AyeDubbleYoo Posted March 9, 2023 Share Posted March 9, 2023 Should’ve gone down as one of the best players ever. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
kingxlnc Posted March 9, 2023 Share Posted March 9, 2023 Give him any decent top flight professional's mindset / work ethic and he'd be a multiple league winner with a whole host of individual awards. Give him the mindset / work ethic of a Speed / Shearer and he'd be a Ballon D'or winner even in the age of Messi and Ronaldo. Give him the mindset of an Ibrahimovic or Ronaldo and he'd be vying for GOAT status with Messi. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
SiLvOR Posted March 9, 2023 Share Posted March 9, 2023 59 minutes ago, Yorkie said: I guess that year at Nice was probably the best of his career? He was doing unbelievable things seemingly week in week out, though I confess a lot of the things I saw were clips like the above, can't speak to how he was performing over 90 minutes. Don't really care either, he's a fucking magician and I love him Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sempiternal Posted March 9, 2023 Share Posted March 9, 2023 The Nice season was absurd, he was doing insane things all the time. His natural talent was the best I’ve seen for us. Underrated passer of a ball when he wanted to as well. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kid Icarus Posted March 9, 2023 Share Posted March 9, 2023 3 hours ago, Yorkie said: I guess that year at Nice was probably the best of his career? 2012 was his best year imo. Back end of 11/12 and the start of 12/13 he completely took the piss. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sempiternal Posted March 9, 2023 Share Posted March 9, 2023 If i ever wanted to show someone perfect technique, the Everton strike is it. It’s hit so nicely. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paully Posted March 9, 2023 Share Posted March 9, 2023 2 hours ago, kingxlnc said: Give him any decent top flight professional's mindset / work ethic and he'd be a multiple league winner with a whole host of individual awards. Give him the mindset / work ethic of a Speed / Shearer and he'd be a Ballon D'or winner even in the age of Messi and Ronaldo. Give him the mindset of an Ibrahimovic or Ronaldo and he'd be vying for GOAT status with Messi. Totally agree! It's harsh to say he wasted his career but he should have done a hell of a lot more with his talent! Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kid Icarus Posted March 9, 2023 Share Posted March 9, 2023 I'm thankful he didn't, because if he hadn't have been a nutter he'd have been nowhere near Newcastle Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Holloway Posted March 9, 2023 Share Posted March 9, 2023 4 hours ago, St1pe said: Artwork. Look at that man,he could do anything he wanted. It's always puzzled me when people sneer at the opinion he could have gone to the very top,if he'd just had the application Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paully Posted March 9, 2023 Share Posted March 9, 2023 2 minutes ago, Kid Icarus said: I'm thankful he didn't, because if he hadn't have been a nutter he'd have been nowhere near Newcastle Ha aye, very true! Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Miercoles Posted March 9, 2023 Share Posted March 9, 2023 6 hours ago, St1pe said: Artwork. I keep thinking the referee is a goalkeeper in this video. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Smal Posted March 9, 2023 Share Posted March 9, 2023 I wish Hughton had never gotten sacked. Ben Arfa could've had 10+ years here doing mad stuff never seen before. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kanji Posted March 9, 2023 Share Posted March 9, 2023 At Nice he basically became a dynamo like Messi, Ronaldo etc where he played basically anywhere in attack and just ran the show. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Optimistic Nut Posted March 9, 2023 Share Posted March 9, 2023 (edited) 7 hours ago, kingxlnc said: Ben Arfa is my generations Tony Green. All I've heard is how good he was without never seeing him play. In the 2043 version of N-O we'll be saying oh Ben Arfa was one of the naturally talented players NUFC ever had to incredulous youngsters who having been spoiled by over a decade of success can't believe anyone from the 'poor' years could ever have that title By all (my dad and pretty much anyone over the age of 60) accounts, Green would have probably been a contender for all-time greatest player if he hadn't had to retire because of injury. He always winds up in the top 10 lists even with it. Ben Arfa was more a mental thing for me, but if he didn't have that in him he'd not have played for us in the first place. Would Ben Arfa be more 'Jinky' Jimmy Smith? Edited March 9, 2023 by Optimistic Nut Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tsunami Posted March 9, 2023 Share Posted March 9, 2023 I was at that Everton game, that shot was the hardest hit shot from distance with little back lift or effort that I’ve seen. It absolutely flew in, I don’t think anyone there could quite believe it. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tsunami Posted March 9, 2023 Share Posted March 9, 2023 Jinky Smith was canny, couldn’t lace Ben Arfa’s boots though. Few could. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rafalove Posted March 9, 2023 Share Posted March 9, 2023 Everything about Hatem was great. The way he rocked up at the airport unannounced without permission. His debut against Everton. Often wonder what we could have done that season had Hughton not been sacked and Hatem stayed fit. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sima Posted March 9, 2023 Share Posted March 9, 2023 There was a goal he scored against Fulham that was absolutely outrageous. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
toon25 Posted March 9, 2023 Share Posted March 9, 2023 7 hours ago, Holloway said: Look at that man,he could do anything he wanted. It's always puzzled me when people sneer at the opinion he could have gone to the very top,if he'd just had the application The fucking skill he had, man. Incredible. Got dealt a shitty hand with the absolute fucking dinosaur managers he had over here. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kanji Posted March 9, 2023 Share Posted March 9, 2023 37 minutes ago, Rafalove said: Everything about Hatem was great. The way he rocked up at the airport unannounced without permission. His debut against Everton. Often wonder what we could have done that season had Hughton not been sacked and Hatem stayed fit. He was genuinly looking unplayable. Rapid as fuck with and without the ball. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Away Toon Posted March 9, 2023 Share Posted March 9, 2023 Amazing player, fast as fuck, the best dribbler I've seen outside of Messi, and plenty of goals scored with his right foot. Take note Almiron. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dr Venkman Posted March 9, 2023 Share Posted March 9, 2023 Absolutely love him, because I have a soul. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
pedro111 Posted March 9, 2023 Share Posted March 9, 2023 The most skillful player I have ever seen play for us. The first time I saw Bruno play in the flesh was this season at home to Brentford. I just remember being in awe of him. Last time I felt like that was watching Ben Arfa. The Bolton goal still fills me with unbridled joy. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
magvicar Posted March 10, 2023 Share Posted March 10, 2023 Ben Arfa is a flawed genius of a footballer. He's one of those talents that comes along every so often who require careful man management to ensure his skills benefit the team but also his mental well being is not disrupted by overworking him to training methods employed for the less genius members of the squad, if you get my meaning. Basically Ben Arfa was a crowd pleaser and could've been up there with the best of the best if injuries and attitude and man management were more on point. I suppose you could say catering to his whim at times to ensure you got that genius from him. I loved his skills at Newcastle. At times he could frustrate but then again his genius more than made up for it. It's just a shame injury robbed us of more of his game. Imagine having a fired up Ben Arfa of that time as a part of this set up, assuming he could work under Eddie Howe's training standards, because as some players once said of his time, he looked like he trained at 50% against their 100% because he made it look so easy. Definitely well up there as one of the most exciting players I've seen for Newcastle. Unfortunately his time has passed at the top but great memories. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
HawK Posted March 10, 2023 Share Posted March 10, 2023 We love a French winger, don't we. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
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