Ben Arfa pays the price

Massive statement of authority from Pardew tonight.

He'll say it was tactics but Hatem was never gonna get the call from the bench tonight after the comments he was alleged to have given the press today.

He shouldn't be criticising the manager publicly however frustrated and Pardew was definitely vindicated for deploying a more direct style in this result.

Popular player we'd all like to see doing well and getting more game time but he needs to learn to keep his trap shut if the interview is indeed accurate...

 

His time will come when Ba is off at ACON, if he impresses he may well stick.

 

Ba was effectively playing in Ben Arfa's position tonight.

I can see him fitting seamlessly into our team in the next month, keep the faith!

 

Let's hope so – don't get me wrong, I like him but he just needs to work hard and impress when he does get a chance. No point in mouthing off to the papers and talking up how much he admires Swansea...

 

People are reading so much into this.

Pardews subs today were tactical simply to protect our lead, at the time of our subs we were under pressure and needed players like Perch, Best and Ober to keep us ticking over.

Bringing on the likes of Benny, Sammy would have been suicidal!

If Utd had been 2-1 up then Benny would have come on

 

he didnt play because he offers nothing defensively, he will play in the cup, Pardew doesnt seem to fancy him when we need to defend. If we werent winning he certainly would have come on

 

I know its barely important as long as he does the job on the pitch, but watching him warm up pre match is embarassing. He barely moves, when the entire rest of the team is stretching properly he stands there shuffling in seven layers. I know he's that type of player but it doesn't exactly show willingness.

 

Tbf when your 2-0 up against the champions, it was never likely HBA coming on,

 

His tactics were to bully the defenders and use two big men to do so. And it worked. Once we were 2/3 nil up there's only one thing to do, defend that lead. Benny will get his chance. No complaints.

And not just cuz we won

 

I think Pardew is the sort of manager who looks at attitude, and if Benny doesn't fit into that then he's not going to play.

 

Anyone else see Pardew interview on Motd? Pretty sure he said he had put his strongest team out?

Dig at Ben Arfa?

 

He said our strongest team available

 

I think he meant best team for the occasion, though that doesn't say much for Best (or for that matter Obertan) does it?

 

Really does depend on what organ you read it.

I read the Times article and he said he respects Pardew and accepts his decisions and in no way did he come across as angry or frustrated. The Sun on the other hand managed to place snippets in a manner of what they felt would create an irrate reaction.

Pardew watched Blackburn (even Shola said so) and played simila tactics to get in behind them and keep them pinned back and it worked.

Ben Arfa will have been told what Pardew was trying to do and the two big guys upfront was the way to go.

 

I think Ben Arfa was misinterpreted...

 

We could have been 5-0 up at half time and he wouldn't have come on tonight. The way the game was going, he wouldn't have had a negative effect – rather he could have helped carry the ball up the pitch in the final phases.
There was so much space towards the end of the match with both teams looking leggy. In fact, I think we brought on more nervousness by trying to stop playing and firm things up.

No, Pardew is a Fergie fan and Sir Alex would have done the same thing to make a point of who is boss.

Again, I'm not criticising this approach but praising it – no player bigger than the club. I like Ben Arfa but his comments won't have done him any favours.

I did also think the "strongest team available" quote was slightly questionable!

 

But don't you think it's a little rash to believe a sensationalist article from a red top?

 

True, but for the purposes of this post I'm assuming there's some truth in it. More than likely it's rubbish, just trying to spark a debate...

 

HBA was never going to come on today, when we were 2-0 up and rightfully so. There really was no need for the type of play HBA is at that point.

 

Everytime I see your name I keep thinking your an Aston Villa haha. selectivesight#