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Hatem Ben Arfa (still a free agent)


Dave

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I take it all back.  I am sorry Gateshead!  Go and watch Seaham Red Star instead!

 

Sadly I think you'll find if you want to watch a north east side with no plan but RUN FASTER, KICK IT LONGER, GET STUCK IN then NUFC is your best bet.

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I never get the workrate argument anyway - I don't actually think HBA is even that lazy or defensively neglectful.  It is just a lazy argument.

 

he's awful defensively imho, even during that period when he was doing what pardew wanted he did little more than stand in front of the guy with the ball...can barely remember him ever making a tackle but during that period he did get back in position well enough

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Anyone struggling with a defensive contribution argument should just point them to one of our greatest ever managers, Kevin Keegan, and how he handled Ginola.

 

The difference with Keegan is that when players complained (Rob Lee) about Ginola's work rate, Keegan took him to one side and told him that yes he wouldn't track back, he's not going to do much when we don't have the ball, but when he does, he could win us the league.

 

With Pardew, as he's spineless, he bends to the whims of the players and won't protect or use the talent at his disposal.

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How much did Laurent Robert track back? Under a great manager, Sir Bobby Robson, he was one of the most unpredictable, effective left wingers we've ever had, I rate him higher than Ginola personally. Under a crap manager, Souness, he couldn't even get in the side.

 

 

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I blame them both to be honest. Deeply gutted he isnt playing, but if all it requires is for him to be fit, and work for the team, why isnt he doing it?not trying to be a WUM, but honest question (devils advocate)

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I blame them both to be honest. Deeply gutted he isnt playing, but if all it requires is for him to be fit, and work for the team, why isnt he doing it?not trying to be a WUM, but honest question (devils advocate)

 

Because that's not all it takes as evidenced by Marveaux who was in shape BUT was cast aside

 

The problem is Ben Arfa plays a style of football Pardew is not comfortable or capable of playing, it requires Pardew to change his philosophy/attitude not Ben Arfa

 

Credit to Ben Arfa he even played as a secondary right back BUT he was still kicked out of the team and in a way blamed for our awful defending, which was just a way for Pardew to mask his own clear coaching inadequacies

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I never get the workrate argument anyway - I don't actually think HBA is even that lazy or defensively neglectful.  It is just a lazy argument.

 

he's awful defensively imho, even during that period when he was doing what pardew wanted he did little more than stand in front of the guy with the ball...can barely remember him ever making a tackle but during that period he did get back in position well enough

 

I'd agree that from a tactical and technical point of view, he isn't a good defender, but I think he does pressurise people and puts the effort in to track back.  To be honest, I can't think of many wingers who are good tacklers of the ball, so in my view it isn't really relevant.  As long as he is putting in the effort to be a nuisance and close people down, Pardew shouldn't have any complaints at all.

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I don't want my wingers or flare players tackling to be honest.

As you say applying pressure and generally being busy when we don't have the ball is a different kettle of fish imo.

 

Just one of the utter lame excuses tht poor managers will make when they can't handle a talent or 'maverick' or imbed him into a team.

 

I'm not the lads biggest fan tbh, certainly wouldn't use the words 'legend' or 'great' about him. In fairness we  haven't seen enough of him to compare him with a Robert, Ginola or Waddle lets say, but it's as clear as the nose on Phil Thomsons face that the lad has buckets of natural ability and class. He's maybe the only one we have capable of that moment of genius that can win games from nothing.

 

The fact that the utter cretin we have in charge has treat ,and is treating him this way says far more about him than it ever will about HBA.

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I never get the workrate argument anyway - I don't actually think HBA is even that lazy or defensively neglectful.  It is just a lazy argument.

 

he's awful defensively imho, even during that period when he was doing what pardew wanted he did little more than stand in front of the guy with the ball...can barely remember him ever making a tackle but during that period he did get back in position well enough

 

I'd agree that from a tactical and technical point of view, he isn't a good defender, but I think he does pressurise people and puts the effort in to track back.  To be honest, I can't think of many wingers who are good tacklers of the ball, so in my view it isn't really relevant.  As long as he is putting in the effort to be a nuisance and close people down, Pardew shouldn't have any complaints at all.

 

i totally agree, and i also agree with what others said in response to my post about us not playing him for his defending...no-one in their right mind would obviously, but the fact is that while he can put in work rate and get back he's fucking terrible at defending so it begs the question why (as a professional manager) you'd bother pushing this point as far as pardew has

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The trouble is, unless you play him as a striker or give him a free role behind a lone striker, situations will arise where he has to help defend.

 

I think his best position is the free role, but that didn't prove too successful. It needs someone who is hard-working, with a good football brain.

 

The shame is that HBA has the talent but not the right attitude to self improvement. He seems to reach a certain point, and then blow it.

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