Ishmael Posted January 15, 2012 Share Posted January 15, 2012 He was great. Should start the next game, but we've been saying that for the last month or so. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ginola Posted January 15, 2012 Share Posted January 15, 2012 At times, he looked very dangerous. Other times, he made the wrong decision and looked disinterested. Overall, yes he should be starting obviously but, playing devil's advocate, Pardew may see these times he gives the ball away or drifts out of the game and not be keen on him. Doesn't of course justify starting the woeful Obertan. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest andrew Posted January 15, 2012 Share Posted January 15, 2012 he's so clever- most gifted player at our club he doesn't lose the ball that much really and i agree it has become exaggerated especially by wilkins. when he does he's usually trying something as opposed to just like obertan where he loses it by attempting a 5 yard side pass. think the left might suit him better with ba away Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Minhosa Posted January 15, 2012 Share Posted January 15, 2012 What a player we have here. Wilkins shite on 'playing the odds' should absolutely go out of the window when you have a talent like HBA. You let the other side worry about him, not whinge on about giving the odd ball away. He really should be our Modric or Silva with everything revolving around him. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hanshithispantz Posted January 15, 2012 Share Posted January 15, 2012 He has attributes that no one else in the squad has. So far, they've come in fleeting glances - sometimes spectacular, sometimes subtle; today it was more subtly. It's not a huge thing, but we've not had that many players who cut in and stroke it to the other side of the park, whilst maintaining the pace of the attack. Cabaye and Guthrie can loop a high ball from deep, normally to the wide players, and whilst they're very good at it and it can be effective - it can slow the play down. Ben Arfa's got the pace on the ball and vision to take a step back and stick it to the onrushing winger on the ground. It's a good attribute to have. Really hope he stays in the side. Couldn't fathom why he wasn't in the side today, even if Best/Ameobi were starting. Couldn't give a shit about Wilkins. He was talking out his arse all day. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Minhosa Posted January 15, 2012 Share Posted January 15, 2012 Also, he worked his bollocks off at times today. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
TRon Posted January 15, 2012 Share Posted January 15, 2012 At times, he looked very dangerous. Other times, he made the wrong decision and looked disinterested. Overall, yes he should be starting obviously but, playing devil's advocate, Pardew may see these times he gives the ball away or drifts out of the game and not be keen on him. Doesn't of course justify starting the woeful Obertan. The problem is when you pick too many players who are workhorses rather than talented is that there is not much to separate you from the opposition. QPR were awful today but they bossed the first 20 mins because we had too many poor quality footballers on the pitch. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tachikoma Posted January 15, 2012 Share Posted January 15, 2012 The play with Santon, man. Man, if he had scored from that, my fantasy prem team would have had a mini orgasm. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Beren Posted January 15, 2012 Share Posted January 15, 2012 At times, he looked very dangerous. Other times, he made the wrong decision and looked disinterested. Overall, yes he should be starting obviously but, playing devil's advocate, Pardew may see these times he gives the ball away or drifts out of the game and not be keen on him. Doesn't of course justify starting the woeful Obertan. Responding to the devil's advocate: we lose possession a lot more when we play long ball without him, which is generally the alternative to having him in the team Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tooj Posted January 15, 2012 Share Posted January 15, 2012 At times, he looked very dangerous. Other times, he made the wrong decision and looked disinterested. Overall, yes he should be starting obviously but, playing devil's advocate, Pardew may see these times he gives the ball away or drifts out of the game and not be keen on him. Doesn't of course justify starting the woeful Obertan. Responding to the devil's advocate: we lose possession a lot more when we play long ball without him, which is generally the alternative to having him in the team Spot on. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
johnnypd Posted January 15, 2012 Share Posted January 15, 2012 At times, he looked very dangerous. Other times, he made the wrong decision and looked disinterested. Overall, yes he should be starting obviously but, playing devil's advocate, Pardew may see these times he gives the ball away or drifts out of the game and not be keen on him. Doesn't of course justify starting the woeful Obertan. don't think Ben Arfa looked disinterested. if you noticed, the times when he stayed back seemed to be down to him holding position rather than over-committing, as he kept on looking back at the bench for instructions. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hanshithispantz Posted January 15, 2012 Share Posted January 15, 2012 The thing I don't get about him "giving the ball away" (which again he only did a few times) is that if he does infact decide to play the simple ball then some other twat will hoof it straight towards Shola, more often than not conceding possession. Without him and Santon today we would have been static. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest zeta87 Posted January 15, 2012 Share Posted January 15, 2012 Changed the game. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Neil Posted January 15, 2012 Share Posted January 15, 2012 At times, he looked very dangerous. Other times, he made the wrong decision and looked disinterested. Overall, yes he should be starting obviously but, playing devil's advocate, Pardew may see these times he gives the ball away or drifts out of the game and not be keen on him. Doesn't of course justify starting the woeful Obertan. The problem is when you pick too many players who are workhorses rather than talented is that there is not much to separate you from the opposition. QPR were awful today but they bossed the first 20 mins because we had too many poor quality footballers on the pitch. I'm firmly in the "play your best players and let the opposition worry about them" camp - I've gone through enough of this sort of stuff with Moyes' consistently frustrating team selections. Just trying to find some sort of reason as to why Pardew isn't keen on him. I thought Ben Arfa's performance today was pretty good but nothing outstanding. He has great quality, as everyone knows. I personally don't think he showed it that much today. I guess it's easier for me to say that than you guys because I appreciate you'd be excited to have someone like him in your team. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hanshithispantz Posted January 15, 2012 Share Posted January 15, 2012 At times, he looked very dangerous. Other times, he made the wrong decision and looked disinterested. Overall, yes he should be starting obviously but, playing devil's advocate, Pardew may see these times he gives the ball away or drifts out of the game and not be keen on him. Doesn't of course justify starting the woeful Obertan. Responding to the devil's advocate: we lose possession a lot more when we play long ball without him, which is generally the alternative to having him in the team Aye, this. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
James Posted January 15, 2012 Share Posted January 15, 2012 For every good thing he does two bad things. I am absolutely sick of his 'on ball in centre, stand, trap ball, i'm about to do something, trap the ball, there are players all around me to pass to, lets stand around, shall i run into that space that is still there? no, trap the ball again. OK, nothing has happenned for 15 seconds, better turn pass the ball one yard backwards to Danny Guthrie' routine. Then Guthrie plays the pass he should have played 12 seconds before. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest BlacknWhiteArmy Posted January 15, 2012 Share Posted January 15, 2012 Nonsense. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tachikoma Posted January 15, 2012 Share Posted January 15, 2012 He needs to be a regular. He's exciting and has the talent to open up anything. He needs to feel his place, in the team, is his so he can play the simple ball at times. Because he's clearly trying to impress when he tries too much...and loses out. Been a long time since we've had a player who can get you on your feet simply by just having the ball. Regular starter, please, Alan This. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Taylor Swift Posted January 15, 2012 Share Posted January 15, 2012 Pardew says Ben Arfa came on and made a difference, gave us something different - flair and exuberance. Says Hatem is maneuvering into the starting eleven, worked very hard and is starting to understand the team concept. He's said this without direct prompting from the interviewer about Ben Arfa. Pretty much made a point of praising Ben Arfa alone. Good stuff Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ishmael Posted January 15, 2012 Share Posted January 15, 2012 For every good thing he does two bad things. I am absolutely sick of his 'on ball in centre, stand, trap ball, i'm about to do something, trap the ball, there are players all around me to pass to, lets stand around, shall i run into that space that is still there? no, trap the ball again. OK, nothing has happenned for 15 seconds, better turn pass the ball one yard backwards to Danny Guthrie' routine. Then Guthrie plays the pass he should have played 12 seconds before. Bahaa Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ikon Posted January 15, 2012 Share Posted January 15, 2012 Blablabla Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
wormy Posted January 15, 2012 Share Posted January 15, 2012 At times, he looked very dangerous. Other times, he made the wrong decision and looked disinterested. Overall, yes he should be starting obviously but, playing devil's advocate, Pardew may see these times he gives the ball away or drifts out of the game and not be keen on him. Doesn't of course justify starting the woeful Obertan. Responding to the devil's advocate: we lose possession a lot more when we play long ball without him, which is generally the alternative to having him in the team Amazes me the arguments that are given for not starting him by Pardew. Work rate, ball retention, all that shite. Surely that's all cancelled out by how much good he does and the fact the alternative will lose the ball just as much through other, only less speculative, means? Not just by using his own ability, but like I mentioned earlier, the fact that everyone around him starts playing on the deck and just generally a more fluid team. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hanshithispantz Posted January 15, 2012 Share Posted January 15, 2012 For every good thing he does two bad things. I am absolutely sick of his 'on ball in centre, stand, trap ball, i'm about to do something, trap the ball, there are players all around me to pass to, lets stand around, shall i run into that space that is still there? no, trap the ball again. OK, nothing has happenned for 15 seconds, better turn pass the ball one yard backwards to Danny Guthrie' routine. Then Guthrie plays the pass he should have played 12 seconds before. Seek help. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tachikoma Posted January 15, 2012 Share Posted January 15, 2012 For every good thing he does two bad things. I am absolutely sick of his 'on ball in centre, stand, trap ball, i'm about to do something, trap the ball, there are players all around me to pass to, lets stand around, shall i run into that space that is still there? no, trap the ball again. OK, nothing has happenned for 15 seconds, better turn pass the ball one yard backwards to Danny Guthrie' routine. Then Guthrie plays the pass he should have played 12 seconds before. Oh dear Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cajun Posted January 15, 2012 Share Posted January 15, 2012 Very odd that Pardew didn't start him but brought him on so early in the game when there were 2 central midfielders on the bench. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
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