How would you rate Obertan's performance against Chelsea

It was horrific to watch to be honest. I sat in my seat and the sad thing is when he came on, I was actually clapping and willing him on. He got a really good reception. Then he proceeded to play like coco the clown. The mad thing is he got the perfect opportunity. The game was stretched, they were piling men forward to no avail, and he received the ball in good space a number of times. If you had asked prior to stepping on what he wanted in the cameo, that would have been pretty much it! Terrible. Only positive I can say he had the sense to give it back to fantastic Anita twice for the 2nd goal.

He has had enough chances now, there are no more excuses. He's ****e and Pardew got done off Fergie, simple as that. Fergie has a long history of this, and even mocked the mackems in his book about it. What's really poor is we don't have a youngun in the ranks to fill his spot. It is tailor made for a fearless youngster with a bit of pace to come on at the end of games. The fans would respond to it too.

 

Sameobi or even Fergie would have been perfect in that situation. To be a professional footballer at the highest level you simply must know where the ball is in relation to your foot at - more or less - all times. If you watch Sissoko clear a header without actually looking at the ball, you get the difference in class. If that had broke to Sammy he would have been down the field and we'd have done something with it. Or Ben Arfa. No idea why Benny's sat on his ar$e yet Overran steps on to the park.

 

Because at the time we were only 1-0 up and Ben Arfa only knows how to run forward and not backwards.

 

The theory was there in bringing him on - bit of pace to counter attack and relive some pressure, more likely to track back and work hard than Ben Arfa - but unfortunately he just looked lost and low on confidence.

Having said that, can't underestimate his part in the second goal, some great build up play there - so we might not have got it without him on the pitch, as a result I suppose his 5 mins on the pitch was justified.

It was actually pretty funny that moment when all he had to do was run in a straight line towards goal, and he could even do that, leaving the ball behind... oh dear.

 

Aye, but at least he tends to do it WITH the ball.

 

Bottled attacking before he helped our 2nd, hell when he was in the box, the ball tricked him and he had to do a 360 to find the bloody thing again.

He shouldn't be a footballer, he has fluked into this profession.

Unfortunately:

"-Obertan will be getting more game time as Pardew wants him to get back to the form he had two years ago when he was 'a very effective player for us' "

 

He did do an effective-ish job 2 years ago at the start of a season. He basically was very good going back over and fitted in well with our style of play, which was all centred around counter attack. However his limitations were showing even then. It sounds a lot like "there is no money to buy anyone else, we'll have to go with what we have". In a club where ambition was a factor, we'd sell him and get someone better in asap.

I have to say though, HBA was exactly where he deserves to be at the moment and I would not have dreamed of bringing him on in that situ against Chelsea. Not tracking back was not an option. For me HBA is going to have to learn the other side of the game because he is not good enough (consistently)to warrant being carried. Therefore we need more from him. Personally if there was decent money on the table and the prospect of it being used to fund a replacement I'd sell him.

 

All flash and no bang I think is the term. Dines out on moments of excellence. We love a flair player, but with the likes of Robert and Ginola they'd blow hot and cold during a game, at worst, but at their best would be devastating. Whilst Ben Arfa can be outstanding, he can also be cold for game after game. To be fair, he may excel in a different league playing against more continental defenders. He may look the part in an Arsenal side, for example. But Gouffran has kinda shown what's needed. Arguably the lowest key of all signings a year ago, and struggled for a while, he's really done himself proud purely through application. It doesn't take a lot, it's not about sticking the boot in or getting roughed up, but it's about working for the team and playing a simple ball when it's needed. Just look at the plaudits for Anita - the guy looks loathe to let the ball leave the ground, let alone try a 30 yard pass or shot. And more power to him. Ben Arfa could do that and take on someone when appropriate, but he comes deep, collects, runs into trouble, loses it. Happy for him to take on players if he's in the final third, that's what you want. It's when he's dallying, pirouetting and falling over between the halfway line and the 18 yard box that you get soooooo annoyed.

£10m+ for Ben Arfa would be good business. I suspect we'd even get more. Then maybe take one of Tottenham's attacking midfielders. Or Toivonen, perhaps. Or Ayew. There's options out there I'd now have ahead of Ben Arfa, and never thought I'd say that.

On topic, we should still sell Obertan ASAP. Fcking useless. I'd rather recall Ferguson and bin off Obertan if that's the limit of our ambition. However, I suspect 2 or 3 players will arrive in January again.

 

Make a good impact sub when you are getting beat would HBA. Our kind of "throw caution to the wind" player. The Ginola/Robert comparison is a very good one. Neither had the greatest work rate. A bit better than HBA but not much. Its just the consistency of performance and ability to produce that telling assist when its needed. His record here probably isn't that bad goal wise (I'd imagine Ginola's to be worse?), its the lack of opportunities he creates that is the killer. Spends way too much time fannying around, never looking for the obvious 1-2 or just getting the ball in the box.

 

Mate， on matchdays, I'm sure all of us here root for the entire team, regardless who's on the team sheet. We all want us to do well. However this is what I will and always have done post match : judge players on their performance in the match, with no bias.

And from that perspective, Obertan played a horrible game for the time he came on didnt he?
Out of a given 10 possession, 2 passes were completed to Anita, who did all the work in creating the goal, and which were quite honestly just basic passes even a schoolboy could make, and on the other 8 possessions, Obertan either left the ball behind in a golden opportunity to break away, or overhit his pass intended for Cisse up forward.

Being brought on as a sub to stretch the game with his pace, he never did any of that sort, which was why I would justify his performance as 1/10... Now I know I may be a tad harsh, and some of the rating is because of the comedic factor which I would admit I wanted to indulge in, but he did nothing to suggest otherwise did he? And then again, neither did Cisse, whom as I said as well was horribly short on confidence. He would deserve a 1/10 as well.

 

Him,shola,cisse truely shocking squad players

 

Needs to be moved on if anyone will have him

 

In his defence, it's pretty difficult to come on and hit your straps straight away when it's freezing cold, pissing down and you haven't played a 1st team game in weeks.

Having said that, it was still a pretty damn poor effort and I'd agree that in an ideal world we'd move him on and get something better - even Ameobi the younger would have been a better option on Saturday if the idea was to try and stretch the game

 

This is not an excuse unless you are an absolute fairy

 

How many miles do you travel from Hacky Sack Kingdom to get to the games Hacky?

 

Seems strange we're even having this discussion considering we won the game 2-0 and he had a part to play in our second goal. Seems redundant, but that's just my opinion.

Obertan is pretty much a no name sub, while Cisse played the full 90 minutes and will continue to play most games and he looks like a fish, flopping along the pitch. Truly woeful first touch, possibly the worst ball control in the league, no matter how light the ball is, Cisse will deflect it off his boots straight into the opposition players. So frustrating to see everytime.

I can't stand the guy as a player, even though he seems to be trying his best, he's just unfortunately not good enough!

 

Maybe young Adam Campbell could have been given some game time.

 

15 Hacky Sack miles

 

Not too bad, I thought you might have had further than that to travel.

About 25 mins into town on Match days?

 

Aye 25-35mins depending on traffic. I tend to either get dropped off or park up and walk in from Jesmond. Warms me up! Been to a few more games this season but won't get to them all. Still might do one away day this season. Southampton away in March maybe?