Hatem Ben Arfa

[Disco]

I know Pardew's said he'll always play centrally but I think he's got to start thinking about, as someone suggested, at least easing him in down the left hand side, maybe start him on the right, see how he does and let him and Jonas switch over during the game. For a player still looking to get used to the English game, coming back from a serious injury and probably feeling the need to prove himself again, getting the ball in more crowded areas isn't doing him any favours.

 

The one time he picked the ball up on Saturday on the wing, he blitzed past the full back and got a shot away. He wants to beat players but needs to learn to walk before he can run.

 

Totally agree with that like.

 

 

[Ronaldo]

He needs a free role out wide. I don't buy this 'no.10' rubbish for one second.

[Hanshithispantz]

Really needs to start showing his worth now.

 

Stop with the fancy football, more effective football please.

It's his fancy football that's effective though.

[alexf]

He needs a free role out wide. I don't buy this 'no.10' rubbish for one second.

 

Yep thats what ive been saying, plus it changes the whole formation and balance of the team having a "No.10" role and it's way more pressure on him than is needed right now.

[Ryan_Taylor]

Hauled off..... for a striker when we were 2-0 down

[Interpolic]

Agree with the points above and would also point out that it would be good for the side as a whole if we could take advantage of his versatility.  Bring him on for someone who's not playing well, see what works, there's no point in restricting him to a central role although I do think that's where he'll end up making his mark eventually.

[Spudil]

He needs a free role out wide. I don't buy this 'no.10' rubbish for one second.

 

Yes, have said this before.

[madras]

He needs a free role out wide. I don't buy this 'no.10' rubbish for one second.

 

Yes, have said this before.

how can you have a free role out wide, aren't you either in a free role or out wide ? for me, him and marveaux should play off a centre forward (i'd nominate ba) giving them scope to play off , alongside and wide of the forward and each other, also  should give cabaye and the left side mid more room and more options when they look up.

[Baggio]

I wonder if Pardew would consider resting Ba and trying him off Best?

 

At least that way we would have someone to hole the ball up up top and for HBA and the wide players to work off.

[Yorkie]

I wonder if Pardew would consider resting Ba and trying him off Best?

 

At least that way we would have someone to hole the ball up up top and for HBA and the wide players to work off.

 

Yeah; theoretically he'd certainly be more suited to playing off Best, rather than Ba. The latter doesn't appear to be a target man in the slightest. I'm sure i remember reading that Ba even used to play left of a front three?

 

Tbh, i agree with those who say we should try him out on the wing. Would be really tempted to put him down the right.

[Baggio]

I wonder if Pardew would consider resting Ba and trying him off Best?

 

At least that way we would have someone to hole the ball up up top and for HBA and the wide players to work off.

 

Yeah; theoretically he'd certainly be more suited to playing off Best, rather than Ba. The latter doesn't appear to be a target man in the slightest. I'm sure i remember reading that Ba even used to play left of a front three?

 

Tbh, i agree with those who say we should try him out on the wing. Would be really tempted to put him down the right.

 

Didn't Pardew insinuate that HBA doesn't have any interest in playing out wide or something similar to that?

[madras]

I wonder if Pardew would consider resting Ba and trying him off Best?

 

At least that way we would have someone to hole the ball up up top and for HBA and the wide players to work off.

 

Yeah; theoretically he'd certainly be more suited to playing off Best, rather than Ba. The latter doesn't appear to be a target man in the slightest. I'm sure i remember reading that Ba even used to play left of a front three?

 

Tbh, i agree with those who say we should try him out on the wing. Would be really tempted to put him down the right.

with ben arfa,marveaux and cabaye we shouldn't be looking for a target man.

[Disco]

I wonder if Pardew would consider resting Ba and trying him off Best?

 

At least that way we would have someone to hole the ball up up top and for HBA and the wide players to work off.

 

Yeah; theoretically he'd certainly be more suited to playing off Best, rather than Ba. The latter doesn't appear to be a target man in the slightest. I'm sure i remember reading that Ba even used to play left of a front three?

 

Tbh, i agree with those who say we should try him out on the wing. Would be really tempted to put him down the right.

 

Didn't Pardew insinuate that HBA doesn't have any interest in playing out wide or something similar to that?

 

Thought it was more Pardew doesn't have any interest in playing him there?

[Guest BlacknWhiteArmy]

Wide on the right might be a decent place to get him into the swing of things...

[NEEJ]

It's such a shame they put his leg back on back to front. 

[Yorkie]

I wonder if Pardew would consider resting Ba and trying him off Best?

 

At least that way we would have someone to hole the ball up up top and for HBA and the wide players to work off.

 

Yeah; theoretically he'd certainly be more suited to playing off Best, rather than Ba. The latter doesn't appear to be a target man in the slightest. I'm sure i remember reading that Ba even used to play left of a front three?

 

Tbh, i agree with those who say we should try him out on the wing. Would be really tempted to put him down the right.

 

Didn't Pardew insinuate that HBA doesn't have any interest in playing out wide or something similar to that?

 

Thought it was more Pardew doesn't have any interest in playing him there?

 

Yeah, he made that pretty clear in the radio interview the other day. Seems a touch narrow-minded. When he played in that drifting left-wing role under Hughton, it looked like a position he could really mould his abilities to.

[Baggio]

I wonder if Pardew would consider resting Ba and trying him off Best?

 

At least that way we would have someone to hole the ball up up top and for HBA and the wide players to work off.

 

Yeah; theoretically he'd certainly be more suited to playing off Best, rather than Ba. The latter doesn't appear to be a target man in the slightest. I'm sure i remember reading that Ba even used to play left of a front three?

 

Tbh, i agree with those who say we should try him out on the wing. Would be really tempted to put him down the right.

with ben arfa,marveaux and cabaye we shouldn't be looking for a target man.

 

Having a target man doesn't mean we should skip giving it to our talented players and go for long ball football instead, however what we need is someone that can hold the ball up for us with his back to goal and bring our other talented players in to play as well as relieving the pressure on the team when needed.

 

With Ba and Ben Arfa you have 2 players that like to drop deep and collect the ball and I see them struggling to strike up a partnership that will benefit us.

[Ronaldo]

He needs a free role out wide. I don't buy this 'no.10' rubbish for one second.

 

Yes, have said this before.

how can you have a free role out wide, aren't you either in a free role or out wide ?

 

Well, no. You don't have the specific responsibility to support the striker from out wide. Centrally you most certainly do.

[madras]

He needs a free role out wide. I don't buy this 'no.10' rubbish for one second.

 

Yes, have said this before.

how can you have a free role out wide, aren't you either in a free role or out wide ?

 

Well, no. You don't have the specific responsibility to support the striker from out wide. Centrally you most certainly do.

but if you play out wide don't you have other specific responsibilities there ? with him and marveaux together they can play off each other, space either side and up front,allowing midfielders to come through

[Baggio]

I wonder if Pardew would consider resting Ba and trying him off Best?

 

At least that way we would have someone to hole the ball up up top and for HBA and the wide players to work off.

 

Yeah; theoretically he'd certainly be more suited to playing off Best, rather than Ba. The latter doesn't appear to be a target man in the slightest. I'm sure i remember reading that Ba even used to play left of a front three?

 

Tbh, i agree with those who say we should try him out on the wing. Would be really tempted to put him down the right.

 

Didn't Pardew insinuate that HBA doesn't have any interest in playing out wide or something similar to that?

 

Thought it was more Pardew doesn't have any interest in playing him there?

 

“My view is that he can’t play out wide. He has not got the relish for it and his best football comes through the middle."

 

.....

 

 

“I won’t play him on the side. I don’t think he wants to play there, I don’t he enjoys playing there and therefore my gut feeling is that footballers won’t play their best if they’re not happy in the position they’re in.

 

“I remember playing Jermain Defoe on the side when I was at West Ham. Within ten minutes I could tell he didn’t want to play there, it was a waste of time so I stuck him through the middle and Jermain was Jermain.

 

“Ben Arfa’s motivation is to play through the middle of the pitch - he needs to earn that right. He accepted that in pre-season, he worked very, very hard and that’s what we’ll be looking for him to do when he comes back in and around the team.”

[lovejoy]

Thought he was poor tonight.

[madras]

I wonder if Pardew would consider resting Ba and trying him off Best?

 

At least that way we would have someone to hole the ball up up top and for HBA and the wide players to work off.

 

Yeah; theoretically he'd certainly be more suited to playing off Best, rather than Ba. The latter doesn't appear to be a target man in the slightest. I'm sure i remember reading that Ba even used to play left of a front three?

 

Tbh, i agree with those who say we should try him out on the wing. Would be really tempted to put him down the right.

 

Didn't Pardew insinuate that HBA doesn't have any interest in playing out wide or something similar to that?

 

Thought it was more Pardew doesn't have any interest in playing him there?

 

“My view is that he can’t play out wide. He has not got the relish for it and his best football comes through the middle."

 

.....

 

 

“I won’t play him on the side. I don’t think he wants to play there, I don’t he enjoys playing there and therefore my gut feeling is that footballers won’t play their best if they’re not happy in the position they’re in.

 

“I remember playing Jermain Defoe on the side when I was at West Ham. Within ten minutes I could tell he didn’t want to play there, it was a waste of time so I stuck him through the middle and Jermain was Jermain.

 

“Ben Arfa’s motivation is to play through the middle of the pitch - he needs to earn that right. He accepted that in pre-season, he worked very, very hard and that’s what we’ll be looking for him to do when he comes back in and around the team.”

ben arfa is like beardsley, his motivation is to get the ball ,using space and technique, it may mean finding space in the middle or out wide. within our current very standard midfield 4 it cuts down the space for him to look for the ball in.

[Baggio]

I wonder if Pardew would consider resting Ba and trying him off Best?

 

At least that way we would have someone to hole the ball up up top and for HBA and the wide players to work off.

 

Yeah; theoretically he'd certainly be more suited to playing off Best, rather than Ba. The latter doesn't appear to be a target man in the slightest. I'm sure i remember reading that Ba even used to play left of a front three?

 

Tbh, i agree with those who say we should try him out on the wing. Would be really tempted to put him down the right.

 

Didn't Pardew insinuate that HBA doesn't have any interest in playing out wide or something similar to that?

 

Thought it was more Pardew doesn't have any interest in playing him there?

 

“My view is that he can’t play out wide. He has not got the relish for it and his best football comes through the middle."

 

.....

 

 

“I won’t play him on the side. I don’t think he wants to play there, I don’t he enjoys playing there and therefore my gut feeling is that footballers won’t play their best if they’re not happy in the position they’re in.

 

“I remember playing Jermain Defoe on the side when I was at West Ham. Within ten minutes I could tell he didn’t want to play there, it was a waste of time so I stuck him through the middle and Jermain was Jermain.

 

“Ben Arfa’s motivation is to play through the middle of the pitch - he needs to earn that right. He accepted that in pre-season, he worked very, very hard and that’s what we’ll be looking for him to do when he comes back in and around the team.”

ben arfa is like beardsley, his motivation is to get the ball ,using space and technique, it may mean finding space in the middle or out wide. within our current very standard midfield 4 it cuts down the space for him to look for the ball in.

 

Not sure what your points have to do with me saying he's apparently got little motivation to play on the wing?

[madras]

I wonder if Pardew would consider resting Ba and trying him off Best?

 

At least that way we would have someone to hole the ball up up top and for HBA and the wide players to work off.

 

Yeah; theoretically he'd certainly be more suited to playing off Best, rather than Ba. The latter doesn't appear to be a target man in the slightest. I'm sure i remember reading that Ba even used to play left of a front three?

 

Tbh, i agree with those who say we should try him out on the wing. Would be really tempted to put him down the right.

 

Didn't Pardew insinuate that HBA doesn't have any interest in playing out wide or something similar to that?

 

Thought it was more Pardew doesn't have any interest in playing him there?

 

“My view is that he can’t play out wide. He has not got the relish for it and his best football comes through the middle."

 

.....

 

 

“I won’t play him on the side. I don’t think he wants to play there, I don’t he enjoys playing there and therefore my gut feeling is that footballers won’t play their best if they’re not happy in the position they’re in.

 

“I remember playing Jermain Defoe on the side when I was at West Ham. Within ten minutes I could tell he didn’t want to play there, it was a waste of time so I stuck him through the middle and Jermain was Jermain.

 

“Ben Arfa’s motivation is to play through the middle of the pitch - he needs to earn that right. He accepted that in pre-season, he worked very, very hard and that’s what we’ll be looking for him to do when he comes back in and around the team.”

ben arfa is like beardsley, his motivation is to get the ball ,using space and technique, it may mean finding space in the middle or out wide. within our current very standard midfield 4 it cuts down the space for him to look for the ball in.

 

Not sure what your points have to do with me saying he's apparently got little motivation to play on the wing?

i doubt he'll have much motivation if told "play through the middle"

[Ronaldo]

An extremely poor man's Beardsley at best.

 

Would much rather we played him where we did last season.