Oh No, will Cabaye make the Manure game?

Midfielder Yohan Cabaye has urged Newcastle United to use the UEFA Europa League as a stepping stone towards sustained success after he did just that at Lille.

The 26-year-old Frenchman and his team-mates will line up against Bordeaux in a Group D clash at St James' Park on Thursday evening (Friday morning AEST) in the toughest test yet of Newcastle's rediscovered European credentials.

Cabaye left behind UEFA Champions League football when he agreed to join the Magpies for a bargain £4.8 million ($7.55 million) last northern summer after helping Lille claim the domestic double.

However, he believes his former club's previous experience in the lesser continental competition paved the way for glory, and is hoping his current employer can travel a similar path.

Cabaye said: "With Lille, we played for three or four years in the Europa League, and I think that competition helped us to win the French title and the French cup.

"It's important to play 100 per cent in this competition to get more experience for the future.

"Now we have got the Europa League, so we have to play to win the game because we are playing at home.

"We know Bordeaux are a good team, but we are a good team as well, so we have to win the game to have a winning mentality."

Newcastle ended its five-year European exile by springing something of a surprise to finish fifth in last season's Premier League.

Indeed, for a while, it looked as if it might even creep into a Champions League qualification spot, and that is an ambition Cabaye retains.

He said: "I knew before I came here that Newcastle was and is still a big club in England, but last season we worked really hard every game to try to play in a European competition.

"We wanted the Champions League, but this season it's the Europa League and it's really important to play properly in this competition.

"The Europa League will give much experience to all the players, especially the young players, so we have to be focussed on the game tomorrow to win the game, and try to keep working to win every game and to play for the top of the league."

The France midfielder prepared for the clash with his compatriots having revealed in an interview back at home that he might have had the chance to leave Tyneside after a single season this northern summer with Tottenham Hotspur interested in acquiring his services.

However, while Magpies boss Alan Pardew spent the transfer window looking anxiously over his shoulder amid a whirlwind of speculation over his big names, he emerged with his squad intact.

Asked about Spurs' interest in Cabaye, the manager replied: "Firstly, there was no offer from Spurs so Yohan didn't get that opportunity.

"But, of course, the likes of Yohan and one or two other players are going to be courted by some of the top sides, that's natural.

"What is important is the development of players - I think players develop here and it is important then that we give them a platform for success, and we are doing our best to do that and this competition is part of that.

"The only way we can keep the likes of Yohan, Papiss Cisse, Cheick Tiote and Demba Ba is to bring success, that's the only way and that's what we are going to have to try to do.

"Hopefully together, we can achieve that and then re-evaluate our goals for next year."

Fullback Danny Simpson's return from a hamstring injury could hardly be better-timed for Pardew, who has seen Steven Taylor join Fabricio Coloccini on the casualty list to spark something of a defensive crisis.

However, the 51-year-old manager has hinted he will field a significantly stronger starting XI than he has done in the competition to date, with Bordeaux having launched its campaign with a 4-0 demolition of Club Brugge.



How many of you guys have had your wisdom tooth taken out? To be honest, if he really did have his wisdom tooth taken out, how is it possible to be able to play in a week's time? It may be possible, but the wound may open or something if he gets hit or something. Even this interview, I do wonder if a few days after you have your wisdom tooth taken you really could do an interview.

So did he do a wisdom tooth extraction? Because if he did, there is something called a dry socket formed, and before the wound heals, if he gets hit in the jaw it could really cause some damage(broken jaw or worse). If Cabaye does miss the game, we'll be really shorthanded... Who to replace him then?

 

replace him with Benny Brenville or me mate Ratty...

 

It doesn't matter than much in this match. We're gonna be playing hoofball to Shola and Ba (hopefully), which will take the midfield out of it mainly.

I'd personally play -

-------Ba------Shola----------

Jonas--Anita---Tiote-----Ben Arfa

Santon--Colo--Saylor-----Simpson

----------Harper-----------------

We can win with that team, I think.

 

Pardew has got to me I would admit. I have no idea whether Saylor, Colo , Cabaye are going to be available against Manure.

 

Depends on what was wrong with the tooth or teeth. If it was a quadruple removal of impacted wisdom teeth, no he won't be ready to play 10 days after the operation.

On the other hand, physio room has it listed as "mouth infection" which could be much less severe.

 

Sometimes they need to break peoples jaws to get their wisdom teeth done. If it's serious, then it could be a couple of weeks. Earliest is 10 days, but that's only if we want to risk him getting his jaw ****ed long term.

 

Back to work the next day after getting mine out.

 

Yes, but to be fair, Cabaye would need to deal with more than you, physically, in his job.

There's no danger of you getting clumped in the jaw at work.

 

You obviously don't know how he gets along with people at work

 

I do think that is his intention. Don't reveal your deck and all that

 

Keep your cards close to your chest.

 

Rofl Pards is a cunning bastard. I remember him saying Tiote, Cabaye and Ba were all major doubts for Spurs, but they all played rofl.

 

Anita filling in wont be a problem but we'll have to brace ourselves for RVP and Rooney but we're not toothless up front ourselves.We will win tonight and to crown it off we'll win on Sunday which will put a stop to the rot and put a smile on our faces again...

 

I do hope you're right. To be honest, Manure have a few problems of their own as well, they have Vidic out and Evans a doubt, which could be a recipe for 3-0 again !

 

Man U are off the pace at the moment, but frankly we'll have to play a lot better than we have been recently to get up to the same level of off-the-paceness that Man U are at.

 

Agreed...I hope it starts with tonight. The Bordeaux game would be a great platform to build on........ As long as Ober and co. step up to the task at hand

 

I have officially been mindf*cked. Apparently [video=youtube;oVB-Lav3NeI]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oVB-Lav3NeI&feature=player_embedded[/video]



So it seems Cabaye is fine, and he would start tonight as well.

 

Told you!

 

Is that the real you in your av Tash?

 

Nah haha. I didn't realise you could have gifs as your av until tonight!

Get in!