Frustrations are already growing among Newcastle fans that Remy Cabella - the man essentially brought in to replace Yohan Cabaye and Hatem Ben Arfa (along with Siem De Jong and a change of system) - isn't quite what he was billed as. Last year the Frenchman was a revelation for Montpellier, and was easily their most important attacking threat, but so far, his impact in terms of goals and assists has been limited. But we can expect more from the attacking midfielder, and there is already enough in his stats to suggest that he is going to be worth the wait once he gets used to English football. And once Alan Pardew - or his replacement - states playing a system that completely ignores the lure of long balls. Already this season, Cabella has chipped in with 17 chances created - none of which have turned into goals - and has had 8 shots (3 on target). His passing accuracy is a high 88%, putting him joint fifth in the squad rankings, and though his crossing has been terrible (15% success rate), that has more to do with the lack of bodies in the box rather than his crossing itself. He is easily Newcastle's most valuable creative player, outstripping Moussa Sissoko in chances created by almost 100%, and though he spends too much time on the floor, he needs only develop his physique and learn to get away from the more robust challenges if he isn't going to receive protection from referees. Pardew himself has admitted that Cabella is getting the time to adapt:
We are trying to find an avenue for him where we can get the best out of him. Hes an individual who needs time to adjust to the Premier League because its so much more physical than he is used to... Half of it he needs to do himself by building his upper body and making sure he doesnt go over easy. The other side of the coin is that we like to think referees will give him more protection that hes getting. Hes not getting enough at the moment, thats for sure.
That is all well and good, but the system has to suit the player, and it is plainly obvious that the occasional long-ball and hold-up play is not suited to Cabella. He needs the space to run at defenders and take them on, rather than being shoulder to shoulder when the ball is knocked up the pitch. That is just a quick way to stopping his impact entirely. What do you think of Remy Cabella's form this season? Share your thoughts below in the comments thread.
