Heron

That's nice if you. Thanks. Please will you elaborate so I fully understand? It seems to me that I just don't go with popular verdict...

It's stuff like this that does your argument no favours at all. Why? Because it's a true statement?

I for one struggle to criticize Pardew - I think he is doing fantastically well given the circumstances. Ben Arfa should get the game time in Ba's absence then our world class, star player will show us the savior that many fans seem to think he already is. I don't dislike Ben Arfa. I just hate the scapegoating of other less talented footballers when people like him are still yet to fulfill their ability in a Black and White shirt.

Big names don't equal star players. By your logic Michael Owen was our star player during the relegation season. Come off it. Messi is a 'big name' but he's one of the best two players in the world at the moment, that's just blatant widespread opinion. ..and Ben Arfa isn't one of the best two players in the world at the moment.

i reckon the fact he isn't in the team is relevant It is. 1) It could be because he isn't putting the effort in in training. 2) It could be because we don't feel he has full match fitness yet. 3) It could be that he isn't one of Pardew's favourites. 4) It could be because when he has come on Pardew doesn't feel he as been as influential as he is supposed to be. ... so that's not all there is to it, that was my point Fair enough. Coloccini has an equal amount of technical ability to Ben Arfa - people just disregard it more because he isn't the goal-scorer he's the goal saver. Tackling is a technical ability as well which people sometimes forget. I think technique is generally understand to mean ability with the ball at your feet though and Ben Arfa is better then Colo in that respect. Otherwise, last season you could have said Carroll was the most technically gifted player in the league based on his heading ability. Tackling requires technique, as does heading. Therefore the best 'technical footballer' has the best ability across most of the areas. As I said though, I don't think people generally interpret in that way. Ask anyone who's got the best technique in the league and 99% of people will say Silva, ignoring all defenders and keepers. You're right. I used to play CB so I may be biased like...but goal-scorers are very widely regarded more worthwhile or more important than goal-savers. They're sold for more and grab more headlines and really it's a load of bollocks.

i reckon the fact he isn't in the team is relevant It is. 1) It could be because he isn't putting the effort in in training. 2) It could be because we don't feel he has full match fitness yet. 3) It could be that he isn't one of Pardew's favourites. 4) It could be because when he has come on Pardew doesn't feel he as been as influential as he is supposed to be. ... so that's not all there is to it, that was my point Fair enough. Coloccini has an equal amount of technical ability to Ben Arfa - people just disregard it more because he isn't the goal-scorer he's the goal saver. Tackling is a technical ability as well which people sometimes forget. I think technique is generally understand to mean ability with the ball at your feet though and Ben Arfa is better then Colo in that respect. Otherwise, last season you could have said Carroll was the most technically gifted player in the league based on his heading ability. Tackling requires technique, as does heading. Therefore the best 'technical footballer' has the best ability across most of the areas.

Big names don't equal star players. By your logic Michael Owen was our star player during the relegation season.

So Pardew should change our formation to suit one player?? No but he should change the formation/system to get the best out of the team and the players available. He's doing that at the moment. Personally I'd put Ben Arfa into a 4-4-2 and see how that goes before I start changing entire systems but certainly the rigid way we set up now is really restricting our play and not getting the best out of anyone other than maybe Ba. Fair point. Defensively is where we are lacking though, not attacking. Changing to have less in midfield for me (e.g. 433) wouldn't be 'the answer'. I disagree completely, we have been shocking in possession of the ball for the last six weeks, we have become almost entirely reliant to giving the ball to Ba and hoping he can do something with it. We haven't murdered a team all year. We've only had issues since our back four was interrupted - which cannot be helped - but essentially it's the reason for our downfall, that and a hard run of games.

i reckon the fact he isn't in the team is relevant It is. 1) It could be because he isn't putting the effort in in training. 2) It could be because we don't feel he has full match fitness yet. 3) It could be that he isn't one of Pardew's favourites. 4) It could be because when he has come on Pardew doesn't feel he as been as influential as he is supposed to be. ... so that's not all there is to it, that was my point Fair enough. Coloccini has an equal amount of technical ability to Ben Arfa - people just disregard it more because he isn't the goal-scorer he's the goal saver. Tackling is a technical ability as well which people sometimes forget.

So Pardew should change our formation to suit one player?? No but he should change the formation/system to get the best out of the team and the players available. He's doing that at the moment. Personally I'd put Ben Arfa into a 4-4-2 and see how that goes before I start changing entire systems but certainly the rigid way we set up now is really restricting our play and not getting the best out of anyone other than maybe Ba. Fair point. Defensively is where we are lacking though, not attacking. Changing to have less in midfield for me (e.g. 433) wouldn't be 'the answer'.

i reckon the fact he isn't in the team is relevant It is. 1) It could be because he isn't putting the effort in in training. 2) It could be because we don't feel he has full match fitness yet. 3) It could be that he isn't one of Pardew's favourites. 4) It could be because when he has come on Pardew doesn't feel he as been as influential as he is supposed to be.

Ben Arfa could be our star man - but currently isn't. That's all there is to it.

Okay... EDIT: 4411 wouldn't be too bad but how would it be any different to 4-4-2 with Ben Arfa dropping short occasionally?

So Pardew should change our formation to suit one player??

Yep, closely followed by Ba. Cabaye, Tiote and Krul are also better than Ben Arfa, who has to scrap it out with Jonas and Steven Taylor, who have shown themselves to be better players than him at times too. Not sure I'd have Ben Arfa that far down the pecking order like... Ben Arfa is one of our best creative outlets, but Colo' is the most intelligent and technically sound player at the club. Cabaye, Ba and from what I've seen Marveaux are probably all at a similar level to Ben Arfa. I feel we're very much a good side, as we were last year, albeit a different type of side now. Nevertheless, we are still 3 or 4 quality players from being at someone like say Liverpool's standards. Our 'squad' players make up the final pieces of our 'performing' side and with two or three additions we'd have that strength in depth. Krul is one of our best players too - but requires a tad more experience and training to fulfill his potential as a truly world class goalkeeper.

Coloccini is our best player.

Yep.

There's only one Joey Barton...

We cannot sell anyone in the main squad and must buy one or two to strengthen squad depth. Without that we'll have a massive uphill struggle to finish 7th or above.

We have to sign a couple of key squad players this January and we fucking wont. Sick of being led on and lied to by these cunts.

puts effort in? ? ? ? ? ? 95% of his challenges are halfhearted. Never really tries to win posession back. Dont give this shitehead more excuses, shall be put on the bench till he tries harder and plays better. He is part of the reason we have been defensively solid this year, regardless of his fierceness in a tackle. His and Jonas' work-rate have saved a number of goal scoring opportunities. Your post, to me, seems like rather than excuses being made for Obertan, your making excuses not to like the bloke, regardless of the things he does do well. With all due respect your post is the same shite a number of people spout. People need to open their eyes to the true inadequacies of Obertans performance instead of ranting about a load of fiction.

...and it's Mr Heza09 to you...

Quality player and has seriously impressed so far for me.

Absolutely top-class player...

Despite being very average, he puts the effort in and therefore I cannot complain about him. People have made him a scapegoat early on and with some of the mistakes he makes people get on his back far more than they should - that's if they even should at all. Some proper clueless wankers at the ground who've never played football seem to fail to understand how hard certain things are. On the other hand, he is frustratingly slow to get going, which for me is his major downfall.