Just came by to share some feelings as the Nice fan that I am, and say, with confidence, that seeing Ben Arfa play is better than having sex. Even with girls.
We knew he was talented, and that he would probably show some great moves from time to time. But we didn’t expect this, or at least I didn’t. And I’m not talking about his statistics here, which, surprisingly enough, are what many journalist focus on regarding Hatem’s season so far. Not that these numbers are bad, but I think they’re missing the point.
When he does what he did against Caen, or even more against St Etienne, it looks unreal. He makes defenders look funny. Just look at Clément (first guy who defended on him) turning around himself , and then looking right and left like a dog starring at a stick but never managing to get it. Or how he bluffed Lemoine and made him tackle himself (how fast it did that is just amazing btw). Well, I guess we could go on for hours. You just don’t expect this kind of stuff from anyone, by definition, even from the very best. So even if you know he’s a top class player, it will always remained unexpected.
But it’s not only that. The man adds his artistic touch to almost every ball he touches, even when he plays simple and makes a basic pass. He does an eye trick, a diversion, a small little something that not only looks nice (that would be enough for me actually), but often surprises the opponent. It can be unnoticed, and does not make a huge direct difference, but it is many times enough to slow down the defender for a half a second. The partner to which the ball is passed to can enjoy the extra half a second to be more comfortable and feel less pressure from the opponent.
Maybe this is what happened when we scored our first goal against St Etienne. HBA made a weird pass to the left winger, with the unexpected foot, looking elsewhere. The defender was surprised, and, therefore, arrived late on the winger, who gave an assist. Had Ben Arfa just passed the ball to him, the defender might have come on time and counter the cross pass.
Or maybe I’m overemphasizing it, but fuck that, he makes me happy so what’s the difference? And fuck the guys who tell you to calm down, not too get too excited about HBA coz it won’t last since he’s a wanker. Not that I think it will last forever, I honestly don’t ask the question. But if this does not make you feel excitement, what will? So even if he suddenly stops being so good, at least we enjoyed these moments. This is art. This is not about at what place you’ll end the league. This is an end in itself. This is football. And now I’ve seen it.
