Hatem Ben Arfa v Gillingham?

Welcome on board fella.

 

I would like to agree with the last part, but Ben Arfa is very good at playing these games, he's had a lot of experience. I hope the pro-Benny agenda is correct, but I'd also suggest that if it were really all down to Pardew, then Pardew may already have been sacked. My logic here is that the amount of money NUFC stand to lose by having Ben Arfa leave for free is probably less than just paying off Pards.

 

Thanks!

 

If he's playing in the U21s (and putting in good performance) then is he really THAT unprofessional? If he were really as sulky as some make out then he would have refused to play in that kind of match.maybe he is trying to prove a point and fight his way into the team - in which case Pardew cannot ignore him just because of ego wars.

 

It's the fact he's still playing which confuses me tbh.

 

Me too. That's what I don't get. If they really have fallen out then why is he still playing in the U21s rather than being completely frozen out?

 

I don't think you just give in to him after one game. He has to work. The fact he has been allowed to play in the reserves suggests he has apologised and is being afforded the opportunity to earn back the manager and teammates respect. If he sticks at it for 3 or 4 games, then just bring him back in as another option. Is he one of our better players and good enough to be in the starting eleven? Depends which Ben Arfa we are talking about, we haven't seen the good one with any sort of consistency for 2 years.