Super Duper Branko Strupar Posted February 10, 2022 Share Posted February 10, 2022 3 hours ago, Bompeter said: The idea that Ben Arfa was "regularly" putting in devastating attacking performances is just an out-and-out fabrication. Claiming that ten years ago would've been seen as obviously absurd. He put in a handful of performances as good as ASM on Tuesday. There's a number of reasons for that and most of them weren't Ben Arfa's fault but there's some crazy rose-tinted glasses going on when it comes to what he was able to actually achieve on the pitch. This is just patently untrue Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Unbelievable Posted February 11, 2022 Share Posted February 11, 2022 (edited) 13 hours ago, Super Duper Branko Strupar said: This is just patently untrue I don’t think it is. Or you view ASM’s performance level on Tuesday different than me and a few others. It was special. Disregarding the first 20 minutes I’d say 10/10 special, the type of performance level you only see a fee times a season across all teams in an entire PL season. Ben Arfa was great on his day and very good most of the time, but let’s not pretend he was consistently on a league dominating level. Can I just say this back and forth about Ben Arta is quite simply bewildering to me. Can we not be glad that we have a player on our hands who reminds us of him and his impact, is still only 24 and looks like he could be here for a good while yet? I will always cherish the memories of Ben Arfa’s exploits in black and white, but boy am I excited to have Saint-Maximin in out team today. Edited February 11, 2022 by Unbelievable Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hanshithispantz Posted February 11, 2022 Share Posted February 11, 2022 (edited) Maybe just time but I cannot remember Hatem putting in a match like that, where he was consistently taking 4-5 defenders out of the game. He could do it, and did it often, but Maxi did it time and time again in the same match from different areas of the pitch. He didn't just have the beating of 1 man on the night. Not saying Hatem never had better matches, just cannot remember seeing that kind of a performance - it was pretty unique. I actually didn't find Hatem frustrating at all though, he had quiet games but I didn't find him detrimental to the team in the way I did with Maxi against Watford before he scored. I think his game was much more rounded but hopefully Howe can smoothen Saint-Maximin out. Edited February 11, 2022 by Hanshithispantz Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Groundhog63 Posted February 11, 2022 Share Posted February 11, 2022 I called Maxi "dog shit" after Cambridge because, imho, he was. Beyond frustrating. Massive performance on tues. Quite rightly being described, by many former players, as unplayable. Actually passed first time balls, caused absolute havoc. In a team full of top players where the opposition can't afford to even double up is the next level. HBA was frustrating too but I will never forget, sitting in the Leazes, rising from my seat the second he received the ball in our half v Bolton. You just knew, just knew he was away. Special moments. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kid Icarus Posted February 11, 2022 Share Posted February 11, 2022 (edited) Fuck it, yous are getting on my nerves now. Just off the top of my head: West Brom away 11/12 - 1 goal, 2 assists, took on their entire team 2 or 3 times. Aston Villa home 12/13 - 1 goal, completely took the piss throughout. Spurs home 12/13 - won and scored a pen, constantly took them on through the middle. Aston Villa away 13/14 - scored, assisted, completely ran riot. Stoke home 13/14 - won a penalty, assisted, hit the bar twice, and completely took the piss (dropped by Pardew the next match) All were comfortably at the same level of performance as ASM's vs Everton. There were others where the quality was the same but he wasn't on the ball as much, I'm thinking Everton 10/11, Sunderland, Liverpool, Swansea, Bolton, Blackburn and Stoke 11/12, Norwich, Everton, Arsenal 12/13. Can we get back to enjoying ASM now? Edited February 11, 2022 by Kid Icarus Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Yorkie Posted February 11, 2022 Share Posted February 11, 2022 3 minutes ago, Kid Icarus said: Fuck it, yous are getting on my nerves now. Just off the top of my head: West Brom away 11/12 - 1 goal, 2 assists, took on their entire team 2 or 3 times. Aston Villa home 12/13 - 1 goal, completely took the piss throughout. Spurs home 12/13 - won a scored a pen, constantly took them on through the middle. Aston Villa away 13/14 - scored, assisted, completely ran riot. Stoke home 13/14 - won a penalty, assisted, hit the bar twice, and completely took the piss (dropped by Pardew the next match) All were comfortably at the same level of performance as ASM's vs Everton. Debut v Everton too. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
1964 Posted February 11, 2022 Share Posted February 11, 2022 What we should be excited about is rather than squabbling about which of them had the bigger cock, revel in the fact that no matter how good he is, or gets, Maxi will be going nowhere, because we have a shitload of money to build a team of 11 Maxi's Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hanshithispantz Posted February 11, 2022 Share Posted February 11, 2022 https://youtu.be/sIS-xsl3rFs The Villa performance mentioned is there (not sure if the others are on Youtube). Agree it looks a better overall game than Maxi against Everton but it's still just a typical Ben Arfa on a good day game, isn't it? He was a much better all round footballer. For me the thing that stands out about Tuesday was how often ASM was able to run at Everton, and regardless of how many players were in his way, he was able to carve through them. I just cannot remember seeing a player for us doing that, to that extent, in a single game. Cannot find the other ones and really should get myself to work ... So may be wrong, my memory is shit like. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kid Icarus Posted February 11, 2022 Share Posted February 11, 2022 (edited) I honestly don't see the difference between the two tbh like. Could be a bit of recency bias with ASM's. WBA 11/12 would be the one where he almost had 2 or Bolton style goals or assists on top of scoring and assisting. Don't think it's on YouTube though. It was a 10/10 performance in every way though. Little bits of the WBA match are here, with a couple of the runs. https://youtu.be/iTiQhiZe9cE Edited February 11, 2022 by Kid Icarus Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hanshithispantz Posted February 11, 2022 Share Posted February 11, 2022 Probably is recency bias like, I'm not going to pretend my memory is infallible because it's absolute shite I was just completely awe struck by Tuesday, which I've never been since I started watching again. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kid Icarus Posted February 11, 2022 Share Posted February 11, 2022 (edited) 25 minutes ago, Hanshithispantz said: Probably is recency bias like, I'm not going to pretend my memory is infallible because it's absolute shite I was just completely awe struck by Tuesday, which I've never been since I started watching again. and that's the bit that matters like. Obviously I love HBA, but the constant need to compare (not from you, but just as some sort of reflex thing on here that we all end up taking the bait over) doesn't do either of them justice. Always feels weird to watch ASM, think how good a performance he had and then find myself looking for his flaws because someone's decided to compare him to my favourite player of the last 20 years. Edited February 11, 2022 by Kid Icarus Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
54 Posted February 11, 2022 Share Posted February 11, 2022 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
KaKa Posted February 11, 2022 Share Posted February 11, 2022 1 hour ago, Kid Icarus said: Fuck it, yous are getting on my nerves now. Just off the top of my head: West Brom away 11/12 - 1 goal, 2 assists, took on their entire team 2 or 3 times. Aston Villa home 12/13 - 1 goal, completely took the piss throughout. Spurs home 12/13 - won and scored a pen, constantly took them on through the middle. Aston Villa away 13/14 - scored, assisted, completely ran riot. Stoke home 13/14 - won a penalty, assisted, hit the bar twice, and completely took the piss (dropped by Pardew the next match) All were comfortably at the same level of performance as ASM's vs Everton. There were others where the quality was the same but he wasn't on the ball as much, I'm thinking Everton 10/11, Sunderland, Liverpool, Swansea, Bolton, Blackburn and Stoke 11/12, Norwich, Everton, Arsenal 12/13. Can we get back to enjoying ASM now? I admire the effort you put into this man. I gave up. Couldn't be bothered spelling it out. My God how quickly people forget. Kind of sad really. I think maybe a big part of over looking some of his performances was the fact the team had more balance to it, with the likes of Ba, Cisse, Tiote and Cabaye regularly putting in decent performances as well, so his performances were maybe not as memorable for some because he didn't have to always get the ball and do everything all the time, which is pretty much still our style with ASM. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Consortium of one Posted February 11, 2022 Share Posted February 11, 2022 both players could make the opponent shit themselves. Not to get into the argument but ASM is more choppy with his stops and starts. He's like that ankle breaking PG at the top of the key. HBA was more elegant almost. He saw what he could do and one second he was there and the next second he was by his man. Both are/were incredibly effective but in different ways, IMO Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rich Posted February 11, 2022 Share Posted February 11, 2022 Now can we all just take a moment to imagine them in the same team on opposite sides of a quality lone striker? Mama mia. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mike Posted February 11, 2022 Share Posted February 11, 2022 5 hours ago, Kid Icarus said: Fuck it, yous are getting on my nerves now. Just off the top of my head: West Brom away 11/12 - 1 goal, 2 assists, took on their entire team 2 or 3 times. Aston Villa home 12/13 - 1 goal, completely took the piss throughout. Spurs home 12/13 - won and scored a pen, constantly took them on through the middle. Aston Villa away 13/14 - scored, assisted, completely ran riot. Stoke home 13/14 - won a penalty, assisted, hit the bar twice, and completely took the piss (dropped by Pardew the next match) All were comfortably at the same level of performance as ASM's vs Everton. There were others where the quality was the same but he wasn't on the ball as much, I'm thinking Everton 10/11, Sunderland, Liverpool, Swansea, Bolton, Blackburn and Stoke 11/12, Norwich, Everton, Arsenal 12/13. Can we get back to enjoying ASM now? Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mike Posted February 11, 2022 Share Posted February 11, 2022 10 minutes ago, Pardiola said: Now can we all just take a moment to imagine them in the same team on opposite sides of a quality lone striker? Mama mia. We could have had it!!! We could have done it! Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rich Posted February 11, 2022 Share Posted February 11, 2022 Another Chris Wood fan, excellent! Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mike Posted February 11, 2022 Share Posted February 11, 2022 2 minutes ago, Pardiola said: Another Chris Wood fan, excellent! Why must we always row, Richard. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wolfcastle Posted February 11, 2022 Share Posted February 11, 2022 (edited) On 09/02/2022 at 18:07, HTT II said: Yet nowhere near as good as them in terms of flair, trickery, feet work and dribbling. He would have made a very good Ronaldo-light CF today given he was over 6ft, very direct, two footed and so strong. He lacked the genuine pace and dribbling to be an effective wide player/winger today. Robert likewise who could have played a CF role without being a CF in today’s game. Ginola could never ever have did what ASM did to Everton in that second half, nor Robert. HBA could have, but strength wise on the ball, ASM, you can only stop him in full flight or even at a slower pace, by kicking and fouling him. Unplayable really when he’s in that groove… I've seen Ginola tear the arse of teams more than ASM did Everton in the 2nd half. Boro and Stoke in 95 - his performance against Boro is still the most virtuoso display I've ever seen - It was a much more physical sport then, tackles were allowed - but its also just my personal preference for his style over ASM and HBA's. Was much more controlled and deliberate for me. Cryuff over Giggs sort of thing. Ginola was in the European team of the year when we signed him, had tore the arse of Barcelona for PSG, was the best player in this country initially, was third in PFA player of the year for us and won it with Spurs. Edited February 11, 2022 by Wolfcastle Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
BergenMagpie Posted February 11, 2022 Share Posted February 11, 2022 7 hours ago, Kid Icarus said: Aston Villa home 12/13 - 1 goal, completely took the piss throughout. Remember that game. One of the few (maybe the only) times that season pardcunt played with Cabaye-Anita-Sissoko in the middle and HBA-Cisse-Remy in front, which was the lineup I was craving. We play good, win the game and next game we are back with Sissoko on the wing and HBA on the bench... Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
KaKa Posted February 11, 2022 Share Posted February 11, 2022 3 minutes ago, BergenMagpie said: Remember that game. One of the few (maybe the only) times that season pardcunt played with Cabaye-Anita-Sissoko in the middle and HBA-Cisse-Remy in front, which was the lineup I was craving. We play good, win the game and next game we are back with Sissoko on the wing and HBA on the bench... Pardew man ... for his mismanagement of the talent we had at that time, he will always be the worst for me. The guy was despicable. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
ShoTime Posted February 11, 2022 Share Posted February 11, 2022 I love ASM, but anyone trying to say he's better than Ben Arfa needs to give their head a shake. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
greydos Posted February 11, 2022 Share Posted February 11, 2022 (edited) 24 minutes ago, KaKa said: Pardew man ... for his mismanagement of the talent we had at that time, he will always be the worst for me. The guy was despicable. You’re 99% right. Just need to change it to: “The guy was and IS despicable.” Edited February 11, 2022 by greydos Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
joeyt Posted February 12, 2022 Share Posted February 12, 2022 Walked past him in Eldon square yesterday, his fashion sense doesn't allow him to blend in Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
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