Vurnon Anita and Yoan Gouffran were expected to be largely on the periphery of the Newcastle side this season, but they have both been starters for Newcastle with both lads having their best seasons ever on Tyneside.
Yoan Gouffran was expected to leave in the summer, but he seems to have forged a good working relationship with manager Rafa Benitez and has played some of his best ever football this season.
Yoan has been a star and if we are promoted he will go down in the annals of the club a lot differently than if he had left last January or in the summer.
Yoan Gouffran and Vurnon Anita in training
They both look happy enough
Yoan is a skilled footballer and of course he simply works his socks off for the side in every single game he plays – and that’s always appreciated by Newcastle fans.
Vurnon Anita has come into his own at Newcastle over the last year or two and certainly since Rafa arrived on the scene and immediately switched him to full-back.
Vurnon now looks like an excellent right back and he could get his place back in the Dutch side with former Newcastle right back Daryl Janmaat struggling at his new club Watford.
Benitez seems confident he can sign both player to contract extensions before the summer as he had this to say in the Chronicle:
“We were talking with them but now, around Christmas time and the festive fixtures, is not the period,”
“But in January we will continue talking with both to of them find a solution because we are happy with the two.”
“I am not worried about losing them next month.”
Yoan Gouffran has played 22 times this season with 5 goals and that compares to 96 appearances and 12 goals before this season, after signing on for Newcastle from Bordeaux back in January 2013.
Vurnon Anita has 19 appearances so far this term and both players are trusted by Rafa.
We see no reason why the two of them will not get good contract extensions before this summer to stay on as part of Rafa’s revolution.
Comments welcome.
52 comments so far
lesh
Dec 25, 2016 at 11:01 PM
Comment #41Lil
By keeping these two, Tada’s safe in the knowledge that they’ll work for him. Losing them this window – whether physically or mentally – would disrupt the squad and its spirit to get into the prem.
Lilongwe Geordie
Dec 25, 2016 at 11:02 PM
Comment #42Leah,
The Ardberg is good. Never seen it here in Malawi, so a very welcome gift from my better halves father!
As for wisdom….. We shall see, but I wouldn’t skip the remaining festivities in anticipation of me coming up with anything
lesh
Dec 25, 2016 at 11:03 PM
Comment #43Lil
Tada’s = Rafa’s
Jail for Ashley
Dec 25, 2016 at 11:04 PM
Comment #44Lilongwe,
Next year five quality players need to be brought in, therefore, The Gouff, Dummet, Colback, Mbemba and Gamez need to go. Thst is strictly just my opinion.
Lilongwe Geordie
Dec 25, 2016 at 11:05 PM
Comment #45Lesh,
I’m not saying sell them now, but are they worth extensions?
No fee we get for them would be sufficient to change the balance and ethic of the the squad in January. But next season (if promoted) we need more than that in their roles.
jimmy……Jimmy……Jimmy Smith
Dec 25, 2016 at 11:06 PM
Comment #46Well you need twenty two to twenty five players capable of doing the job. Anita and Gouffran can certainly be among those final five spots. Giving them extensions, doesn’t mean they’ll definitely be in the squad next year, although if so that wouldn’t necessarily a bad thing, depending on who else we bring in. I see it as the club covering its arse.
lesh
Dec 25, 2016 at 11:08 PM
Comment #47Lil
The festivities ended an hour or so ago when all went to bed.
In the meantime, I’ve been enjoying a little Tanqueray while listening to The Super Rail Band of Bamako, Mali. Ahh, a bit peace and quiet.
Lilongwe Geordie
Dec 25, 2016 at 11:11 PM
Comment #48Jail,
Interesting you mention Mbemba. Everybody’s golden boy defender last year…. Colo took a lot of abuse for errors by Chancel last season.
Rafa clearly doesn’t rate him, or feels he is too erratic so can’t trust him. O thought that way last season, but hoped he was young enough to learn and under a defensive organization coach like Rafa, hoped he would.
He is a defensive midfielder more often than not for his country. I’m not sure if want him there, but he played a lot of games at right back before us, and that could be his calling.
lesh
Dec 25, 2016 at 11:13 PM
Comment #49Lil
Agreed to a point – the hard bit’s keeping those lads motivated for the second half of the season. If a years or two’s wages meant the difference between going up or not, a small few million’s see like an investment while bedding new players in.
jimmy……Jimmy……Jimmy Smith
Dec 25, 2016 at 11:13 PM
Comment #50Haidarra, Hanley, Murphy, Gamez, Tiote obviously, even Lazaar and Atsu, might be lower in the retention pecking order than Anita and Gouffran, but the point is really you only replace a player, if you are sure the replacement is better. Out of those above who are retained are likely to drop down the pecking order to more back up roles.
Jail for Ashley
Dec 25, 2016 at 11:23 PM
Comment #51Lilongwe,
I’m a footy know nowt so when an observation by one of our most long standing centre backs John Anderson backs up what I’ve been saying all along that we need a top quality commanding CB I’ll just say this. Next season a top quality top CB will be brought in, Grant Hanley is worth fcuk all except that he is an uncompaining
back up defender, Mbemba might go for 8M and thete are not many teams in the world who have an 8M player sitting in reseve not rated bt their manager.
Lilongwe Geordie
Dec 25, 2016 at 11:47 PM
Comment #52Lesh,
But if we are already oversubscribed, do we extend so that they are available for cup games, or are they better than they were last time round? And likely to have a greater impact then players who play those roles as their natural position? I guess the big question is, what are the aims next year if promoted? Bottom half, then yeah, decent squad members. Higher, which I think we all have our eyes set on, then they aren’t worth losing 2 squad spots on.
Jimmy,
How many of those players – Tiote apart – are likely to be approached and have their wages matched by the buying club this summer?
Who would sign Haidara given his injuries and lack of game time. Lazarr and Hanley will probably struggle to see their wages matched elsewhere following this season (so far).
Murphy and Gamez won’t get better offers at this stage. The practicalities of getting rid of players has to be looked at, as well as squad quality and expiring contracts.
Jail,
8million for Mbemba would be well over the odds based on his performances since joining us. Hanley is a commanding Centre half, but I think all including Rafa have been surprised how well Clark settled in, and I think he took Hanleys spot. As you say though, Hanley is likely to accept a back up role in a reasonable Prem side challenging for cups. Like a new Willo, just hopefully we upgrade and have sufficient depth to use him as back up….