Hatem Ben Arfa

What's the opinions on here about our talented winger?

For me personally I'm extremely disappointed with how little time hes been given since getting his clean bill of health, in the time he came into the fold he managed to net 2 goals and get 3 assists if my memory serves me correctly, for the amount he played thats pretty decent. He also offered us something completely different from midfield that no other player in the lineup can provide, the fact that Obertan is being favoured over him shows a massive flaw from Pardew IMO.

Of course we cant really complain too much about Pardew but this has to be a mistake, I would understand if Obertan offered something significantly defensively but he doesn't, if we're going to have two wingers on the pitch who cant defend it might aswell be the one who can kick arse going forward aswell.

Even if hes not getting starts why not use him AT LEAST as an impact sub? Can Dan Gosling offer more then Barfa? I seriously doubt it.

Very, very worried we're going to lose arguably our most technically gifted player in the summer due to some stubborn and poor man management from Pardew, and its something I wont be able to forgive him for tbh.

Thoughts?

 

Benny and Gosling are in completely different positions so that means nothing .. but yea i believe he should play more, although he is very inconsistent and gives the ball away far too much, so if he can sort this out he will be a key player.

 

I have to say i was never a fan of Benny playing out wide but now we have our 2 strikers back it seems the only possible place for him is on the wing in a 4-4-2. He is, as you say, miles better than Obertan and our only real option for out right on the midfield but Pardew seems stuck to the idea that he can only play in the hole.

 

I really think he need more time. He's been working harder in the last few games he played and it just didn't work for him. I thought he was fantastic against qpr when he came on. The highlights are on youtube. He creates chances, uses the ball well and link up with Jonas very well. On the few occasions he loses, Ameobi has got into a position where Hatem can't even get a pass away to him.
I'd love so he Ben Arfa get time now that we have Cabaye, Tiote, Ba and Cisse in the team.

Obertan's performance against Liverpool for me is far worse than Ben Arfa has ever played for us. And Ameobi has done nothing this season to deserve games other than a good performance against spurs as sub and a flick-on for Ba vs Man United.

And Ben Arfa has 3 goals this year so far.

 

I'd definitely play him against Wolves at RM. Wolves aren't particularly a quick counter attacking team and we won't need the defensive side of his game. If he plays well then we can unleash him against Artie Ziff's boys

 

Frankly he's not been good enough or consistent enough. He needs to listen to what Pardew tells him on the training ground not in the press room.

If he does want to leave in the summer because he's not being played (in a top 6 team) then fine. I like him but if he doesn't listen to what Pardew's telling him - which is clearly the case - then I don't care if he leaves. The team > the individual.

People complain when England players get in the squad because of they're name - rather than form or merit - yet when it's your favourite player those rules don't apply

 

Ben Arfa has never been consistent in his career so no surprise to me.

 

He's too good not to play but Pardew clearly doesn't want him.

 

Pardew signed him, think he will come good eventually.

 

Hughton got him originally, Pards may just have got him permanently on the advice of the backroom staff.

 

This. HBA has to learn it's a team game .

 

Pardew wants to use him as an impact sub when we're behind - it really hasn't been the case that we've needed to come back so much this season.

I do think though that HBA should always make the team ahead of Obertan.

 

But Pardew wouldn't have signed him without intention to use him eventually.

 

Thing is, HBA is still better than Obertan even when he's having a bad game. He comes up with pieces of magic that nobody on our team can produce, and we need him in our team.

 

I think the Hatem Bomb is a decent player who can only get better, and to me he did well in the last couple of games he played, he seems to track back when required.

I think Pards is still trying to up his strength and fitness, maybe next season will be his time, but I would definitely like to see the following team play against Wolves:

..........................................................Krul...................................................

Ryan Taylor.....................Williamson...........Coloccini.......................Santon

Hatem Bomb....................Cabaye....................Tiote....................Gutierrez

..........................................Cisse..................Ba.........................................

Subs: Harper, Obertan, Ferguson, Gosling, Shola, Abeid, Simpson.

 

For the time being I think I'd rather have Simpson in place of Taylor and Taylor in place of HBA.

HBA will be a regular starter soon but he just doesn't seem ready yet.

 

I prefer to see us really playing out better players, but I see what you're saying.

 

Not in our hands anyway, Pards will have the last word and play who he sees fit.

 

I think it's clear that Pardew doesn't trust HBA to put in the graft and work hard for the result, especially without the ball. He is also giving the ball away too much atm but I personally think that would change given some game time. Also, that last 2 games he played, he was marked so heavily and opp defenses were doubling up on him and making it difficult to get the ball to him. I think without Tiote in CM as well it makes it hard to accommodate HBA, we might see more of him now Cheick is back...