Obertan Injured

We'd be mad to move R Taylor from LB, him and Jonas are doing a great job on the left and we won't break that up. I'd rather Ben Arfa or Marveaux, although I'm not sure how much protection Ben Arfa would give to Simpson at RB.

I hope Guthrie isn't moved out to the right if Tiote is back in CM on Saturday. He had a very good game at Stoke, but CM is his best position by a mile and he isn't the same on the right.

 

I disagree with Gosling getting a place. By rights he doesnt deserve it. At the moment we have Everton on the back foot because of the start we have had and the face that we just put 3 past Stoke at the Britannia. Any team in the league would fear a team that has just accomplished that. We dont need Everton putting more into the game just because Gosling is on the team sheet. Marv deserves a crack. Id love to be able to say Ben Arfa should get in, but I could see him constantly trying to replicate last years strike and trying to hard to impress, and then when it doesnt come off his confidence will be shattered even more. If we want Ben Arfa to last a long time we need to be really gentle when bringing him back in. Get Marv on and if he is tiring round the 60 min mark, let Ben Arfa have a crack at it. Slightly off the injury topic, im feeling far too confident with this game. Part and Parcel of winning alot of games but it is making me more nervous. A totally new feeling in football, whats happening to me!?!?

 

I hope its Ben Arfa tbh. Would love it if he started to show his form and rip Prem defences apart

 

Some good news on the injury front then. Will force Pardew's hand seeing as he is terrified of changing the team.

Marv or Ben Arfa are clearly more talented.

But seeing as Pard's doesnt see HBA as a winger....even tho its his best position!!!!! Marv will get the nod.

 

I was under the impression that Ben Arfa wanted to be a number 10 in the hole sort of player, and didn't like being a winger.

 

Who the f*ck cares what he 'wants'. Its not his strongest position, so get out wide.

 

I can see Pardew speaking to Ben Arfa and asking if he wants the place. Try and keep him happy because he seems like a harder player to look after than Marv. Once Best or Ba becomes injured slide Ben Arfa into second striker and place Marv on the wing.

 

I was just adding that it isn't just Pardew who doesn't see him as a winger, he also doesnt see it himself.

 

Never works, especially with temperamental players (see Dyer, Kieron). He'll either do a Dyer and abjectly refuse, or do a Guthrie and just drift inside anyway.

He doesn't look a winger to me anyway to be honest, number 10 all the way.

 

And this .

 

You'd have thought this was an easy one, considering how many 'wingers' we kept saying we have at the start of the season.

I dont like the fact that the choice is shortened for us due to fears that certain full backs might not be able to handle their job then. That to me says, theyre not good enough and we need new full backs then...

I doubt Pardew is going to change the shape of the team, so i cant see Raylor moving to right back or right midfield any time in a hurry. I also cant see Gutierrez switching flanks, although id love to see him on the right hand side, due to the amount of defensive work he puts in. Santon would be PERFECT behind him, but he hasnt made that decision yet.

Guthrie and Gosling would be horrible choices out wide. It was bad enough when Barton was there and our play was predictable. These would be even worse.

If Hughton was in charge, Ben Arfa would definitely be the player that comes in on the right. No question about it, but Pardew doesnt seem to ever want to put him there... so i can only see Marveaux coming in.

Marveaux does track back, not as much as Gutierrez though, so i think we'll probbaly just use inverted wingers this weekend. Not a major fan of that myself unless its in a 4-3-3 formation. Santon at RM would be the only other choice... but we cant keep swapping his position around and it would be a bit of a kick in the teeth of current midfielders.

 

Terror of change or recognition that those 11 make the strongest team at the moment ?

HBA has more talent than anyone except maybve Cabaye, or Krul. Marveau may be a better wigner in time. The 11 players who are likely to put on the best collective performance immediately, though, has to be the team we've been fielding

 

Well quite clearly if Ben Arfa does refuse to play out on the right wing.......even tho he has played their his whole career. Then he can go the same way as Dyer, Keiron then cant he.....?!! No?

The lad has talent. He likes to take players on. He tries things other dont. He likes to cut inside and drive at defences. In the middle he gives the ball away too much.

I find it strange how you all assume he is hard to handle to the point he will refuse to play. Not alone accept it.

 

I agree he may still have a temperamental attitude, but he might be happier to at least grab a spot in the starting XI at this point.

Secondly, he looked like a winger what he played as one for a couple years at Marseille, so he has it in him. Although I agree with most in saying that Marv is the natural choice to slot in for Obie.

 

I'd rather go with Ben Arfa, simply because I believe he has more talent.

 

We're all saying he would refuse the play are we? That's news to me. The point is that if even he sees himself as this number 10 role, he will naturally drift into it as the game goes on. Besides that he offers even less than Obertan in terms of defensive duties so all round it's unlikely he will play there especially if his manager also thinks he is best in the hole.

 

To halt an argument brewing. We'll see how stronger we are over the next 4 weeks.

I cant personally see how Ober will get back into the first team after we all witness some consistent contribution from either Marv or HBA.

This injury is a good thing.

I can think of 2 things Ober has done well this season. Assist at Forest and Stoke...........Marv already has done more in his brief showing. All round performance at Forest (won the pen for eg) plus lay off to Cab v Wigan.............and the lad has only played about 150 minutes so far. Ober has been in every game.

 

I wouldn't fancy us defensively if he played there to be honest. Simpson isn't exactly the greatest right back in the world and our LB is solid thanks to Jonas helping out so much. I'm all for Ben Arfa getting games ASAP but if he's mostly going to be the number 10 role because both he and the manager want that to happen, then I say play him in that position and not on the wing.

 

Everton-

Krul
Simpson Saylor Colo Raylor
Marv Tiote Cabaye Gutz
Ba Best

Give Ben Arfa a half for Best, if Tiote isnt fit hoy in Guth instead. Pardew likes having pace in the team so i cannot see him putting Guthrie for Obertan, most likely Marv.

Am just getting worried that 3 of our best players HBA, Marv and Santon are sitting on the bench too much and might get pissed off....but i suppose you cannot change a winning team....

 

Agree with this, it's a shame that Obertan injured himself just as he started to show more promise. But overall I don't doubt for one second that Marveaux will improve our team more than Obertan.