Cheick’s mate! The striker Newcastle United should really be going for…

Posted on January 15th, 2013 | |

“‘Phenomenal’ was all a breathless Fred Rutten (Vitesse Arnhem’s manager) could say. A word so rarely uttered in the Eredivisie it took many by surprise. Phenomenal you say? In truth no other superlative could do justice to the display of incredible forward play he had the pleasure of witnessing from one of European footballs most in form strikers. Wilfried Bony.”

Oranje Wednesdays: The extraordinary swagger of Wilfried Bony.

Vitesse Arnhem’s 24 year old muscled magician, Wilfried “Daddy Cool” Bony is currently the Eredivisie’s highest scorer and with very good reason. Cheick Tiote’s Ivory Coast team mate is now seen as a natural successor to Didier Drogba with his great strength, dynamism, hold-up play, aerial threat, great finishing abilty and importantly, superb techinique on the ball – He also has a good injury history too.

With the abovementioned combination of qualities he can sometimes be quite simply “unplayable.” People may have compared him with Didier Drogba, but I also see something like an African Alan Shearer. Like Big Al, he can also drop deep and win the ball for himself when he isn’t getting enough upfront, and is also very adept at making space for himself using his ‘bony’ elbows (OK, I’ll get me coat after that one).

To look at the downsides to get a balanced view though, whilst he is by no means slow, on the other hand, he isn’t quite a greyhound either. However, looking at realistic striker targets for Newcastle United, I can’t really see anyone better at the moment.

He also has some measure of versatilty, being able to play as an attacking midfielder and second striker as well as the traditional Centre Forward role. Although he is valued at only around £7 million £8.8 million and rapidly rising in football transfer website “Transfermarkt,” looking at his overall standard of play he is worth a fair bit more than this, and it could take an offer of something over £10 million to prise him from the clutches of Vitesse Arnhem.

Wilfried Bony’s stats. Sparta Prague (2008-11). Season App Gls Ass YC RC MPl MPG 2008-9 20 4 5 2 – 1234 309 2009-10 39 13 – 5 – 3160 243 2010-11 24 17 – 5 – 2083 126 Vitesse Arnhem (2011-). Season App Gls Ass YC RC MPl MPG 2010-11 7 3 – 3 – 585 195 2011-12 34 18 8 3 1 2835 158 2012-13 24 22 5 4 – 2000 91 Ivory Coast (2010-). App Gls Ass YC RC MPl MPG Competitive 9 4 1 – – 335 84 Friendlies 5 – – 1 – 195 – Total (2008-13). App Gls Ass YC RC MPl MPG 162 81 19 23 1 12427 153 . App – Appearences, Gls – Goals, Ass – Assists, YC – Yellow Cards RC – Red Cards, MPl – Minutes Played, MPG – Minutes Per Goal.



Of course, much Newcastle United attention has been focused on Marseille’s Loic Remy recently, who can indeed be a magnificent player when he is in form. Around a year ago ago he was looked upon as a £20 million player, and it is possibly this which had Mike Ashley’s juices flowing like Pavlov’s dog. Of course there is also his versatility, most notably for Newcastle his abilty to play either centrally or on the flanks of a three pronged attack, the second of which Bony isn’t noted for. However there is a reason why he now has a Sports Direct style “70% OFF!!” tag hanging ’round his neck. Poor form has dogged him this season. He has seldom started for Marseilles and his goal return so far has been a mere 3 goals in 23 appearences.

Returning to Bony though, whilst he may be a central player who doesn’t play on the flanks. I would say that we need more than Cisse at the spearhead of attack with only Ameobi as an alternative, and another wide attacking player is the subject of another ‘blog.

But anyway, whilst Remi may indeed be “Mr. Right” for the Toon in the longer term, what we need is Mr.Right Now with the state we’re in currently! Well “Daddy Cool” is certainly Mr. Right Now, and if Newcastle United don’t have a go for him now, they may end up kicking themselves in the fullness of time for he is headed for greater things in the coming years, possibly at another Premiership team such as Liverpool or Chelsea.

Another video of Wilfried Bony in action.

Goals 2011-12.

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NUFCBlog Author: workyticket workyticket has written 1078 articles on this blog.

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