Leon Best doing a Shola Ameobi impersonation?Shola Ameobi may be able to return to Newcastle United’s starting XI this weekend after being fitted with a face mask, but how does he compare to Leon Best now?
Leon Best has made the most of his opportunity to lead the forward line, having put in 5 goals in 8 league games since his first full start in the 5-0 victory over West Ham.
Opinion seems to be mixed as to whether he has the ability to figure as a first choice striker in the long term, but most would agree that he has improved recently, which is understandable because players need more than occasional games or substitute appearances to find their form.
The bemasked Shola is allegedly in contention for the Everton game this weekend, but will he get the nod over Best?
Well, Alan Pardew clearly rates Best and recently said:
“Leon Best had his best game for us so far against Bolton.
What's your choice?Alan Pardew has so far favoured the 4-4-2 formation at Newcastle United, but will that remain the favoured formation in the long-term when we have a fully fit squad?
The recent disclosure by Alan Pardew that he seems to see Leon Best as Hatem Ben Arfa’s main competition for a starting place in the team got me to thinking about formations in general.
Since Pardew has been here we’ve mainly stuck to a standard 4-4-2 formation, but is that out of necessity or choice?
Does Alan Pardew have a particular preference for 4-4-2 or is it just that he thinks it best suits our current available players?
When we have a fully fit squad, we would seem to have a lot of midfielders vying for a place: Jonas, Tiote, Barton, Nolan, Gosling, Ireland, Ben Arfa … possibly even Ryan Taylor and Danny Guthrie.
Now, if Pardew is thinking that Ben Arfa is a replacement for Best, are we looking at:
——– Striker — Ben Arfa ——–
Jonas — Nolan — Tiote — Barton
Jose — Colo — Williamson — Simpson
————— Harper —————–
That would leave Ireland and Gosling as ‘swaps’ in the midfield, either as subs or replacements if another players gets an injury or has a bad run of form. (more…)
Look, it was her or Keegan. Sorry Kev.Ex Newcastle United manager Kevin Keegan has been doubting Pardew will see much of the £35m we got from Carroll, Nolan tried to drink his way to international stardom and Nile Ranger nails a glamour model.
Wor Kev has been talking to Radio 5 and doesn’t fancy Alan Pardew’s chances of seeing much of the £35m the club got for Andy Carroll. Keegan said:
“I saw an interview with Alan Pardew where he said he hoped to get some of the £35 million and I thought ‘Alan, you ain’t going to get any of that’.”
Well, time will tell on that front. Keegan goes on to say that he’d have sold Carroll for £35m, but he was also critical of last minute sales like that as he’d have wanted to get a replacement for any player sold. Keegan said:
“I think £35 million for Andy Carroll … if I’d been manager I’d have taken it.
“But how can you spend it on the last day of the transfer window?
“My big argument was that we were selling James Milner for a lot of money – probably above the value we put on him – and I said, ‘Please don’t sell him before we get someone in’.
“The reason I didn’t want them to put that out and to hold on a little longer was so I could get a good value signing. It’s business. It’s a sensible way to do to do it.
“If you sell Milner for £11 million then they say, ‘If he’s worth £11 million, our guy must be worth £9 million’.” (more…)
Laughing gas but no lauging matterNewcastle United midfielder Hatem Ben Arfa is reported to be suffering another delay in his recovery.
A few days ago Alan Pardew was hopeful that Ben Arfa would be back for the Wolves game on the 2nd April, but it’s now looking like it could be closer to the end of the season before he’s fit enough to play if indeed he plays again at all this season.
Pardew said:
“He has set himself a personal target, but he is still in the process of recovery
“To break both bones in his shin is tough, not just physically but mentally. He’s got a long road back. Whether he comes back into the first team at the level where we are at the moment, we’ll have to see.
“Certainly next year he will be a big player for us.
“But his recovery will take us into April, maybe May.”
Reading between the lines (“Certainly next year …” etc.), I think we’ll be lucky to see Ben Arfa on the pitch again this season. Still, who knows eh? He might be lucky and get a game or two in May. (more…)
Cautiously optimistic?Newcastle United captain Kevin Nolan reveals he’s ‘hopeful’ about the future of the club, whilst Alan Pardew praises Nolan as a better player than he thought he was.
Kevin Nolan’s goal against Bolton on Saturday means he now has 11 for the season, which is not bad for a midfielder, albeit one that often slots in close behind the striker(s).
Personally I find Nolan a bit frustrating. He sometimes seems to ‘disappear’ for large portions of the game in terms of his general midfield contribution, but he frequently ‘reappears’ to put the ball in the back of the net, which is not to be sniffed at. Although feel free to sniff if you wish – I’m not a man to stop professional sniffers.
Nolan seems to be cautiously optimistic about the future of the club in the hands of Ashley and his bespectacled sidekick, particularly after the club managed to sign Cheick Tiote until 2017. Nolan said:
“I hope and I think that Mike and Derek are in it for the long haul here.
“We’re all working together to get Newcastle back where it belongs. It’s going to be bit by bit and we can’t get carried away but it will be nice when they get us back. They can sit and smile knowing they’ve worked so hard.
“All we’ve asked for is a bit of stability and giving lads new contracts when they deserve it.
“Hopefully we can build a team for the future around Cheik.” (more…)
