Alan Pardew has said today that Ben Arfa is not a difficult player to handle.
Ben Arfa – points to Newcastle fans after scoring yesterday
After the game, while being questioned on nufcTV, Alan Pardew was asked if Ben Arfa was all smiles in the dressing room after the game yesterday, when he came on after 61 minutes at Bolton.
The Frenchman changed the game and also scored a great goal just eight minutes after replacing Leon Best.
And it was interesting what Alan had to say to the implication that the 24 year-old wasn’t always all smiles:
“It was great to see Hatem get his first goal since his terrible injury.” “He’s been great all along, the press keep making a thing about he’s a difficult player, but I haven’t seen that yet.”
“He’s been fine he knows he’s on a long road back and a little cameo today would do him no harm.” “He did a couple of really nice things in the game apart from the goal”
“But when there was that pull-back and it ended on his left foot there was only one place that was going.”
When the French International landed on Tyneside in August of 2010, he had a reputation for being a bad boy and not getting on particularly well with his managers or the other players.
And at his two previous clubs, Lyon and Marseilles, he had some difficulties, especially with his last manager, Didier Deschamps of Marseilles.
But Newcastle was the club he wanted to sign for eighteen months ago, and he famously went on strike to try to get his move to Tyneside.
But it seems that at Newcastle, even though the lad has gone through some very tough times since he arrived with that horrific leg injury, it seems he has not been difficult to handle at all.
One thing is clear, and that is the Newcastle fans just love this lad, and after yesterday’s display, where his class was the difference between the two sides, we should be seeing a lot more of him in action.
And we now expect him to start as the withdrawn striker at Liverpool on Friday evening.
Another goal at Anfield would be just what the doctor ordered.
Howay the Lads!!
14 comments so far
LAME PERCH
Dec 27, 2011 at 10:46 AM
Comment #1He must start against the fools 🙂
LAME PERCH
Dec 27, 2011 at 10:47 AM
Comment #2My comment awaitng moderation lol
LAME PERCH
Dec 27, 2011 at 10:53 AM
Comment #3My team for the fools
————————–krul————————
Simo———willo———–colo———–raylo
——————toto———-cabaye—————
Obertan—————————————jonas
————————-arfa—————————-
————————–Ba—————————–
scdoty
Dec 27, 2011 at 10:53 AM
Comment #4He isnt going to start, he isnt fully fit, he says so him self.
Dont get me wrong i wish he would start, and cannot wait to see him week in and out.
Think Pardrew is handling the situation well, giving that HBA isnt playing for the reserves. Bring him on slowly.
HWTL
Troleibusiukas_LTU
Dec 27, 2011 at 10:53 AM
Comment #5I hope he starts against Liverpool 🙂
PompeyJohn
Dec 27, 2011 at 10:59 AM
Comment #6Alan Pardew, John Carver, Steve Stone, the medical team etc see Ben Arfa every day in training and there must be reasons why he is being introduced gradually and possibly not just the tactics for matches determining his selection. We as fans very rarely know the full picture.
Hatem
Dec 27, 2011 at 11:08 AM
Comment #7Cabaye’s a gem, he covers so much ground game after game, last 3 games hes covered the most ground of all players on both sides, so much quality and works hard for the team.
kingkev9
Dec 27, 2011 at 11:14 AM
Comment #8I’d start Vuckic in the hole V Liverpool. Best and Shola are liabilities
Marty-Toon
Dec 27, 2011 at 11:30 AM
Comment #9Team will most likely be unchanged for Friday.
He’ll come on as an impact sub.
Most worried about downing and Bellamy being stopped on the wings
jimmymagpie
Dec 27, 2011 at 11:38 AM
Comment #10What a dire game that was yesterday. I really did feel like get an early start home, but fortunately things looked up when Ben Arfa came on for the truly awful Best. Best isn’t even a good Championship player, and please AP, get a strker asap, because God help us when Ba goes. Good to see Willo back, but we have to remember that Friday will be a far sterner test than this – Bolton were truly awful. Never mind, 3 welcome points after the recent run, and nice to win on Boxing Day for a change.
Sav
Dec 27, 2011 at 3:22 PM
Comment #11Pardew is handling it all very well. Lets not put pressure on him or Ben Arfa or whoever does start by chanting for the frenchman or vilifying whoever else Pardew picks to start.
Graeme
Dec 27, 2011 at 3:27 PM
Comment #12King Kev, I agree. Vuckic has shown he has skill and ability in abundance which will only get better the more games he plays.
I think he is going to become a very influential player for us in the coming years, he just oozes class. I would play him against the bin dippers, no problem, his longer range shooting ability will certainly cause the fools some problems and keep them on the back foot. The rebounds could be snapped up by 2 or 3 players as well!!
davis_toons
Dec 27, 2011 at 5:15 PM
Comment #13Ben Arfa have recover from his body injury but not the mind.
Time is needed to heal the mind.
cupiddstunt
Dec 27, 2011 at 9:43 PM
Comment #14Jimmymagpie @ # 10
I do find it amusing at times to read the truly stupid comments that some post on here, Best gets praise from all at the club both team and backroom for his efforts, yet all you display is your lack of ability to see the big picture Best put in a big shift and all you can say is “the truly awful Best”
To quote Tim Krull today a totally unsolicited comment on Best.
“Besty worked his socks off for the first 60 minutes and that paved the way for Hatem to show the extra bit of quality which he brings to the team,”
Yet all he gets is slagging from a select few on here I’m just glad that we do not have the likes of you running the club and team as we would have gone down the tubes years ago.