Newcastle: Now Remy Cabella Says It Was His Fault

If you didn't laugh at Alan Pardew's incredible knack for convincing players they're not good enough, or there's something wrong with them, you'd probably cry as a Newcastle fan. So far this season we've seen both Hatem Ben Arfa - a prodigy and potential world beater when in the right position and frame of mind - and Mapou Yanga-Mbiwa, formerly the hottest French defensive talent of his generation both admit that their problems at Newcastle were somehow their own fault. Ben Arfa was played out of position, turned into a scapegoat and alienated until he admitted he was fragile from his new place of work. Yanga-Mbiwa was likewise played out of position (despite initially impressing at centre-half - remember Spurs?) until he felt that the Premier League was too physical. Neither player wasn't good enough: they were simply mishandled by the manager. So it's dismaying to see another player blame himself for his poor start with Newcastle, considering he has so far been played in a broken system and in multiple roles. Remy Cabella has spoken to L'Equipe about his move to Newcastle, and admitted he knows why he was dropped from the team:

€œIt was logical (getting dropped). The coach started with me for the first two months but I didn€™t score a goal or give an assist. Putting me on the bench and even not playing me at all at Swansea, pricked my pride but I didn€™t give up, I worked even harder.€

That last point is key: "I worked even harder." The suggestion there is exactly what underpins Alan Pardew's entire philosophy: forget trickery, technical gifts or flair, the answer is always simply to work harder and power through. That same requirement cost Ben Arfa and Marveaux their places in Newcastle's squad, and sadly, the writing is already on the wall for Cabella - at least he knows what to say to appease his manager. Cabella also stated that Pardew has been very clear with him, and on the key role he wants him to play:

€œHe speaks to me a lot and he€™s clear. He tells me when I€™ll be on the bench€if things are good€if it€™s not good. He wants me to help decide games, score goals. For the moment, I haven€™t done that. That€™s why I€™m not playing. Right now, I only think about that €“ scoring.€

Hopefully the preference for industry won't rob Cabella of his skills - it was those that made him the top assist maker at Montpellier, and not just his willingness to run and sweat blood. Once he gets used to the league, let's hope that remains a big part of his game:

€œIt is a new challenge in a new league so of course it takes some time to settle in. The rhythm and intensity surprised me. For 90 minutes you attack, you defend and the referee doesn€™t blow a lot. You have to get used to it.€

At least the Frenchman is happy enough to try and adapt, but sooner or later you have to think that being told he's not good enough, or not working hard enough will have some permanent impact on his style of play. It needs to be a positive impact or we'll have an £8.5m flop on our hands.