Scout Report – Yoan Gouffran
Filed under: Scout Reports - Posted by: Paul
Newcastle continued their French shopping spree yesterday after acquiring Yoan Gouffran from Bordeaux on a four-and-a-half year deal. With just six months remaining on his contract, the 26-year-old forward moves to St James’ Park for a bargain fee believed to be in the region of £1.5m, and is the third player to arrive from Ligue 1 this month, following Mathieu Debuchy and Mapou Yanga-Mbiwa to the club.
Having lost top scorer Demba Ba to Chelsea, strengthening the attacking positions was always going to be a priority for Alan Pardew and, with Hatem Ben Arfa still sidelined with an ongoing hamstring problem, the Magpies boss spoke of his delight after bringing the versatile Gouffran to Tyneside:
“Yoan comes to the club with a great pedigree and, like the other signings we have made this month, is a player who will add considerable strength to our squad. I liked the look of him when we played Bordeaux at St. James’ Park earlier this season; pacy, direct and intelligent and those are qualities I like in a footballer. I am sure he will quickly adapt to the rigours and intensity of the Premier League and play an important role for us for the remainder of the season.”
The Statistics
For someone who is allergic to grass, Gouffran has made an impressive start to his career. Starting off in the French lower divisions with FC Caen, he helped his side earn promotion to Ligue 1 in 2006-07, with a 15 goal haul earning him the Ligue 2 Player of the Year award. Over five years with the club, he produced 33 goals and seven assists from 115 appearances before being snapped up by Bordeaux in June 2008.
Gouffran’s debut campaign for his new club proved somewhat bittersweet – his winner against Caen in the final game of the season clinched the Ligue 1 title for Bordeaux but sent his former side back down into the second tier. Over his time at Bordeaux, Gouffran produced 31 goals and 11 assists from 139 league appearances, though his final couple of campaigns were particularly impressive, with 22 goals and three assists accrued from his final 54 Ligue 1 matches before making his way to Tyneside. He has also turned out for the France U21 side on 22 occasion, finding the net three times, though has yet to receive a call-up at senior level.
The Prospects
Certainly, Gouffran is no like-for-like replacement for Demba Ba. Standing five foot nine, his pace and trickery in possession means he’s equally as comfortable on the flank as he is through the middle. Alan Pardew has the option of utilising the new boy as a strike partner for Papiss Cisse in a 4-4-2 or fielding him out wide in a 4-3-3, with Hatem Ben Arfa – when fit – also flanking the Senegalese striker.
Given that the latter formation seems to suit Cisse better, Gouffran is perhaps more likely to be fielded out wide, despite the fact he’s plundered 10 goals from 23 appearances in all competitions through the middle for Bordeaux this season. New team mate Mapou Yanga-Mbiwa summed up Gouffran’s main attributes:
“I have met him several times, and played against him in the French league. He is the type of player that gives us defenders a lot of work, he makes us work very hard. He runs deep, collects the ball, and holds it up very well. He lets the team get forward, and gives the team chances to counter attack. He’s good on the ball, and that would be something very useful for the team.”
Faith in Newcastle’s Fantasy assets is understandably low after a poor season finds them just two points above the drop zone with 15 matches remaining. Cisse is now the club’s top scorer with four strikes, while Cabaye and Ben Arfa are next best with three goals apiece – given that the former has two appearances since Gameweek 12 and the latter has featured once since Gameweek 13, it’s a damning indictment of the current squad’s minimal contributions and certainly bodes well for Gouffran’s game time, as Pardew looks to the new boy to boost his side’s attacking potential.
His arrival looks set to place question marks over the game time of Sylvain Marveaux – the latter has now started the last five and has been eyed up as a potential bargain at 4.3 in Fantasy Premier League (FPL) but may struggle to retain his starting berth. A FPL price in the region of 7.0 seems realistic – considering Ba started off at 7.5 – but many will be happy to hold fire and assess Gouffran’s role within the team before considering his potential.
His Fantasy prospects could come down to his classification, though. Gouffran looks likely to be listed as a forward – given his starting role for Bordeaux – but with Ben Arfa down as a midfielder and Cisse now set to play through the middle regardless of formation, the new boy could well struggle to persuade investors unless Pardew has him earmarked for a central berth. Like Everton’s Kevin Mirallas, then, he may find himself on the periphery of our thinking – a great talent whose possible reverse out of position role could significantly limit his appeal.
Further Reference
Yoan Gouffran Wikipedia
Yoan Gouffran Statistics
Yoan Gouffran YouTube
About The Author
paul
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Red arrow to finish with :? with happy with 13 k :) » -
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January 24 at 7:44 pm
Supersonic says:
Those without injuries and with 3 Arsenal players, who needs to come out first – say from Gibbs, Wally and Pod?
January 24 at 7:45 pm
jimmytheman says:
Podolski – smallest playing time
January 24 at 7:49 pm
Jason_Dozzell says:
gibbs…an arsenal clean sheet is one of the signs of the apocalypse.
January 24 at 7:44 pm
Jason_Dozzell says:
Newcastle have made some very astute transfers this window.
Would loved to have seen sissoko or gouffran at spurs. Sort it out levy. Leave holtby till end of season!
Right…. best defender to have in this week?
Rafael anyone? Fancy getting rid of gibbs for him. Luiz should be back
January 24 at 7:47 pm
ogqozo says:
Sissoko and Gouffran really faded this season. Capoue – he’s an example of superclass player who could be bought for top English club. Sissoko didn’t really yet fulfill his potential as have been projected.
I don’t think Sissoko and Gouffran would really fit Spurs, they’re just worse then Sandro/Dembele and Gouffran’s not better than Defoe.
January 24 at 7:48 pm
Jason_Dozzell says:
Defoe is pretty terrible. All he has is his turn and shot. Marginally better than darren bent!
They may have faded through lack of interest for their clubs. Newcastle have bought at a snip.
Spurs need a striker!!!
Rafael in for gibbs?
January 24 at 7:51 pm
ogqozo says:
They do, but if they want to fight for top 4, they need better than Gouffran. Not much in classic strikers in Ligue 1 right now, though… maybe Alain Traore, but he’s kinda like Dempsey, not a nine-forward.
January 24 at 7:45 pm
jimmytheman says:
Is Fletcher rising tonight? Tempted to do Podolski to Fletcher for free
January 24 at 7:49 pm
Jason_Dozzell says:
do it!!! You won’t regret it!
January 24 at 7:46 pm
Lateriser12 - "I am a consulting detective. The only one in the world" says:
New post.
January 24 at 7:46 pm
Hot Sauce says:
Choose one
A. Baines, Taarabt, Sturridge
B. Sunderland Def, Taarabt Aguero
C. Zabaleta, Michu, Sturridge
January 24 at 7:46 pm
jimmytheman says:
Hard one but i’d go B
January 24 at 7:47 pm
JurEE says:
C
January 24 at 7:47 pm
Hot Sauce says:
thanks
January 24 at 7:49 pm
Jason_Dozzell says:
c!!!
January 24 at 8:04 pm
Kaizer Soze says:
C
January 24 at 7:46 pm
Flying Asasssins says:
With Walcott’s form I’m unsure about how I get him back in or whether it’s worth it (probably made a mistake considering I got him at 8.6). Is it worth getting him back with this WC team?
Bego – Fed
Clyne – Demel – Davies – Rafael – Nasty
Mata – Bale – Fellaini – Michu – Punch
RVP – Aguero – Sturridge
(0 in the bank)
January 24 at 7:59 pm
Tobiathan says:
with that team you’re basically choosing between Studge and Walcott in other words, right? i.e. Punch and Studge vs Walcott and a dirt cheap defender. I’d choose the latter personally. Theo is just scoring too much these days to ignore imo
January 24 at 7:47 pm
Tobiathan says:
Anybody think Evra’s goal/assist resurgence is due to the addition of RVP at United or some other tactical change vs just pure luck? Wondering if he’ll keep it up is all. I am looking at him or Rafael, but if he’s not going to keep scoring don’t want to spend the extra 1.1M.
January 24 at 7:49 pm
I Like Small Butts & I Can Lie says:
Not sure but he’s probably the best defender to own at the minute… but it wrecks other parts of the team
January 24 at 8:02 pm
Kaizer Soze says:
rafael is as good going forward imo theyve just had a bit more down the left of late plus evra is a secret free heading weapon at set pieces
January 24 at 7:48 pm
Krisbee says:
Who would you bench from
Mata, Walcott, Ba or Podolski!?
January 24 at 7:49 pm
EpicFAIL - AVFC <3 says:
I wouldn’t
Surely there are other options?
January 24 at 7:50 pm
JurEE says:
E. None of the above.
January 24 at 7:50 pm
Jason_Dozzell says:
podolski
January 24 at 8:01 pm
Evstastic says:
Did you not see last nights game ?
January 24 at 8:02 pm
Jason_Dozzell says:
And…did u see the game against southampton?
January 24 at 8:11 pm
Evstastic says:
And …. Did you see the game against Newcastle ?
January 24 at 7:53 pm
ogqozo says:
For Liverpool game? Surely Podolski. They won’t let him just run like West Ham or Newcastle.
January 24 at 7:49 pm
JurEE says:
Who’s better to have:
Walcott + Lambert
or
Puncheon + Suarez?
January 24 at 7:50 pm
Jason_Dozzell says:
w+L
January 24 at 7:52 pm
Jason_Dozzell says:
a) Gibbs —> Rafael
b) Luiz n ruiz —-> Rafael and Fletcher
January 24 at 7:59 pm
Kaizer Soze says:
B
January 24 at 7:57 pm
Keep calm, we've got Fergie time says:
Any weakness in my team for GW24?
DDG
Baines — Zabaleta — Cameron
Mata — Walcott — Fellaini — Michu — Bale
RvP (c) — Fletcher
Bunn – Pog, Davies, Harte
January 24 at 8:02 pm
Evstastic says:
Looks Familiar …..
January 24 at 8:11 pm
chunk says:
Hate that so called power 5 not enough up top just my opinion
January 24 at 11:44 pm
flipperallstars says:
Not a fan of 3-5-2, always play 3-4-3 barring injuries over last 3 seasons and does the job
January 24 at 8:02 pm
Evstastic says:
No love for podolski ?
January 24 at 8:05 pm
Jason_Dozzell says:
no
January 24 at 8:44 pm
seanc says:
My WC is active. I’m loooking to play a 3-5-2 formation…
My five-man MF is:
Mata Walcott Gerrard Silva Michu
My front three options are:
a) Sturridge, Lambert, RVP ($0 in the bank)
b) Remy, Dzeko, RVP (0.3 in the bank)
c) Lukaku, Berb/Fletcher, RVP (0.2 in the bank)
Any thoughts?
January 24 at 9:01 pm
Moyo1 says:
heard Rooney’s injured
A) Rooney for Suarez
B) Rooney for Aguero
C) your recommendation