Ex scout Paul Montgomery appraises recent Newcastle signings.

[Village Idiot]

Tom Huddlestone, can't believe he's still floating around Spurs' B side. Lovely footballer has shown moments of class in the Premier League. Suprised a decent enough club hasn't took a chance on him. I'd start him for Spurs.

 

Carrys a bit like.

 

Start ahead of who?

 

My three would be Sandro/Huddlestone/Dembele. Haven't seen enough of Holtby in Premier League to make my mind up on him (impressed in this tourney though).

 

Aye, Spurs' regular midfield isn't creative at all. Very dynamic, but not creative.

[AyeDubbleYoo]

i don't disagree tbh. But I do think a slower game suits other leagues better than the PL- couldn't imagine Riqueleme playing well under any manager in the Premiership consistently like he did under Pellegrini. Like-wise quick and direct players are more suited to the Prem.

 

Now someone like Alonso you would think, might struggle in the PL. But not only is he an elite player, he had a manager that understood how to get the best out of him in this league but fully understands what made him special in Spain. Alonso's better than Cabaye and Benitez is more shrewd than Pardew. This man played Hayden Mullins over Mascherano ffs.

 

So yeah, I don't disagree but there's certain mileage in that line. By English football we really mean, "is not suited to kick and rush". It's doesn't matter as much if his team doesn't play kick and rush.

 

Also, it's like the difference between a top-level CM and just a decent one. One of them needs a game of the right pace to operate, and the other one is capable of creating the right pace themselves.

 

Pirlo might be playing in some hectic games, but when the ball gets to him he has all the time in the world.

[Tiresias]

I actually think Pardew got it kinda right with seeing Cabaye in the Alonso deep role, he isn't very mobile, but Pardew now asks him to do too much, with two other midfield players he shouldn't need to be running around so much, should be initiating attacks, getting balls behind full backs etc. I haven't seen enough of Sissoko to agree yet but yeah end product problems, again can be sorted to playing to his strengths, which are hard work, physicality and bringing ball forward, still think the future is a midfield of Cabaye, Sissoko and Marveaux.

[Village Idiot]

still think the future is a midfield of Cabaye, Sissoko and Marveaux.

 

That looks way, way too porous.

[Ronaldo]

That 3 is easily the best we can put out.

[Village Idiot]

Great to watch if Cabaye manages not to get overrun, for sure.

[Ronaldo]

When the alternatives are Tiote and Anita there really isn't an alternative, as tidy as the latter generally is.

[Tiresias]

I'd certainly switch Anita in for defensive games, but as I've said before we conceed way too many set pieces with tiote in, with Mbiwa able to have power and pace to intercept not sure a pure defensive player is needed. The way the game is going think passers at the back are going to prove to be better. Sissoko's running and hard work can help.

 

 

[Deuce]

It's damn near impossible to play Cabaye and Sissoko together, regardless of formation, and get the best out of both. In a 2-man midfield, neither is particularly adept at holding: Cabaye needs cover in order to make plays, and Sissoko just wants to bomb forward. In a 3-man midfield, neither Cabaye nor Sissoko is best at playing forward (this is Marveaux's best position). But if you play a midfield 3 with Marveaux forward, you lose play-making: Cabaye has to drop to cover the front 4 because Sissoko certainly isn't going to do it.

[Tiresias]

I think you drop Sissoko (or play him on wing i guess) for Anita who will hold and let Cabaye bomb on a bit more when you are going to lose the possession battle  otherwise, think against teams where we should dominate the middle Sissoko running them ragged and pushing on with Marveaux and Cabaye orchestrating will be fine.

[Guest Howaythetoon]

Ex scout Paul Montgomery has been through most of the recent Newcastle signings with John Gibson in a Chronicle interview.

 

Here are his thoughts:

 

Marveaux - most talented of the bunch, but very injury prone.

Haidara - a real gem, tried signing him for Villa.

Sissoko - only a good player. Poor end product. There is a reason why no one else signed him.

Cisse - great striker, in the right team. Can only play up front on his own. Newcastl. Central midfield not good enough for him, he would bang them in for Spurs.

Ben Arfa -  huge talent. Needs a free role. Had the chance to sign him for half a million but Roeder turned him down.

Cabaye - great player in France. Not mobile enough for the Premier league. Completely unsuitable player to play in a central midfield behind Cisse.

 

Thoughts?

 

Marveaux - He is very talented, quick, makes good runs, is always busy and can spot a pass. He is wasted as a sub and needs to start games but where does he fit in this side with these players? He's easily one of our better players.

 

Haidara -  I've been very impressed with him, especially going forward. Defensively he's very naive, however. But he's young. He could become a very good full-back.

 

Sissoko - I've not really been impressed by him if I'm to be honest. His debut was exceptional in patches and his overall statistics are very good, but he's sloppy on the ball and seems hesitant in his decision making. That said, he too needs a defined role and it is hard to judge him especially given how poor we have been and the ineptitude of the manager and his tactics. The jury is till out for me.

 

Cisse - Like any striker he needs a decent level of service to score goals and that hasn't always been the case. He's highly frustrating but he is quality on his day. I personally feel we need to either build the team around him to guarantee 20+ a season or find someone more all-rounded and either sell him to fund such a forward or use him as an impact sub. Not that he'd be happy with that of course. Again though, with the team set-up and tactics, its hard to judge Cisse truly. Ina  better side or a more attacking side of course he will shine more. Most good players would.

 

Ben Arfa - He is arguably the most gifted or talented individual in the league and for me needs to be handed a free role as he is that good on his day. I don't want to see him anywhere near our own half. If need be bring in someone just to do the donkey work on his behalf as KK did with Beresford in order for Ginola to do his stuff.

 

Cabaye - We all know he is a good footballer but we are under using him. He sits far too deep and runs around wasting too much energy on doing very little other than conceding silly fouls or risking injury to himself. I agree with Ronaldo about his mobility but I don't think that means he cannot succeed in this league as a result. He needs to be our playmaker, the player who picks the ball up off whoever, looks up, gives it, drops off to get it back or looks to probe etc. He can do that and he can also score goals but my god he needs pushed forward at least another 40 yards.

 

My overall general feelings on our signings is that we sign players with no real thinking of how they will fit in, where, when and what use they will be. Anita being a case in point. We seem to be signing admittedly good individuals, but a lot of them don't seem to fit at the moment and while I detest the manager, even a decent one would scratch his head a few times trying to fit all of these players together into a winning formula.

[Kanj]

Sissoko - Cabaye

------Marv--------

 

That's our best imposing midfield we can offer. You don't have to have a man sitting if you actually coach them to time their forward runs, etc. At home we should absolutely be looking to dominate and attack. If that means you play Debuchy at RB and Mapou at LB and tell him he must act as another CB when Debuchy is up, so be it. Away from home, different story I guess. But that midfield trio above is the perfect mix of pass, dribble, creativity, strength and pace.

[Dr.Spaceman]

Who the fuck's Paul Montgomery?

[wormy]

Who the fuck's Paul Montgomery?

 

Ex scout.

[Unbelievable]

Ex scout Paul Montgomery has been through most of the recent Newcastle signings with John Gibson in a Chronicle interview.

 

Here are his thoughts:

 

Marveaux - most talented of the bunch, but very injury prone.

Haidara - a real gem, tried signing him for Villa.

Sissoko - only a good player. Poor end product. There is a reason why no one else signed him.

Cisse - great striker, in the right team. Can only play up front on his own. Newcastl. Central midfield not good enough for him, he would bang them in for Spurs.

Ben Arfa -  huge talent. Needs a free role. Had the chance to sign him for half a million but Roeder turned him down.

Cabaye - great player in France. Not mobile enough for the Premier league. Completely unsuitable player to play in a central midfield behind Cisse.

 

Thoughts?

 

Marveaux - He is very talented, quick, makes good runs, is always busy and can spot a pass. He is wasted as a sub and needs to start games but where does he fit in this side with these players? He's easily one of our better players.

 

Haidara -  I've been very impressed with him, especially going forward. Defensively he's very naive, however. But he's young. He could become a very good full-back.

 

Sissoko - I've not really been impressed by him if I'm to be honest. His debut was exceptional in patches and his overall statistics are very good, but he's sloppy on the ball and seems hesitant in his decision making. That said, he too needs a defined role and it is hard to judge him especially given how poor we have been and the ineptitude of the manager and his tactics. The jury is till out for me.

 

Cisse - Like any striker he needs a decent level of service to score goals and that hasn't always been the case. He's highly frustrating but he is quality on his day. I personally feel we need to either build the team around him to guarantee 20+ a season or find someone more all-rounded and either sell him to fund such a forward or use him as an impact sub. Not that he'd be happy with that of course. Again though, with the team set-up and tactics, its hard to judge Cisse truly. Ina  better side or a more attacking side of course he will shine more. Most good players would.

 

Ben Arfa - He is arguably the most gifted or talented individual in the league and for me needs to be handed a free role as he is that good on his day. I don't want to see him anywhere near our own half. If need be bring in someone just to do the donkey work on his behalf as KK did with Beresford in order for Ginola to do his stuff.

 

Cabaye - We all know he is a good footballer but we are under using him. He sits far too deep and runs around wasting too much energy on doing very little other than conceding silly fouls or risking injury to himself. I agree with Ronaldo about his mobility but I don't think that means he cannot succeed in this league as a result. He needs to be our playmaker, the player who picks the ball up off whoever, looks up, gives it, drops off to get it back or looks to probe etc. He can do that and he can also score goals but my god he needs pushed forward at least another 40 yards.

 

My overall general feelings on our signings is that we sign players with no real thinking of how they will fit in, where, when and what use they will be. Anita being a case in point. We seem to be signing admittedly good individuals, but a lot of them don't seem to fit at the moment and while I detest the manager, even a decent one would scratch his head a few times trying to fit all of these players together into a winning formula.

 

Now, that is a much more balanced appraisal. Only thing I disagree with is Haidara looking naive defensively; to me he looks very assured, especially considering his age. Also, I think you are slightly harsh on Sissoko, who came in to a new league and played 11 games in 30 days or something stupid, saved our season more or less, and yes, indeed looked a little fatigued towards the end of the season. I have absolutely no worries about him once he will have settled in.

[Mole_Toonfan]

HTT

[The College Dropout]

i don't disagree tbh. But I do think a slower game suits other leagues better than the PL- couldn't imagine Riqueleme playing well under any manager in the Premiership consistently like he did under Pellegrini. Like-wise quick and direct players are more suited to the Prem.

 

Now someone like Alonso you would think, might struggle in the PL. But not only is he an elite player, he had a manager that understood how to get the best out of him in this league but fully understands what made him special in Spain. Alonso's better than Cabaye and Benitez is more shrewd than Pardew. This man played Hayden Mullins over Mascherano ffs.

 

So yeah, I don't disagree but there's certain mileage in that line. By English football we really mean, "is not suited to kick and rush". It's doesn't matter as much if his team doesn't play kick and rush.

Also, it's like the difference between a top-level CM and just a decent one. One of them needs a game of the right pace to operate, and the other one is capable of creating the right pace themselves.

 

Pirlo might be playing in some hectic games, but when the ball gets to him he has all the time in the world.

 

 

That was Carrick's problem for a few years. Where Scholes could doctate the tempo and slow it down when needed, game's could get too much for Carrick.

[The College Dropout]

Sissoko - Cabaye

------Marv--------

 

That's our best imposing midfield we can offer. You don't have to have a man sitting if you actually coach them to time their forward runs, etc. At home we should absolutely be looking to dominate and attack. If that means you play Debuchy at RB and Mapou at LB and tell him he must act as another CB when Debuchy is up, so be it. Away from home, different story I guess. But that midfield trio above is the perfect mix of pass, dribble, creativity, strength and pace.

 

Disagree. You'll have Cabaye doing too much donkey work and the whoel team will collapse imo.

[The College Dropout]

I've said this before. But Tiote is the only player currently, who takes the running burden off Cabaye a bit. His athleticism and physicality mixed with a more defensive nature helps Cabaye out immensely.

[Mole_Toonfan]

I've said this before. But Tiote is the only player currently, who takes the running burden off Cabaye a bit. His athleticism and physicality mixed with a more defensive nature helps Cabaye out immensely.

 

His lack of ability also forces Cabaye too deep.

[Guest neesy111]

I've said this before. But Tiote is the only player currently, who takes the running burden off Cabaye a bit. His athleticism and physicality mixed with a more defensive nature helps Cabaye out immensely.

 

Cabaye is usually covering Tiote's mistakes though.

[BrettNUFC]

                        Krul

Debuchy  Mapao    Colo  Santon

                      Anita

                Cabaye Sissoko

Ben Arfa                        Marveaux

                      Cisse

 

I'd start that at home, then you can have Gouffran as a striking option from the bench rather than Shola.

[Guest Haris Vuckic]

This thread.

[The College Dropout]

I've said this before. But Tiote is the only player currently, who takes the running burden off Cabaye a bit. His athleticism and physicality mixed with a more defensive nature helps Cabaye out immensely.

 

His lack of ability also forces Cabaye too deep.

I have no problems with him deep. It's when he's battling too much that he's wasted. I'm not sure Cabaye has had many good games at NUFC without Tiote.

[Teasy]

Ben Arfa -  huge talent. Needs a free role. Had the chance to sign him for half a million but Roeder turned him down.

 

Is this bloke on crack or what?   As if Lyon would have allowed Ben Arfa to go for £500k in 2006-2007..

 

Can also see why he's an ex scout with his opinion of players