Ben Arfa...

[Jesus Was A Geordie]

I think you have to accept players like them for what they are. Most of the loss of possession was down to be too eager to impress and general rustiness. You can tell he's chomping at the bit. To get those sorts of players into the team you have to be set up to do some of their work. Saying that when he was sharp and fit last season against Everton he didn't shirk the graft getting back on the left. I think he has some work to do to get in the team even if I thought Best was well below par yesterday.

Aye, his performance at Everton was incredible and I've no doubt he'll produce more like that in the future. I just think sometimes we have rose tinted glasses on with him a bit...Imagine if it were Ameobi who lost possession as many times as Ben Arfa did...

 

[Warmir Pouchov]

Aye, his performance at Everton was incredible and I've no doubt he'll produce more like that in the future. I just think sometimes we have rose tinted glasses on with him a bit...Imagine if it were Ameobi who lost possession as many times as Ben Arfa did...

Oh Aye Shola would get a roasting if he did what Benni did yesterday. But then Shola has been doing it for 10 years so the sympathy is drained! But Benni defo has things to work on. I think he is a bit special but like you say we need to remember to treat him the same as any other player. He has to fit in with the team and pull his weight if he wants to play. He looks like he is lacking a bit of muscle to me. understandable as they'll have wanted him fit before building him up to ease the pressure on his body. I'm still confident he'll be a big player but for me he is not ready to start just yet.

 

[Jesus Was A Geordie]

Oh Aye Shola would get a roasting if he did what Benni did yesterday. But then Shola has been doing it for 10 years so the sympathy is drained! But Benni defo has things to work on. I think he is a bit special but like you say we need to remember to treat him the same as any other player. He has to fit in with the team and pull his weight if he wants to play. He looks like he is lacking a bit of muscle to me. understandable as they'll have wanted him fit before building him up to ease the pressure on his body. I'm still confident he'll be a big player but for me he is not ready to start just yet.

Agree with every word of that. Plus B & B (as Colin Murray referred to them last night) have 8 goals in 6 league games - should we really be breaking that up?

 

[Chappaz]

I'm giving Ben Arfa time before I criticise him. After being out so long I expect him to be rusty and I expect him to lose possession sometimes.

Even if he does that for a little while yet though, he's a player who can give us those moments of brilliance. He can do it now already.

 

[Amnesiac]

I'd like him to bulk up a little so he has his strength back, else I can see him becoming like Dos Santos. Other than that it will all come with time.

 

[andyeswecan]

He just needs game time. Both him and Santon need Premier League minutes to get up to speed.


Add a clinical, skillful striker and bring in Pieters and I'll be buzzing like a radgie on meth at the prospects of this team.

 

[Toon_Tiger]

we complain too much about our players, anyone think we are getting a tad bit ahead of ourselves here?

 

[Quendo]

I'm actually quite surprised to find a negative article on him to be honest. I thought he gave us as fans exactly what we have been waiting for him to deliver: flair, energy, skill and was the main outlet of our final flurry. As soon as he came on he kept spurs on the back foot, sucking in 3 of there players and one point as he darted towards the box. As stated, he did give the ball away on more than one occasion which I believe was the result of him being a tad over-excited with the atmosphere and the games momentum. Unpredictable game changer that is a nightmare to defend against and will shake up our sometimes predictable attacking. I for one am pleased to see he's still up to his old tricks after what happened last season!

 

[Darth Gogledd]

I'm actually quite surprised to find a negative article on him to be honest. I thought he gave us as fans exactly what we have been waiting for him to deliver: flair, energy, skill and was the main outlet of our final flurry. As soon as he came on he kept spurs on the back foot, sucking in 3 of there players and one point as he darted towards the box. As stated, he did give the ball away on more than one occasion which I believe was the result of him being a tad over-excited with the atmosphere and the games momentum. Unpredictable game changer that is a nightmare to defend against and will shake up our sometimes predictable attacking. I for one am pleased to see he's still up to his old tricks after what happened last season!

Not negative, just stating a potential problem which, if sorted, will make him the complete player.

 

[Mr Wonderful]

Some very ignorant things being said here, he lost the ball through lack of match practice and the fact he was being played on the right. When playing in the hole, he has a little less running and less players to take on and would be more efficient.

 

[NUFCaw]

Some very ignorant things being said here, he lost the ball through lack of match practice and the fact he was being played on the right. When playing in the hole, he has a little less running and less players to take on and would be more efficient.

I'm sure he was in the hole when he came on.

He looks way to eager to impress, there's a few times when he could just pass and move rather than dwell on the ball in those spurs clips.

I think in a few games we'l see a better side of him but it was the same at Blackburn, he seemed reluctant to pass but eager to do to much with the ball at his feet.

 

[Amnesiac]

To be fair to him, he can't half ghost in at times! He's done it twice in 2 games now, just drifted through the defence into a good position with the ball.

 

[Jesus Was A Geordie]

Some very ignorant things being said here, he lost the ball through lack of match practice and the fact he was being played on the right. When playing in the hole, he has a little less running and less players to take on and would be more efficient.

I'm sorry mate but I don't agree with that at all - when he played against Everton he spent quite a bit of his time wide on the right...I think most people who have been 'negative' about him are simply being honest and realistic and all have recognised he isn't match fit. I just think he gave the ball away a lot and this could effect us negatively in the future - hardly unduly criticising the lad!

 

[Mr Wonderful]

I'm sure he was in the hole when he came on.

He looks way to eager to impress, there's a few times when he could just pass and move rather than dwell on the ball in those spurs clips.

I think in a few games we'l see a better side of him but it was the same at Blackburn, he seemed reluctant to pass but eager to do to much with the ball at his feet.

That's called "constructive criticism" I can deal with that.

 

[Warmir Pouchov]

That's called "constructive criticism" I can deal with that.

Must admit I'm struggling to see where someone hasn't been constructive mate? Everyone seems to have been pretty fair.

 

[StoneyNUFC]

He's just come back against a top team starting from a goal behind.

Realistically we still know nothing until he gets into form. I still believe he has the potential to be a top top player, but lets wait and see.

His presence, along with Shola and Santon certainly stirred the rest of the squad anyway!

At the end of the day he still needs to settle and he's only going at it like that to impress us after all the attention we've showered on him. Can you imagine how much pressure that would be? Doesn't help with the french reports saying he's their "Ronaldo"

I'm sure he'll shape up just nicely, just needs to settle and regain form.

 

[Mr Wonderful]

Must admit I'm struggling to see where someone hasn't been constructive mate? Everyone seems to have been pretty fair.

personally I can't find anything to criticize a player who in 15 minutes ferociously attacked the opposition enough to allow us to equalize and even go close to winning a game against a very good side who looked like they wanted to win.

 

[I'm With Colo]

personally I can't find anything to criticize a player who in 15 minutes ferociously attacked the opposition enough to allow us to equalize and even go close to winning a game against a very good side who looked like they wanted to win.

I'll agree with that! He change the match for me, some are criticising him for how long he held on to the ball, but personally, I found him to be patient in the attacking end, held possession well in some tough positions, and made some sensible passes. At the very least, he didn't take any selfish strikes, and I thought he was making a concerted effort to find available teammates. Yes, he did lose possession once or twice in our own end needlessly, but I think that itself demonstrates he was tracking back more than some seem to be suggesting?

Regardless, I'm not in the camp of 'he's rusty, so don't start him yet'. We know Pardew prefers to use subs late-on, and getting 15-20 minute appearances won't help it or his confidence. I say use Wigan to throw he and Marveaux into the pool and see how well that squad swims.

 

[Warmir Pouchov]

personally I can't find anything to criticize a player who in 15 minutes ferociously attacked the opposition enough to allow us to equalize and even go close to winning a game against a very good side who looked like they wanted to win.

Well I'd have to disagree and say that is an unbalanced view of his performance. I can find the good and the bad. For me it was not him who changed the game though I did like his intent. I think the game changing has to go to Ameobi. (pains me to say it) But to ignore Ben Arfa conceding possession and it nearly costing us a goal is blinkered for me. I like him alot. I think he is a bit special and could be anything. But he still has to be judged in the same way you would any other. Being honest if Shola had done what Benny did throwing away possession, do you think he'd be getting hammered for it? I know he would.

 

[Freddd]

I think that for many HBA became god like through a conbination of:

a. one very good game

b. lots of time for everyone to remember that game

c. no competing gods being signed.

The combination led some to think that HBA was unstoppable, and the answer to every deficiency. Yesterday we saw a player with potential and a tendency to lose the ball. Both will improve with time.