Alan Pardew has said today that Ben Arfa has looked fitter than he’s ever been since Alan arrived at the club last December.
Hatem Ben Arfa – can win the game for Newcastle tonight
And when the French International came on last Saturday against Wigan, he began to show some of his form, and he’s one of those mercurial players who with one piece of magic can win a game.
That’s what Newcastle fans and Alan Pardew will be hoping will happen tonight, with Newcastle desperate to get through to the quarter final draw on Saturday.
Alan Pardew talked to the Newcastle press today:
“He is going to be important in these type of games because he can unlock a door.” “He can do that at any level. In terms of passes and clever moments, he showed that in little flashes against Wigan.”
“Hatem is at a much better level than he has ever been since I’ve been at the football club.” “So we’re hoping that he will start featuring.”
Newcastle will have 3,500 fans traveling to Ewood Park tonight, and they will provide the inspiration for our players, and we’re quite sure they will make themselves heard.
Alan will make sure the players know they are playing to win this game for the great Newcastle fans, who show so much dedication to the team, by traveling repeatedly to these away games.
This is what Alan said about the fans:
“We are going to win it for them.” “We feel we can win because we’re in that mood anyway.”
“Where we are at the moment we are feeling confident. It will be brilliant for us.”
It turns out that Newcastle fans will wear party hats and streamers in Blackburn this evening, so we really hope they are in party mood at the end of the game.
If they are, that will mean Newcastle are through to the last eight of the Carling Cup, and who knows, Newcastle could even go on and win the thing.
Whenever Newcastle win their first trophy since 1969, that will summon the start of some massive celebrations on Tyneside, and who knows, that could even be this season.
Howay The lads!!
71 comments so far
eaststandgeordie1982
Oct 26, 2011 at 3:34 PM
Comment #41selby where you at the games??
Selbymag
Oct 26, 2011 at 3:34 PM
Comment #42Andy fair points well made. What fun would football be if we all agreed !
Selbymag
Oct 26, 2011 at 3:36 PM
Comment #43eaststand yes mate season ticket holderMilburn Stand not an internet fan
cheikmate
Oct 26, 2011 at 3:37 PM
Comment #44is there any links for the game tonight ?
and if not, is there any INTERNET radio station that will cover? u coudlnt listen to bbc newcastle online last time.
bambams
Oct 26, 2011 at 3:37 PM
Comment #45toontom……see comment 12 from dutchy “firstrowsports”….
I just tried it, obviously the match is not on til later but i tried a match on now and got it no problem
09nufc09
Oct 26, 2011 at 3:37 PM
Comment #46selby… the reason wigan were defending so deep was because a few minutes earlier hba had just hit them on the break and had a shot saved by the keeper, he then picked the ball up and ran alog the edge of their box taking cabayes man (diame) with him. against tottenham it was hba that took parker and modric out of postiotion a few seconds before ameobi scored (by running along the edge of the box looking to have a shot).
im not saying we scored because of hba im saying he has alot of influence when hes on the pitch and he scares any defence he plays against.
cheikmate
Oct 26, 2011 at 3:38 PM
Comment #47Blackburn fan: “Just been told that Newcastle have sold 3100 tickets and we have sold 2600 tickets for tonight.”
well played Toon army, wish i was going!
Toon_Tom
Oct 26, 2011 at 3:38 PM
Comment #48cheers Bam 🙂
Cheik > you not got an old wireless like???
Andy
Oct 26, 2011 at 3:40 PM
Comment #49Selby hopefully you’ll be made to eat your words though 😉
HBA if he gets in to full flow is terribly difficult to defend with in england. No one knows how to deal with a number 10. That is why david silva is by far and away the best player in the PL. Midfielders don’t know if they should drop deep defenders don’t know if they should go higher. This is also why rooney is quality in the “number 10” role. That and the fact they are both immense players but English defenders and english teams can’t defend against these type of players
eaststandgeordie1982
Oct 26, 2011 at 3:41 PM
Comment #50Selby then you should be able to see how he moves off the ball taking players out of position i agree he gave the ball away cheaply but once he gets a run in the team and gets used to the players in match situations ie runs they make ect then we will have a new peter beardsley on our hands
alanrichie
Oct 26, 2011 at 3:42 PM
Comment #51is it televised?
cheikmate
Oct 26, 2011 at 3:43 PM
Comment #52Toon_tom, I a have, but its probly in a box in the loft with my ps1 and fifa 95 ha. it will have to be my last resort
Selbymag
Oct 26, 2011 at 3:43 PM
Comment #5309NUFC09 you obviously know your stuff and I respect your comments but I guess we will have to agree to differ with our opinions of the player and his impact to date.
As I have said previously I hope he puts in the performance to change my mind and I am prepared to give him plenty of time but he can not hang on to the ball for this long in England or he will cost us points or get injured again. The speed of the game in France compared to here is pedestrian as per Cabayes comments last week (i think)
bambams
Oct 26, 2011 at 3:44 PM
Comment #54Eaststandgeordie1982…….A New Peter Beardsley ! My that is a big label to give the man, hope you are right!
Toon_Tom
Oct 26, 2011 at 3:44 PM
Comment #55Cheikmate > haha, made me chuckle there!!
Selbymag
Oct 26, 2011 at 3:46 PM
Comment #56Eaststand now you blaspheme – a new Peter Beardsley! Ha
Honestly lads i hope he comes good I really do
eaststandgeordie1982
Oct 26, 2011 at 3:46 PM
Comment #57Bambams its just what we need at this club he was the best player ive seen in b n w stripes only seen him second time round if HBA can play like we know he can then it could just be
eaststandgeordie1982
Oct 26, 2011 at 3:48 PM
Comment #58Selby haha he was the best
Selbymag
Oct 26, 2011 at 3:49 PM
Comment #59Andy agree David Silva is best plater in the league by some distance but he is also one of the worlds best players at club and international level. Rooney is a differnt bag all together and only plays for the cash hence crap for England!
bambams
Oct 26, 2011 at 3:50 PM
Comment #60eaststandgeordie…..
I was fortunate enough to see him the first time, he was brilliant and imo he has been the best all round, pound for pound footballer ever at the toon!
Time will tell, not sure if HBA is as good looking as Pedro……..
JayToon4life
Oct 26, 2011 at 3:51 PM
Comment #61Live feed for tonite…either MYP2P.PE or P2PFIRE.COM BOTH WILL DEFO SHOW THE GAME!!!!!
eaststandgeordie1982
Oct 26, 2011 at 3:52 PM
Comment #62Haha bambams pedro is a good looker like next to dowie
wynsleap
Oct 26, 2011 at 3:54 PM
Comment #63Would like to see Benny Boy get a good long run out tonight to shake off the cobwebs.
He needs to do his tricky, creative stuff up the field as far as possible and hopefully do damage to the Blackburn defence.
We need to accept he will make the odd mistake but the longer he gets on the field the more he’s going to get back to his best.
Even better if he comes through a lot of tackles unscathed – it will do wonders for his confidence.
Marveaux also has to play tonight. We need to see exactly what he can do over 90 minutes. He HAS to eventually take Obertan’s spot in the first team.
This is the game which should finally make those two and hopefully Santon too.
bambams
Oct 26, 2011 at 3:55 PM
Comment #64boys if you look at firstrowsports.tv and using the left hand side drop down “FOOTBALL” the Blackburn v Newcastle match is down the list beneath stoke and liverpool games.
I have never used it before but i managed to play a live game that was on now between asda v sainsbury’s in Iraq or somewhere.
Cant guarantee it but dutchy gave the head up (comment 12)
bambams
Oct 26, 2011 at 3:57 PM
Comment #65eaststandgeordie…..Have you seen Dowie’s mrs? Bloody stunning mate…… Must be his charm , eh !
eaststandgeordie1982
Oct 26, 2011 at 3:59 PM
Comment #66Aye if charm comes 12″ in your kegs
cupiddstunt
Oct 26, 2011 at 4:11 PM
Comment #67Selbymag @ # 25
The fact that he came to us with the reputation of being one of the next great things in French football, and his short demonstration of his abilities before the leg break kind of indicates that he can be a major player for the toon.
Yes he also apparently has a reputation for spitting the dummy out but that is a coach/player man management thing, and history shows that you can only be a dummy spitter if you have the talent to go with it.
The fact that so many people in the game rate him as being potentially an immense player indicates that the supporters of Arfa appear to be using more than 2hrs in a black and white shirt.
SPRECKS123
Oct 26, 2011 at 4:43 PM
Comment #68cant wait to see my second newcastle game 2nite 🙂 pity im sittin with the blackburn supporters lol
Scottishtoon95
Oct 26, 2011 at 6:18 PM
Comment #69pardew no 1
could not agree more about ben arfa. was at wigan game (my 1st since blackpool last year :P) and when he could have played a killer ball to let ba, guti, or shola through he tried to 360 his way past seven players. Still, time to improve.
LEROI
Oct 26, 2011 at 6:26 PM
Comment #70song for HBA to the prodigies ”fire starter” tune lol! ”Hatem ben arfa, king ben arfa” ”hatem ben arfa, king ben arfa yeah!” ”he’s a game changer,match winning player!”yeah,yeah,yeah” ” he’s a skill addicted, champion illustrated yeah!” ”he a that makem hater, goal intoxicater” back to chorus. i’m sorry i can’t stop with my daft songs ha ha ha!
stephen1971
Oct 26, 2011 at 6:53 PM
Comment #71bring it on hba lad, some people say this man is greedy but i,d say he,s rusty and in a normal world he could skin players like in the past, he needs time on the pitch (not in training)