Greg Posted November 8, 2010 Share Posted November 8, 2010 No point even discussing it now, things can change so much in the next 5 months or so. You're going on as if he is going to be fit next week. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
AyeDubbleYoo Posted November 8, 2010 Share Posted November 8, 2010 I see what you've done there Taylor27, pointed out all the strengths of the players without any of their limitations. I know what you mean though, it would be difficult to change the team right now. Thing is, it's too far away to even worry about - by the time Ben Arfa returns we might have lost 4 or 5 on the bounce and Nolan or Shola might be injured. It's just great to have a player of Ben Arfa's quality in the squad. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
James Posted November 8, 2010 Share Posted November 8, 2010 Appreciate the point about the timing, but felt the need to speak out after three excellent results posters are still suggesting that Ben Arfa should just walk into the team. And IanW, you are right, they do all have limitations, but in this system they haven't been exposed...yet! Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
cubaricho Posted November 8, 2010 Share Posted November 8, 2010 By the time he's back we will have changed playing styles/formations at least twice I'd reckon. People will sniff us out with this current formation and we'll have to move on - that's just the way football works. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Optimistic Nut Posted November 8, 2010 Share Posted November 8, 2010 Well if our current system continue to work, he can only play in Jonas' role. So the question is, do we change the system to accomodate the players, or do we squeeze him in? Regardless, we can no longer expect him to be starting when he gets back as our biggest strength is the team, which is built on the common sense philosophy of staying in the side if you play well. He could play, and do a better job than whoever is currently there, in pretty much all our attacking positions. Can he emulate the goalscoring of Carroll and Nolan? The midfield dominance of Tiote? The early delivery of Barton? The running of Jonas? The physicality and hard work and semi-regular goals of Shola? The above are all reasons why the current system is working well at the moment, and unless he can better any of the above, I don't see how exactly he can get into the team. Unless Hughton can think of a better system that incorporates 5 of those players plus Ben Arfa. I remember the 2001-2 season where we were pushing the top places up until December, and then Dyer came back from injury and gave us a completely different dimension and gave us something a little bit extra in the winter months upto around the Sunderland game where Bellamy got injured. Similar circumstances here I think. We'll do very well with "this group of lads", but think Ben Arfa can take us a bit further. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gallowgate Toon Posted November 9, 2010 Share Posted November 9, 2010 It's hard to say whether we'd have done better if his injury hadn't occured. We're an effective unit but he's on a different planet to any of out current lot and the team should ideally be built around him. If we're playing the current system when he returns to full fitness, i think he can perfectly fit into one position. On paper, you'd say he's best off replacing Jonas but HBA drifts in far too much when we need that wide outlet and it creates more problems more than anything he's better off in Nolan's position imo but only when Tiote is playing. As long as Cheick's covering, he can forray forward as much he wants and he has all the assets to be a huge thorn in any team's side. He can pass and shoot, has tremendous vision and most importantly he can dribble in tight spaces. He can be our Dyer of 01/02 but better, with end product. It's something i'd love to see before the season's over and something we've lacked for years, pace in the middle of the park, a player that can run at defences through the middle. His run vs. Everton where he set up Carroll was magical, beating 4 players in the blink of an eye. Can't wait to have him back. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
AyeDubbleYoo Posted November 9, 2010 Share Posted November 9, 2010 The Everton highlights of him were scarily good... I've rarely seen a player combine that much acceleration with that much technique. Make no mistake, he will take us to the "next level". Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
colinmk Posted November 9, 2010 Share Posted November 9, 2010 The Everton highlights of him were scarily good... I've rarely seen a player combine that much acceleration with that much technique. Make no mistake, he will take us to the "next level". Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gallowgate Toon Posted November 9, 2010 Share Posted November 9, 2010 The Everton highlights of him were scarily good... I've rarely seen a player combine that much acceleration with that much technique. Make no mistake, he will take us to the "next level". Agreed, that specific run was very Dyer-esque (but a lot better with the end product). I think in Ben Arfa and Tiote we could re-create Speed/Dyer combo but with added quality, as i think Tiote and Ben Arfa are superior players respectively. I see him as a mix of Dyer and Solano in terms of attributes and mentality, possessing pace and direct dribbling combined with great vision, technique and passing range. They would be a deadly pairing in the middle imo a match for anyone in the league. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
AyeDubbleYoo Posted November 9, 2010 Share Posted November 9, 2010 He provides something similar to what Wilshire is doing for Arsenal IMO... he carries the ball into very tight spaces, direct at defenders. But he's not running for the sake of it, he always has his head up and is looking to create something. I just hope we can maintain our robust team game when he returns, I don't want us to just go for "get it to Ben Arfa" all the time. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gallowgate Toon Posted November 9, 2010 Share Posted November 9, 2010 He provides something similar to what Wilshire is doing for Arsenal IMO... he carries the ball into very tight spaces, direct at defenders. But he's not running for the sake of it, he always has his head up and is looking to create something. I just hope we can maintain our robust team game when he returns, I don't want us to just go for "get it to Ben Arfa" all the time. I don't think that would happen, we are a team of seasoned pros who can think and play for themselves and i think our biggest strength is our versatility as a team. We have loads of options and i think he'd add to them. We can play deep crosses, go to the byline, short passing game, long game and we're very disciplined and combative in terms of defence. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nobody Posted November 9, 2010 Share Posted November 9, 2010 Games against the likes of Blackburn and stoke are when we will miss him the most imo. Really wish we could have played him tomorrow Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ikon Posted November 9, 2010 Share Posted November 9, 2010 The Everton highlights of him were scarily good... I've rarely seen a player combine that much acceleration with that much technique. Make no mistake, he will take us to the "next level". Yes it was, almost unreal. Seen it before, but i cant find that video again, wanna se it again. Anyone? If i remember correctly i had to search "Ben Arfa vs Evrton on google or something like that? Cant find it now though Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gallowgate Toon Posted November 9, 2010 Share Posted November 9, 2010 The Everton highlights of him were scarily good... I've rarely seen a player combine that much acceleration with that much technique. Make no mistake, he will take us to the "next level". Yes it was, almost unreal. Seen it before, but i cant find that video again, wanna se it again. Anyone? If i remember correctly i had to search "Ben Arfa vs Evrton on google or something like that? Cant find it now though It was a Viddler video but it's gone for some reason. I'm sure someone could find it, if they trawled the net enough. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ikon Posted November 9, 2010 Share Posted November 9, 2010 Ok, i see. Cheers anyway. Cant wait to have him back! Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Newcastle Fan Posted November 9, 2010 Share Posted November 9, 2010 He'll be our weapon towards the end of the season when were aiming for the title Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
womblemaster Posted November 9, 2010 Share Posted November 9, 2010 "aiming for the title " in most league years that would be silly comment, but this league is mental. It feels more wide open this year, everyon is beating everyone else. IF we are 5th or higher by dec 1st, then we should go for it....given couple of quality additions in jan. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
High Five o Posted November 9, 2010 Share Posted November 9, 2010 "aiming for the title " in most league years that would be silly comment, but this league is mental. It feels more wide open this year, everyon is beating everyone else. IF we are 5th or higher by dec 1st, then we should go for it....given couple of quality additions in jan. This is crazy talk man, we are on a roll now, but come on Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
henke Posted November 9, 2010 Share Posted November 9, 2010 I'll be fucking amazed if we're still in 5th come january. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Flip Posted November 9, 2010 Share Posted November 9, 2010 I'll be f***ing amazed if we're still in 5th come january. I wouldn't, we have tiotééééééééééééééééééé Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
JH Posted November 9, 2010 Share Posted November 9, 2010 Go for the title Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
adam1 Posted November 9, 2010 Share Posted November 9, 2010 Have we really just been discussing going for the title? Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dave Posted November 9, 2010 Share Posted November 9, 2010 Yep, the same guy who reckons Hughton is nothing special and wouldn't mind him being replaced. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
BlueStar Posted November 9, 2010 Share Posted November 9, 2010 Yep, the same guy who reckons Hughton is nothing special and wouldn't mind him being replaced. Well, yeah, winning the domestic league is fine, but does Chris have what it takes to win the Champions League when we're up against the likes of Barca rather than just Arsenal? Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
JH Posted November 9, 2010 Share Posted November 9, 2010 Yep, the same guy who reckons Hughton is nothing special and wouldn't mind him being replaced. Well, yeah, winning the domestic league is fine, but does Chris have what it takes to win the Champions League when we're up against the likes of Barca rather than just Arsenal? Hughton out. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
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