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Hatem Ben Arfa (now retired?)


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The issue, Ron, is that criticism for HBA is the same criticism for a lot of flair players. Not tracking back, bad attitude in training, etc., none of this is new under the sun. A decent manager with half a brain works WITH these issues instead of using them, and players like him, to hide his own inadequacies by laying the blame entirely on their colourful doorstep.

 

The fact is most football lovers and connoisseurs of the game are willing to forgive and work with these drawbacks for that little bit of (cough) "magic" that has us repeating it on youtube and in our minds over and over again long, often years, after the game is done. Those are the very first moments that drew us to the sport in the first place.

 

Bang on.

 

The media wonder why there aren't any decent British managers knocking about and this is one of the primary reasons. The major philosophy of managers/coaches in this country is that chasing a football and running yourself into the ground is the way forward, leaving no room for the players with the real attacking flair, talent and excitement that wins games. These players are often overlooked because they're too small or too lightweight to succeed regardless of how brilliant they are at football - this is why HBA failed under Pardew (apart from when he was given free-reign in the 4-3-3) and Bruce. Even someone like Pepe Mel could have got the best out of him for fucks sake.

 

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Those kinds of players often have attitude issues, that's why it's not in their mentality to track back.

 

Robert/Bellamy let go by Souness after all the great moments we had with them under SBR as soon as Souness came in, all because he couldn't handle those types of players. Bellamy used to give SBR some shit as well but he stuck an arm around him, nurtured him, made him feel like a fucking beast and then unleashed him. That's what top managers do, not just talk shit about them and try to humiliate them in the public eye, like what Pardew done with HBA as soon as he got a bit of lip.

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Those kinds of players often have attitude issues, that's why it's not in their mentality to track back.

 

Robert/Bellamy let go by Souness after all the great moments we had with them under SBR as soon as Souness came in, all because he couldn't handle those types of players. Bellamy used to give SBR some shit as well but he stuck an arm around him, nurtured him, made him feel like a fucking beast and then unleashed him. That's what top managers do, not just talk shit about them and try to humiliate them in the public eye, like what Pardew done with HBA as soon as he got a bit of lip.

 

Don't even remind me of the Souness years, man. Ugh. Fuck. And to think even he is better than our last two managers makes my stomach churn.

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Anyone who dares critcise Ben Arfa has no f***ing clue about football, like. He was a genius, Pardew didn't like that and we're in freefall without him. Sunday's relegation vindicates those of us with eyes who defend Ben Arfa.

 

But Ryan Taylor and Gutierrez run around so let's have them instead.

 

Ben Arfa was a good player on his day but he wasn't a genius, players like Gascoigne & Beardsley I would use the term genius for, tbh Hatem wasn't fit to lace their boots IMO

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Those kinds of players often have attitude issues, that's why it's not in their mentality to track back.

 

Robert/Bellamy let go by Souness after all the great moments we had with them under SBR as soon as Souness came in, all because he couldn't handle those types of players. Bellamy used to give SBR some shit as well but he stuck an arm around him, nurtured him, made him feel like a fucking beast and then unleashed him. That's what top managers do, not just talk shit about them and try to humiliate them in the public eye, like what Pardew done with HBA as soon as he got a bit of lip.

 

Not sure what any of that's got to do with Ben Arfa, like. Bellamy absolutely worked his bollocks off. Robert was undroppable because he was so fucking good in terms of scoring goals, making them and driving the team forward on the counter.

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Guest firetotheworks

Ben Arfa was the most undroppable player Pardew had at the start of last season. He hit the bar twice, assisted and won a penalty in a 5-1 win against Stoke and he was benched for the next match. That's the point, Pardew would have dropped Robert when he was undroppable, as Souness did at the first opportunity.

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History revisionism, it comes from the top down at this club :)

 

Anyways, we need to wheel this fat fuck on an Obesity Stretcher onto the pitch with his bucket of KFC and curry-stained bib so he can occupy the right-wing and absolutely destroy West Ham while breathing through his mouth tomorrow. A lardy Ben Arfa is still more than the cunts currently occupying the shirt can manage, the spineless, imagination-less gits.

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Guest firetotheworks

FAO ilikenewcastle and jukeboxromeo.

 

This is from ages ago, but if we were to update it, it would work even more in HBA's favour considering the staggering ineptitude of the alternatives.

 

FWIW, I worked this out the other week for all these '1 game in 10' idiots. Gouffran and Sissoko's stats are slightly out as a result, but neither have scored since, so if anything it's doing them a favour. Mata's is out as well because he's scored against Liverpool since this.

 

HBA (48 starts)

1 goal per 3.5 PL starts

1 assist per 4 PL starts

 

Gouffran (56 starts)

1 goal per 6 PL starts

1 assist per PL 14 starts

 

Obertan (26 starts)

1 goal per 13 PL starts

1 assist per 4 PL starts

 

R. Taylor (31 starts)

1 goal per 10 PL starts

1 assist per 6 PL starts

 

Sissoko (61 starts)

1 goal per 8 PL starts

1 assist per 7 PL starts

 

...and now just for fun, compare him to an undoubtedly world class player, about the same age, playing in the same position, dropped for apparently not tracking back and being lazy, recently sold for £37 million.

 

Juan Mata (96 starts)

1 goal per 3.5 PL starts

1 assist per 3 PL starts.

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Get French Football ‏@GFN_France 1m1 minute ago

 

Nice President Jean Pierre Rivère confirms that Hatem Ben Arfa will be joining the club this summer.

 

 

Get French Football ‏@GFN_France 18s18 seconds ago

 

Rivère says that Ben Arfa rejected "very good offers" and "is someone who sticks to his agreements"

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Get French Football ‏@GFN_France 1m1 minute ago

 

Nice President Jean Pierre Rivère confirms that Hatem Ben Arfa will be joining the club this summer.

 

 

Get French Football ‏@GFN_France 18s18 seconds ago

 

Rivère says that Ben Arfa rejected "very good offers" and "is someone who sticks to his agreements"

 

Don't know who he thinks he is with all of this integrity bollocks. Clearly a troublemaker if he's honouring agreeements like this.

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Get French Football ‏@GFN_France 1m1 minute ago

 

Nice President Jean Pierre Rivère confirms that Hatem Ben Arfa will be joining the club this summer.

 

http://www.africatopsports.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/01/Jean-Pierre-Riv%C3%A8re.jpg

 

Does look quite nice, strange Tweet though.

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  • 2 weeks later...

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