High Five o Posted February 2, 2012 Share Posted February 2, 2012 The fact that Ameobi get 90 mins tell me a lot of how Pardew thinks. Its not possible for us to play good football with that thing up there. Should have changed Ameobi for Perch. Played Best HBA up front. Then we could at least try some counter attacks when we won the ball. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cronky Posted February 2, 2012 Share Posted February 2, 2012 It was a worrying game from the point of view of his development with us, because we did look much better after he went off. Maybe the shape that Pardew used to accommodate him will only work with better players than the ones we were able to field last night. What Ben Arfa has to bear in mind is that when he's picked, we're sacrificing some defensive strength in order to use his attacking talents. If he wastes his opportunities by being selfish or making silly decisions, then he's no use to us. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Elliottman Posted February 2, 2012 Share Posted February 2, 2012 Where was he supposed to be playing? The system in the first half was fucked. Either way, it should have been Shola coming off and HBA should have been put up top. Clearly we wanted to long ball football second half - which we didnt even manage. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jayson Posted February 2, 2012 Share Posted February 2, 2012 Just did himself no favours when he ran the ball out for goalkicks on both sides even when he did well. Hasnt had the best last two games really, the dreamteam upfront will hopefully liven him up again. Has to be advanced on the wing though, similar to where Best was picking it up. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest ToonZA Posted February 2, 2012 Share Posted February 2, 2012 Ben Arfa's performances are reliant on our command in the midfield area which was lacking today. Guthrie likes to move forward and the other CM spot wasn't filled by a natural CM. If we took Shola instead of Ben Arfa off for Perch, I think we may have seen an improvement in his performance. The half time sub more to do with us being over-run in midfield and therefore not able to feed HBA. Our strikers were even more sh*t that usual in the first half so he is not getting support there. We were terrible in the first half but led 1-0 and Blackburn looked more likely to score than we did. Logically you would consider tightening things up under those conditions - away from home. Sub had very litttle to do with the players performance but more the performance of those around him. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
garth Posted February 2, 2012 Share Posted February 2, 2012 Ben Arfa's performances are reliant on our command in the midfield area which was lacking today. Guthrie likes to move forward and the other CM spot wasn't filled by a natural CM. If we took Shola instead of Ben Arfa off for Perch, I think we may have seen an improvement in his performance. The half time sub more to do with us being over-run in midfield and therefore not able to feed HBA. Our strikers were even more sh*t that usual in the first half so he is not getting support there. We were terrible in the first half but led 1-0 and Blackburn looked more likely to score than we did. Logically you would consider tightening things up under those conditions - away from home. Sub had very litttle to do with the players performance but more the performance of those around him. Absolutely spot on that. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Wally_McFool Posted February 2, 2012 Share Posted February 2, 2012 The midfield was being overrun. He wasn't contributing. If any other player was as bad as he was - everyone on here would be making up derogatory nicknames. When HBA is shite, then it is the fault of the players around him. He's not as good as many of you hoped. Get over it. Hopefully he will improve his game and earn some playing time. Never heard you moaning when he scored 3 and had 3 assists in the previous 7 games or so. That said, it probably was the right decision to bring him off last night. When its backs to the wall he can be a bit of a" luxury" player. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cronky Posted February 2, 2012 Share Posted February 2, 2012 He could do worse than watch Modric in action. He's not the greatest defensively, but he doesn't hang on to the ball too long, he reads situations very quickly, he works hard and consistently, and he uses his skill just as much to open opportunities for team-mates as to create something for himself. Ben Arfa still plays like an 18 year old who has just broken into the first team, trying to do too much on his own. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
toon25 Posted February 2, 2012 Share Posted February 2, 2012 I wonder if being out of the side for so long has had a detrimental effect on HBA so far. He's too eager to make himself undroppable and thus seeks to do things on his own. That said, I'm sure he's going to look twice the player when he's actually got players with some fucking mobility ahead of him. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Numbers Posted February 2, 2012 Share Posted February 2, 2012 Has to be said he was poor last night, having said that i think people tend to overlook the fact this is his first real season playing in the premiership. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Elliottman Posted February 2, 2012 Share Posted February 2, 2012 Dont think we should read too much into last night. He has a couple of really good games against QPR and Blackburn. Give him a run with Ba, Cisse, Cabaye and Tiote in the team, i'd imagine we'll see a difference. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cajun Posted February 2, 2012 Share Posted February 2, 2012 Tbf I remember from the YouTube vids when he first signed he always looked like he wanted to do it all himself. Exceptionally talented, just needs to improve his decision making. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
AyeDubbleYoo Posted February 2, 2012 Share Posted February 2, 2012 He's a very different player to Modric, I think we need to embrace him and stop trying to change him so much. His main problem recently has been the lack of other good players in the team IMO. Stick Ba and Cisse ahead of him and we will rip teams apart. (Obviously he sometimes holds onto the ball "too long", but that's just the minor downside to how he plays. Other players give the ball away a lot more, just in more acceptable ways). Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gallowgate Toon Posted February 2, 2012 Share Posted February 2, 2012 He played right midfield in a 4-4-2 against Blackburn in the cup, didn't he? That was his best performance for us this year and not a coincidence in my opinion, it allowed him to be involved in play a lot more and that's the best way to balance him out. He could work in a 4-3-3 for us but the impetus has to be passing (and fluid) football for that formation to be effective, we did try and do that before Fulham but since we were thrashed, the tactics seem to have changed. He's a very simple player to deploy but we seem to be finding the most complex ways to play him. The lad's not a riddle just put him where he can influence attacking play and let him have the ball. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
MW Posted February 2, 2012 Share Posted February 2, 2012 arsenal should buy him Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
TherealnorthernTOON Posted February 2, 2012 Share Posted February 2, 2012 Yesterday was a real downer though, everytime he touched the ball it wasn't a friend of his. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest BEN BEN BEN ARFA Posted February 2, 2012 Share Posted February 2, 2012 arsenal should buy him good idea it has nothing to do with a team that leaves Unterrain shola on football Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chrisjraby Posted February 2, 2012 Share Posted February 2, 2012 Very disappointed with him last night, he just needs to learn when to use the ball. That said, I did think a couple of times people gave him the ball in awful positions hoping he was going to weave his way between players, so it was inevitable he was going to lose it at times. I do think with a longer run in the team we will really see the best of him, but I just can't see where he fits into Pardew's philosophy, especially now Cisse has been brought in to inevitably partner Ba! Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
ujpest doza Posted February 2, 2012 Share Posted February 2, 2012 He's a textbook flair player, you'll get good days and bad days. Like Robert. You got a lot more good days out of Robert mind. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Yorkie Posted February 2, 2012 Share Posted February 2, 2012 He's a textbook flair player, you'll get good days and bad days. Like Robert. You got a lot more good days out of Robert mind. Let's make comparisons like that when Ben Arfa's played more than 7% the amount of times Robert did. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
thenige Posted February 2, 2012 Share Posted February 2, 2012 Had a poor game but then we seem to expect something every time he gets the ball. Players of his ilk scream inconsistency, but he's got a long way to go before he frustrates like a Shola or Robert. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
High Five o Posted February 2, 2012 Share Posted February 2, 2012 He had a poor game. So have nearly everyone else had to. We played shit, no service for him or anyone else. Our attacking play was pathetic. Messi had been poor for us yesterday. http://t2.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcQHlfN0752FwDuJlw6NIBrDTxBaPSKDfsz1WbrpusijZAxHiGPDbg Get over it. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cronky Posted February 2, 2012 Share Posted February 2, 2012 arsenal should buy him I'm sure he's a player that Wenger has been aware of for many years, and who he could have chosen to sign at the drop of a hat. It could have been the disciplinary angle, but I suspect also that Wenger wants players with a strong team ethic, who can combine well with one another and be receptive to learning new ideas and developing skills. Ben Arfa is still too prone to playing like he's on the school playground. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
BrettNUFC Posted February 2, 2012 Share Posted February 2, 2012 All the people on here criticising him for doing too much or not offering anything for the team, will be the same one's in the crowd who were urging and screaming for him to pass it as he danced past 4 Blackburn players before hitting his 'thunderbastard', then jizzed over how good that goal was then went back and jumped back on the bandwagon of blaming him at every opportunity possible once things didn’t go his way. Shameful, it really is. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tooj Posted February 2, 2012 Share Posted February 2, 2012 We just need to be patient with him. He's come back from a career threatening injury, missed what was supposed to be his first full pre-season with us, as well as the fact he needs to adapt to the Premier League. A player of his talents deserves some patience. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
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