Alan Pardew has confirmed that us Newcastle fans will be lucky to see the talented French international back in action before the end of the season as he is nursed back to fitness from the horrific double leg break that Ben Arfa suffered against Manchester City earlier on in the season.
As I said, I’m not surprised at this news as I half expected that we would give Benny enough time to ensure that he is fully recovered before putting him back in the first team, and in a way it’s great that our league position means that we have no real need to rush him back and risk any further injury.
“He has set himself a personal target, but he is still in the process of recovery,” Pardew told the Northern Echo. “To break both bones in his shin is tough, not just physically but mentally. He’s got a long road back. Whether he comes back into the first team at the level where we are at the moment, we’ll have to see.”
“Certainly next year he will be a big player for us,” explained Pardew. “But his recovery will take us into April, maybe May. I’d like to see him play this year but I am going to protect him. He needs to get some training under his belt and games.”
So there you go. I guess that mean we can effectively rule Ben Arfa out of making an impact this season, but at least there is stilla slim glimmer of hope that he will make return in the final week or two of the domestic season.
Hopefully this will allow Hatem to fully recover, get a full pre-season under his belt, and come back next season fighting fit from the start of the campaign.
It will be like having a new player again.
I thought (hoped) that he would be like Barton was last season, get a few games at the end of the season and get a good pre-season under his belt so he was flying for the start of next.
But, que sera sera, no need to rush him back, get him back when he’s ready
I Love Mike(Quote)
We would be better off leaving HBA until next season, rather than risk him this season. Ditto Gosling too probably…
Any news on JB’s injury ?…now he’s a player that we can’t afford to be without.
Munich Mag(Quote)
Probably a wise move. Gosling came back, played one game and is now back out. With so little left in season by the time he MAY be ready, I’d hate to see him risked.
NorCal Toonfan(Quote)
I do have to wonder how much Ben Arfa will even play next season, to be honest. Pardew has been saying he will buy in the summer, but he has always qualified that with “the right players who fit in”, which is the polite way of saying “not that many”.
Which makes me think, is someone whose playing stuff is renegade and unpredictable really going to fit in with our current style of functional and machine like?
The only player we could take out to put Ben Arfa in would be Jonas, as if we remove Nolan, Barton or Tiote, then we lose the repetitive, dependable style they bring.
Our current set up cannot accommodate two attacking midfielders/wingers doing what they want. Our whole style at the moment is being so good at repeating ourselves that teams still can’t stop us scoring.
Ben Arfa is either going to have to lose his erratic play or the team will have to be a lot more risky in its play.
funkyjesus(Quote)
HBA will either play in behind Best, or from far right in a 5 man midfield, allowing Nolan to push on. Not too difficult to accommodate Jonas, Tiote, Nolan, Barton and HBA in a mid field.
Sounds fooking awesome.
Shearers Receeding Hairline(Quote)
So we play with one striker up front just to fit Ben Arfa in?
I hope we sign Alan Shearer from 15 years ago then because we will need one hell of a striker to score all these chances that midfield will create. Two struggle at the best of times nevermind just the one.
The one plus a 5 man midfield would give is that the likes of Gosling, Guthrie (if his loan doesn’t turn permanent) and Smith, etc. will have some realistic chance of playing due to cover.
It would, however, mean we will have one spot for a striker so they become like the goalkeeper situation – we can’t please them all.
funkyjesus(Quote)
I just think we’ll not see much money made available in the summer, certainly not to replace AC like for like. So a 5 man midfield with Nolan, Barton and Ben Arfa should have goals in it.
Will be interesting to see how BEsty improves over the rest of the season.
Shearers Receeding Hairline(Quote)
oi oi oi,leave my be- lovered gateshead alone you lot,i played for them once they even had a internatainal player in team at that time,please talk about something you know aboot 😈
icedog(Quote)
DAVE telt you before m8 your dropping to bits,your on old thread 😀
icedog(Quote)
The last thing he needs is rushing back to action.
jay jay(Quote)
Imagine we hadnt signed him permanently? Would have been a pure gutter as we would all have been thinking of what could have been. At least now we can look forward to him playing in the future.
Really boils my **** that De Jong got away with that scott free except a slight exodus from the Dutch team.
Wow I am angry tonight…. 👿
😯
😎
Moreno(Quote)
Ice thanks for letting me know 😉
I said in the last thread I would prefer for him to wait
Big Dave(Quote)
I hope he doesn’t come back against Wolves, I have this terrible image of a McCarthy mugger snapping him in half again.
In the shorter term it will be interesting to see if Ireland comes in, and what role he plays.
DJG(Quote)
DAVE being saying that for weeks,remember ian wright when he broke his,he took his time took more than others said he needed,but came back a great striker,have to get heed reet m8 yourself
icedog(Quote)
Moreno
It’s the same with Rooney, he can elbow somebody off the ball in a very similar type of move to Williamson and gets away totally scott free. The Fa really are a disgrace, the whole ‘the referee didn’t see it at the time’ thing is also very unreliable as they can twist it in whatever way they want. The referee who is career concious is hardly going to argue with them afterall.
DJG(Quote)
Ice the problem is as we have even recently seen with Gosling when they rush back so often the get a recurrence or a slightly different injury I just dont think we should risk it 😉
Big Dave(Quote)
king kev and heir in waiting wor al 😀 😀
icedog(Quote)
Ice I always knew you had class and good taste young fella 😉
Big Dave(Quote)
DAVE thank you sweety,but its true 😀 😀
icedog(Quote)
Ice how long before Wor Al gets a shot at it ❓ ❓
Big Dave(Quote)
DAVE think he wants to know that m8,not while fat man is there thats for sure
icedog(Quote)
Just watched the skysports years 1997, featured 4-3 leicester we won, then the 4-3 we lost at Liverpool.
Reason i mention it is because it has a clip of andy gray giving richard keys champagne for 500 episodes. ”here’s to the next 500” he says.
Bet the necked that quick sharp and went and got themselves some God **** skanky hoes.
Moreno(Quote)
Moreno
And now you can listen to them on talksport everyday, oh what joy. 😉
DJG(Quote)
I’d rather listen to the f*ckin Spice Girls mate
Moreno(Quote)
Reet lads thats me outta here catch you’s tomorrow 😉
Be Good
Big Dave(Quote)
I thought it was funny how Adrian Durham was badmouthing Keys after he appeared on talksport for his ‘apology’. Durham was a bit clueless there like, not to realise thats where Keys was gonna jump ship.
DJG(Quote)
Have a good un Dave mate, I am away as well, pure jiggered
Moreno(Quote)
Big D
See ya m8. Divven’t dream aboot KK too much. 😛
DJG(Quote)
Just want to give my tuppence worth on the blog about Kevin Keegan. I don’t give a toss how much we spend. Chelsea bought Torres for 50 million. We bought Tiote for 3 million. I would prefer we spent about 15 million on improving our current squad. Keegan was great but always depended on big transfer kittys. These managers never last long imo.
Also Enrique will go in the Summer to Barca I reckon. Hope we keep Barton and Tiote. I still don’t understand loaning Routlege out?
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