Some strange words coming from Alan Pardew today, and it seems he’s been talking to Hatem Ben Arfa, one of Newcastle’s very best players this season, about how the French International can have a bigger impact in games for Newcastle, and the Newcastle manager has pointed to Luis Suarez as a good example for the Frenchman.
What?
This is how we see Luis Suarez – good at diving or is it simulation?
No, it’s not the diving that Suarez continually does when anybody even touches him on the pitch, it’s his all around play for Liverpool, and the fact that’s he’s always in among the opposition defenders making a nuisance of himself, scoring goals and creating chances.
This is what Alan Pardew said in the local press today:
“He is an outstanding talent. There is no doubt about that.” “I think you have to see how many chances he creates and how many things he does in a game.” “You could do a highlights show for him after every game.”
“I’ve been talking to Hatem about trying to have the same impact that Luis is having.” “Hatem almost did that on Sunday.” “You could have put him in that category.” “We’re looking at our own assets and we want them to worry about us.”
“You still have to do a lot of things right to get a win.” “Regardless of being a bit fortunate, you still have to defend well and there are a lot of things we did well. Sometimes things go unnoticed.” “Our passing and movement let us down a little bit.”
We suppose if you remove the diving that Suarez habitually does, because that’s the only thing we think of when his name is mentioned, and concentrate just on the football (but it’s difficult where Suarez is concerned), Alan makes a decent point we suppose.
But we think Ben Arfa if anything, is a better overall player that Luis is.
Comments welcome.
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90 comments so far
IITianToon
Nov 1, 2012 at 11:36 AM
Comment #1Happy Halloween Ed, I thought you were going as Elvis Presley!!
Besides all the diving and stuff, Suarez is arguably one of the best inside the box player in the PL.
Here’s hoping for a good game on Sun, as PL games involving us surely have been one of the more boring so far(except Everton, that was a cracker).
IITianToon
Nov 1, 2012 at 11:37 AM
Comment #2Two firsts in a day,, not a record to talk about but a record nonetheless, happy happy 🙂
rainrix
Nov 1, 2012 at 11:39 AM
Comment #3I think he’s talking about consistency, HBA has a tendency to drift in and out of games, WBA is a good example he started well and then was anonymous for the 2nd half. That being said i don’t even know if suarez is that consistent anyway, never really watched him, although i think that is what pards is getting at 🙂
Deadpool
Nov 1, 2012 at 11:48 AM
Comment #4It’s easier for Saurez to make an impact as he has the team built around him, playing to HIS strengths.
We stick Ben Arfa out on the right of a 4-4-2 and expect him to work wonders whilst the rest of the team go missing.
The tactics are responsible for Benny not fulfilling his potential in games.
Pardew would play 4-4-2 even if he was Barca manager.
wynsleap
Nov 1, 2012 at 11:50 AM
Comment #5Suarez might be a detestable pain in the butt and an obvious cheating diver but he is one very effective player and will have to be watched very carefully this weekend.
Much as we accept Ben Arfa is more naturally talented and hard working, I think if we had Suarez on our side he’d get more goals and cause more havoc than Benny over the season. The ‘better overall player’ accolade that you mention there Ed is therefore debatable.
jesperfuglsang
Nov 1, 2012 at 11:58 AM
Comment #6It seems finally Pardew is picking up on what I have been saying for a while is our Achilles heel – our passing and movement (I am going to charge him a consultant fee very soon ;)) lol
About Benny doing what Saurez is doing (not the diving) we have to bare in mind that Sauzes plays as a forward for Liverpool and Benny plays as a RM or RW in a 4-4-2 formation.
Ain’t gonna happen Pardew before you change system…I’ll leave you with my remark from yesterday.
‘…remember sometimes the ideas that you think is brilliant, can be more detrimental than good, and you would do well to kill them – even if it hurts to the bone doing it!’
jesperfuglsang
Nov 1, 2012 at 11:59 AM
Comment #7*Saurez 🙂
IITianToon
Nov 1, 2012 at 11:59 AM
Comment #8@Deadpool you cracked me up with that Barca 4-4-2 mate.
Imagine, Valdes hoofing it, Villa to knock it down and Messi to score from the flick 😀
Okay Newcastle will kick Barca’s ass if both are coached by Pardew and made to play 4-4-2 tactics. 🙂
blew
Nov 1, 2012 at 12:00 PM
Comment #9Saurez is a 90 min goalmaker and prolific scorer, he is vastly superior to the 7/8 minutes a game HBA.
blissna
Nov 1, 2012 at 12:03 PM
Comment #10I’m glad there’s a few realists here. Comparing Ben Arfa favourably to Suarez. Ed’s got his B&W tinted glasses on 😀
Magpies-till-d3ath
Nov 1, 2012 at 12:04 PM
Comment #11Colo has him in his back pocket all day long! Like Fletcher. Ben Arfa is twice the player Suarez is, Suarez is lucky Tiote isn’t playing because if he dives with Tiote on the pitch, he’s dead!!!
Big Pappa Cissé
Nov 1, 2012 at 12:07 PM
Comment #12@ Blew
Suarez has been far from prolific in the Premier League compared to Holland. Not to mention he is probably the leagues most hated player and I for one would love to slap the Donkey looking racist
rainrix
Nov 1, 2012 at 12:09 PM
Comment #13Cisse… Get in line Mate! 😉
Although to be fair that dive he did near david moyes last sunday made me chuckle a bit 🙂
Visten
Nov 1, 2012 at 12:10 PM
Comment #14Okay Blew I will bite…….Don’t talk shite son.
Hatem's better than Messi
Nov 1, 2012 at 12:10 PM
Comment #15I think HBA picks the ball up deeper and runs with the ball more than Suarez.
Suarez picks the ball up around the edge of the box and plays tricky feints with the ball at his feet. Followed by short 3-4 yard bursts into space.
Suarez gets closer to the goal more often than HBA.
HBA has a better shot and can score superb solo goals from deep.
Suarez is also a racist serial cheater.
HBA is a credit to NUFC on and off the pitch.
jesperfuglsang
Nov 1, 2012 at 12:13 PM
Comment #16…Are we in for some ‘happy slapping’ 😉 lol
rainrix
Nov 1, 2012 at 12:14 PM
Comment #17Jesper… Get In line mate 🙂 , although we could go 7 at a time like an extremely violent and less disturbing bukkake video 🙂
IITianToon
Nov 1, 2012 at 12:16 PM
Comment #18@jesper I noted that you wrote *Saurez , thats a whole new way of proving “two wrongs dont make a right”. 😀
And your name really is Jesper Fulgsgang isnt it? Lol initially I used to think it was some really cool Scandinavian viking name 😀
IITianToon
Nov 1, 2012 at 12:18 PM
Comment #19@rainrix at 17 dude you just gave the young kids on this blog a whole new word to Google .. easy man! 😀
jesperfuglsang
Nov 1, 2012 at 12:19 PM
Comment #20IITianToon…damnit! you saw it 😀 (I just couldn’t be bothered with that name)
…you used to think my name was some cool Viking name? What’s changed? lol (it is Fuglsang and not Fuglsgang. It means Birdsong)
Big Pappa Cissé
Nov 1, 2012 at 12:20 PM
Comment #21I will warn people in advance. Do not look up bukkake on google 🙂 . Also what is going on with Saurez’s ears ? , it looks like they have been stapled to his head 🙂
jesperfuglsang
Nov 1, 2012 at 12:21 PM
Comment #22…and how it wish I didn’t google that 😀
rainrix
Nov 1, 2012 at 12:23 PM
Comment #23Yeah sorry kids dont google bukkake!
Now if you really want nightmares…… 🙂
jesperfuglsang
Nov 1, 2012 at 12:26 PM
Comment #24Rainrix…you owe me big times mate (big times) 😉 lol
rainrix
Nov 1, 2012 at 12:28 PM
Comment #25Jesper… I thought you’d be thanking me 🙂 (maybe not) or did your wife catch you googling that? XD
jesperfuglsang
Nov 1, 2012 at 12:32 PM
Comment #26Rainrix…no! thank god she didn’t (cleaning my cache and cookies as we are speaking) lol
Transfer Sage
Nov 1, 2012 at 12:35 PM
Comment #27Two different players in different positions.
The only comparison I see is that hey are both match winners.
Suarez for all I dislike him has improved his consistency so far his year.
Ben arfa is brilliant in glimpses but needs to show it more. Even I tactics are holding him back he doesn’t seem to have had a great month on terms I general play.
He will come goo though, very one suffers a dip in form apart from messi and ronaldo
tarie4
Nov 1, 2012 at 12:40 PM
Comment #28BREAKING: Luis Suarez , Gareth Bale , Ashley Young , Sergio Busquets and Neymar Nominated for FIFA Fallon d’Floor 2012″
seancavaz
Nov 1, 2012 at 12:41 PM
Comment #29Blew you’re having a roar mate! I’ll apologise in advance if you are partially sighted but that is my only conclusion for your comment! Everyone’s entitled to an opinion but sometimes people are just crying out for their village to find them!
Graeme
Nov 1, 2012 at 12:47 PM
Comment #30tarie4 Suarez will win it at a canter mate, he is currently the best there is lol
toonLYF
Nov 1, 2012 at 12:50 PM
Comment #31all the Suarez haters on here need to stop believing every word you hear a sky sports commentator say. He’s been accused of diving 3-4 times already this season, and to be fair to him, atleast 3 could’ve easily been given. He’s a targetted figure, and somewhat a scapecoat for the commentators. I find it sad how they can’t get through a match without being negative about the game/teams/players in some way.
Simple fact is Suarez is one of the best in the league and would walk into any team.
IITianToon
Nov 1, 2012 at 12:52 PM
Comment #32@tarie4 at 28 I will place a bet on Busquets.. after all guy won the Oscar for Best Actor in a Comedy/Drama for his superlative peekabaoo diving performance against Inter Milan.
And why have you put Gareth Bale in the list, since when did he join this illustrious list?
Widowmaker
Nov 1, 2012 at 1:36 PM
Comment #33HBA is definitely more talented and I hope Pardew is not ask him to dive more! HBA has a tendency of staying on his feet at times when he could had easily won free kicks at dangerous position. Also, our game plan often just pass HBA by. Hoof it!
boater
Nov 1, 2012 at 2:04 PM
Comment #34We had passing and movement?
Suarez plays better when angry, as seen after Moyes’ comments- Pards is going the other way by buttering him up – smart thinking.
Tough game – we need to show we are the upwardly mobile these days- wish I was going.
boater
Nov 1, 2012 at 2:07 PM
Comment #35Suarez earns his teams points every week – singlehandedly at times … Arfa may have the odd spectacular goal/run up his sleeve but, at the moment Suarez is the much more influential player.
Ian Toon
Nov 1, 2012 at 2:08 PM
Comment #36Pardew has previously said that the time for evaluation will be after 10 games. That’s after the Liverpool game . To date we’ve been unlucky with injuries but have failed o string together two consistent halves of possession pass and move football. A week on the training ground should help to eliminate the need to maintain possession in a slow, defensive mindset. We cannot have in CM two players who play well defensively but cannot hold the ball up and play the ball forward in an offensive way in the middle of the pitch. This was a major problem v WBA but something they did very well particularly in the second half with Mulumbu excelling. Anita should be in CM because his pass and move style will be invaluable in linking the play
wth HBA and Cabaye.
Transfer Sage
Nov 1, 2012 at 2:11 PM
Comment #37Bale started diving last year a lot. Ben said he goes down without contact, tried I imply it was to avoid a tackle so he doesn’t get hurt but said he goes down with no contact.
Suarez has been better this year, not many dives but a lot of fouls on him.
I don’t like him but he is improving his scoring record, he isn’t up their with the best in the league like aguero, van persie, etc but he is just below and if he keeps this form up over the year he will be up there, his conversion rate is the only thing I think he really needs to improve on.
Ben arfa has messi like ability but nowhere near the same consistency, that’s what lets him down.
seancavaz
Nov 1, 2012 at 2:13 PM
Comment #38HBA will be fine man he’s been studying Pedros YouTube videos, wait til we see the shuffle ha…..HBA will provide the magic that’s needed, and the thing that we’ll see is them doubling up on him which will hopefully free up Cabaye to smash one in from 20 yards or the time to split the defence to one of our forwards. Think it’s time to break the voodoo and can see us sneaking a 2-1 win
Transfer Sage
Nov 1, 2012 at 2:15 PM
Comment #39Good call Ian.
We need to be like Chelsea I think.
Get our most offensive players on the pitch and give then license to operate in the opposition half as they see fit.
Don’t worry about if benny stays wide right or cisse/Ba on the middle. The 4 of cisse, Ba, Ben arfa and cabaye should all have the right to roam the opposition half and find space.
The tiote and Anita can hold and assist forward when needed, same for the full backs.
jesperfuglsang
Nov 1, 2012 at 2:18 PM
Comment #40Boater…you may have a point, but try shifting Liverpool’s tactics from 4-3-3 to 4-4-2 and put Suarez on the RW!
…now tell me would he influence the game more than Benny?