Mapou interesting Lille

http://hereisthecity.com/en-gb/2014...niteds-french-defender-could-be-on-the-move/?

Former French champions Lille could be in the market for a new central defender this summer. With Montenegrin defender Marko Basa possibly set to leave, and Czech defender David Rozehnal’s contract set to expire, former Montpellier coach, Rene Girard, could be set to make a swoop for Newcastle United centre-back, Mapou Yanga-M’Biwa.

Ever since his move to Newcastle last January, it has been a turbulent time for the defender who lifted the 2012 Ligue 1 title with Montpellier. Often played out of position, he has sometimes looked off the pace in the hustle and bustle of the Premier League. In the last few months his performances have slightly improved and a run of starts has seen him settle down and look more comfortable in the Newcastle shirt.

His time at the club has still been far from ideal, and there may be a chance that any serious offer from France would have to be considered by the North-East club. René Girard, now coach of northern side Lille, could make a bid to bring the 24-year-old back to Ligue 1. Girard was the player’s coach when they won the league together in 2012 and Yanga-M’Biwa could be interested in reuniting with the coach who got the best out of the defender in the south of France.

Marko Basa and Simon Kjaer have been superb in Lille’s defence this season, but with Basa turning 31 last December, Girard will want to bring in another defender to boost their squad for playing in Europe next season. Lille are still in with a chance of qualifying for the Champions League next season, any attempt to qualify for the Group Stage would boost any chance of being successful in a bid for the Newcastle defender.

Newcastle currently sit seventh in the Premier League and are likely to miss out on European football next season, this could lead to the club cashing in on a couple of their under-performing French stars in a plan to rebuild the squad for next season. Alan Pardew paid €6 million for the defender 15 months ago, and although Lille may not be able to offer as much for the defender, they may be able to tempt the Magpies with a chance to cut their losses on the French centre-back.

 

I hope we keep Mapou as I think he'll turn out to be a very good centre back and we'll need him when Colo goes at the end of the season.

 

Sorry, but I just don't think he's cut-out for English football.

Cut our losses I'm afraid.

Is the David Rozehnal mentioned, the one that played for us for a while all those years ago?

 

Let him go simply not good enough

 

Sell, thick as ****

 

Is it too early to judge Mapou?
Colo started off ****.

 

Aye but he never looked plain stupid. He'd get pushed around and bullied but he had class. Mapou is very much in the Saylor mould. Rash decisions and unable to read the game. When he bolted out the other night to try and win a ball he couldn't which led to the Barkley goal, I thought what the ****. When he tried to do it again 2nd half I thought, get ta ****!

 

His comments on our season seem at loggerheads with some fans views:

Newcastle's Mapou Yanga-Mbiwa has insisted that this has been a successful season for the Tyneside club.

The French defender's side are eighth in the Premier League, but have little chance of qualifying for the Europa League having made little progress in the domestic cup competitions.

The Magpies have lost six times on home soil in the league, most recently in a 3-0 defeat by Everton, the same scoreline by which they went down to local rivals Sunderland at St James' Park.

But Yanga-Mbiwa does not agree that the current campaign has been a total write-off for Newcastle.

He told the Evening Chronicle: "First and foremost we want to stay in the top 10 of the Premier League and make sure we get as many points as we can. If that takes us even higher, then great.

"The last couple of months are all about playing well, putting in good performances and making sure the season finishes well.

"For me? It has already been a successful season."

Newcastle play Manchester United, Arsenal and Liverpool among their seven remaining fixtures and Yanga-Mbiwa is keen that his side do not peter out in the season's closing stages.

"We want the teams above us to be looking over their shoulders as we give them something to think about. And it is not just us players who play a role in that but the fans as well - they are so crucial to us."

 

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And I can see why players might not want to join us or why youth players must be cacking themselves when told they could have earned a place in the squad and might get a game. I think people forget how difficult it is for some players to go from an "easier" league to the premier league and they need time to adapt.
If Mapou does go then we need 2 first team CB's (him and Colo) and at least one back up CB (would get rid of Saylor) - not going to happen!

 

I remember him making a fair few daft decisions in games in the relegation season. It's not just getting used to the physical strength and speed in the Premier League. The relentless nature of the league seems to impact mentally on many players whilst they adapt, resulting in poor decision making during games, not always during moments of obvious pressure. Obviously this results in fans losing confidence in those players who suffer such, such as Mapou 'thick as ****' Mbiwa and Colo 'the Clown'.
It may be that Mapou really is as daft as he often seems but I hope not. Considering the relative lack of starts he has had since joining us, and the complete lack of a run of games in a set position he is probably still in the middle of adapting. I'd say with the quantity of signings we already need to be making this summer we'd be extra daft to decide to sell.

 

Sell him I say. He looks another Boumsong.

 

I think you must be forgetting how bad Boumsong actually was. Probably a part of your mind trying desperately to heal itself from the anguish of watching him.

 

I was traumatised.
I'm still in counselling.

 

I'd love nothing better than to be wrong about Mapou. Yeah Colo got labelled a clown but the majority of his problems were physical though he clearly did lose confidence too. Mapou however, every single error is due to a massive brain fart. He can't pass a football at times too. He literally faces up to someone and for some reason sees them as transparent. He is then bewildered when the ball does not travel straight through flesh and bone. He just scares me with his stupidity. Then you have the number of times the ball has just gone straight under his foot and out of play. Hopefully it is all just confidence being drained and he is in panic mode. I say hopefully because I can't see us selling him as he is worth half what he was at best.

I'm normally all for giving people time, especially when they are getting bullied physically. I'm just not sure you can add a brain.

 

He's ****e.

 

Yeah sell him - I'm sure Saylor can do better! A ****ing clown who we have given scores of chances with and has been a ****ing embarassment season after season.

Jesus f**king Christ! The lad has one or two bad performances. He had a poor half against Everton (as did many) got crucified for it then he later came back into the team and was doing really well with Williamson and was simply dropped from the team for no reason. Full back isn't the guy's prefered position either.

The guy should be Colo's replacement as its clear he is off in the summer. If we sell him its f**king madness imo.

 

He really hasn't, he's had loads. I agree Saylor will do no better, they are clones of each other. Colo's replacement? Not fit to lace his boots. He doesn't have that kind of nous to lead a back line.

 

Can you honestly say he has loads though mate? IMO I really don't think he has. The bloke is not a clone of Taylor either. We as fans seem to need a blame tool when things are going to **** and Mbiwa seems to be a convenient scapegoat atm when lets be ****ing honest - none of the team is performing welll.

It just isn't not right to single out one person. That is my view anyway.

 

He has made a lot of errors. Not one or two. Looks like giving a pen away every game he plays. Is it 2 this season? Catalogue of errors against Everton, catalogue of errors today and last week. Shocking against Hull at home. Got monstered off ****ing Danny Graham last season. Honestly, I'd love to find a reason to defend him. I was non plussed when we signed him after watching an abysmal display against Arsenal for Montpellier but thought the pedigree was decent. He just reminds me of Saylor so much with his rashness. Not wholly to blame as there are plenty others. I'd sell him and Saylor if I thought we'd replace them.