tmonkey Posted July 15, 2012 Share Posted July 15, 2012 On a slightly seperate note, I'm also a tad worried that Pardew might actually coach the flair out of Ben Arfa. Although that seems unthinkable right now given the season he's just had and his natural ability, it has happened to players in the past - I think a prime example of this was Damien Duff under Jose Mourinho. The Duff Chelsea signed from Blackburn was a completely different animal to the one we signed from Chelsea, and the change was entirely due to him being moulded into an "ideal" team player who played it safe rather than took risks. Whilst it's good to have a solid team where players fulfill their responsibilities and opposition fullbacks don't have free reign to maraud forward, I hope Pardew doesn't over-do it and accepts that there are limits to the amount of energy Ben Arfa has and where he's most useful, as there were quite a few games at the back end of last season where Ben Arfa didn't do anything other than fulfill his defensive obligations as a right winger (and looked like he didn't have the energy to burst past players as a result of all that backtracking - though maybe that was down to fitness/not being used to playing this type of role before). The underlying point to this is whether Pardew can really expect the best of both worlds, especially in a flat 4-4-2 where Ben Arfa will be forced to do a considerable amount of back-tracking. Jonas for example looks useless going forward on the wings these days because he's doing so much going the other way. Truth be told I'm not confident that Hatem has the physical strength of say a Messi/C.Ronaldo to do what Pardew wants and be insanely amazing going forward every game. Though laying the challenge publicly is a good thing. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
tmonkey Posted July 15, 2012 Share Posted July 15, 2012 He was dropped after scoring the first of those wonder goals tbf. Aye, but the Blackburn one started the ball rolling in terms of being viewed as genuine first team material in Pardew's eyes (or so it seemed). Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
AyeDubbleYoo Posted July 15, 2012 Share Posted July 15, 2012 I don't think there's any evidence that Pards will coach the flair out of HBA - he just wants him to work out of possession. Didn't he say "it's his world when he has the ball, and mine when he hasn't got it". I think Pards is shaping up to be exactly the manager Ben Arfa needs. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
gbandit Posted July 15, 2012 Share Posted July 15, 2012 Don't think HBA is the kind of person who would ever sacrifice his style of play totally. He'd leave and play somewhere else than be changed too much. I hope pards lets him have a free role on the right and doesn't make him track back every single time but that's asking too much. As tmonkey mentioned above, whilst I am a big fan of Pardew now, I think his HBA stuff for about three-four months was frustrating, hopefully it'll be much smoother this year Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cajun Posted July 15, 2012 Share Posted July 15, 2012 Sounds the opposite to me tbh, Ben Arfa was challenged with putting in more work rate and he exceeded expectation (imo), now Pardew seems to be acknowledging that and pushing him to do more of the special stuff, not coach it out of him. I have no problem with us constantly pushing someone like HBA to give us more because he is capably of it. Again imo Pardew has done the opposite with some of the 'lesser' players, put and arm round them and other emphasised their importance to the team to get them believing in themselves and playing to the best of their (limited) ability. It won't always be a success but it seems to be doing the job so far. Basically I heart Pardew IDST! But seriously I think he puts real effort into his man management on a player by player basis and that was a big part in our success last season. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
gbandit Posted July 15, 2012 Share Posted July 15, 2012 I agree that he acts in different ways towards different players and it's a massive plus point. Essentially, I think everything's fine now. I just got frustrated when he was asking for more from HBA but not giving him time on the pitch. Forget that though, this season'll be the best we've seen from HBA In other news, my mate had tickets for Bruce Springsteen yesterday in Hyde park and your man Silvio was there on guitar. The guy's a hero Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dr Venkman Posted July 15, 2012 Share Posted July 15, 2012 Miami Steve Van Zandt. Legend. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lush Vlad Posted July 16, 2012 Share Posted July 16, 2012 On the consistency thing, I'm not fussed. You'll often see top class players have shitters. It's only really players like Messi and Ronaldo that seem to play well almost every week. Inconsistency seems to go with the territory for flair players like HBA. I've seen the likes of Mata and Silva have poor games and look ineffective, does it mean they're not top players? They're high risk, low percentage players, that can be nullified with the right tactics. I also think our own tactics hindered Ben Arfa at times. Would spend so long watching the ball sail over his head and working up and down. That when he did finally get the chance with the ball, he seemed knackered and like he was still feeling his way into the game. Led to him trpipping over the ball, over-running it and not having the legs to glide past players like he normally does. I doubt his lack of pre season, the amount of gametime he missed out on in the first half of the season and him still regaining form after the leg break helped his cause either! I think the only gripe I have with HBA, is the fact he sometimes tries to do too much on his own, even when he's at the top of his game. Skin 3 or 4 players by all means, but in a lot of those highlight reels, the end product/final ball is missing. The fact he's a bit inconsistent with his form doesn't worry me too much TBH. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
AyeDubbleYoo Posted July 16, 2012 Share Posted July 16, 2012 All his problems here are over, we've got a brilliant season to look forward to from him. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Spiria Posted July 16, 2012 Share Posted July 16, 2012 The only problem is Barfa as a winger in the static 4-4-2 we seen the last games of the season. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tiresias Posted July 18, 2012 Share Posted July 18, 2012 I honestly dreamt last night I was working as a shelf stacker at a tescos with Ben Arfa. He turned up late a lot, was all nonchalant but by god he was the best damn shelf stacker in the store... Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Elliottman Posted July 18, 2012 Share Posted July 18, 2012 Whens he back? Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
BeloEmre Posted July 18, 2012 Share Posted July 18, 2012 Monday i think. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Elliottman Posted July 18, 2012 Share Posted July 18, 2012 Monday i think. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Spiria Posted July 19, 2012 Share Posted July 19, 2012 http://ebdatube.com/video/4GB72H1YD8S3/ Benny from very small to now. One thing don't change : the dribbling ability. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Elliottman Posted July 20, 2012 Share Posted July 20, 2012 ALAN Pardew will welcome back Hatem Ben Arfa and Yohan Cabaye to his squad on Monday after the completion of their extended summer break – and he has admitted he hopes they will soon be joined by new faces. Mecca Bingo: Free Bingo for New Players The pair were granted extra leave after France’s Euro 2012 campaign and have not been present during Newcastle United’s tour of Germany. But how soon it will be before the French duo’s international team-mate, Mathieu Debuchy, will team up with them remains to be seen. United are currently working on three deals involving Debuchy, FC Twente defender Douglas and Liverpool’s disillusioned Gateshead-born striker Andy Carroll. The latter is due to fly to the United States as part of Liverpool's pre-season preparations. Manager Pardew says he is keeping a “close eye” on Carroll and how it pans out. Having already signed Romain Amalfitano and Gael Bigirimana, he said: “I’m hoping to add more senior players. “We’re working hard on those at the moment. We will see what happens.” Pardew’s team arrived in Vienna from Munich last night after flying out from their German HQ. They will play Turkish side Fenerbahçe tomorrow night in Ritzing near the Hungarian border in what will be the final game of their tour. Pardew said: “We’ll play a stronger team in that one. We are in really good shape physically. And the tour has gone really well so far.” United will have a few days back in Newcastle before flying to Portugal for the Algarve Tournament at the end of next week. Both Ben Arfa and Cabaye could get their first run-outs of pre-season in the games against Braga and Greek side Olympiakos. Pardew is using the two tours to get his players in shape for the Europa League and feels that all of the travelling will leave his players in good stead. Meanwhile, Papiss Cissé has shaken off an illness and joined the players on a white water rafting experience. Pardew will make a late call on whether he faces the Turks tomorrow night in Austria. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stu Posted July 20, 2012 Share Posted July 20, 2012 Mecca Bingo: Free Bingo for New Players is this a new sponsorship ploy to help the club get those signings over the line? Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
SteveMc Posted July 20, 2012 Share Posted July 20, 2012 Is it his hearing with the French fed today? Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest VanBarduck Posted July 20, 2012 Share Posted July 20, 2012 Just found some pretty interesting stats about hatem : Best dribbler of the Premier League : 1-Hoilett , 34 games , 2.6 succesful Drb per games , total succ dribble = 87 , minutes played =2955 : 1 Drb every 34 minutes 2-Moses , 36(2) games , 2.5 succesful Drb per games , total succ dribble = 95 , minutes played =3217: 1 Drb every 34 minutes 3-Suàrez , 29(2) games , 2.5 succesful Drb per games , total succ dribble= 76 , minutes played =2554 : 1 Drb every 33.5 minutes 4-Dembélé , 33(3) games , 2.3 succesful Drb per games ; total succ dribble = 79 , minutes played =2940 : 1 Drb every 37 minutes 5-Ben Arfa , 16(10) games , 2.0 succesful Drb per games ; total succ dribble = 52 , minutes played = 1556 : 1 Drb every [glow=red,2,300]30 minutes[/glow] So , i let you make any analysis ... (www.whoscored.com) Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dave Posted July 20, 2012 Share Posted July 20, 2012 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest henrique Posted July 24, 2012 Share Posted July 24, 2012 Cannot let this thread slip to page 2. When is he back in training? Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
junkhead Posted July 24, 2012 Share Posted July 24, 2012 OMG He missed training today!! SOLD!!!!! Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fenham Mag Posted July 24, 2012 Share Posted July 24, 2012 Getting a medical once over by the staff at the training ground today, will be joining the rest of the lads this week along with Cabaye. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tiresias Posted July 24, 2012 Share Posted July 24, 2012 Oh ffs saw 'missed training' and then 'medical' and brain thought he'd been sold suddenly Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Parky Posted July 24, 2012 Share Posted July 24, 2012 Do the PL have 'walk on water' stats?? Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
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