Hatem Ben Arfa (still a free agent)

[Spudil]

Where is the cringe exactly? Genuinely curious.

[Teasy]

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

 

What?

 

Aye, 27 points out of 34 games in 2014 and sitting third bottom of the league = great apparently

[Dokko]

Where is the cringe exactly? Genuinely curious.

 

This thread is covered in it. Grown men wanking over a player who's wasted his career, did nothing for us and can't get in a Hull city team in the relegation zone. No doubt same people who call Peter Beardsley a cunt.

 

There's absolutely no balance when it comes to hba on here, same for most players really, you either hate everything about or they are gods. It's fucking tedious.

[Teasy]

That post is cringe like, especially "did nothing for us" and the Beardsley comment.  Ben Arfa won plenty of points for us and entertained plenty to (lets not forget why we watch Football).  On Beardsley, I've said before that he seems like a bit of a prick, but as a Footballer he was one of the greatest I've ever seen and I'd defend him on that score to anybody.  Also how many times do people have to say that they see Ben Arfa's flaws but want him despite that before it sinks in?  Isn't that balance?..

[Kanji]

I, for one, love seeing a great like Peter Beardsley talk about how great of a job Pardew has done or that Mike Ashley is a fantastic owner, man. Give over. Brilliant footballer, who I wish never got back into football the way he carries on about the owner of this club. Tarnishes for me, rather him just be some pundit in the media who just says whatever the producers tell him to.

 

Toon's Taylor, you hate Pardew & Ashley too, we're all in this together dude.

[Ronaldo]

I do think vast amounts of the affection for Hatem are based on what we hoped and predicted he'd do, as opposed to what he actually did. Lovely player to watch on his day but he's overrated on here, no question, and not necessarily by Kanji either. 'Keegan would turn him into the best player in the league', and 'much more talented than Rooney' spring to mind.

 

I'm not pointing fingers; we all get carried away when discussing things we're passionate about, but enough's enough now.

[sempuki]

http://www.shieldsgazette.com/sport/football/hatem-ben-arfa-responds-to-talk-of-hull-bust-up-and-newcastle-return-1-6992665

[KaKa]

Definitely that Ashley PR creep putting this stuff out there.

[Ronaldo]

He loves and respects Steve Brewce?

[ShootGol]

Posted this on social media earlier.

 

Bonjour à tous!! Je voulais juste clarifier ma situation, je n'ai aucun problème avec mon entraineur. C'est quelqu'un que j'aime beaucoup que je respecte et que j'admire!! J'ai vu que Jean MIchel Larqué m'est encore rentré dedans sans connaitre la vérité!!! Il n'y a aucun problème et je ne t en veux pas!! Si tu veux rentrer en contact pour que l'on en parle il n'y a aucun soucis prend soin de toi mon ami

 

Google translates this too, Hello everyone !! I just wanted to clarify my situation, I have no problem with my coach. This is someone that I love that I respect and I admire !! I saw that Jean MIchel Larqué is still into me without knowing the truth !!! There is no problem and I do not want it !! If you want to get in touch so that we talk there is no problem taking care of you my friend.

[Cronky]

Posted this on social media earlier.

 

Bonjour à tous!! Je voulais juste clarifier ma situation, je n'ai aucun problème avec mon entraineur. C'est quelqu'un que j'aime beaucoup que je respecte et que j'admire!! J'ai vu que Jean MIchel Larqué m'est encore rentré dedans sans connaitre la vérité!!! Il n'y a aucun problème et je ne t en veux pas!! Si tu veux rentrer en contact pour que l'on en parle il n'y a aucun soucis prend soin de toi mon ami

 

Google translates this too, Hello everyone !! I just wanted to clarify my situation, I have no problem with my coach. This is someone that I love that I respect and I admire !! I saw that Jean MIchel Larqué is still into me without knowing the truth !!! There is no problem and I do not want it !! If you want to get in touch so that we talk there is no problem taking care of you my friend.

 

It doesn't look like the love is mutual.

[Guest firetotheworks]

I do think vast amounts of the affection for Hatem are based on what we hoped and predicted he'd do, as opposed to what he actually did. Lovely player to watch on his day but he's overrated on here, no question, and not necessarily by Kanji either. 'Keegan would turn him into the best player in the league', and 'much more talented than Rooney' spring to mind.

 

I'm not pointing fingers; we all get carried away when discussing things we're passionate about, but enough's enough now.

 

I don't think we got carried away considering what we witnessed. There's certainly been an element of filling in the gaps for him when he's been missing and always doing so in an exaggerated, positive way, but when I've actually seen him I've loved it, he's been productive and he's still surprised me.

 

The Keegan thing is just fantasy football stuff that's a fun bit of escapism when things are depressing, and not necessarily untrue (or admittedly true for that matter)

 

Haven't heard the Rooney thing, I generally hear 'more technically/naturally gifted than...' which for the most part is true imo. He's the most naturally gifted player I've seen play for us, bar Beardsley. He still has other flaws, but I don't think enough is enough. We've seen him play, he should have played a lot more, we're rightly pissed off to have been denied seeing more of him.

[sugoinufc]

I do think vast amounts of the affection for Hatem are based on what we hoped and predicted he'd do, as opposed to what he actually did. Lovely player to watch on his day but he's overrated on here, no question, and not necessarily by Kanji either. 'Keegan would turn him into the best player in the league', and 'much more talented than Rooney' spring to mind.

 

I'm not pointing fingers; we all get carried away when discussing things we're passionate about, but enough's enough now.

 

i agree. Hatem on his day looked like he could be among the very best in the world. He have all seen it but only in glimpses.

 

Its all up in his head it goes wrong and he will never be able to turn it to something positive. I come to think of Ibrahimovic...but it seems too late for Hatem.

[HawK]

I blame a lot of what's happened on De Jong.

[Toondave]

I blame a lot of what's happened on De Jong.

 

http://www1.pictures.zimbio.com/gi/Siem+De+Jong+Ajax+Amsterdam+v+Feyenoord+Eredivisie+QAX3Dx66P_ql.jpg

[Kanji]

 

The Keegan thing is just fantasy football stuff that's a fun bit of escapism when things are depressing, and not necessarily untrue (or admittedly true for that matter)

 

Isn't the escapism a lot of what football is all about? Isn't the escapism what sort of makes us Newcastle supporters? Lord knows we never get a sustained bit of joy, something always ruins it. Always.

[Ronaldo]

I do think vast amounts of the affection for Hatem are based on what we hoped and predicted he'd do, as opposed to what he actually did. Lovely player to watch on his day but he's overrated on here, no question, and not necessarily by Kanji either. 'Keegan would turn him into the best player in the league', and 'much more talented than Rooney' spring to mind.

 

I'm not pointing fingers; we all get carried away when discussing things we're passionate about, but enough's enough now.

 

I don't think we got carried away considering what we witnessed. There's certainly been an element of filling in the gaps for him when he's been missing and always doing so in an exaggerated, positive way, but when I've actually seen him I've loved it, he's been productive and he's still surprised me.

 

The Keegan thing is just fantasy football stuff that's a fun bit of escapism when things are depressing, and not necessarily untrue (or admittedly true for that matter)

 

Haven't heard the Rooney thing, I generally hear 'more technically/naturally gifted than...' which for the most part is true imo. He's the most naturally gifted player I've seen play for us, bar Beardsley. He still has other flaws, but I don't think enough is enough. We've seen him play, he should have played a lot more, we're rightly pissed off to have been denied seeing more of him.

 

Come on, man. Rooney, I think we can all agree, hasn't quite fulfilled his natural talent, yet has won everything in club football and will be top all-time scorer for Man U and England within 18 months. That says everything about how much was expected from his ability.

[Guest firetotheworks]

I do think vast amounts of the affection for Hatem are based on what we hoped and predicted he'd do, as opposed to what he actually did. Lovely player to watch on his day but he's overrated on here, no question, and not necessarily by Kanji either. 'Keegan would turn him into the best player in the league', and 'much more talented than Rooney' spring to mind.

 

I'm not pointing fingers; we all get carried away when discussing things we're passionate about, but enough's enough now.

 

I don't think we got carried away considering what we witnessed. There's certainly been an element of filling in the gaps for him when he's been missing and always doing so in an exaggerated, positive way, but when I've actually seen him I've loved it, he's been productive and he's still surprised me.

 

The Keegan thing is just fantasy football stuff that's a fun bit of escapism when things are depressing, and not necessarily untrue (or admittedly true for that matter)

 

Haven't heard the Rooney thing, I generally hear 'more technically/naturally gifted than...' which for the most part is true imo. He's the most naturally gifted player I've seen play for us, bar Beardsley. He still has other flaws, but I don't think enough is enough. We've seen him play, he should have played a lot more, we're rightly pissed off to have been denied seeing more of him.

 

Come on, man. Rooney, I think we can all agree, hasn't quite fulfilled his natural talent, yet has won everything in club football and will be top all-time scorer for Man U and England within 18 months. That says everything about how much was expected from his ability.

 

....in England, with us as people being from England, living in England.

 

the ellipses were supposed to cater for [insert player here] not necessarily Rooney. I've never given it much thought, it's a pointless comparison.

[Guest Gino14]

Ben Arfa isn't more technically gifted than Rooney.  I think people like to think that because he's tricky, jinky and has more flicks.  Ben Arfa has superb ability, but people really underestimate Rooney technically, partly because he looks like a brute and isn't as flamboyant.

 

Rooney has excellent touch, balance, passing range and shooting ability that not many players in world football can top.  He scores all sorts of goals, has great awareness of what is around him during games and a sense of where he needs to be on the pitch at all times.  When you couple all those things with the added mental toughness Rooney has and his ability to be consistent, you have a far superior footballer to Ben Arfa.  Rooney has even scored much better long range goals than  Ben Arfa.  People forget that part of technical ability is the ability to put it together consistently with your mentality.  Even Wanchope had a load of flair and ability to do amazing things, but he just didn't do it often.

 

It's not quite in the same league of ridiculousness, but it seems a bit like the Ryan Taylor and David Beckham comparisons that some people wanted to make between Ben Arfa being more technically gifted than Rooney.  I have to say that I haven't seen many people actually make the comparison till it was brought up today mind.

[Guest firetotheworks]

It's a made up argument though.

 

No one's saying he is.

[Guest Gino14]

Yeah I guess that's a fair point.

 

I have seen people compare him favourably on here to other top footballers in the world, where the same points would apply.

[Ronaldo]

It has been said, just apparently not by KI.

[Guest firetotheworks]

It's an entirely pointless comparison on any level like. Even if I said that he's a better dribbler than Rooney and more skillful than Rooney (which is probably true) it's utterly pointless. You may as well say Andy Carroll is better in the air than Messi, it's true, but who cares?

[Guest Gino14]

Well it's definitely pointless, but then so is everything posted on forums to some extent and I'm sure nobody cares that much.  It's a place for Football discussion and speculation, albeit with some discussions being a bit dafter than others.

[Guest firetotheworks]

You've got me wrong, that wasn't directed at you, more clearing up that I wouldn't make that comparison between those two specific players.