Touted as one of Europe’s best talents, Newcastle United were due to get their hands on a pure ‘wizard’ of the game, an exceptional French flair footballer from the bowels of the infamous Clairefontaine academy.
Hatem Ben Arfa’s debut at Newcastle started with the proverbial ‘bang’, with a glorious goal in a 1-0 away win to Everton. However, then came that Nigel de Jong tackle and Ben Arfa’s season was duly over. Alan Pardew knew exactly what he had at his new club acquisition and signed the playmaker in January 2010, and the black & white fans could not believe the talent their club was gaining.
Talk of No.10 roles and word class status over the summer, laid the expectations down for the young Frenchman, but on rehabilitating from his long lay off, Ben Arfa hasn’t had as fruitful a time as he, and probably all of Newcastle, would have hoped.
A goal against Bolton, a wonder goal v Blackburn and a few cameos here and there; Hatem Ben Arfa has struggled to dig his way into Alan Pardew’s first team plans, deemed a little too ‘sporadic’ in his play and lacking the defensive discipline the team requires.
Of late though, Newcastle United have not been playing like the team that has seen them flourish to the dizzy heights they’ve reached in the Premier League this season. 2 hugely disappointing halves of football in the last 2 games have seen the Mags take just 2 points from 6 at home to opposition that would probably have been steamrolled earlier on in the campaign.
And, in both of those encounters, a certain Frenchman has shown his credentials and offered Newcastle that little spark they seek to continue their progress over the final 11 hurdles of the season. Against Sunderland particularly, Hatem Ben Arfa manipulated the ball like no other player at Newcastle, at least, can do, constantly tormenting Sunderland’s Keiran Richardson to the point of his departure via substitution.
NUFC_Stats looked at the numbers for the enigmatic Frenchman so far… (page 2)
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Categories: EPL, EPL Index Featured Article, EPL Index Player Profiles, EPL Opta Stats, Newcastle Utd
Tags: Ben Arfa, english Premier league, EPL, epl opta stats, EPL Stats, Newcastle Stats, NUFC, Opta Stats, premier league, Premier League Stats
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As an Everton fan, I’ve only seen glimpses of his talent whilst he’s been at Newcastle. Although, I vividly remember his goal against us the other season. There is no doubting his ability, I think every team (outside the top 4) needs to have this type of player; we’ve got Drenthe. I can’t believe he doesn’t start more games, he certainly offers more than Ryan Taylor in that wide right position.
Alan Pardew is a manager that likes to keep things defensively solid. Playing Ben Arfa means he’s got to risk one of his wide men not coming back to help out as often. It’s easily cured with one of your midfielders (Tiote) tucked in towards the side Ben Arfa plays on. However the manager is obviously not confident of risking it.
nail on the head as it were. its exactly what is required. we do have the probs of attacking too much down the left flank as well. santon needs to get back more with pace to cover his area when we lose the ball. but tiote and cabaye looking to ghost in to areas to cover tiote as he looks to get the ball back should ben arfa lose it is perfect
It’s nothing to do with pardew being defensive. It’s coz he doesn’t fit in with the 442 that the man favours. Check out his other jobs – none of those teams were defensive. He sees ben behind the front man but that means playing 451 which he might start to now. Plus, he finally sees that ben CAN play in 442 I’m sure we’ll see more of him in the final games.
i believe Ben Arfa will cant be as effective as a pure winger. as he isnt one. he needs a free role. and to be the advanced midfield tackler when we dont have the ball and the mercurial man he is when we have it. youre right Pardew isnt defensively minded though. but we would love to see Ben Arfa get his name on the sheet everytime like Krul and Colo everytime
he hasnt got many successful crosses because pardew keeps playing him on the right and he has got no right foot. ironically guitierez plays on the left and has no left foot. there is a solution but its obviously too complicated for the coaching staff
IMO Pardwho has to work out a plan to benefit both NUFC and HBA. So thats not playing him behind a striker in a packed midfield/defence on his own.
Its all about taking the bull by the horns and giving HBA some support in attack so he doesnt have to do it all by himself. 4-3-3 reverting to 4-5-1 with HBA working in tandem with either Ba/Cisse and Jonas – playing in triangles but working together and leaving Cabaye, Guthrie and Tiote in midfield.
But we’re talking Pardwho here so it aint gonna happen