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Hatem Ben Arfa


Rich

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Pardew will bench him for Fulham, i'm certain of it.

If he doesn't start next game then there is something very wrong.

 

Nah, now surely, surely this is it. Definitely the end of him being on the bench. Surely.

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Guest BlacknWhiteArmy

Thought his defensive game was quite good really. Played some lush cross field passes and a great through ball for Best I think as well. Will only improve if he's given starts (which he won't, sadly).

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Time and time again I see Ben Arfa spreading the ball wide, or into acres of space. Also from close situations he often sharply plays an incisive pass through tight spaces.

 

Vision. He sees what others can't (or haven't yet).

 

Am I blinded by love, making this up? I can't recall the last time I saw a Newcastle player seeing some of the passes he makes.

 

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Also, getting fed up with the 'losing possession' comments. Seems people are focussing on that with disregard to all other players performances. Everyone loses the ball. Just when he sometimes does it he's trying to create something.

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Guest BlacknWhiteArmy

Time and time again I see Ben Arfa spreading the ball wide, or into acres of space. Also from close situations he often sharply plays an incisive pass through tight spaces.

 

Vision. He sees what others can't (or haven't yet).

 

Am I blinded by love, making this up? I can't recall the last time I saw a Newcastle player seeing some of the passes he makes.

 

----

 

Also, getting fed up with the 'losing possession' comments. Seems people are focussing on that with disregard to all other players performances. Everyone loses the ball. Just when he sometimes does it he's trying to create something.

 

Agree. I think it's just highlighted more when he loses the ball because he's usually gone past a few. Raylor, Jonas and Best all lost it just as much as him. If anything he's very tidy on the ball when not taking on players. Good job by him.

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Torn over whether or not he should give up trying to take on the 4 players surrounding him and pass it or just persist and get the odd goal like the Blackburn one.

 

He did give the ball away a number of times, one they broke from and we probably got a little lucky. It's that sort of thing that Pardew is probably worried about (not that I agree with him).

 

However he was fucking awesome 95% of the time, some of his passes were ridiculous. So, so naturally talented  :love:

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Also, getting fed up with the 'losing possession' comments. Seems people are focussing on that with disregard to all other players performances. Everyone loses the ball. Just when he sometimes does it he's trying to create something.

Nail on head.

 

He must have only lost the ball about 3-4 times today tbh, probably no more than any other Newcastle player.

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Time and time again I see Ben Arfa spreading the ball wide, or into acres of space. Also from close situations he often sharply plays an incisive pass through tight spaces.

 

Vision. He sees what others can't (or haven't yet).

 

Am I blinded by love, making this up? I can't recall the last time I saw a Newcastle player seeing some of the passes he makes.

 

----

 

Also, getting fed up with the 'losing possession' comments. Seems people are focussing on that with disregard to all other players performances. Everyone loses the ball. Just when he sometimes does it he's trying to create something.

 

Tbf he does lose them in risky areas every now and then, which is why he will be better on the wing, perhaps the left this time so he doesn't have to cut inside everytime he needs to cross?

 

 

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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.

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The guy has to be starting. The over exaggeration by Wilkins for him losing the ball was ridiculous, but then he's a negative bastard anyway. People like him would rather have 11 hard working "solid" players. Great. Let Hatem loose and we have about 8 or 9 other players outfield who will work their bollocks off to win the ball and we usually do get it back so honestly, who cares if Hatem loses it after skinning 3-4 players, he was and is our main creative force, let the guy do his stuff.

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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.

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