Ben Arfa on the wing

Worth remembering it could still take 2 or 3 months for him to get 100% fit.

 

this.

 

Spent most of his career playing as a winger though? Left for Lyon and right for Marseille. At both he played central too, but he played in both variations of 442 and 451 (or 4231 if you prefer) He has already proven he can do both. I think everyone is over egging Pardew seeing him as a number 10. He does but he'll play him wide in a 442 if he thinks he's right for the particular game. He just hasn't the last two weeks. Thats his choice and I dare say he is looking further ahead than us lot. Ba goes to ACON in Jan, our transfer budget is needed for defenders, the last thing Pardew needs is an injury to Ben Arfa.

Ben Arfa is not adverse to work as some think. Against Everton and in just about every game except Stoke, he has grafted for the team. Against Everton he got through a hell of a lot of work to be honest. He carried the ball long distances to relieve pressure, and still got back. It wouldn't matter which left back is behind him, he can do the job. It is nothing to do with formations, Pardew has given us the reason. Others have done well in training and he felt it was the wrong sort of game for him. I think he got that wrong but hell he's got most things right so we'll allow him the odd mistake.

 

Agree with the guy before me, he may not be the most defensively skilled player in respect to his tackling ability, but he's been tracking back even playing as a forward, and I expect he would do the same playing on the wing. Agreed, he likely isn't a long term solution to the RM problem we have right now, but he must be a better temporary option than Obertan and Sameobi in their present state.
That said, he could be the right forward choice when Ba is gone, and ideally I'd like to see him given a chance on the wing in these 'easier' matches right now, then have a RM brought in during the transfer window, at which time HBA can move forward while Ba is at the ACON.

 

Yes we should use Ben Arfa like Chelsea use Mata.

 

On the left in a 4-3-3? I thought we were going to do that when we were targeting Maiga, not so sure now.

 

Agreed. I think we're a player or two short (at the moment) to field an affective 4-3-3...although I think Ba and Benny would shine as two of the front 3, we're missing a third to complement them at either RW/LW (too bad Marveaux is out indefinitely). I'm assuming we'd play Cabaye at RM then?

 

It's more 3 CMs in a tight triangle, but yeah he would probably be on the right side of it.

Marveaux would suit a 4-3-3 but I dont think Jonas would, and Simpson would be very exposed. Would need a 3rd top drawer CM as well.

 

This. I'd rather see Ben Arfa on the right than Obertan with Ba and Best upfront, but ideally I want us to get another right winger and still play HBA behind Ba. I wanna see HBA in behind Best in January too, think that would be quite good.

 

Exactly this, Ben Arfa might do a job but it would be a quick fix and we'd be so much weaker defensively on the right than on the left with Jonas-Santon (which could be brilliant) that teams would start to target our right side. Obertan might turn out to be good but he's not what we need right now either, new RW should be on shopping list.

 

People love going on about HBA's lack of defensive cover....but what exactly does Obertan offer in this area?

You will replace one for another as far as defensive cover is concerned...but get a much better player going forward.

 

Well Obertan is right footed so hugs the touchline a lot more, and when a player is breaking down our right he is so quick he always catches them anyway.

But I'd like a new right winger AND Ben Arfa in the centre, much better.

 

Exactly what both of you said. Now Santa, bring us what we want for Christmas...after all, Ashley has the right build to play the part.

 

He rarely tracks back.

 

A 4-3-3 would be fantastic!.. if we had 3 CMs. Which we don't. sad face.

When Guthrie is back, then I would LOVE a 4-3-3 with Benny on the right and Jonas on the left. Possibly even swapping every now and again.

Until then, I think Pardew sees Benny as a striking option, behind Demba. Pardew has throughout this season always played one target man and one poacher player who gets all the goals. This means:
Shola/Best
Best/Ba
Ba/Ben Arfa

As playing target man limits Demba severely, I think Pardew has dropped Benny back in the pecking order. Frustrating, but not all that complicated.

 

I've seen him stop a number of counter attacks down the right when Simpson is caught out. I know Obertan's not popular but he does some things right.

 

This is exactly what he's been doing, all of Ba's best games where with a bigger target man in front of him, which is why we are tentative with the idea of pushing him forward. We should try it though, Ben Arfa's even better than Ba as a number 10.

 

The idea of a Keegan-esque 4-3-3 just entered my mind (i.e. Benny as Owen, Best as Viduka and Ba as Martins)
Apart from alliterative purposes, I think this just means I need to get out more that would be dire. No Cabaye for one thing!

My opinion on Ba as a target man is it's not his best option. When Best went off (for Benny as I recall) against Everton he lost the majority of his impact on the game. The problem is having these two great players who it seems can't play at their best together...

 

It is quite frustrating, maybe could deploy all 3 in positions they're comfortable in? Like a narrow christmas tree formation:

Krul
Simpson Taylor Colo Santon
Guthrie Tiote Cabaye
Benny Ba
Best​

Maybe Jonas at RB?

Or could try a 4-2-3-1

Krul
Simpson Taylor Colo Santon
Cabaye Tiote
Benny - - - Ba - - - Jonas
Best​

Both of them require him to play deeper than he has done though, although Man City do something similar with Aguero.

 

^^^ 4231! Looks brilliant.

Cabaye I imagine would be slightly more restricted getting forward. But, looks good.