Hatem Ben Arfa (still a free agent)

[tgarve]

Loan cancelled and coming back in January according to the Chronicle.

 

 

 

So that's Lyon, Marseille, Newcastle and Hull now.  None of it is his fault though! 

 

Who says nothing is his fault?  I couldn't give a fuck if he pissed on Pardew every day, all I care about is what I see on the pitch and I can see that he didn't deserve to be treated the way he was based on performances.  Apparently I only saw 3 or 4 good performances though so what do I know

 

Only 10-15 decent games as well apparently, in that case I wonder if any of our players in the last 10 years have had more than a hand full of decent games

Fuck off and die

[tgarve]

Joke before I get banned

[Guest firetotheworks]

Hatem Ben Arfa has been warned by Steve Bruce to pull his sleeves up – or face having his loan spell from Newcastle cut short.

 

The mercurial French international was dropped again for yesterday’s dull goalless draw against fellow relegation stragglers West Brom.

 

And while the Hull manager denied the pair had a bust-up after last week’s defeat at Old Trafford he admitted he had not yet decided to keep Ben Arfa for the rest of the season.

 

“It’s not true about a bust-up,” he said. “Of course he’s not happy about being taken off against Manchester United.

 

“But he has to be treated like everyone else and win his spurs back by training hard and working hard and trying to get himself back into the team.

 

“It’s disappointing for me. But I have to run a team and pick people on merit who work for the team.

 

GettyDisappointing: Bruce isn't happy with Hatem Ben Arfa

“There’s got to be a work-rate and attitude that makes sure you do something for the team. For me the team is bigger than any individual even though something like today might have been his moment.

 

“He didn’t earn enough at Old Trafford to be in the substitutes against Everton in midweek or against West Brom . The rest is up to him now.

 

“He has to roll his sleeves up and work for the cause. There’s no disputing he’s got ability. But ability isn’t enough at this level.

 

“We’ll see what December and January bring and have a sit-down with him and see where we all are.”

 

Hull have had a great 2014 – but Bruce’s ambitiously-assembled side are in grave danger of sinking deep into the mire.

 

Tells you everything you need to know about these types of managers. If you do it in training and work hard, you get picked. If you do it in matches, they're not as arsed. Exactly the reason Shola made a career at NUFC despite being absolute dog shit in 99% on the matches he played in.

[Flip]

Didn't he get like 30mins at Man U and was their only creative player? Didn't they concede twice after he was subbed off as well? Not to be that guy but there's a reason they're 18th and that's because Bruce is a fucking shit manager.

[TaylorJ_01]

Tells you all you need that he's dropping attackers out the squad before a 0-0 draw. It's mind bogglingly predictable and moronic.

[mrmojorisin75]

wonder if everton might have a look when he's free actually, would love to see him play under martinez

[SiLvOR]

Honestly don't know how any sane human being would keep Hatem out of the first team.

[Klaus]

Any manager that tries to implement good football, would be able to get the best out of hatem. None of this safety first, clean sheet and hope for the best shite.

[Danh1]

Mental how people wanted Bruce here. He's another Pardew, complete fucking idiot who hasn't a clue how to handle flair players or implement an attacking style of football.

 

Really just shows how desperate people are to get rid of Pardew, even someone as shit as Bruce is considered an improvement.  Though the more I see of his Hull team I think he might be a sideway step, outside of perhaps not being as slimey as Pardew.

 

I'd have Bruce over Pardew but when they were signing Hatem, Abel Hernandez and co. people were saying how good a manager he was etc. In fairness he has done a good job at Hull, a cup final and a solid league campaign. However he is another Pardew, defensive minded and a complete bellend.

[Danh1]

Honestly don't know how any sane human being would keep Hatem out of the first team.

 

Seen someone say how much better we are without him on Twitter. Personally think he

wonder if everton might have a look when he's free actually, would love to see him play under martinez

 

Would hate to see him at Everton, hate that club.

[ExiledGeordie]

Ashley's a twatt, Pardew will always be an odious arse but some people need to have a word with themselves over Ben Arfa and look at the crux of the issue rather than half baked ideas for his ongoing downfall. Cracking player on his day, awesome talent but the evidence is there for all to see. For whatever reason this lad just can't get his down properly. It's a shame but that's the way it is.

[Hanshithispantz]

Those comments from Bruce

 

 

[Guest Gino14]

Look at the difference belief in talent makes.  Bojan has been a failure everywhere for years, but Hughes has tried to build him up and give him confidence.  Now he looks back to his best in a very short time.  This is at Stoke of all places.  It shows how low we are in terms of playing any kind of watchable football.

 

If Ben Arfa had turned up at Swansea or Everton, he'd have had a much better career.  Sadly he's had to deal with Pardew and Bruce.  The effect of the manager is so underrated.  Look at the difference Swansea's style and management has made to a player like Routledge, who was deemed not good enough to play here and was replaced by Obertan.

[loki679]

Had to deal with Pardew and Bruce and Deschamps and Blanc and Perrin and Domenech and Gerets.

[Guest Gino14]

I'm not denying Ben Arfa has issues getting on with people, but his output on the pitch is underrated.  He needs to sort himself out, but he really hasn't had forward thinking attacking managers in his Premier League years.  I don't know if any managers he's played under are particularly arm round the shoulder types either.  Deschamps and Blanc have had plenty of falling outs of their own with many players, even if they are good coaches.

 

I'm not trying to excuse him and the longer it goes on the more it becomes apparent that Ben Arfa is a massive cause of his own problems.  I just think he'd have done better under a Martinez style manager than a Pardew style manager for instance.

 

N'Zogbia comes to mind.  He was terrible here, brilliant for Wigan under Martinez and rubbish again for Villa with their collection of dinosaur managers.  The manager and player relationship makes such a difference.  I look at the way Bobby dealt with Robert and I just can't help thinking he'd have loved Ben Arfa and would have made great use of him.  Look at the difference as soon as Souness came in.  Suddenly Robert was useless to us, just because he couldn't fit an archaic style of football.  He was always quite troublesome but it didn't matter when he did well on the pitch, because Bobby also put up with him and managed him.

[Robster]

Oh man. This is pure comedy gold from Bruce.

[Interpolic]

Hull have had a great 2014 – but Bruce’s ambitiously-assembled side are in grave danger of sinking deep into the mire.

 

What?

[AY]

N'Zogbia comes to mind.  He was terrible here, brilliant for Wigan under Martinez and rubbish again for Villa with their collection of dinosaur managers.  The manager and player relationship makes such a difference.  I look at the way Bobby dealt with Robert and I just can't help thinking he'd have loved Ben Arfa and would have made great use of him.  Look at the difference as soon as Souness came in.  Suddenly Robert was useless to us, just because he couldn't fit an archaic style of football.  He was always quite troublesome but it didn't matter when he did well on the pitch, because Bobby also put up with him and managed him.

 

Zogbia was good for us 05/06 under Souness tho

[Guest Gino14]

N'Zogbia comes to mind.  He was terrible here, brilliant for Wigan under Martinez and rubbish again for Villa with their collection of dinosaur managers.  The manager and player relationship makes such a difference.  I look at the way Bobby dealt with Robert and I just can't help thinking he'd have loved Ben Arfa and would have made great use of him.  Look at the difference as soon as Souness came in.  Suddenly Robert was useless to us, just because he couldn't fit an archaic style of football.  He was always quite troublesome but it didn't matter when he did well on the pitch, because Bobby also put up with him and managed him.

 

Zogbia was good for us 05/06 under Souness tho

 

Yeah he did do okay for Souness when he let him play freely under the "He's a good young player" attitude.  He never let the likes of Robert have the same free reign.  I'm not saying the example I put forward is perfect though, or always right either.  I just think in any team you generally see flair players do better when managers put an arm round their shoulder and let them off with a few things.

 

Can anyone imagine most of our managers getting the success from Asprilla that Keegan did for instance?  He used to get away with all sorts that would see you hounded out a club now.  He didn't even train properly and he certainly didn't always do a lot of grafting.  Keegan knew how to use him though and how to get the best from him.  He employed actual man management skills that a lot of our managers have badly lacked.

[HawK]

N'Zogbia comes to mind.  He was terrible here, brilliant for Wigan under Martinez and rubbish again for Villa with their collection of dinosaur managers.  The manager and player relationship makes such a difference.  I look at the way Bobby dealt with Robert and I just can't help thinking he'd have loved Ben Arfa and would have made great use of him.  Look at the difference as soon as Souness came in.  Suddenly Robert was useless to us, just because he couldn't fit an archaic style of football.  He was always quite troublesome but it didn't matter when he did well on the pitch, because Bobby also put up with him and managed him.

 

Zogbia was good for us 05/06 under Souness tho

 

Yeah he did do okay for Souness when he let him play freely under the "He's a good young player" attitude.  He never let the likes of Robert have the same free reign.  I'm not saying the example I put forward is perfect though, or always right either.  I just think in any team you generally see flair players do better when managers put an arm round their shoulder and let them off with a few things.

 

Can anyone imagine most of our managers getting the success from Asprilla that Keegan did for instance?  He used to get away with all sorts that would see you hounded out a club now.  He didn't even train properly and he certainly didn't always do a lot of grafting.  Keegan knew how to use him though and how to get the best from him.  He employed actual man management skills that a lot of our managers have badly lacked.

 

But Asprilla unbalanced the side and lost us the league... 

[Guest Gino14]

N'Zogbia comes to mind.  He was terrible here, brilliant for Wigan under Martinez and rubbish again for Villa with their collection of dinosaur managers.  The manager and player relationship makes such a difference.  I look at the way Bobby dealt with Robert and I just can't help thinking he'd have loved Ben Arfa and would have made great use of him.  Look at the difference as soon as Souness came in.  Suddenly Robert was useless to us, just because he couldn't fit an archaic style of football.  He was always quite troublesome but it didn't matter when he did well on the pitch, because Bobby also put up with him and managed him.

 

Zogbia was good for us 05/06 under Souness tho

 

Yeah he did do okay for Souness when he let him play freely under the "He's a good young player" attitude.  He never let the likes of Robert have the same free reign.  I'm not saying the example I put forward is perfect though, or always right either.  I just think in any team you generally see flair players do better when managers put an arm round their shoulder and let them off with a few things.

 

Can anyone imagine most of our managers getting the success from Asprilla that Keegan did for instance?  He used to get away with all sorts that would see you hounded out a club now.  He didn't even train properly and he certainly didn't always do a lot of grafting.  Keegan knew how to use him though and how to get the best from him.  He employed actual man management skills that a lot of our managers have badly lacked.

 

But Asprilla unbalanced the side and lost us the league... 

 

I never bought into that one.  We mentally fell apart after the Man Utd game where, we battered them and played them off the park by any measure.  We lost vital games where we failed to defend good positions and basically just didn't have the experience to hold on.  Injuries played a role as well, as it was well before the two top players for every position thing that title sides have now.

[Kanj]

I was thinking about Ben Arfa this morning after reading those Bruce comments...

 

Damn shame thinking about the player we signed on loan - From that Everton performance, to the leg break against City, the returns, the injury breakdowns, the returns, the fall-outs with Pardew, the goals, the individual brilliance, the way he talked about the Newcastle supporters, St James Park, life in the NE, and all that.

 

Have we ever taken to a player since Sir Bobby's time and Keegan's before that that?  He represented so much that we loved and maybe embodied as a club. In a way he sort of personified what we thought of our club Sleeping Giant Club = Untapped Potential of a Player; Could be one of the Greatest Clubs (vision of Bobby & Keegan) = Hatem being considered the best of his Generation.

 

It all just bothers me. Blame the man himself, blame Pardew, etc. I just wish he'd sort himself out, i wish he'd get a move to Germany or France and play for a manger who cares about him; one that will let him do his thing - it's a shame that such a talent that I'll be talking about for the rest of my life wasted the prime of his career through bad luck, injuries, lack of self discipline, and poor management. It's a story repeated over and over in sport, but it hits closer to home b/c he was OUR player, and we we madly love him, and he mutually did for us.

[Dokko]

I was thinking about Ben Arfa this morning after reading those Bruce comments...

 

Damn shame thinking about the player we signed on loan - From that Everton performance, to the leg break against City, the returns, the injury breakdowns, the returns, the fall-outs with Pardew, the goals, the individual brilliance, the way he talked about the Newcastle supporters, St James Park, life in the NE, and all that.

 

Have we ever taken to a player since Sir Bobby's time and Keegan's before that that?  He represented so much that we loved and maybe embodied as a club. In a way he sort of personified what we thought of our club Sleeping Giant Club = Untapped Potential of a Player; Could be one of the Greatest Clubs (vision of Bobby & Keegan) = Hatem being considered the best of his Generation.

 

It all just bothers me. Blame the man himself, blame Pardew, etc. I just wish he'd sort himself out, i wish he'd get a move to Germany or France and play for a manger who cares about him; one that will let him do his thing - it's a shame that such a talent that I'll be talking about for the rest of my life wasted the prime of his career through bad luck, injuries, lack of self discipline, and poor management. It's a story repeated over and over in sport, but it hits closer to home b/c he was OUR player, and we we madly love him, and he mutually did for us.

 

Getting a tad low-rent RAWK that. 

[Kanj]

Go defend Stevie Bantz in the other thread man, jesus. I saw a compilation of his and got a warm & fuzzy and then some uneasy feeling over a player who's career absolutley derailed in quite a ridiculous fashion

[Dokko]

Go defend Stevie Bantz in the other thread man, jesus. I saw a compilation of his and got a warm & fuzzy and then some uneasy feeling over a player who's career absolutley derailed in quite a ridiculous fashion

 

Na, I'd rather watch the cringe in here thanks. 

 

YNWA