alpal78 Posted October 27, 2011 Share Posted October 27, 2011 Can I just know for those commenting that he played poorly, how many watched the game or are your views just based on radio commentary? Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alberto2005 Posted October 27, 2011 Share Posted October 27, 2011 Can I just know for those commenting that he played poorly, how many watched the game or are your views just based on radio commentary? Ash went. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ronaldo Posted October 27, 2011 Share Posted October 27, 2011 They went to the game, fibber. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
LFEE Posted October 27, 2011 Share Posted October 27, 2011 Can I just know for those commenting that he played poorly, how many watched the game or are your views just based on radio commentary? I was also there... Ben Arfa unfortunately played like he was the one at home listening to it on the radio... Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Geordiesned Posted October 27, 2011 Share Posted October 27, 2011 Can I just know for those commenting that he played poorly, how many watched the game or are your views just based on radio commentary? I was there. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
alpal78 Posted October 27, 2011 Share Posted October 27, 2011 Can I just know for those commenting that he played poorly, how many watched the game or are your views just based on radio commentary? I was there. Fair enough to those who went, otherwise the 'assessment' is just rubbish Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ronaldo Posted October 27, 2011 Share Posted October 27, 2011 How profound. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
LFEE Posted October 27, 2011 Share Posted October 27, 2011 Too early to judge I know especially with him having such a disrupted Pre-season... BUT.......... I think it sadly looks like he's lost a yard of pace and more importantly that acceleration that made him stand out when watching him in the Champions League and his first 3 and a bit appearances for us last year... Looks bulkier yet no stronger... Keeping my fingers crossed I'm wrong... Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Heneage Posted October 27, 2011 Share Posted October 27, 2011 I'm inclined not to worry about him at the minute. He's displayed glimpses of the talent we gambled on albeit brief. I think we have to accept he's going to have some bad games. He has that mercurial presence in my opinion, meaning sometimes he's going to be unplayable and skip past players other times it will be like he's elsewhere. It's about minimizing the latter and maximizing the former. I'm pretty sure that's his first decent runout since he came back hopefully we can get him involved in some home games to get his confidence up and get that mojo back. I don't think he's a lost cause though. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alberto2005 Posted October 27, 2011 Share Posted October 27, 2011 Ba looked worse than Ade Akinbiyi before he gained fitness, judge him in 10 games not the first game he's started. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
cfcmagpies Posted October 27, 2011 Share Posted October 27, 2011 Ba looked worse than Ade Akinbiyi before he gained fitness, judge him in 10 games not the first game he's started. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ikon Posted October 27, 2011 Share Posted October 27, 2011 I used to run 100m around 11sec, then i went travelling for 5 months and got drunk about every night, after that it took me ages before i could run fast again Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
alpal78 Posted October 27, 2011 Share Posted October 27, 2011 How profound. How typical. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shak Posted October 27, 2011 Share Posted October 27, 2011 Could be quite the test of Pardew's man management skills if Ben Arfa continues to struggle for the next few games. He's said he sees him playing in the #10 position, and if you're going to have a player playing that role you absolutely cannot have him being anonymous like he apparently was last night. Hopefully Ben Arfa will be patient and know that it may take a bit of time for him to get sharp again and will therefore be OK with not starting every game until he gets back in the swing of things. Should be back on the bench at Stoke tbh. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Colos Curls Posted October 27, 2011 Share Posted October 27, 2011 he really cant argue if he is assigned bench duty at stoke after last night. the team is playing well in the league and this was a chance for those who havnt had a look in to show pardew why they should be starting, Yet it sounds like non of the lads covered themselves in glory (guthrie probably at a push which pains me to say ha) Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
HawK Posted October 27, 2011 Share Posted October 27, 2011 Sounds about as anonymous as Best vs Wigan Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
womblemaster Posted October 27, 2011 Share Posted October 27, 2011 `Toys will be out the pram soon enough.` agree. If arfa gets a lip on about not starting. I suspect hes a legend in his own mind, and wont accept he has to occasionally work at it too. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Flip Posted October 27, 2011 Share Posted October 27, 2011 For what its worth, after the Cabaye goal he looked as happy as he has been in this team and that shows he at least gives a shit even if it doesn't look like it on the field. You guys forgets its been more than a year and two months or so that he has gotten regular football. He got what, 3 games with us? after a hectic summer before he was loaned out to us. He hasn't played regularly. He has to get a start against Stoke. Lets not try to counter anti-football with twin-towers. Will not work, need to get the ball on the field and with Tiote in the middle, Cabaye and Ben Arfa will be able to play their playmaking football. Ba will get tired after 50-60minutes after playing 120 last night and then Best gets his chance. For me its a must that HBA plays no matter how bad/average/good he was last night. It's in these types of games that he has to play, these types where a moment of magic can unlock a disgusting defence. HBA - Obertan(we know he'lll play) on the counterattack might be magnificient for all we know. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Decky Posted October 27, 2011 Share Posted October 27, 2011 Have people forgot about his injury and the fact that he has been out for a year? Not to mention missing most of pre season with another injury. I suspect he is still lacking a bit of fitness and is certainly lacking sharpness. He is also trying to settle in to the English game as well, don't forget he hasn't played a lot of games for us. He needs time, I understand he is taking up a place in the team and we need to put our best 11 out there, but Ben Arfa could well be the most talented player at the club. It's also worth mentioning that the team were far from their best last night not just Ben Arfa. FWIW I would have put him on the wing and had Best up with Ba, but Pardew isn't going to go with that, so we just have to be patient and wait until Ba and Ben Arfa 'click'. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cronky Posted October 27, 2011 Share Posted October 27, 2011 Too early to judge I know especially with him having such a disrupted Pre-season... BUT.......... I think it sadly looks like he's lost a yard of pace and more importantly that acceleration that made him stand out when watching him in the Champions League and his first 3 and a bit appearances for us last year... Looks bulkier yet no stronger... Keeping my fingers crossed I'm wrong... I felt on Saturday that his flat-out sprinting speed didn't seem to be there. I assume the right expertise is at the club to target that element of his fitness. We may have to be patient for a while though. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Flip Posted October 27, 2011 Share Posted October 27, 2011 Too early to judge I know especially with him having such a disrupted Pre-season... BUT.......... I think it sadly looks like he's lost a yard of pace and more importantly that acceleration that made him stand out when watching him in the Champions League and his first 3 and a bit appearances for us last year... Looks bulkier yet no stronger... Keeping my fingers crossed I'm wrong... I felt on Saturday that his flat-out sprinting speed didn't seem to be there. I assume the right expertise is at the club to target that element of his fitness. We may have to be patient for a while though. It wasn't there!(sprinting speed) But what do people expect? I mean lets take an example and see what injuries do to you, take Kaka. Worlds best player due to his speed and vision and ability to score goals. Now he's not that fast, that doesn't make him a worse player as he is probably in a as good form as he has been ever since that magical year. Scoring goals, creating and taking on players with use of his speed, he hadn't before he was afraid of getting injured, just the way HBA is afraid of getting stuck in. It'll take Ben Arfa time to get back to max but at 75% he will still produce great football at times, but might be like last night disappearing during couple of matches. But you have to start a guy like him, you don't want to put him on in 75th minute and think, OH GOD it's one of these days why didn't we start him. People tend to forget you can always sub if he has a bad first half. But you have to start him just because if he does find his feet he will be difference between a win and a draw. People have to high expectations and are too harsh on him. Give him time, but on the footballing pitch and nowhere else. He seems to be enjoying his time here and every single interview from player and staff seem to suggest that he shows that he has that extra level that no one else at the club have. However, just like the french people on here told us they seem to be right, he will be an inconsistent player, but Pardew has to manage that in the best possible way. I'll put money on him getting his first goal at home to Everton. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lush Vlad Posted October 27, 2011 Share Posted October 27, 2011 Have people forgot about his injury and the fact that he has been out for a year? Not to mention missing most of pre season with another injury. I suspect he is still lacking a bit of fitness and is certainly lacking sharpness. He is also trying to settle in to the English game as well, don't forget he hasn't played a lot of games for us. He needs time, I understand he is taking up a place in the team and we need to put our best 11 out there, but Ben Arfa could well be the most talented player at the club. It's also worth mentioning that the team were far from their best last night not just Ben Arfa. FWIW I would have put him on the wing and had Best up with Ba, but Pardew isn't going to go with that, so we just have to be patient and wait until Ba and Ben Arfa 'click'. Decky, I'm not used to you being so sensible Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dr Venkman Posted October 27, 2011 Share Posted October 27, 2011 it'll be months before he's properly fit Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Parky Posted October 27, 2011 Share Posted October 27, 2011 He's been out a long time. It'll be 20 or so games before we start to see the real HBA. He needs to be kept involved in games and get pitch time. He'll be back to his best I've no doubts. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Christmas Tree Posted October 27, 2011 Share Posted October 27, 2011 Reality hits you hard Bro! Seriously, if the Ben Arfa worship was taken out of peoples comments this thread would be a lot more readable. Excuse after excuse. Some will demanding he plays in goal shortly just so that he is on the pitch. Lets just agree that so far he has never yet "done it" for Newcastle and looks some way away from doing it just yet. We cant afford to carry him and as some have pointed out, the team has done very nicely so far. Also worth noting that Pardew wasnt even here when he played last season so will be even less willing to carry him. Being able to turn it on in training means nothing if you cant do it for real. Hopefully, this chap will see the benefit to be gained from a few appearances in the reserves. If not I fear it will be a tantrum filled few months til January. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
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