Moussa Sissoko was an instant hit with Newcastle fans, after he signed from Toulouse in January, and he was given the important number 10 shirt at the club.
Moussa Sissoko – after scoring at Motherwell
Sissoko scored three goals in his first two games which were great wins at Aston Villa and at home to Chelsea, and the Frenchman sensationally scored two late goals against Chelsea at St. James’ Park to give us a fantastic 3-2 win and over the reigning European Champions, and we had 6 points from his first two games.
Just fantastic, but unfortunately it didn’t last, and we struggled to keep in the Premier League, but we stayed up and things could have been a lot worse if he had taken the drop for the second time in four years.
And Sissoko missed the last few games of the season with an ankle injury, but he looked a very good player at Motherwell on Tuesday night, and he had this to say in the Shields Gazette today:
“For me, my position is number 10, but if the manager says I must play in midfield, no problem for me. “I play for the team, and nobody else. That’s the important thing.”
“Last season towards the end I didn’t play, but this is a new season,” “Now I’m so happy because I can play again. It’s pre-season, and I’m working hard.” “Last season was very difficult for the team. This season is a new page.”
“We want to play well, and for me it’s a big, big season with Newcastle. That’s why it’s important we win in pre-season.” “No matter who we play in the next match, we’re thinking about winning the games all the time.”
“I’m happy because Motherwell was our first game.” “For the team and for me personally, it was very important we won and won well.” “It’s important for confidence – we are going to need it going forward for the season ahead. So we’re all happy.”
“Learning English ia very important to me.” “Sometimes I can speak English, and each month it gets better. The English language can be very quick.” ““Sometimes I can speak English, and each month it gets better.”
“The English language can be very quick.” “Sometimes when people speak Geordie it’s hard for me, but I’m getting better. I like to speak English.”
Moussa finds it hard to understand Geordie – why aye man! 😀
Speaking English in the dressing room is very important for the team this season, ans Vurnon Anita revealed yesterday that after January, there was some difficulty with the language, and Alan Pardew and the coaches had trouble letting the new Frenchmen what they wanted them to do on the field.
We must say Sissoko is not only a very impressive and powerful footballer, but he seems like a great guy too – and of course Moussa will be hoping to make the French squad for the World Cup next summer in Brazil.
And to do that he needs to have a great season for Newcastle – sounds good to us.
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134 comments so far
Burni
Jul 19, 2013 at 11:15 AM
Comment #1transfer window. Every year we try to evaluate the lack of money being spent by tight Ashley. All teams around us are investing money. A few have even broken their transfer records. We however are selling. And looking for a f£%@ing goalkeeper!!!! Howay man. The reason why other teams are Investing is because of the ridiculous money being plowed in for TV deals!!! We are not investing…. Not a penny. And when we do…. I can just feel that we will get a player who’s alright but not class…. Like cabs or hba. Funnily enough the two players who are being linked with a move away. I hate supporting this club with this f£#@%ing clown in charge. He does good….. He kicks us fans in The face. He redeems…. He kicks harder. I’m sick. I just want some ambition. Other clubs have positive press. We don’t we have had naught but negative press….. Every god damn year. Joke.
John Tudor
Jul 19, 2013 at 11:17 AM
Comment #2each to their own as ed states
why bother inflaming this blog by berating others who don’t share your views kindly do not incite more trouble on here as it has the possibility to close itself down
Lilongwe Geordie
Jul 19, 2013 at 11:17 AM
Comment #3TDS,
The difference is, no CL teams actually bid for them. Marseille just wanted rid of Ben Arfa. They may have been looked at by top teams who then decided they weren’t good enough, but we didn’t have to ‘beat’ another club to the signing of them. The club have always said that they don’t want to be involved in bidding wars, or wage wars for players with agents.
Naming other players who scored goals really means very little, I could name players who scored goals in the Prem, who weren’t good, therefore making Van Persie a poor player for only doing it twice.
ToonDarnSarf
Jul 19, 2013 at 11:19 AM
Comment #4Lilongwe
My point of naming those players, is that scoring a hatful of goals in the championship really doesn’t mean much when it comes to being a top player for us.
Sure, there were one hit wonders in the PL like Zaki and Ricketts too, and I’d also say it takes more than a season to prove a player is good.
I’m not suggesting we need to get into a bidding war for these players. What I am saying is that CL clubs should be interested in the players we go for, but we should be nipping in before that. If Hull (and possibly other similar clubs) are umming and ahhing about signing Austin, then it doesn’t bode well for his quality does it? And if he was willing to join Hull, then it shows that no proven PL clubs are genuinely interested in him.
Ben3arfa
Jul 19, 2013 at 11:19 AM
Comment #5Sissoko would be a good #10 if The midfielders holding and wingers played well.
Last season our midfielders Cabaye and Tiote were badly out of form whilst out wing play was non existent , hence he struggled towards the end of the season
jazzyp
Jul 19, 2013 at 11:21 AM
Comment #6toondarnsarf
I wouldn’t say the dark side have signed 9 rubbish players at all.
altidore and giaccherini are top signings. the mackems have realized ther past mistakes of last season in the fact the squad just wasn’t good enough, and at least there doing something about it.
sadly we are not.and by looking at player like bent and gignac. this will not move our club forward-but more of the ways of treading water.
plana
Jul 19, 2013 at 11:23 AM
Comment #7Rubin Kazan, want Cisse, our moralistic striker who will not wear a strip on grounds of religion but has no qualms accepting millions of rubles off an iffy Russian Billionaire.
ToonDarnSarf
Jul 19, 2013 at 11:25 AM
Comment #8jazzyp
I’m not saying that they are bad signings. Sunderland obviously needed to sign many more players than us when you look at the squads. We just need some tweaking.
What I’m saying is that it astounds me how negative the Newcastle fans are at the moment and if we’re constantly slagging off our own club, then fans of other clubs must find it really easy to do it too.
John Tudor
Jul 19, 2013 at 11:27 AM
Comment #9i wholeheartedly agree jazzyp
unlike us relying on long term injury returns late arrivals (possibly)we will not sign a few it will b 1 or 2 and a couple of kids jumping up to the fight coz thats what we are facing.
brian kilclines pony tail
Jul 19, 2013 at 11:32 AM
Comment #10no point in signing a championship level striker when we have campbell who needs games asap.
no point in signing bent because he will contribute less than cisse and both play in a similar way.
i think this is the plan next season.
2 banks of 4 playing very deep, we’re talking 18 yard box here. then look to play long balls over the top for cisse and bent who will be on the shoulder of the opposing CB ready to expose the space in behind (its pardews wet dream).
and when the ball doesn’t spend enough time in the opposing half again, and when the defence is put under relentless pressure again, and then we will get beat for the majority of games in the first 3rd of the season, then joe will grass on alan to mike for playing the team too deep and causing all the problems in the first place, mike will then have no option but to sack alan, joe (lead singer from the beatles) will then take over and this will result in a relegation battle.
i added the word battle after i finished.
John Tudor
Jul 19, 2013 at 11:35 AM
Comment #11how can bent and cisse play in 442 bent aint signed? and cisse is offski?
jazzyp
Jul 19, 2013 at 11:35 AM
Comment #12john tudor-good morning mate
I don’t for the life of me understand that the board came out and said we made massive mistakes in last summer’s transfer activity-or lack of it might be a better phrase. we had a cracking season, qualified for Europe and just sat on our morals.
we would have looked a lot better prospect to players than what we do now and maybe attracted a better quality player.
bent-gomis-gignac will for sure do a job for us but as ive said before will not take us to the next level.
Lilongwe Geordie
Jul 19, 2013 at 11:36 AM
Comment #13TDS,
Nobody else is looking at Bent, yet you say you would want him? It says more about a player that can’t get in a side that struggled last season and that no one else wants, then a player who has banged in goals for the past few years, and won’t sign a new contract so is available. Both Austin and Rhodes have been watched by top clubs, as has been widely reported. That is all that happened with our french contingent and Anita, so what is the difference.
Bent for Cisse? A downgrade. If Bent comes to play second fiddle, that show how little options he has. Austin and Rhodes offer a different style to Bent and Cisse, and therefore offer more options.
sirtoongospel
Jul 19, 2013 at 11:41 AM
Comment #14Strange that Haidara has been left behind with no word from the club. Does the fact that other than Papiss, he is the only other Muslim player who adheres to Ramadan have anything to do with it? The Muslim players out in Portugal don’t do it. None of them. The club won’t say anything though a it demonstrates varying levels of commitment to the culture. They couldn’t possibly weaken the argument of “this player wears it so why doesn’t Cissé”.
9 months ago we were all appalled at the Wonga deal, and for me nothing has changed. They didn’t “give us back SJP”, because none of us called it anything else anyway. The only thing they have given me is embarrassment and put me in a position where I won’t buy our shirts for the next 4 years.
Sure everyone has their own opinions, but Papiss is entitled to his like everyone else. Who are we to tell him what to think or believe? Your opinion might differ, but there is no right or wrong here.
Last season Wonga didn’t make the hairs stand up on the back of my neck after several late winners, Papiss did though.
So I back him over Wonga every time. “Support the team not the regime” is what is preached from all angles. So lets see that put into practice. Opinions vary, but there is no right or wrong here. Only one mans opinion matters. If Cissé goes we will miss him when he is gone, I am pretty sure of that.
ToonDarnSarf
Jul 19, 2013 at 11:44 AM
Comment #15Lilongwe
I didn’t say I want Bent. I’d rather have a younger player who can grow into a top player for us, rather than a stop-gap measure for a few years.
I definitely wouldn’t want Bent to replace Cisse either! But having him as an option alongside or as a sub would be decent. I think he’s similar to Cisse so would suit our style.
I really wanted PEA….and to be honest, beyond him I think it’s all much of a muchness who we get. I haven’t seen enough of other players to judge how well they’d play for us, so I only know that I really want us to bring in a top striker.
I just think that these guys being English isn’t enough reason for us to sign them. And if Austin is available for £3M, why haven’t clubs like Norwich, Cardiff, Fulham etc. signed him yet?
John Tudor
Jul 19, 2013 at 11:45 AM
Comment #16where is the next level look at england ladies last night,
did great in last euros, did great in last world cup,then the olympics, this euros 3 footballing lessons. The manager played her favs, long term injured players and was tactically naive unless she had had the kiss of death from you know who.
i just thought its reminiscent of nufc
Edd Case
Jul 19, 2013 at 11:45 AM
Comment #17It could be said that many on here have short memories.
Lets go back to January.
5 signings in 5 days was it?
And look at the players we brought in, generally, very decent.
This season, with them all knowing English, knowing the league better and knowing each other better, those signings may look even better than we thought.
AP and JK will 100% add to the team, but they have to be right and well thought of.
Patience is a virtue and one that’s lost on NUFC fans so often. We’ll be much better this season, much better.
And if we manage to get another 2 ‘purples’ in then we could seriously be looking at a cup win.
We’ve done well with transfers in recent years if you think about it.
I’d expect Cabaye to go however, Anita will step up (and is a better player imho) and this will give us the finance to really get in two very good ‘purple’ strikers / winger.
Enjoy the sun, worry not about incoming transfers.
G
Jul 19, 2013 at 11:46 AM
Comment #18@17, congratulations Ed Case, first post relevant to the topic.
Lilongwe Geordie
Jul 19, 2013 at 11:47 AM
Comment #19Sir Toon,
Both Tiote and Ben Arfa adhered to Ramadan last year, I find it odd that they wouldn’t this year in that case.
Galtierez
Jul 19, 2013 at 11:48 AM
Comment #20Dummett has been told by Pardew he is challenging for the LB slot and that he is AHEAD of Haidara!
Jail for Ashley
Jul 19, 2013 at 11:49 AM
Comment #21As JT suggests nobody is saying that the books arent correct Al Capone was a victim of not keeping your accounts in line, what also can’t be disputed is that we’ve made 25M ish in transfers yet the debt has gone from 80 odd M to 130M and what simply cannot be disputed is that relegation was solely down to Mike Ashleys bizarre decision making so therefore the 40M that cost the club should be written off .
Lilongwe Geordie
Jul 19, 2013 at 11:52 AM
Comment #22TDS,
Other than Cardiff, I haven’t heard any comments saying Fulham or Norwich are after more strikers. Maybe they have other more pressing areas. You could make that argument about any player and club….
As for Bent playing alongside Cisse, that would be awful to see, as you they say, they are very similar. Cisse is far better, so other options or a strike partner is what is required, not a like for like.
I have never stated that they are English, so I want them. I want them as they are goalscorers who are improving and would offer us options. I would still think that we need a top striker as a Ba replacement, but one of these 2 would replace Shola in my opinion.
Lilongwe Geordie
Jul 19, 2013 at 11:56 AM
Comment #23Jail,
Relegation “solely down to MA’s bizarre decision making”?
Nothing to do with numerous players under performing, Shearers insistence on playing Duff left back? Owen picking up injuries?
jazzyp
Jul 19, 2013 at 12:00 PM
Comment #24Lilongwe
or viduka past his sell by date
evildick
Jul 19, 2013 at 12:00 PM
Comment #25Every time I post I watch a few tumbleweeds go by and then realise there’s a new post!
John Tudor
Jul 19, 2013 at 12:01 PM
Comment #26#21
i’m of the opinion that whilst the debt was taken over it just moved around and it is getting larger never reducing hey don’t shoot me.doesn’t this mean ashley will be here to the death and we will owe him billions. i merely state thing as they way i see it ,judge for yourselves 3 or 4 years down the line. i for one am not happy.
but the detractors will slag me time will tell
sirtoongospel
Jul 19, 2013 at 12:05 PM
Comment #27Lilongwe, they didn’t do it last year. Cheick tried and couldn’t do it while training, and HBA never does Ramadan.
G
Jul 19, 2013 at 12:07 PM
Comment #28Oh crikey, were heading into religion again here. Wev’e already had a warning off Ed today guys, tread carefully.
John Tudor
Jul 19, 2013 at 12:07 PM
Comment #29i’m no accountant just a fan who loves football i don’t care who runs the club as long as its run right and selling before re-placements come in is wrong,playing out of form favourites is wrong.tell me i’m wrong
ToonDarnSarf
Jul 19, 2013 at 12:08 PM
Comment #30Lilongwe
I don’t mind them as a replacement for Shola if he’ off, but I definitely don’t think they are good enough to be our 2nd choice striker. Or rather, I’d prefer we had a better option up front when Cisse wasn’t available.
Norwich have been linked with Hooper for ages, so I assume they still want a striker. They have signed RvW but they’ve now got rid of Holt
John Tudor
Jul 19, 2013 at 12:08 PM
Comment #31go on i dare you
Lilongwe Geordie
Jul 19, 2013 at 12:16 PM
Comment #32Sir Toon,
“Hatem Ben Arfa is going through a difficult period due to the fact that he can not eat and drink like everyone else,” commented Didier Deschamps
A quote while he was at Marseille.
Would appear that Ben Arfa does do Ramadan.
G
Jul 19, 2013 at 12:16 PM
Comment #33@29, JT, I agree with everything you have said on that post.
SeanNufc87
Jul 19, 2013 at 12:18 PM
Comment #34I hope jfa and the rest of the pardew out brigade take note that he WANTS to be a number 10, like I had mentioned (as did he in an early interview) which was as per, ignored for the sake of furthering the argument that pardew loves playing players out of position
Dun dun duuuuun fact!
Lilongwe Geordie
Jul 19, 2013 at 12:18 PM
Comment #35TDS,
Norwich were linked with Hooper in Jan, have since signed van Wolfswinkel and Toivonen.
I’d prefer that if we are to play with one striker, we find a striker that can do it. Otherwise, all this talk of #10’s is pointless as we will need to play 2 strikers.
John Tudor
Jul 19, 2013 at 12:18 PM
Comment #36g, didn’t you read the england womens post
Lilongwe Geordie
Jul 19, 2013 at 12:19 PM
Comment #37Sean,
Wanting to be and actually being are 2 separate things. I want to have enough money to buy Ashley out. I haven’t though…
Belfast
Jul 19, 2013 at 12:23 PM
Comment #38Surprised we’re not in for Hooper to be honest.
He’s exactly the type of striker we need.
Rotonda heights
Jul 19, 2013 at 12:24 PM
Comment #39It’s very worrying that pardew seems to be the only one wanting bent. Pardew seems to have had input on Obertan
and eliot and should just leave well enough alone when it comes to transfers
Big Pappa Cissé
Jul 19, 2013 at 12:25 PM
Comment #40Don’t see him as a number 10 like. Gets no where near enough goals. We should use him like City use Toure and let him drive forward fom deep, and if we ever need to change a game we can move him further up field.