Undoubtedly the lad has talent and can create magic with the ball at his feet, but there are also failings in his game, which included work rate and his willingness to work for the team when he doesn’t have the ball.
I used to have concerns about that side of things myself, but not anymore. We’ve seen in recent weeks that Ben Arfa is capable of of putting in a shift in both attack and defence, and that he is willing to help out the team while retaining that little bit of spark that can win a match in an instant, which can only be a good thing.
So are we starting to see what the real Hatem Ben Arfa can be capable of? I think so, and I think we’ll start to see a lot more of him as the season draws to a close. Make no mistake, the guy has not long been back from a horrific injury, and then another injury in pre-season. He’s been out a long time and it will take him a while to get back up to speed. I think we are now seeing what he really is capable of.
Alan Pardew seems to think Ben Arfa is approaching top form also. Speaking to the local press today he was full of praise for the Frenchman, even when talking about his work rate. To me that is a sign that Benny will be starting again on Sunday.
What do you make of it though? Do you think we are starting to see the best of Benny? Is there still room for improvement? Should he be guaranteed a start? Or do you want to see more from the mercurial Frenchman?
Your thoughts please.
Love the guy but he’s still only 80% of what we signed. An extra 20% – Happy Days!
georgio(Quote)
simple fact is, he is the only player who can turn a game and control it at the minute out of our midfield. 2 points out of last 12 is relegation material not european.. we will not make it into europe on this form and may well find the scum higher than us with liverpool being a forgone conclusion now i feel.
craig chisholm(Quote)
Off topic, this is a GREAT video explaining Tiote and Cabaye’s partnership. They work much more in tandem than I suspected!
http://www.zonalmarking.net/2012/03/15/tiote-cabaye/
blip(Quote)
hey toonsy.. is it just my computer or does it look on your screen like you cant see the full points colum for the prem table?
craig chisholm(Quote)
its commen sense really the more games he gets the improvement we will see after such a bad injury lay-off and getting up to speed of the PL which is not easy imo
icedog(Quote)
He can be brilliant, and often is. His work rate is improving. But somebody needs to put it in his head that he needs to pass the ball more. He has enough talent to be a great player, but he’ll never do it unless he improves his decision-making, a lot.
Panos(Quote)
TOONSY,thats another week chalked off 😉 😀
icedog(Quote)
Think his good point far out weight his bad points in terms of been in the team. I think there might be even more to come from him. Think next season we will see him play better and the team more ready to handle him in it.
Johno Toon(Quote)
Seeing the best? No chance, he has loads more to offer I reckon but he has started to show glimpses. Quality through and through.
If we had played a bit of football against Arsenal and not bottled into hoofball after 25 mins I think he would have pulled Gibbs inside all day long.
EvilFranky(Quote)
JT spot on mate,commen sense for fans to think he is going to pull up grass at this stage is silly imo
icedog(Quote)
He has to get a sustained run of starts he will never get it back playing 20 minute cameos, We have forfeited 4 points in the last two home games against wanky sides by playing raylor to help simpson, Get him in and lets go for it against norwich…
—————————–Krul———————–
–Simpson–Williamson—Colo—Santon—
—–Ben Arfa—Tiote—Cabaye–Jonas——
——————-Cisse—–Ba———————
CC(Quote)
Yeah I think he will become better and better with game time. We need to let him play 90 minutes most of the game. I think a good decision by Pardew to give him the full confidence he needs, is to say” You are in for the last 10 games”. This kind of players really work with confidence, Fans love him , I think now if Pardew and his partners have trust in him he can score an other 5-6 goals until the end of season.
But my main concern about him is that he doesn’t receive enough balls. We really must play more with him. You can see than in every position he has the ball, he tries to do something with it, he is capable of keeping the ball under pressure and gives to an other partner, so when we are under pressure all players must look to give him the ball, especially in the last 30 meters because he is capable of scoring from any position.
Its a guy who needs to touch a lot the ball to stay in the game. Because when he doesn’t have the ball for long time, he is lost in the pitch. Its the same with most of the players like Silva, Rooney, you can see that other players look always to give them the ball.
Concerning his work rate, it’s ok but for me he needs to keep really his energy and pace for going forward. You could see Monday that he was very focus to track back just to please Pardew, but you can see that it’s really not natural for him.
And a last remark for me Pardew must really try to play him in the hole, because in the wing, the opponents will adapt very quickly and mark him with 2 or 3 guys and its not easy to beat every time 2-3 guys. Its why Messi start to play in the hole after 2 season in Barcelona because Guardiola remarks that opponents can control him and after he is useless. You block him to go in the left feet after even if the guy goes in his right feet, he can do a lot because he is in his bad feet. And you cannot score a lot from the wing. If you play in the hole you can go where you want when you take on players.
BUt for the moment stay him in the wing he is ok. And I don’t know for you, but for me every time he has the ball in his feet I m becoming excited because I feel something special will happen (maybe it’s just me because I’m a big fan).
HBA39(Quote)
CC totally agree, we need the 3 points against Norwich to keep 6th a realistic prospect. Chelsea and Arsenal look like they are on a run now so I think 4th and 5th are no longer possible.
Get Tiote back helping Simmo when under the cosh, letting Benny run at their left back all day.
EvilFranky(Quote)
HBA – I agree about playing in the hole. I have never understood why they persist with him on the right wing and was confused when I seen Obertan in ‘the hole’ against Arsenal and not Benny 🙁
EvilFranky(Quote)
@craig – same on my computer, can’t see points column on league table
sort it out toonsy 🙂
stevep(Quote)
we have played 28 games so far…
first 10 games = 22 points
10-28 games = 21 points
we have been heading backwards for ages and have been averaging 1.1 points per game all year.. which is relegation material. we have been carried through all season by our blistering start that had fizzled out by the end of the year.
We need to forget europe.. it aint happening.. we need to plan ahead for next season and try to figure out what has made our team stop winning games and get worse as the season has worn on. has it been since staylor and colo got split up? Does that point to a weak defence. The numbers suggest about 11 points from our last ten games which will put us on 54 points.. around 9th or maybe 8th.
craig chisholm(Quote)
Good read Toonsy yeah we are starting to see the real Benny and the more he plays the better he’ll get.
I still think he is a bit off his best, and I think we’ll see that next season when/ if we get a defence that are strong enough to do the job.
I still can’t believe that there was fans only as far back as a month ago saying we should sell him in the summer 😯 .
Big Dave(Quote)
Problem with HBA is that he is the sort of player who will frustrate supporters more than his team mates. His team mates probably accept that he may lose the ball and may not chase back as hard because he can do things that nobody else can.
I remember Ronaldo when he first went to Man Utd, he wasn’t exactly tracking back was he – but he could change games in an instant and that makes a big difference. Nani is the same now, so was Joe Cole at Chelsea.
Lets just accept him for what he is and enjoy.
Stuart79(Quote)
Hba39- You make the same point i made after monday nights game. People were saying he wasn’t so good second half but he was being 2 man marked . Better he plays in the hole i think where he can roam where ever and be more effective. I was one of the ones who wanted him to be more of a team player a while back in respect that he often tries to go it alone when a pass would be better . The tracking back is not an issue for me as he is not a defender and frankly that job should be done properly by the players concerned with that role ! . I do think he is super talented and really hope he can fullfill his potential at Toon as he’s just the type of player that gets bums off seats, ala Ginola . Have we seen the best of him ,not by a long stretch imo. Hopefully Pards will play him more often for the whole game and hopefully in the hole too.
kimtoon(Quote)
Did anyone notice when Pards was making a sub on Mon night, Benny automatically thought it was him and walked over to come off, then realised it wasn’t him.
Kimtoon > ” The tracking back is not an issue for me as he is not a defender and frankly that job should be done properly by the players concerned with that role ! ” 100% spot on mate I have been saying that all along, and no one ever complained that Robert and Ginola didn’t comeback to defend
Big Dave(Quote)
I agree with Panos. He ripped Richardson to shreds against Sunderland and looked dangerous against Arsenal, scoring a good goal. But are we seeing the best of him?, I hope not.
I’m not bothered about him tracking back or what he does without the ball, I’m bothered about how effective he is with it.
My concern is still that his decision making is poor and he always seems go it alone rather than pass to someone in a better position. In his defence, if he’s being sent on as a sub and told “go win it for us” or “go rescue a point for us” then I suppose he’s kind of following instruction. I don’t think this has been the case though as Pardew has expressed his frustration with him which would suggest otherwise.
I’m alot happier to hear Pardew saying that he has to find a way of getting Benny into the team though because I do think he’s our most dangerous player. He’s never had a brilliant goal scoring record at previous clubs so I don’t expect him to be a midfield goal machine but if he can chip in with 8-10 goals a season and be the creator of as many then he will be a hugely important player for us.
Personally I’d play him middle or left rather than on the right as he’s a left footed player and it may get a bit predictable him cutting inside for the shoot all the time plus I’ve yet to see him put a decent cross in with his right foot yet.
He should defo start against Norwich and WBA though.
Sharpy17(Quote)
Generally I have never been in favour of forwards tracking back. It should be exceptional rather than the rule. Forwards staying up provide an ultra high-line defence. Opponents need to stay back to mark them and how often do we see it when we cannot clear our lines because everybody is back defending? But my main objection is that strikers need to be razor sharp to convert half chances. Tired legs don’t score goals.
Groucho(Quote)
GROCHO super mac never saw the other side of pitch 😀 but big AL was a good grafter 😉
icedog(Quote)
There’s always room for improvement, but to be honest he needs to be in the team because of quality. Fine, Raylor may give more, but if 100% from Raylor is worth 50% of Ben Arfa, and Benny’s playing at 70%, then just play Benny.
I thought Benny hassled decently even in his earlier games to be honest, and we’ve seen that he can pull of 90 minutes. Just play him!
Newkie(Quote)
Groucho @ 22 – Spot on mate. I would just add that forwards do need to work defenders, closing them down and rushing them into panic passes, but keeping enough in the tank to be razor sharp.
As for HBA in midfield, opponents go past him far more easily than he goes past opponents, as good as he is at going past them. If he’s going to hold down a place in midfield, he’s got to sort it out, but I’m not sure he’s capable of it. He defends like a striker. Trouble is I don’t think he is a natural striker.
Blackley & Brownlie(Quote)
I think it’s a bit harsh the way Ben Arfa gets criticised off some fans for not passing; it’s like he’s our only player who gives the ball away. RE his workrate, Obertan is terrible and Jonas hasn’t really been working very much lately for me, leaving santon too exposed for a young full back in his first season.
Ben Arfa may have been here for a while, but he’s only played about 24 games for us since he came on loan, and most of them aren’t starts. 24 games in 2 years he still is finding his sharpness in my opinion, especially after getting that injury in america.
Out of 6(!) starts and 10 sub appearances he has 3 goals and 2 assists which is our 3rd top scorer, and joint second assist maker. He’s dispossessed on average per game the same as Demba, and turns the ball over on average 1.4 times per game which is joint 5th. 82.4% pass completion, against arsenal it was 92% with only 38 touches and a goal.
I can’t wait for him to get better, I just hope it’s here with us and hope Pardew finally plays 4-3-3 as most of our players come from teams that play that way and he just sticks them in a 4-4-2 and we get over-ran.
Pardiola(Quote)
@B&B
I agree and have said from an early stage, based only on Toon appearances, he is not a central midfielder. His only position for me is sitting behind the main striker.
He can play on the wing but his weaknesses are similar to that of his midfield play.
He has not got the discipline, tackling ability and natural positioning as a midfielder.
Its a difficult shout because we have two main strikers and fitting him in is going to be difficult.
I still believe though that we must find a way of building a team around him and that means sacrificing Ba or Cisse.
Clearly Ba has been outstanding as a goal scorer but his overall play is pretty poor.
Cisse? I have no idea yet.
What I do know is though, Barfa must play as the second striker and Ba and Cisse must fight to play alongside him.
UNLESS, Ba and Cisse link up extraordinarily but I haven’t seen it yet.
Troy Stavers(Quote)
Troy @27- I have a feeling Ba will be sold in the summer anyway effectively makeing that choice of who plays up front. Hope i’m wrong as you can’t have enough of a good thing .
kimtoon(Quote)
@Kimtoon
Well, we all speculate but I think having been reading this blog for over 2 years, let’s just forget about what we think cos there is not one of ever right.
If you said, we will only outlay £10m this summer then I would say, well done, your view sounds like its based purely on evidence of past history. 😉
Troy Stavers(Quote)
No reply Kimtoon?
Troy Stavers(Quote)
I tell what. I bet there’s people out there reading the blog with massive opinions but don’t have the bottle to post in case they get criticised.
Get a backbone and post! You know who you’s are! 🙄
Troy Stavers(Quote)
Anyone else watching the Schalke v Twente game on ITV4? Only been watching it about 10 mins but Douglas is a giant and reminds me a bit of Samba and De Jong looks sharp up front like.
I’d get the deal for Douglas done now before others beat us to it!
Sharpy17(Quote)
mind ime not careing much of this arnold guy the neet 😡
icedog(Quote)
SHARPY i think nowt aboot him mesel hes bloody slow,doesnt re-act quick enough for me and he is letting the attacker get on the wrong side,he was nee where to be seen at the back post,and they got a goal from that standing in middle picking his sneck 🙁
icedog(Quote)
I hear the accounts for last season are out?
When we gonna get our assessment cos I couldn’t understand the forensic analysis by the doctor on .org? 🙄
witters(Quote)
@sharpey and Icedog & witters
I wasn’t baiting you but I was baiting the hundreds of timid Timothy’s out there who have loads of opinions but daresnt bring themselves to post.
Come on ! There’s only me and Big Dave ever right so don’t feel like your opinions will be ridiculed. You will be no different to 98% of the blog unless you want to join our experienced duo.
Oh Batty occasionally makes it 3%. 😉
Troy Stavers(Quote)
Icedog – aye ya right, like I say only caught the last 10mins of the first half and just seen the highlights for Schalke goal and he was defo to blame.
Sharpy17(Quote)
Go on! One of you out there. Register and post. Come on I dare you.
You know you are dying to.
Who’s the first one to register and give a viewpoint or **** take? 😛
Troy Stavers(Quote)
SHARPY aye mate those sackless pundits didnt rate him reading between lines,his passing is poor though-out the game,mind its only one game,its just he doesnt seem to give a fk
icedog(Quote)
Just wish we’d got Rciky van Wolfswinkle all that time ago. Netted against City. What a name. 😆
Newkie(Quote)
Troy@29Sorry been away seeing to the lad ,back for a bit .Troy i think i must be thick but can’t see what point you are makeing. Are you saying my point is ,well pointless as it’s based on no evidence or what .
kimtoon(Quote)
@witters
Where have you been?
The accounts were out last week and there were days of discussion and threads .
Check back. Loads of threads.
Troy Stavers(Quote)
Troy…I posted before I read you’re comment, I’m trying to bait some other fcuker who’s too scared to have a proper debate, banning people cos their opinions are different to theirs, in his comfortable zone with his facist bumchums thinking just cos he runs a blog he’s word is gospel…the turd
witters(Quote)
TROY dave is only right when he agrees with me,but we are both normally reet anyway 😀 😀 😀
icedog(Quote)
Troy…the account as published at & made public by companies house, what we’ve discussing are headlines as communicated by the club
Get with programme 😉
witters(Quote)
TROY your behind the times mate,you should know by now theres only one blog correct when it comes to accounts,just ask worky he will tell you 😆 😆 😆
icedog(Quote)
@kimtoon
I’m sure you aren’t thick . 😉
I was just suggesting that we all speculate about who will leave and who will arrive.
I got it right with Barton, Enrique and Nolan but called it wrong with Tiote and Krul leaving.
I could see the reasons behind Enrique,Barton and Nolan leaving but relied on a source for Tiote and Krul leaving plus I thought they would anyway.
So, you saying Ba will be leaving is pure speculation and as worthless as my predictions as well as everyone else’s on here.
But, there is evidence to suggest that our outlay is £10m per window so I suggest that is a safe bet.
Your speculation is **** just as my Tiote and Krul speculation was.
Pointless speculating who’s coming and going.
Absolutely pointless.
Troy Stavers(Quote)
His main position really should be in the hole, he can do it he just need to have a striker with who he can link very good. When he play in the hole with Lyon and Benzema as a striker their relation in the pitch( because outside they don’t like each other) was terrific. And when he touch the ball he must be near the goal so he can use his magnificient shoot and he has really the ability to score a lot of goals in my opinion.
But for the moment I think he will stay in the right until the end of season. Next season no one knows that will happen, in my opinion if a big club comes and want him, he could leave because he will be 10 times more effective in a team who really try to play good football and have the position.
HBA39(Quote)
@witters &Ice
Sorry lads. I’ve just climbed out the quicksand. 😛
Troy Stavers(Quote)
@Hba
Who the hell are you referring to here!!
I’m fizzin!
Me, Ice and Witters have been having a bit craic and in you come with your accusations!
Who are you referring to? Me, Witters or Ice!!!!!!
Who do you think plays behind the hole!? 😯
Troy Stavers(Quote)
Troy ;
I expect Ashley to spend about £20m in the Summer on 3 players being ;
RB or LB £5m
CD £7m
ST £8m
At the same time I expect 8 or 9 players to go , including Forster , Simpson, Perch, Gosling and Best for a combined transfer income of about £8m.
That would leave Ashley with a transfer fee cost of £12m plus another £5m for signing on fees giving a total spend of £17m.
Stadium naming rights and shirt sponsorship will finance a good part of that spend.
Let the criticism begin !
sidekick(Quote)
HBA…it’s gotta be Troy, there’s only one man who has a half naked bloke as his avatar….oh! 😉
witters(Quote)
@sidekick
Well done for having the bottle to make a fool of yourself. 😉
Your first mistake is the total of £8m for the players you think you will sell.
Once you understand that we will not sell all the players you suggest for that amount then I will answer your ridiculous suggestion that we will sell the naming rights for the stadium. 😯
Next.
Troy Stavers(Quote)
*We will sell. *
Troy Stavers(Quote)
@ Troy
I m referring to anyone. It was just a reflexion, about Benny who I have followed all his games since he turned pro.
Maybe you don’t understand me, but I say i wanna see him play as a number 10 behind a striker and let him really free in the pitch, so he can go where he wants.
For me he is one of the most talented player in the league and could be very dangerous but we need to give him the ball more often and to buy some players of his standing. Look to bilbao or even Sporting, the 2 Manchester just doesn’t see the ball with technical players who play in the ground.
BUt in my opinion if we continue this style of play and at the end of the season after a discussion with Pardew, he thinks that our style will remain the same than this year, he could leave. But as you say that’s just pure speculation.
HBA39(Quote)
Troy – regarding your reply to Kim – isn’t that what this blog is about?! 😕
I mean, take pure speculation away and what the hell are we left with?
Are you honestly saying that you have never predicted Pardews formation or starting 11 or the score line for the forthcoming game?!
Isn’t that just pure speculation?
I think it’s fair to say that of all the players linked with a move away from SJP in the summer, Ba is the most likely now the world know about his contract clause.
Ice – you’re right in what youre saying, it is just one game but the more I’ve watched the game the less impressed I’ve been with him. Schalke have outplayed Twente like, been impressed with Jones for Schalke, didn’t look much at Blackburn but played well tonight.
Sharpy17(Quote)
@HBA
You jokin!?
Are you suggesting like Witters suggests that cos I wear trunks and half naked I like to play in the behind hole!? 😯
Troy Stavers(Quote)
Troy@47-Your’e wrong i am thick 😆
My reasoning behind my original comment is that just recently both Pards and Lambias have come out and said we will be most likely will lose a couple of our top players. Now since Krul and Colo have just signed new contracts i doubt it’s them. Though i would see the argument that that had been done in order to obtain a good transfer fee for them ,but unlikely imo. So that really only leaves Tiote and Ba who we would consider top players well and HBA too. Considering Arry’s clanger about the clause it’s odd that we have heard nowt about a contract extention for Ba. There for there has to be a chance at least he may be one of the players they might consider letting go. Yes i’m just speculating but is that not what this blog is all about along with opinions .
kimtoon(Quote)
@Troy
You seem to have the ability to do it. 😆
HBA39(Quote)
dont think who we can say who will come in or go out its down to one thing money,if jabba gets a good bid for anyone hes gone,same applys to anyone comeing in price has got to be right imo jabba will allow ten mill per window,which he proved again in jan,we spent up on a attacker,there is no-way he was going to fork out for a c/h which we need badly,if we had sold anyone in jan he might have allowed a bit extra spent,we didnt so tough ****,just pleased one or two are off the wagebill come summer so we “might” get a bit extra,of coarse this is just what i think mate 😉
icedog(Quote)
Just watching Shalke v FC Twente , i hope to god we don’t buy Douglas in the summer , this game just confirms what i thought , outside of the dutch league he will be slaughtered .
Axel(Quote)
@sharpy
Of course there are many on this blog who like to speculate.
I’ve done it. I’ve been right. I’ve been wrong.
Now to speculate football formations is different to transfer comings and goings is different.
If you haven’t learnt by now that speculating on players coming and going to this club is nothing but **** then you need to wake up.
However, its a blog and everyone is allowed their own opinions without being abused.
To say player speculation is **** cos it’s a pure guessing is alright by me.
I know you aren’t having a go at me, but I’m just expressing how pointless it is.
Formations are different. They are real possibilities and views of how the game should be played. No problem with that.
Troy Stavers(Quote)
@HBA
I am only joking you know? Maybe a language barrier.
I was trying to be funny but I don’t think you got it.
Troy Stavers(Quote)
Troy;
I valued Forster at £3m , Simpson at £2.5m ,Perch at £500k , Gosling £1m and Best £1m
Nothing to stop Mike Ashley selling stadium naming rights to Sports Direct.
sidekick(Quote)
I don’t think we can call speculation the discussions about the team and the tactic of Pardew, because it’s really so predictable.
HBA39(Quote)
Yes Troy I got it. Even If I don’t master the english, I see when a guy try to be funny( I have a very good sense of humor but in english he disappears completely), and I could remark since I’m in this blog that you like to be funny and I like it.
HBA39(Quote)
Troy -Is it not a real possibility that Ba might be sold.
kimtoon(Quote)
@sidekick
Forster £500,000 Simpson £1m, Perch free,
Gosling free Best £1m
Total £2.5m
Clubs don’t have money nowadays and I see a lot of mediocre players being offloaded for nothing.
It’s down to the players and the above shows what the current market will pay but many won’t go cos they are sitting on half decent contracts.
Troy Stavers(Quote)
Kimtoon;
I agree that there is a real possibility that Ba might be sold . However any club coming in for him will consider the number of games he will miss next season for Acon in October, January and February.
I would expect more interest in Summer 2013.
sidekick(Quote)
AXEL @61 aye me and sharpy sussed that mate
icedog(Quote)
@Kimtoon
No more so than, Colo, Saylor, Cabaye, Jonas, or any other player.
I’m lost where you are coming from.
The huge thing that will increase his opportunities is for him to continue scoring.
He’s looked average lately.
Football is a strange game and we’ve all seen stars fade quickly.
He was never a star pre this season.
Who knows.
I wouldn’t write off that he might not get more than a few goals in the next 11 games.
We don’t supply him with opportunities and he is not super human.
Never believe Ba will ever produce the same performances he has shown already.
Not many strikers maintain it unless they are a select few.
Early days IMO
Troy Stavers(Quote)
Troy – tell ya what, some of the formations and player positions I’ve seen posted on here are so mental I’d be closer predicting we’ll sign Messi in the summer!! 😆
I know speculating on players coming in or going out is **** but isnt that part of the fun of being a footy fan? I mean, when you buy the sun newspaper during the transfer window, isn’t the first page you turn to TransferTalk (ok, the 2nd page 😉 )
Regarding your other point though, some people haven’t posted for awhile have they!! havent seen Stardust or Gary for a while
Sharpy17(Quote)
Sidekick@69- That’s a fair point.
kimtoon(Quote)
Axel – arent teams in Holland also more interested in offence and technique rather than defensive solid organisation??? Since being a betting man i have noticed that a lot of goals are scored in the eresdevise??? Anyway dont hope either for doug. Re ben arfa i think is slowly getting going and expect him on full cylinders next season.
AlanPardewProject(Quote)
Kimtoon I agree that Ba will be away this summer hence why I think they treated us to another top striker instead of the CB that we needed 😉 but I could be wrong but as Troy and Ice will tell you is a rare occurrence 😆
Big Dave(Quote)