Cabella accepts he must be more consistent
Remy Cabella accepts he must be more consistent to earn a regular place in Newcastle United's starting XI.
Cabella was Newcastle's marquee signing of the close-season, with the France international penning a six-year deal at St James' Park in a big-money move from Montpellier.
The 24-year-old was hugely impressive in Ligue 1 last term, scoring 14 goals from his attacking midfield position in a struggling Montpellier side.
However, Cabella has so far struggled to make a similar impact in the Premier League, and has found himself among the substitutes in recent weeks.
Perhaps Cabella's best moment in a Newcastle shirt to date came in Sunday's surprise 2-1 victory at Tottenham, when he came off the bench at half-time and set up Ayoze Perez's 58th-minute winner with a superb cross.
And he knows that such match-defining contributions are essential if he is to convince manager Alan Pardew to start him.
"Not being in the starting XI against Tottenham and for three matches now was not a sanction - it was logical," Cabella told L'Equipe.
"The manager played me in the starting XI during the first two months [of the season] and I didn't score or assist.
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"Putting me on the bench and not even playing at Swansea [in a 2-2 draw on October 4] hit my pride. But I didn't give up, I worked even harder.
"He [Pardew] trusted me to play the second half against Tottenham. I got my first assist, which is good for trust.
"Alan Pardew has spoken to me a lot. He has made things clear. He tells me when I am on the bench if things are good or not.
"He wants me to be decisive and score goals. I haven't done that so far. That's why I haven't been playing a lot.
"Now I am only thinking about scoring. But I don't feel any pressure, that would be pointless. I am just here to play football.
"I am having so much fun in England. It is a new challenge in a new league, so of course I need some time to adapt."