The way Newcastle and Alan Pardew have handled Ben Arfa since he arrived on Tyneside, has been fantastic.
France manager Lauent Blanc last night – big fan of Ben Arfa?
And Newcastle and Ben Arfa, and possibly France in Euro 2012, will be reaping the benefits of a much more mature and professional young man, who still has those mercurial skills, after recovering from a double fracture of his left leg in October of 2010.
And Newcastle’s name in France could become even bigger, if Ben Arfa and Yohan Cabaye perform well for France in the Euro 2012 Championships, due to start in a couple of weeks time, but hopefully not too well against England . 
Manager Laurent Blanc is now almost certain to name both Newcastle players in his final squad of 23, and Blanc had this to say about the mercurial Newcastle winger today:
“I believe that he has reached a new level, both as a player and as a person at Newcastle.” ”He is more mature, he is conscious of his talent but that he has to transfer it in to benefiting his team and not just for himself.”
And 25 year-old Ben Arfa, who has come of age at Newcastle, says he is very keen to resurrect a new image of himself in France:
“I am really eager to prove myself,” “I have earned myself a certain reputation. It was very, very difficult to return. There is only me and those around me who know how difficult it was.”
“When I was being treated at Clairefontaine I had the objective to regain my international spot. I’m happy, it’s already huge.”
Ben Arfa’s appearance for France last night was his first cap in two years since joining Newcastle United and his 9th cap in total, and he had a good game out on the right wing for an hour, before both Newcastle players were substituted.
Ben Arfa’s great comeback from his devastating leg injury could be complete in the European Championships this summer, and we are hoping that both Newcastle players give a great account of themselves.
And as we’ve said before, Ben Arfa deserves tremendous credit for the way in which he has handled himself on Tyneside, and he seems to be starting to reap the rewards for the great courage he has shown.
Good for him!
Comments welcome.
NUFC News 24/7
56 responses so far ↓
1 jayphoto // May 28, 2012 at 11:32 AM
think he’ll light up the tournament if france play him from the start! Be shocked if france don’t take him, if he were english he’d be our national hero! a player made for the big stage!
2 TorqToon // May 28, 2012 at 11:32 AM
He IS mercurial !! Lol
3 jayphoto // May 28, 2012 at 11:36 AM
http://www.hatem-benarfa.com/index.php/langue/en
possibly my fav pic of hatem ever!
4 alkinou // May 28, 2012 at 11:38 AM
I was wondering I keep seeing Ben Arfa being qualified as mercurial, but my native language is French and I just don’t know what it means. Could somebody explain it to me please? Thank you
5 toonatic // May 28, 2012 at 11:39 AM
Mercuriel eh. Any other words to describe him?
6 Troleibusiukas_LTU // May 28, 2012 at 11:39 AM
Reading between the lines Ben Arfa will play for England.
7 Indian Magpie // May 28, 2012 at 11:41 AM
Mercurial : Adjective
Liable to sudden unpredictable change
8 ash1001 // May 28, 2012 at 11:41 AM
I thought he had an excellent game last night, played as a team player, but at the same time was always trying show his skills, OK the odd once or twice he made a mistake, but overall a very good performance and should be in the squad, fingers crossed.
Lets hope both our players take part and perform very well even against England, we and them are French Geordies now.
9 Indian Magpie // May 28, 2012 at 11:43 AM
No read to read B/w the lines look at the photo by jay photo
10 Troleibusiukas_LTU // May 28, 2012 at 11:44 AM
Does he drink mercury or what?
11 Troleibusiukas_LTU // May 28, 2012 at 11:45 AM
hey, i just kidding
it means lively.
12 toonatic // May 28, 2012 at 11:49 AM
@ alkinou
it basically means he can act erratically or has a changable personality with a bit of a temper on top of all that.
Still waiting on Ed to describe him as other wise like for example; talented, skillful or sensational.
13 lewytoon // May 28, 2012 at 11:53 AM
mercurial to me means:
fast, tricky, skillful. a bit different and a bit fiesty, like moody but can be dead happy
14 joe // May 28, 2012 at 11:54 AM
Why is it that England never produce this type of player? I’m not from England so this is a serious question.. Is it the coaching from young? Or is it tactics? Or what…
15 mattnufc // May 28, 2012 at 11:57 AM
Mercurial
Ben Arfa
Mercurial
Ben Arfa
Mercurial
Ben Arfa
Mercurial
Ben Arfa
Mercurial
16 chris_g // May 28, 2012 at 11:57 AM
Why does Ed continually use the word “mercurial” when he clearly doesn’t understand what the word actually means?
17 mattnufc // May 28, 2012 at 11:58 AM
Why does it matter if you’re from England or not :S
I think the coaching is different from many other countries, not enough emphasis is on control and skill.
18 joe // May 28, 2012 at 12:00 PM
I meant that I’m not familiar with the coaching in England..
19 ilovetoon8788 // May 28, 2012 at 12:07 PM
I think its the genes. ;p;
20 t00ntime // May 28, 2012 at 12:16 PM
Mercurial is a roman god, the god of mercury to be exact.
When someone describes another as Mercurial it means they have attributes of the mercury god.
His Attributes were:
Swiftness
Changing temprament
Shrewdness
Etc
There for it is ben arfa, he used to change his tempor every 5seconds, he is defintly swift lol looks like he is our own roman god
21 Spuggy // May 28, 2012 at 12:16 PM
HBA is not the finished product yet, he still needs to work on his decision making. Much improved, incredible ability, just need to refine how he uses it.
Expect great things from him next season!
22 Ian Magpie // May 28, 2012 at 12:17 PM
@Joe
The main emphasis in the development of English football has been on pace and power and it has been for a very long time! We once produced many players with superb technical ability such as Beardsley and Gascoine to name but 2 of our own. Now kids are tought to run run run and virtually pass it forward as soon as they get it. They are never allowed time on the ball becouse of the pace of the games! This prevents ball confidence and is frustratingly counter productive in later years! Size is also what many coaches and scouts look for. What it means and I am being vague but that England produce reasonably good players that can run all day at pace, can tackle hard but have less skills than our European cousins!
23 Beattie25 // May 28, 2012 at 12:20 PM
Guess whose back, back again
Beattie’s back tell a friend
24 Beattie25 // May 28, 2012 at 12:25 PM
Benny will tear England to pieces, and I’m an English man.
The French have got a team capable of winning where as we will be lucky to beat the Ukraine.
It’s going to be a looonnnnggggg summer.
Any news on the transfer front? I hear we may be interested in reo-Coker. Why?
25 Indian Magpie // May 28, 2012 at 12:29 PM
Beattie 25 my friend says hello
26 Beattie25 // May 28, 2012 at 12:31 PM
Hello Indian!
How are you?
Xxxx
27 lewytoon // May 28, 2012 at 12:33 PM
http://www.metro.co.uk/sport/football/900388-newcastle-scout-lilles-mathieu-debuchy-in-action-for-france
28 Indian Magpie // May 28, 2012 at 12:37 PM
Beattie i am good, how are you sir.
29 pieceofpapiss // May 28, 2012 at 12:39 PM
Has anyone see CWarr07′s latest post on Twitter. Apparently theres a french lad in talks with the toon at the mo. Looking at houses in northumberland apparently. And its not Debauchy.
30 Jarra Magpie // May 28, 2012 at 12:45 PM
LEE CATTERMOLE FIGHTING IN STOWELL STREET ON SATURDAY NIGHT …. First hand report from an eyewitness who saw Cattermole and half a dozen mates in the early hours of Sunday in Stowell Street. At the rear of Aspers, at the back door that leads on to Stowell Steeet, Cattermole was spotten with mates outside one of the many Chinese Restaurants. Upon being spotted, a few chants went up in his direction. This enraged Cattermole who sent his mates ahead of him and they all came charging on, fists flying. Northumbria’s finest appeared a minute later, Cattermole was last seen sprinting up Stowell Street away from the long arm of the law. Now, is he trying to compete with a certain QPR player? Don’t think it was a wise move heading back to Stowell Street so soon after his guilty plea to vehicle damage x 6 cars. Personally i think a life ban for the Smoggie Mackem from Newcastle is deserved. He also has bumfluff on his face now, just to complete the horrible picture…….
31 Indian Magpie // May 28, 2012 at 12:50 PM
If any 1 follows Cwarr, please let me know i will follow you if you can retweet what he tweets.
He blocked me when i gave him a piece of my mind
even though he speks nonsense i still enjoyed what ghe did
32 Indian Magpie // May 28, 2012 at 12:51 PM
Transfer Central TNC ?@TransferNewsCen
Robin Bairner(French football editor) says Eden Hazard to Chelsea is a done deal. -S
Expand Collapse Reply RetweetedRetweet
Delete
FavoritedFavorite
33 lewytoon // May 28, 2012 at 12:52 PM
hes got a lock so noone can retweet him, due to people ‘stealing’ his ‘gervinho to nufc’ ‘story’, which never happened…
34 ~Perchinho the Pheonix~ // May 28, 2012 at 12:54 PM
Hazard to Chelsea, If true. Would be a piss poor decision by Hazard IMO.
He could walk into better teams that finish above chelsea.
Like United, Arsenal, Newcastle. To name a few
I doubt there’s any truth in the story though, Chelsea have yet to appoint a permanent manager and I can’t see weasel face getting the job.
35 lewytoon // May 28, 2012 at 12:54 PM
mapou yanga mbwia sighted! naat…
36 Toon1978 // May 28, 2012 at 12:56 PM
Not to bothered who goes to Chelsea tbf. Another club just like City who buy up competition and buy cups and League titles.
37 Beattie25 // May 28, 2012 at 1:07 PM
Indian I am well.
Anyway does anybody remember the last person who left the Senegal camp to speak to a PL club?
Maybe wor Cisse and Ba have had a word!
38 Beattie25 // May 28, 2012 at 1:11 PM
Sorry I was referring to Diame in that post.
Anyways whose up for a spot of dogging?
39 Beattie25 // May 28, 2012 at 1:18 PM
See Debuchy scored last night!
An international full back who gets forward and makes chances as well as scored.
If we don’t sign him I’ll be devastated
40 Beattie25 // May 28, 2012 at 1:26 PM
I get it. Beattie’s back so we’ll all go quiet?!
Well I can talk to myself, first though I’m off to redtube
41 Beattie25 // May 28, 2012 at 1:31 PM
I dent realise redtube was one of those kinda sites.
I typed in black and White army into the search engine and I got a load of gay black and White guys dressed as soldiers. I won’t tell you what the did when the Sgt. Asked them to stand to attention
42 Jail for Ashley // May 28, 2012 at 1:33 PM
Yo Beattie,
Word up.
43 LGFUAD21 // May 28, 2012 at 1:33 PM
Good words from Blanc.
He should make the final 23. Really cant say whether he will be a starter though.
For yesterdays match Blanc’s clear objective yesterday was to try and assess the best players to get goals. They have recently had problems with goalscoring.
I think next match they should look to address why Evra is in the team at all.
France seem to have so much attacking talent at their disposal though. Giroud has been class for the past season, we know what HBA can do. Ribery still has it. Menez looked dangerous at the start of the game. Remy (Unfortunately injured)
Gameiro isnt even in the squad?
Nasri needs to pick it up though. Cant help but feel he’ll be favoured as a started due to his Man City title. But he’s had a mediocre season compared to when he was at Arsenal.
Oh and I havent even mentioned Benzema.
I really think France could be contenders for the Euros this year.
44 TakingThePapiss // May 28, 2012 at 1:40 PM
Don’t forget Benzema!
Loved the Debuchy, Benny link-up: let’s hope Cabaye can get him to join the Toon or next season
45 jayphoto // May 28, 2012 at 1:53 PM
france won’t do anything because they choose to play reputation players over creating a dynamic, young pacy attacking team! Blanc lacks the courage as a manager to drop certain players! ideally, france would play 4-3-3 with M’vila and matuidi just behind cabaye in midfield, menez and hatem on the wings with target man giroud! unfortunately you’ll most likely see Ribery ahead of ben arfa, malouda playing instead of menez and Aliou Diarra ahead of M’vila! Benzema tragically underperforms for france, giroud is full of confidence and is a better target man but i think benzema will start!
46 Beardo // May 28, 2012 at 1:53 PM
Love, love is a verb, love is a doing word.
xxxx
47 CODARM (The poster formely known as Ibizatoon) // May 28, 2012 at 1:56 PM
Beardo…Great shout….need some music in the office to drown out the DC10 opening party I can hear in the distance….not fair having to listen to people have fun when you’re working
48 Toon1978 // May 28, 2012 at 2:02 PM
Beardo
What’s the story with Fryers mate? He would be a good signing if true.
49 Ibizatoon - Back by popular demand // May 28, 2012 at 2:07 PM
Figures – Oh well, back to work for me…..aaaah yeih!
50 geordiesteve520 // May 28, 2012 at 2:07 PM
Reading between the lines Laurent Blanc will start ahead of both Mbwia and Rami.
51 Dondatta13 // May 28, 2012 at 2:10 PM
Hatem Ben Sparta
52 jesperfuglsang // May 28, 2012 at 2:17 PM
I agree partly with Jayphoto; their midfield is way too offensive and it will hurt them like it did in the first half against Iceland.
If France wants to be a serious contender the need to drop a few players and balance the midfield more. Cabaye should be a box to box mid with two DM behind him. HBA, Ribery and Menez should fight it out on the wings and so should Benzema and Giroud up front.
53 ToonDownSouth // May 28, 2012 at 2:20 PM
jayphoto
I agree with the rest of them mate, but Benzema is arguably the best #9 in Europe at the moment. Hard to drop a player in such unbelievable form.
We’ve seen in the past, one player in form can pretty much win a tournament single handedly.
54 jesperfuglsang // May 28, 2012 at 2:22 PM
It is a holiday here in DK
55 jesperfuglsang // May 28, 2012 at 2:28 PM
I would have no problem droping Nasri; I dont even rate him that high and no player should come before the team.
That said it doesnt mean Nasri doesnt have a part to play.
56 thepict // May 28, 2012 at 5:53 PM
Mercurial Noun Active,sprightly often changing. Chambers 20th Century Dictionary.
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