Lush Vlad

Still think we might be being just a bit premature here. If he still doesn't get into the team on a regular basis by the end of March/early April, then I will start worrying

Tiote and Cabaye vs Vaughan and the car vandal. Going to be tasty as fuck that midfield battle!

Has he started more than 3 games in a row for the club? Even then he's either got snapped in half or subbed at half time or near the end of the match. Man City, Man U, Chelsea. Fulham, Brighton, Blackburn. Everton, Stoke?, Man City. Just seems mental that he's never got a chance in a set position or over a period of games. If he gets 5-10 games in a row before the end of the season and looks poor, then fair enough. But we haven't seen enough of him to judge properly IMO. Especially when you take into account the injury, not used to the league, change in formation, players missing, style of play etc etc. Would like to think eventually he can fit in somewhere. Just hoping in private Pardew has asked for his patience until next season when we sign a better full back. Or sit tight until Tiote and Cabaye are back and he will see more game time. I couldn't believe it when we signed him and he is the sort of player fans pay good money to see. Fingers crossed it works out, you know he'd leave and end up being class for someone else

I'd rather have a dark green accomplished Ben Arfa there, than a bright green natural Obertan.

:lol: I know he is a scapegoat a lot of the time, but I really don't rate him. This observation is spot on!

Just don't get it. Was there a risk of him being permanently out of the first team? He makes it sound dramatic and definite. Wouldn't worry too much about it. I like the bloke but he has an odd turn of phrase and says some right shite in interviews. "54, 53 thousand Geordies or whatever it is" "We WAS unlucky today" "We didn't have that burst in the first half, when you lack burst, you're always going to struggle" "The Ameobi's are lovely lads and you know err the Ameobi's are well and dusted at this club" Just some off the top of me head that had me goosed and laughing when I heard them

Of course he is, he is a "luxury" player that needs a lot of people around him to work their arses off so he can have a free role and do what he needs to do. But you can't run a whole team around 1 player, it just doesn't work. We have got where we are with a magnificent team work ethic. Ben Arfa would be much more suited to a team that can just afford to give him the freedom he needs, which is probably not going to be for a team in the Premiership. Yes he is an amazing talent, but when I watch him, I just don't get the feeling he fits in with what we are trying to do. Yes a class player, but when we are not prepared to run the team around him and ask him to fit in with what we want to do, he looks like he is struggling. I would be with you all and demanding he was playing if we were struggling, but we are having the best season in a long long time, so unfortunately there is no real argument to start him yet. You're wrong there. I do like a reply that is backed up with facts and points to try and add to the discussion. Well done you, you are right you have made me change my mind. What's Obertan's goals and assists ratio per starts compared to Ben Arfa's? I agree Obertan doesn't look the answer in the long run, but he is a right winger, for me Ben Arfa isn't. Having Ben Arfa pigeon holed to the right wing does not seem to suit him at all. For me if he was to play in a 4-4-2 it would have to be on the left. Personally I would like to see him out on the left with Jonas on the right (since Jonas is infact right footed). I remember last year we started away to Man City like that, and I was excited at the prospect of it, and then came along De jong to spoil it all. Personally for me that is the only place I would play Ben Arfa, he isn't a striker and he cuts inside far too much when on the right. I'm not sure what you're watching if you think Obertan is a winger. There's rarely ANYTHING 'wingerish' about him. How often (you can just think back to Villa if you like) have you seen him get the ball, face a slow FB, move forward with the ball at a moderate pace, allow another oppostion player to track across so now there's 2 men on him, have a look inside, only then realise someone else has showed up, look outside again, barely accelerate, get near the byline, right turn towards the corner flag, turn right again, have a look for Simpson, thankfully get rid of the ball. Aye, got 'winger' written all over him.... just because you think he is s*** doesn't mean he isn't a winger mate. He rarely takes on a full back on the outside, can't cross from deep, on the run or from the byline and his best game was arguably the half vs Arsenal where he played in the free role. Apart from that and what Lotus said, he looks like an out and out winger.

Monday night to Saturday evening is right on the limit of Ledley's recovery time ................ and that's assuming he didn't get a kick in the Liverpool game. That said, Kaboul and Dawson aren't bad and most of the absentees from last night are expected to be fit. A more important bearing on the game is both Tiote and Cabaye missing for you. 2-0 to Spurs is my guess. Bloody typical

Can't see anything but a hammering here. If we put in a performance and only get beat by the odd goal I will be content (ish). I reckon even with a full strength squad we would struggle, but with no Taylor, Cabaye or Tiote, I can't see us getting much. I know they have players out, but they've got a big squad loaded with talent. Can quite easily see the mackems getting a point off Arsenal and I don't think Man U will lose to Liverpool. We could still be 5th by the end of the weekend

When? Blackburn at home in the league and cup, Fulham at home second half, Wolves away first half, Fulham away first half, Man Utd at home for parts, Villa at home second half, Man Utd away, Chelsea at home in patches, Swansea at home without creating many clear cut chances, Everton at home first half....... plenty of times this season we have played good football. ... The main problem might actually be that we can't seem to do it for a whole game. I would add QPR for an hour and Villa away to that list as well.

TBF to Obertan, he does a couple of mad 60 yard full pelt sprints back per game and against Fulham at home earlier in the season, he put in 3 or 4 quality slide tackles. But he's hardly consistent in his workrate and is far less effective going the other way than Ben Arfa. Seems strange that he is the favoured choice out wide.

fairly sure he only started on sunday as an extra comabtive body in midfield due to tiote and cabaye not being available. it wasn't merely a question of 'play our best right midfielder' but play what's best needed in that specific game with what else we can put out. I hope you're right and it seems a logical explanation. As yourself and many others have eluded to, perhaps he is being extra cautious whilst Tiote and Cabaye are unavailable? Just think starting arguably two of our less talented players down the same flank is a recipe for disaster. Simpson and Taylor are both pretty slow and neither look comfortable on the ball. I can see us plumping for that in the derby to try and combat McLean, but I would rather we focussed on our wingers attacking qualities at home. Might just be being paranoid and pessimistic of course. The Wolves game will be interesting, even if R.Taylor is fit, I would like to think we'll start HBA or Obertan.

If he's fit, he shouldn't be starting games, but I can see him starting against sunderland. Would be great if he repeated his 'over the wall' trick, but I just can't stand R.Taylor right wing. The fact he gets games there ahead of Ben Arfa and even Obertan is a worry TBH and I can see us playing him in the derby, going with the safety first route.

Don't get it. He's a better option than Raylor or Obertan on the wings, but he's being told he has to 'fight' for his place, when others can seemingly play shit game after game and still get a start?!?! This might end up being genius man management from Pardew, I mean he deals with him day in, day out and knows how he responds. Been a lot of tough love so far, criticism and comments in the press etc. Maybe he gets a reaction from HBA when he goes public with his views? If it ends up working then great, just a bit confused by it all TBH and can only see it all ending in tears.

http://www.readytogo.net/smb/showthread.php?t=671125 Another 'special' relationship.

Think we all might be jumping the gun here. If when Cabaye and Tiote are back and with Ba and Cisse bedded in, he still can't get a start, then I will start to fear the worst. That said, Simpson is poor and Santon is very attack minded, so that is probably another reason for him not getting a game out wide. I actually hope that is the case, as we will upgrade on Simpson in the summer I reckon. Just hoping it isn't a case of Pardew still thinking Ben Arfa can't/won't play on the wing. Would like to see him start vs Wolves, they will park the bus and players like HBA will be key, not players like Obertan.

Me mate said he would retire if that happened to him, obviously having some sort of effect on poor Charlie boy

I would say buying Cisse means we're much much less likely to sell Ba. I hope you are right and see why you'd think that. One thing I can say, we should be thankfull he's a Muslim because from my experience your true Muslims are very humble people who value community ahead of riches. Ba seems a humble guy. Me, if I were a 15 goal striker I'd be thinking I'm pretty f***ing good, Ba will thank Allah for his goals not his own skills etc. Every goal he scores he's thanking God. He may have found his true place here. That said, we need to pay him what he's worth, and that coudl mean a huge pay rise. He did go on strike to force a move from Hoffenheim, but I don't know the ins and outs of the story TBF. Looked off the pace, but love Demba I and he won me £90. What a man

FFS. He was at Liverpool before us and had a couple of loans. I'm really glad he's playing as he is. I did find it quite strange how last season was such a non-event for him, he'd been such a pivotal player in the promotion season and I wasn't with these people who said he wasn't a Premier League player. It looked like the Premiership was too fast, strong and athletic for him. Whereas you do get more time and space in the Championship. Danny has excellent technical ability, especially for a British midfielder. And this season he's worked on his conditioning and has shown for more desire for the game. Disagree, I think the Championship is played at a ridiculous tempo, it's kick and rush and a lot of in your face tackling. It's not like. It's slower physically, mentally and technically. It's nowhere near as quick as the top flight and you get far more time and space - anybody with an ounce of technique thrives down there. Look at how many goals/assists people like Taarabt and Wittingham plunder. You only have to be above average with the ball and you'll p*ss the division. The amount of times we would gift possession away and not be punished was ridiculous too. Fair points. Perhaps it is the constant mistakes and rushed playing style of most players in that league that make it seem like the game is going at a million miles an hour. I don't watch it that much nowadays TBF. Still guilty of gifting possesion away too often now. Blackburn and Villa nearly gave me a coronary

Quite literally doesn't know anything. Probably just his own opinions and a bit of a guess at what the general feeling might be. Some of his tweets are a disgrace and embarrassing and what about blog on the tyne I've also seen him championing Ryan Taylor an awful lot lately, saying he should be in with a shout of getting player of the year

Tall, left wing, very direct, pacey, puts a good ball in and looks a real handful. Will give Simpson a really tough time, but I reckon I could give him a run for his money TBF

Aye ok reefatoon, forget the 4-2-3-1/4-3-3 4-bloody whatever I just think your point about him not tracking back is well wide of the mark. Especially seeing as against Blackburn and Brighton, despite having a shitter, he worked pretty hard and it's certainly noticable compared to earlier in his career. It's been pointed out by many on here and AP himself has even praised him for it. He's never going to be a Jonas like work horse, but then not many players are. I think he does enough going forward to warrant a place in the team ahead of R.Taylor and Obertan and it's not like he's a Robert or Ginola in terms of defensive duties either. Would start him against Wolves when Cabaye and Tiote are back for sure. You can carry on bickering about formations now

FFS. He was at Liverpool before us and had a couple of loans. I'm really glad he's playing as he is. I did find it quite strange how last season was such a non-event for him, he'd been such a pivotal player in the promotion season and I wasn't with these people who said he wasn't a Premier League player. It looked like the Premiership was too fast, strong and athletic for him. Whereas you do get more time and space in the Championship. Danny has excellent technical ability, especially for a British midfielder. And this season he's worked on his conditioning and has shown for more desire for the game. Disagree, I think the Championship is played at a ridiculous tempo, it's kick and rush and a lot of in your face tackling. He was just a cut above that league, playing in the best team by a mile. He's got himself fit, matured and just improved his game, totally agree on that.

He isn't moving very far, but his role would be hugely different. He would be expected to track back and cover all the time, which would completely change and affect his game. Absolute madness to ask Ba to do anything even slightly different to what he is doing now. As i said Ba isnt moving anywhere he's been playing that role all year long, he just joins up with the other striker when we are on the attack to make it a 4-4-2...... For proof look at his average position against Man Utd...... http://i45.servimg.com/u/f45/16/55/20/10/averag10.png Exactly where i put him in my formation. Well that's fair enough, but you are sacrificing a midfield player to fit in Ben Arfa. We know Ben Arfa will not do the tracking back, which would mean Ba doing more of the tracking back and covering in midfield when we get outnumbered in there (which we will). Playing that system will affect Ba, as he will have to drop even deeper than he does now. Do we? Depsite two shite performances, you certainly can't say this about him against Brighton or Blackburn, he tracked back well against QPR as well, credit to Pardew on that front. We already have one fairly defensive winger in Jonas and whilst Obertan works hard, he's hardly a second full back. When did everyone start caring so much about wingers being defensive minded