Thoughts on Arfa(pls give him time) and Obertan

Marveaux is a better player, not sure he'd have worked so well in a 4 man midfield though.

Very disappointed in people sarcastically cheering Obertan off, that's pathetic.

 

Obertan tried his best, so people sarcastically cheering him is hardly going to raise his confidence levels. Having said that Marveaux is the better player and should start next week imo.

Ben Arfa was good yesterday imo. Turned well, just lacking the final ball.

 

Ben Arfa is a tricky one for me. While he has the quality to be in our starting 11, his injury means he won't be returning any time soon, especially with the form we're in. His situation genuinely worries me, I can't see him being happy with 20-30 minutes each week and staying on the bench for the rest. If he doesn't start games soon I can see him becoming a problem in the dressing room, which of course will be bad to begin with, but even worse when you consider apart from Colo, Saylor and Krul, our best performers have been the French lads.

I seriously hope Pardew knows what he's doing here, this could well be me just worrying over nothing, but on the flip side it could be a horrible reality we may have to face.

 

Ben Arfa, people say give him time. When Guthrie came back from injury, clearly unfit and got chucked into the starting line up, that's when the Guthrie hate started. Double standards. I say give any player time when they are coming back from injury, but someone needs to tell Ben Arfa to stop trying so hard.

 

This is my point exactly!

 

This, the Guthrie slating is shocking IMO, a quality player when playing regularly. If we do sell him to a bottom half side where he's a starter he'll show his class.

 

Ben Arfa is still showing touches of class but agree he seems to be trying too hard and not quite up to match fitness yet. A bit of time and he'll be fine I reckon but it's a catch 22 - don't play him and he won't build his sharpness back up, but play him and he might not be performing as well as some others.

Once he's cemented his place he'll be able to relax into the game and not feel like he needs to do so etching special with every touch. Apparently he's amazing in training at the mo...

 

Agreed. Ben Arfa needs to be given a lot of time and Obertan needs to be made a super sub. I'm sure he would do well coming off the bench