The 31 year-old Anzhi Makhachkala captain Samuel Eto’o began his career at Real Madrid, but he only played for them six times before joining Mallorca in 2000, but then he joined Barcelona in 2004, and over the next five seasons he scored 129 goals in 201 appearances to stake his claim as one of the world’s best players at the time.
Samuel Eto’o – 527 appearances and 282 goals in career
Eto’o went on to play for Inter for a couple of seasons and joined Newcastle’s opponents Anzhi Makhachkala in 2011 for a wage reported to be a phenomenal £350K/week – and he has played 52 times for the Russian side with 28 goals and 13 assists so far.
Eto’o has also played 111 times for Cameroon with 53 goals – so his record is very good, to say the least, and it’s probably not too much a surprise that he’s idolized buy our own Papiss Cisse, who will likely be facing him on Thursday night in Moscow.
This is what Papiss Cisse told the local press today about his African hero:
“He’s an idol for me. Samuel is an extraordinary player and somebody who has played at the very top level for club and country. He’s one of the best attackers in the game. Samuel is somebody I have known for a long time and a person who I have a great deal of respect for.”
“My job is to win games for Newcastle – and I hope we win the games and get through.” “We can go far. You’ve seen how well we are doing and how well we did in Metalist.” “Our objective is to enjoy playing in the competition and to go as far as we can.”
This new Newcastle side are very disappointed at the cruel defeat at Swansea on Saturday afternoon, and will be hoping to get a good result on Thursday night, but it’s not certain Papiss Cisse will even start the game with Shola Ameobi likely to get some playing time.
And of course Shola put in a good performance at Metalist Kharkiv in the last round and got the winning goal, when he smashed in that penalty – but the Russian side will be even tougher than Metalist.
And the Nigerien-born Ameobi has been frustrated at not getting much playing time lately – but Papiss has some good things to say about his fellow striker:
“Everybody saw how well Shola Ameobi did in Ukraine.” “He won a lot of balls up front and scored a penalty.”
Anzhi Makhachkala will provide Newcastle with a firm test on Thursday night in Moscow, and the Russian side seem heavily favored to progress to the quarter finals of the Europa League.
We’ll just have to wait and see how our lads perform – but it’s a great chance to show how good Newcastle have become in the last several weeks, especially after the disappointment on Saturday.
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131 comments so far
Jail for Ashley
Mar 5, 2013 at 11:17 AM
Comment #1Finding out the lass from ITVs the chase is his love child and also his mistress.
Jail for Ashley
Mar 5, 2013 at 11:17 AM
Comment #2is too good for Ashley.
jayphoto
Mar 5, 2013 at 11:17 AM
Comment #3Dunno where people have got this idea that Anzhi have a poor defence from? They are very solid and very organised! No guus hiddink side has ever had a bad defence! Theyve only conceded one goal at home in europa league so far and won every game! Mammoth task for the lads, hope no one will jump on the team/managers back if we dont get a result because Anzhi are a top top team with great players and a world class manager
Rainrix
Mar 5, 2013 at 11:19 AM
Comment #4Jail…Good one 🙂 although have you seen his actual daughter? Wow1 amazing to think she dropped out of his loins.
Joe Blog
Mar 5, 2013 at 11:27 AM
Comment #5Just hope he’s beginning to lose his pace and desire in his autumn age, bloated wage period of his career.
Big Pappa Cissé
Mar 5, 2013 at 11:31 AM
Comment #6Eto will be in M’biwa’s back pocket man Ed 😉
Munster Mag
Mar 5, 2013 at 11:32 AM
Comment #7I thiunk this crowd will be too fast and skilful for us and am predicting 3-1. Hopefully Haidara will play instead of the vastly overrated Santon.
carl
Mar 5, 2013 at 11:34 AM
Comment #8Rainrix
Don’t encourage him for heavens sake!
carl
Mar 5, 2013 at 11:35 AM
Comment #9Liverpool struggled to create and score over two legs.
carl
Mar 5, 2013 at 11:37 AM
Comment #10Munster
An away goal and a 2-0 victory at SJP!
Rotonda heights
Mar 5, 2013 at 11:37 AM
Comment #11Oh s..t !! I forgot Hiddinck was their manager. One of the best ever and his teams play great passing football. Comparing his CV with Pardew’s is a tad embarrassing !!! Just imagine having a manager like him.
It was a shame Pardew said we don’t try to play ”total football” or expansive football like Swansea do under Laudrup. We’ve got the players to do it now and it hasn’t done Swansea any harm has it.
Rainrix
Mar 5, 2013 at 11:38 AM
Comment #12carl…. Regardless of my encouragement Jail would continue to do them anyway.
Joe Blog
Mar 5, 2013 at 11:39 AM
Comment #13And please don’t play Tiote – he’s an awful football player and I’m flabbergasted as to how he’s made it to the level he has – could be said about many PL players, mind.
Jail for Ashley
Mar 5, 2013 at 11:39 AM
Comment #14Rotunda,
Why don’t you suggest we sack him and get Martinez.
carl
Mar 5, 2013 at 11:49 AM
Comment #15Rainrix
So we have to grin and bear it!
Rotonda Heights
He is considered as one of the best managers in world football. Chelsea fans want him back if Mourinho is not available.
Jail for Ashley
Mar 5, 2013 at 11:50 AM
Comment #16Who is this day and age says for heavens sake,you want to stop reding Enid Blyton carl.
Hatem's better than Messi
Mar 5, 2013 at 11:54 AM
Comment #17Unfortunately an eight year contract indicates that Ashley is happy with Pardew.
I think we’ve all seen how clueless Pardew can be if his first team players aren’t all available.
I’d roll the managerial dice if there was a chance of a quality manager coming in. But we’d end up with Curbishley or another of Llambias’ mates from the London casinos.
I think we’re stuck with Pardew.
I can’t stand the guy. Blames everyone except himself.
Tactically he’s been shown to be useless time and time again.
We need so much quality on the bench that he can’t screw it up, because we all know that he will if he can.
Jail for Ashley
Mar 5, 2013 at 12:00 PM
Comment #18Hatem,
That’s one of the reasons I think we have to get behind Pardew for the simple reason he isn’t going anywhere,no matter how much catchy prayed we lose and the Reading defeat would have seen many managers walk an eight year contract shows that the thick skinned Mike Ashley is sticking to his guns over this one.
Jamiemac
Mar 5, 2013 at 12:02 PM
Comment #19Joe Blog
What were you saying about Tiote this time last year?
Assam Toon
Mar 5, 2013 at 12:08 PM
Comment #20an all star team, eto’o and the new guy traore…and hiddink…and impeccable home record…oops!!!.If we can return from moscow with a draw, I could fancy us in SJP. They are not that good away from home. If our midfield has goufran, sissoko, cabaye and tiote, I think playing shola maybe a good idea. he is still good with those knockdowns, ariel duels, spills and scrambles. goufran and sissoko can give the additional atacking threat.
Joe Blog
Mar 5, 2013 at 12:08 PM
Comment #21Exactly the same, that he’s crap and a completely unfounded reputation has been bestowed on him, as if he’s some kind of mythical beast.
As each and every game goes by, it only reaffirms my view. Looks like a bench player for an average Dutch team, which is what he was – out of place amongst the quality we now have, when he starts.
Rotonda heights
Mar 5, 2013 at 12:12 PM
Comment #22Jail
Maybe you could have a word with your mate Ashley and arrange it.
Hatem's better than Messi
Mar 5, 2013 at 12:12 PM
Comment #23Bit hard to “get behind” a guy who you don’t think is fit to be in the job.
There are so many other better managers out there.
Pardew is the perfect spin doctor for Ashley and knows his place in the grand scheme of Ashley’s NUFC.
Enough good players and an injury free run will see him becoming a good manager again.
A Great manager would have inspired “Sammy and the Square Pegs” to play as a team and win.
TheToonKing
Mar 5, 2013 at 12:15 PM
Comment #24I don’t think we can beat Anzhi in Russia. I’m just hoping we don’t get beat by a lot and have a chance to go through at St James. 🙁
Assam Toon
Mar 5, 2013 at 12:18 PM
Comment #25folks, what is your opinion on a 4-2-1-2-1 formation with,
cabaye tiote
sissoko
hatem goufran
shola
what is the tactical disadvantage against anzi if we play more through centre rather than wings?
Rainrix
Mar 5, 2013 at 12:19 PM
Comment #26We’re more than capable of beating anzhi at home, thursday is a completely different story however. I expect us to lose tbh. However if we could nick an away goal at say 2 – 1 it would put us in a fantastic position to progress. A draw would be brilliant away, a win would be outstanding but unlikely.
GeordieDan
Mar 5, 2013 at 12:20 PM
Comment #27JFA>
LMAO! 😀
Rainrix
Mar 5, 2013 at 12:23 PM
Comment #28Assam
A: Hatem won’t start
B: Gouffran is cup tied.
C: Why shola?
D: Do you expect pards to mix things up? I dont personally 😉
Hatem's better than Messi
Mar 5, 2013 at 12:23 PM
Comment #29The Toon King
The plastic pitch and conditions won’t help.
The stadium is big and I’m not sure how many Anzhi fans will make it?
More like neutral venue though. That should help.
An away goal would be handy.
We’re playing better each match despite the loss v Swansea, we were the stronger team, we just didn’t convert our chances.
We might have a pleasant surprise. This NUFC team could be very good if they continue to play with the same spirit and have the intelligence to learn about each other’s game.
check the toastie
Mar 5, 2013 at 12:24 PM
Comment #30Hatem – nice post, totally agree.
carl
Mar 5, 2013 at 12:27 PM
Comment #31Rotonda Heights
Who rattled his cage!
Assam Toon
Mar 5, 2013 at 12:28 PM
Comment #32rain, forgot bout goufran. but read somewhere a little while ago that hatem might play in this one. cisse may be rested for the sake of competition and shola’s europe experience….maybe. just a thought though. have to completely agree on the D, unfortunately.
Rainrix
Mar 5, 2013 at 12:28 PM
Comment #33Hatem… Chronicle reckons that it’ll be around 10,000 anzhi fans, and according to nufc.com only 70 nufc tickets have been sold thus far which seems a tad low but wouldn’t surprise me either.
Although a quiet stadium might just take the pressure off the lads and work in our favour.
Rainrix
Mar 5, 2013 at 12:33 PM
Comment #34Assam… Pards reckons HBA might get 20 – 30 minutes on thursday though i wouldn’t risk him. I wouldn’t expect shola to start as a solo front man, it’ll be either cisse alone or both of them.
I do quite like the idea of playing through the middle, but it requires most of your midfield to make runs behind and pass and move. Although your suggested front 3 of sissoko goffran and HBA would be more than capable of doing it well i feel. Would be something interesting to try but yeah Pardew 😐
Hatem's better than Messi
Mar 5, 2013 at 12:34 PM
Comment #35It beats having to play on their home ground that’s for sure.
We have to look on this a a big positive.
It should be a really good match.
I hope their 10,000 are at one end and our 70 behind the other goal. 😉
HWTL
Yorkgeordie
Mar 5, 2013 at 12:36 PM
Comment #36I suppose most will know we are on TV, but I haven’t seen it mentioned so : ITV4 16.30. Kick off 5
Hatem's better than Messi
Mar 5, 2013 at 12:41 PM
Comment #37Everyone should check out http://www.filmon.tv
They broadcast UK TV online including ITV4 – FREE
Good stream quality. Sky News too.
They did close down but are back.
Good for ECL, FA Cup, MOTD, Footy Focus etc. any where in the world.
Hatem's better than Messi
Mar 5, 2013 at 12:42 PM
Comment #38Sorry wrong link its a .com not .tv try http://www.filmon.com/#BBC-One
Hatem's better than Messi
Mar 5, 2013 at 12:58 PM
Comment #39Did I kill the blog?
DannyH10
Mar 5, 2013 at 1:02 PM
Comment #40I’ve heard that Sammy scored a great goal for Boro against Cardiff, does anyone have a link?