Hats off to Ben Arfa! Newcastle 1-0 Fulham

Hatem celebrates in style
Hatem celebrates in style
Hatem Ben Arfa struck late to grab three points for United, ending over seven hours of match time without seeing a goal at St James’ Park and securing our first league win of the season to boot.

A piece of magic ensured that we mustered two wins within the space of the week to at least brighten the mood temporarily ahead of transfer deadline day tomorrow.

The most impressive thing for me though was the performance. Although the first half was tepid and devoid of any real attacking intent, our possession wasn’t bad and Fulham rarely got a sniff. However when our key players took to the field in the second period we looked more threatening, more urgent and in the end we could and perhaps should have won by more than one goal.

Our problems are in attack. Papiss Cisse and Shola Ameobi need things created for them and if they don’t get that their contribution is minimal. I actually sympathise with them, especially when you see what happened in the first half where they were left isolated for the most part and on the odd occasion that they weren’t the supply line got a bit greedy and tried something fancy instead of keeping things simple.

In truth the second period started off in much the same vein as the first ended, with Fulham rarely threatening and United lacking bite, but the introduction of Yohan Cabaye, Yoan Gouffran and Loic Remy seemed to tip the balance in our favour and gave Fulham more to worry about.

Hatem’s goal was fantastic and Robbie Stockdale in the Fulham goal couldn’t do a thing about it. It sums Ben Arfa up perfectly. An afternoon spent frustrating everyone by trying too much or by making poor decisions was topped off with that goal which gave us the three points. You can watch it again below.

Papiss Cisse hit the crossbar, Cabaye forced a save from Stockdale who then denied Cisse at the second attempt and Gouffran missed a couple of chances but in the end the one goal was enough for United.

We now have two weeks off as the international break kicks in and when we return we have games away at Aston Villa and at home to Hull to contend with. First off though we need to see what kind of squad we have left to utilise once the window closes. I suspect it won’t be too different to the one we have now and certainly won’t be added to but I may be wrong.

That’s for tomorrow though. For now, take a bow Hatem!

P.S; Just a couple of stats for you following on from the game yesterday.

– Hatem Ben Arfa has scored in all three of his appearance against Fulham.

– No team has played fewer long balls this season than……. Newcastle United!

About toonsy

A lifelong Newcastle fan and current webmaster of this very 'blog who has the sole aim of creating a place by Newcastle United fans, for Newcastle United fans.

546 thoughts on “Hats off to Ben Arfa! Newcastle 1-0 Fulham

  1. We should never of let Perch and Simmo go if we hadn’t got players in it’s nothing short of a disgrace .I said weeks ago I’m sure he is close to selling up ,that’s what all this bollocks is about I reckon ,it can’t come too soon for me .NOONE could be as bad as that ***@.

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  2. Rod ,I have my humble pie ready to go in the oven mate ,but if no news by deadline it’s getting chucked in the bin.

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  3. …oops, sorry, **** sell-on value. 🙄
    Everyone knows players over 28 can’t run any more, don’t bother with Defoe either. Absolutely no point spending 1-2m on a proven player who can improve a club’s finishing place in the PL, cos each finishing place is only worth about 50p innit.

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  4. Frankly ,I say let him have the whole £60m and any cash from player sales the sooner he gets his cash back the less he can take for the club and **** off.

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  5. Stu, that does seem a fair assumption. Unfortunately for us that means at least 2 or 3 more years of under-achieving.

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  6. Bats@377, aye chicken zinger wingers by the bucket-load. Fatty, Charnley and JFK currently gorging on them on Jabba’s yacht, whilst playing strip Monopoly, listening to the Pet Shop Boys.

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  7. West Brom may well be worse than us in the transfer window – they are looking to sell Shane Long to Hull with Victor Anichebe his replacement – the man Kevin Nolan broke and has an injury record to match Shola.

    No idea what West Brom are doing, they haven’t spent a penny on a transfer either to my memory.

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  8. Rodz @388 ahhhhh!!! That image is burned into my eyes now as well mate! Show us some mercy. I canna take much more captain.

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  9. Don’t worry mates. Come November when Colo, Ben Arfa, and Remy are injured we have Willo, Sammy, and Shola to step in. Just think how the points are going to pour in then. We will be an unstoppable Prem force I’m sure.

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  10. Florian Thauvin has permanently transferred clubs twice since we last purchased a player for a fee.

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  11. Ashley isn’t thinking about selling…

    He’d sell if he got a big offer of around 260 million (not going to happen).

    Why would he give Joe Kinnear a job? Why would he give Pardew an eight year contract?

    I know some are grasping at straws, but sorry. It just isn’t going to happen.

    We makes a fat profit this season. It’ll take him around four seasons to clear the debt completely at this rate. There after he can take millions out of the club every year.

    Plus he gets millions of pounds in free advertising for Sports Direct. There is only one man benefiting from this situation – that is him.

    They only way Ashley will ever leave is if fans stop going to the ground.

    An empty stadium (competely empty for two home games) and he’d **** his pants.

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  12. I reckon JFK will be staggering about Fatty’s yacht as we speak, bottle of gin in one hand, scotch egg in the other.
    …”Gorenny faaakin prog rock Mike? Stick some Yes on, ahm sick of this pop shoite.”

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  13. It’s hard but true JJ@403. It would take a huge fan boycott to finish Ashley off. It will depend on how bad things are this season. If we’re in the bottom 5 again the attendances will begin to sag but the TV money is there still. Tough to see a way out of this trap. Even relegation isn’t a guarantee of getting rid of Ashley as he wouldn’t get his money back.

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  14. G2, Fatty recites the whole ‘Animals’ album backwards, in front of a mirror every night in an attempt to redeem his soul.

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  15. you can guarantee Pards will keep to the same rhetoric, we can’t compete with the likes of Man City, Spurs etc..

    we’ll competing with Darlington would be a start..

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  16. Spot on Mark @406. Fantastic band. Their best was right up there with The Who. Showing my age again I guess mate. 😀

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  17. FJ@408, he was there last season mate… makes sense for him to go back again…

    Flock me Liverpool are piling the bodies in 🙄

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  18. It’s not going to work for him Rodz @409. I think he plays the Captain and Tennille on his Walkman. “Love will keep us together” He’s thinking fondly of himself and the supporters while grooving to the beat. 😆

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  19. Apparently West Brom are on the verge of signing three strikers, Lukaku on laon, Victor Anichebe and Stephane Sessegnon… talk about feast or famine…

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  20. @JJ
    I’m not even sure that would work anymore.
    How many fans are season ticket holders that have paid already (potentially why he did it? 😯 )
    So take the remainder of fans not paying to see the game and it’s probably not as much as the increase in TV money this year.
    Pretty **** times tbh.

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  21. My quid’s in on the Floyd anyway. 😎
    I wake up to Bob’s psychedelic breakfast each morning, best way to start the day.

    …..anyway, have we signed anyone yet?

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  22. I might eat it actually.
    It looks like a wolf spider but I’m not sure.
    I know wolf spiders have a smoked nutmeg hint about them.
    Only one way to find oot….

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  23. Kinnear has done a great job confusion the flock out of the clubs sniffing around our purples. Cabaye staying, Krul staying…now we can concentrate on the footy with our squad intact.

    Great news.

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  24. Are you going to toast that a little bit first Rodz? And add some nutmeg mate. Preparation is an important part of any good meal.

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  25. Wasn’t the Chronicle running an article that smokin’ Joe was moving up to Newcastle specially to be close to the action for the last days of the transfer window ? Hoh-hum….
    It’s all just a huge ****-take… I like the way clubs seem to be digging in and forcing players to honour their contracts. The only way out is for the player to put in a transfer request, or the buying club offering so much money that the selling club really cannot refuse (i.e. Liverpool and Andy Carroll)…..

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  26. Solano,
    I know he’s an arsehole.

    But surely a completely empty St James Park is a massive message.

    Negative publicity is one thing. It still grows Sports Direct. But an empty stadium at a televised game. That would send a real message.

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  27. Speaking of Peter Sellers, has anyone watched The Party lately? The birdie num num scene is excellent for cheering me up. Or the opening of the movie with the Gunga Din sendup. Better than waiting for the window to close.

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  28. I think as a manager he’s been extremely disappointing. But I actually feel sorry for Pardew.
    He’s going to be the one who has to come and face the press and the fans.
    Joe will be safe back in London. MA will be on his yacht.

    What’s the point of all Carr’s scouting? What does JK do???

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  29. G2@424, indeed in any ‘sport’ preparation is key. How fucking idiotic would it be to not do the necessary research and preparation before laying out your spread? Shucks.
    With most houslehold spiders anyway (and some beetles), I usually prefer to marinate them in lemon juice, ground coriander and crushed fenugreek and fennel seeds overnight, and griddle them with a sprig fresh thyme.

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  30. heading into the last hour lads and lasses how many players are going through the medicals at long benton at this moment in time you lot reckon . Kinnear with all his connections must have a few in by now .

    THE LYING BASTARDS JOE ,FATMAN AND PARDEW NEED HUNG DRAW AND QUARTERED DOON THE BIG MARKET ASAP. CUNTS 1 AND ALL .

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  31. Mmmmm. That does sound good Rodz @433. The fennel seeds especially. If the spider is big enough you can use one of his legs to pick your teeth afterwards. Of course if ladies are present that would be inexcusable. And try to muffle the belching mate, they really appreciate that.

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  32. HAHAHA 😆
    Sky Sports have got the security in on the brrrap-brap charvas at Arsenal.
    I wondered if they’d get the boys in. Usually the poor fker at Spurs gets bounced around like a beach ball too. 😆

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  33. Imposters went in representing Man Utd to try and buy Herrera and that is why the deal has collapsed as the Spanish FA will not deal with them now, lmao.

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  34. Nobody could convince me Rodz isn’t a culinary genius now. Have you considered a garden slug for afters mate? They’re very nice served as a flambé.

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  35. G2, nice spider-leg tip. I’ll use that. 😎
    Axel, pretty **** eh.
    …at least we have a top manager to gracefully steer our under-strength side to safety.

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  36. …always dreamed of NUFC breaking into the top 10 of the premier league.
    Before the massive head trauma.

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  37. 570 000 000 million pounds spend this window.

    Well at least our goals record from corners is higher than our money spent percentage of Premier League Clubs.

    We aren’t even being mentioned on Sky Sports. David Craig is outside Sunderland.

    Seems like the lights are out at Benton offices. Nothing even being attempted and Joe Kinnear is probably tucked in bed.

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  38. Anyway,
    I’m off to bed myself. Lets pray Pardew learns how to try play offensively and Remy and Ben Arfa doesn’t ever get injured.

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  39. Thanks Rodz@440. And yes we can all rest easy now with Alan and Joe at the helm. Is that an iceberg in the distance? No, it couldn’t be could it? Anyway we have plenty of life boats for the first 10 supporters. I’m not worried a bit.

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  40. Preparation by bringing in transfers is out the window now as with last summer. It’s a very odd feeling watching the 3 stooges at work.

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  41. Rodz and I are planning a very nice recipe book by the way mates. “Cooking with Arachnids.” You can all place your orders with Rodz. All proceeds to go to the Out with Ashley campaign.

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  42. I can’t wait to hear the clubs excuse for this one.

    Although have to say I’m not too disappointed as its exactly what I expected.

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  43. ah well, that was exciting. lets get the international break out of the way and everything will be forgotten 😆

    toon toon

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