Will YOU Forgive Cabaye?

30 August 2013 10:28
Alan Pardew thinks Newcastle United's supporters will be willing to give Yohan Cabaye a chance to make amends.

Cabaye has refused to play in any of the Magpies' opening three matches of the season after having his head turned by the prospect of a move to a Champions League club before Monday's transfer deadline.

But Arsenal have not increased their initial £10m offer, which was rejected, for his services and none of Paris St Germain, Tottenham or Manchester United have followed up tentative interest in him.

Newcastle are looking for around £20m for the playmaker and, after failing to score a goal in either of their opening two Premier League fixtures, Pardew has told Cabaye he wants him to face Fulham.

The French international has been training with the first team this week and has looked happier to be involved, but there remains uncertainty about the reaction he will receive from the Geordie fans.

Pardew, however, thinks Newcastle's supporters will be glad to see such a key member of the team back in a black and white shirt in a match Newcastle could already do with winning so early in the new campaign.

The Newcastle boss said: "It's something that everyone has an opinion on, there's some sympathy from myself towards Yohan for the pressure that he's under from other sources. I also have a disagreement on some of the things he's done and I've commented on that.

"The bottom line is that he's a great player, and our fans love great players and what our fans really love is really creative players. That's what he gives us and that's why he's so important to us.

“I think it'll be a positive reaction. The point I'm trying to make is that it's not just Yohan Cabaye involved in this situation. Other people are involved, his agents, and the bottom line, as I've said from day one, is that when you get situations like this, and it's the same with Leighton Baines and Marouane Fellaini, you need to keep professional and let time run its course.

"This will run its course until the deadline. Don't think Yohan's definitely going or is definitely staying. That's probably likewise for Everton and likewise for Manchester United and Liverpool and Arsenal and everybody else.”

Pardew has been vehement in his belief the transfer window should close before the start of the Premier League season having seen how the likes of Cabaye, Gareth Bale, Luis Suarez and Wayne Rooney have all been unsettled after the first round of games.

But with it looking increasingly unlikely that Newcastle's valuation will not be met, Pardew wants Cabaye to grant the manager's wish and face Fulham.

"It's a difficult question because it's Thursday, but, yes, I think he will play,” said Pardew. “If Arsenal don't come back in, then, I think he'll be involved in the game. He's shown signs of that ... and hopefully he will.

"You have to take it into account how the players have trained and worked and if they've played in the last two games, so I'll take that into account as well when I decide if he starts. I'll pick the team from that. He's fit, I don't think there's any problem with that, he's been working with the first team for the last few days and he's worked before elsewhere.”

While the Cabaye situation needs to be resolved before Monday's 11pm deadline, Newcastle are still trying to bring in the extra striker power.

Lyon's Bafetimbi Gomis remains on the radar, while former striker Demba Ba could yet be another option if Chelsea agree to pay a chunk of his wages.

Pardew said: “I think we’ve said, just taking Demba out of the equation for a second, that we’d need and would like another striker, or maybe another two flair players in the side, so we are in the market for anybody in that field that we think is going to work for us. “ The only new arrival of the summer, Loic Remy, is yet to play since joining on loan from Queens Park Rangers. He has, though, shrugged off a calf problem and could be involved against Fulham.

“He’s trained, but he hasn’t really done a pre-season,” said Pardew, whose side won 2-0 at Morecambe in the Capital One Cup on Wednesday night.

“I think the option of him on the bench, maybe for just the last period of the game, might be something I look at because it would be nice to bring him off the bench.

“He’s fit and well, there’s no problem with him, it’s just he can’t really do a big portion of the game. I hope our fans don’t start chanting his name after 20 minutes! They’re a bit like that our fans, a bit impatient for things like that.”

 

Source: Newcastle United Mad

Source: FOOTYMAD