this morning 😉
I was just having a look at Ameobi’s Sunderland statistics since a lot of you like to call him the ‘Mackem Slayer’ 🙂
…he has scored 7 league goals against them and the period between season 2008-2010 being his most prolific! He didn’t score against Sunderland in the league in 2011, but he did score against them back in Marts.
What I cannot find is whether these goals comes late or early in the games (should he start or should he come on as an impact sub).
For me though it is of greater importance that we win the midfield and play with three in the middle of the park. For me the question is who should start on top and not which ones should start together 🙂
What do you guys think?
Dannyo
Oct 16, 2012 at 9:17 AM
Comment #5I dont think we should discount Marveux so quickly ahead of Fergy.
Marveux needs game imo. He’s done well being subbed on, he’s shown allot of skill, he just need to up his form.
Like everyone else really… Or close to.
jesperfuglsang
Oct 16, 2012 at 9:23 AM
Comment #6Rotonda…it is not that Ba and Cisse don’t work together; before we signed Cisse our 4-4-2 didn’t exactly look promising 🙂
…Pardew chose to buy continental players that would fit into a more modern style of play and preferably some kind of 4-3-3 – what changed I don’t know!
I agree Ba out on the left as an inside forward looked quite promising last season. Pardew can always switch it around.
If we don’t start picking up points (to be honest as this point I don’t think Pardew cares how it looks) something gotta give.
Still I would like to see a 4-3-3 with Tiote behind Cabaye and Anita and with Fergy on the left attack, Benny on the right and Ba upfront.
Rotonda heights
Oct 16, 2012 at 9:25 AM
Comment #7dannyo
You’re right Fergie or marveux could play there.
Similarly Anita or Bigi in the middle.
sirtoongospel
Oct 16, 2012 at 9:27 AM
Comment #8I wouldnt want to see Anita play in midfield in this game. Rather have Bigi who already looks battle hardened.
Playing in the championship sees to that. But this game is different, like a force of nature!!! We need to be ready. I would like to see us play Shola to be honest if Pards insists on 4-4-2.
I agree with everyone on here that 4-2-3-1 or 4-3-3 sees us play far better. Cabaye gets forward and we show what we are capable of. 4-4-2 sees the midfield drop deep, forwards are isolated and HBA cant get on the front foot.
Anyway, Ed, for this week of all weeks, surely Ryan Taylor should be on the banner? For me he should be there permanently anyway.
Roll on Sunday. 2-0 Newcastle
Rotonda heights
Oct 16, 2012 at 9:28 AM
Comment #9Jespe
I think pardee is caugh between playinghis best players an the best formation, ie Ba or Cisse.
Ba will not go back out wide again in a 433, so it has to be one or the other for me.
sirtoongospel
Oct 16, 2012 at 9:33 AM
Comment #10My choice of team is
——————-Krul——————-
Simpson Taylor Colo Santon
Cabaye Cheick Jonas
HBA
Cisse Ba
For Sunday more than happy to see big Shola on the pitch at any time. No doubt in my mind though that if we gave HBA a free role just off the front two, Cabaye would find him and he would torture teams, especially 5under1and. The front two would thrive and full backs could get involved also.
Just an opinion though. 🙂
jesperfuglsang
Oct 16, 2012 at 9:36 AM
Comment #11Rotonda…maybe so 🙂
…but as I have saud before, Pardew need to be brave enough to ‘kill his darling’. If not for NUFC then at least for himself.
I am pretty sure he’ll go 4-4-2 against ‘the unwashed’ and I am pretty sure Martin O’Neill knows that as well 😉
By the way, I would never put Bigi next to Tiote if I wanted anything going forward (previous games should show that by now)
Transfer Sage
Oct 16, 2012 at 9:37 AM
Comment #12Rotonda
Spot on with the formation.
The only time 442 is effective for us is when shola plays as a central striker. He can hold up play well for the other forward and it does work.
Although we play our best in a 433 which served us well towards the end of last season and has been abandoned. Which is disappointing.
As you say, Ba has every right to want to play in his favoured position. It’s up to the manager to do what’s best for the team.
jesperfuglsang
Oct 16, 2012 at 9:37 AM
Comment #13*saud = said
jesperfuglsang
Oct 16, 2012 at 9:41 AM
Comment #14sirtoongospel…if you would link to play like that, maybe a diamond formation in the middle would balance the formation a bit more out.
…drop Tiote back as an anchorman (just a thought) 🙂 But sadly I don’t think Pardew is brave enough to tamper with his conservative British 4-4-2!
jesperfuglsang
Oct 16, 2012 at 9:42 AM
Comment #15*link = like (I need a keyboard)
jawballsaswallwell
Oct 16, 2012 at 10:18 AM
Comment #16He’ll come on with 20 mins to play and slay the Mackems.
Shola you are the shit!
check the toastie
Oct 16, 2012 at 12:31 PM
Comment #17Cabaye is class, about time he is used in the right manner, must be soul destroying for the lad to watch the ball sail over his head most of the time.
Munster Mag
Oct 16, 2012 at 1:06 PM
Comment #18Our fans tend to get too carried away with some of our players, valuing them at daft money. Cisse 35 mill, Cabaye 25 mill, Tiote 25 mill etc. Bonkers. We are definitely not using Cabaye’s abilities fully by playing more long balls than any other premiership side ( stat from Sunday Times ) but he needs to influence more, and probably drop some of his niggling of other players. If we dont improve this year, Cabaye will ask to leave. Wouldnt he look well at Liverpool with all that midfield passing going on? Of course what MA needs to do is invest now in the first team, to make us more attractive, but we failed that test in the summer. Re Makems, if we go 4-4-2 ( and we will ) , we need to play Ba and Shola up front. Incidentally, if Cisse and Ba dont fit , its Pardews sole error. He always said they would fit, because Ba would come short and Cisse would play off the centre backs closest to goal, but that isnt happening. This season will tell us more about Pardew’s philosophy, but I said pre season that we would see loads of 4-4-2 and that is whats happening. If we are going to play that way, we need to get our wingers working properly, and i think thats why Ferguson is getting so much public praise from Pards recently.