It seems that Ben Arfa’s hamstring is still not right, even though a specialist had said recently it was 100% – but Ben Arfa can be a match winner, and he looked good in that first half on Saturday at West Ham.
Ben Arfa – still having trouble with his hamstring
It seems manager Alan Pardew is trying to get as much out of his French International winger as possible, without doing any more damage to his hamstring.
Alan said there was still a problem with the hamstring, and he said this today to the local press:
“Ben Arfa has been struggling. This hamstring has a slight weakness in there and it won’t even be strong I don’t think for six, seven weeks,”
“We got a great level of fitness out of him in terms of that particular problem. He was terrific at West Ham, and he’s a match winner.”
“We’ve been bringing him on in the second half but started him at the weekend, and we missed him when we took him off. We missed that little thrust.”
“I think for Hatem another week’s work will get him closer. Goal scoring is what wins games, we’ve got to improve that area for next week, including with Hatem.”
Let’s hope that Ben Arfa can put in two good performances in our last two games, but then in the summer, Ben Arfa must have his hamstring fixed – whatever it takes to have him be 100% at the start of July.
And remember whatever the Wigan result tonight – even if Newcastle are 3rd bottom, we are still only 3 points off Stoke in 11th place – although that’s probably 4 points because of our poor goal difference.
There’s still 6 points to play for, and seven sides are still battling it out to save themselves, separated by only 3 points – that could be eight if Wigan win tonight.
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377 comments so far
Indian Magpie (HD_07 on Twitter)
May 7, 2013 at 2:55 PM
Comment #1Sack Pardew Please, even now would help!
DokToon
May 7, 2013 at 2:55 PM
Comment #2great, ben arfa hurting again.. what else can go wrong? never thought id say fifa is more entertaining than this year…
Rainrix
May 7, 2013 at 2:58 PM
Comment #3Can we blame this one on pardew to?
Seriously how many interviews does this guy give a day? He takes the term “media whore” to his own special level.
Transfer Sage
May 7, 2013 at 3:00 PM
Comment #4rainrix
it will just be the one but different papers report different comments, just doing his job there.
He will get asked questions to say this rubbish, he is encouraged to talk nonsense and he obliges unfortunately.
JackButler
May 7, 2013 at 3:00 PM
Comment #5“Goal scoring is what wins games”
Well perhaps if you play more fluent football and try, for once to play to Cisse’s strengths, we will score more goals you bloody fool. Get Tiote to simply sit, break up play and give the ball simpley and allow Cabaye to play higher up the park and use his passing ability to open up the opposition and find space for us to exploit
Rainrix
May 7, 2013 at 3:04 PM
Comment #6Sage… Yeah its just ed breaking them up throughout the day makes it feel like he’s giving loads. Must admit i dont actively seek any of pardews wisdom so it might as well be a load of different ones. I need this persistent hate of pardew to take my mind off relegation. 🙂
Transfer Sage
May 7, 2013 at 3:05 PM
Comment #7Jack
He simply has no idea anymore. I don’t see how he says things which totally contradict what we see in the pitch.
I see this 3 ways
1. He is incompetent, wants to play a certain way but can’t due to his own coaching limitations and lack of spine
Or
2. He is a totally deluded fool who cannot see we play the total opposite of what he says.
Or
3. He thinks he is smart and is pulling the wool over our eyes with these comments.
martoon
May 7, 2013 at 3:07 PM
Comment #8I’ve read a few times on here “Norwich won’t beat City on the last day”. However you get a lot of freaky results on the final day and City will have nothing to play for with probably second place guaranteed so I don’t think it’s so clear cut. However hopefully we will have a ‘freaky’ result also and thrash Arsenal 🙂
rotherschild
May 7, 2013 at 3:07 PM
Comment #9Please advise Mr Alan Pardew there is an urgent message for him at the reception desk. Wolverhampton are trying to contact him.
Jesus1983
May 7, 2013 at 3:08 PM
Comment #10Hopefully Ben Arfa is fit for the start of next season. Bournemouth away could be a tricky one.
JP...from The Rock
May 7, 2013 at 3:09 PM
Comment #11Ed – What makes you think HBA will still be here come July if we’re relegated!?
He is a match winner alright and one we have missed all season! What is it with him and injuries ffs!!
He is by far our best player, our Suarez but yet we only see a handful of matches from until he gets injured long-term again.
We can’t depend on just one creative spark that is constantly injured. That’s why we missed the boat in not getting Florian Thouvin in January or Mertens or Boudebouz last summer.
I thought HBA would play a blinder this season but yet again he has an injury plagued season for us (Dyer anyone?).
With that in mind I always felt we were weak in our creative, flair players and Cabaye is not the great playmaker that everyone makes him out to be, he’s like Emre nothing more.
jimmysmith
May 7, 2013 at 3:11 PM
Comment #12Why does Pards have to front the press so often. He really does come across as full of shit even counter productive quite often, but it must be hard not to if your expected to give them something everyday.
Wouldn’t one press conference per week and after match interviews and press releases serve the club and manager better?
JackButler
May 7, 2013 at 3:12 PM
Comment #13Sage
The man is a mass of contradictions. He say’s he wants us to play one way then set’s us up in a totally different way. The same old face’s get a game, playing the same old tactics and nothing changes despite all the talk and thats whats finished it for me.
The thought of what the like’s of Keegan or Sir Bobby could do with this squad is frightening and that fact that it’s being wasted on Pardew is sickening
Laurent Robert 32
May 7, 2013 at 3:15 PM
Comment #14The sheer lies which Pardew infects our ears with is approaching actual bodily harm.
He’s saying these got to score goals nonsense then he’s getting the players to do the opposite.
In an ideal world… On the QPR game, I think that although it will be really tough against them and I’m preparing for no more points from the last two games, if we could get a really early goal, dare I say two(!) they will have no urgency at all to come back into it once the game is even slightly out of reach. That would be when we could push for more.
Of course, the likely hood is that everything stays the same as normal, regardless of Pardew’s verbal goal scoring delusions and we scrap negatively for a point for pretty much 90 minutes. The man is a football fan’s nightmare. Unfortunately, our nightmare is real.
Rotonda heights
May 7, 2013 at 3:17 PM
Comment #15Rainrix
Sadly I think we probably can. Which sane person would bring back someone who’s been out for 3 months to start a game on a plastic pitch in sub-zero conditions after previously bringing him back too early to start matches in the Europa and Fulham away.
I don’t know what the hell goes on in training apart from an obvious lack of ”pass and move” drills. I suspect very poor fitness levels resulting in injuries and no ”passive” tackling in practice games.
fatash
May 7, 2013 at 3:18 PM
Comment #16What sort of manager comes out with “we will have to try and beat QPR” does that mean we do not try in other matches! do we always play for a point? Why would he make the substitutions he makes, where is Anita, where is Campbell or Obertan surely he could do better than Gosling and Ameobi. I can see Ameobi as better than Campbell in defence is that true of Gosling? when he brought these two on he had settled for a point and that honestly is not good enough and we nearly did not get that. His substitution have been poor throughout the season and has often used this tactic and it has more often than not failed. We will get relegated because of his tactics not because of the players ability. There is only one person to blame and that is Pardew he lacks the ability and talent to succeed at this level. Yes we can blame it all on Pardew, his tactics, his training methods and his lack of ability, he is out of his depth.
JP...from The Rock
May 7, 2013 at 3:18 PM
Comment #17jimmysmith – Good point. I have some sympathy for Pardew on that front as he has to face the music all the time and defend his bosses without sounding like a yes man, and boost players confidence without criticizing them too much and defend his tactics so players don’t become disinterested and lose faith in him.
It really is hard for him and to do that every 2 days is even harder on him and the team.
BUT, it does not defend his poor substitutions and team selections of late that are costing us big time and quite possibly our EPL status!
Indian Magpie (HD_07 on Twitter)
May 7, 2013 at 3:19 PM
Comment #18Can You Picture this
Wigan Beat Swansea
Chelsea beat Villa
NUFC Beat QPR
Arsenal beat Wigan
Table looks like this
Nufc 41
AVFC 40
WAFC 38
We are Virtually safe. Please tell me some of you can picture this
JP...from The Rock
May 7, 2013 at 3:21 PM
Comment #19Indian- That’s very possible but WE HAVE TO WIN AGAINST QPR. What would it look like if all the others went the same way and we draw?
Will we be going down by goal difference?
Rotonda heights
May 7, 2013 at 3:22 PM
Comment #20Jimmy
Pardew’s got an ego the size of America. He just loves himself and the limelight. It’s all about him. Mourinho is the same but he can back it up.
JP...from The Rock
May 7, 2013 at 3:24 PM
Comment #21Results need to go our way as we can’t seem to be able to get out of this on our own.
Let’s see if luck is on our side tonight.
Indian Magpie (HD_07 on Twitter)
May 7, 2013 at 3:25 PM
Comment #22JP
Depends on what happens B/w Wigan and Villa and us and arsenal.
If we lose then we need wigan to lose against villa. if they don’t then if Norwich have lost their games (both) we could still stay up
JP...from The Rock
May 7, 2013 at 3:26 PM
Comment #23I can’t stand the sight of Mourinho. He is 20x more arrogant than Pardew ever will be. Having said that at least Mourinho has an incredible record unlike our ‘special’ one Pardew.
spitfire_
May 7, 2013 at 3:26 PM
Comment #24Rotonda heights @15
And before that he rush Benny for Fulham… What moron you should be to make two same mistakes for 6 monts? Pardew of course.
Rainrix
May 7, 2013 at 3:26 PM
Comment #25Rotonda… There is no training its all a lie to make us feel better. Or at least pardew doesnt take training he’s too busy giving interviews all day and the rest he spends in his office writing in his little book of excuses. 🙂
In all seriousness though the problem with injuries in training has been here for a while so i dont think thats entirely on pardew but rather more on the medical staff/facilities. I think its been pointed out before that in training its all smiles and people blazing shots all over the place. Sounds like pards isnt too strict in his training regimes shocking i know 😐
Rainrix
May 7, 2013 at 3:29 PM
Comment #26Norwich will likely be our saviours, dont see them getting another point their form is about as none existent as ours and they have 2 tough games. At least we have one thats in theory very winnable but no doubt when the time comes theory and reality will be 2 different things.
DokToon
May 7, 2013 at 3:32 PM
Comment #27rotunda,
ego big as america? what are you saying sir? 🙂
t00ntime
May 7, 2013 at 3:33 PM
Comment #28AP has said in an interview that he knows we have to attack vs QPR. So atleast we will see a more exciting game on Sunday. The problem is, with injuries and the fact that we have left it so late is that now after the 60th min hba+gouffran look exhausted and we have no attacking player to bring on :S.
Todays match doesnt really matter, Wigan are likely going to get atleast 1 win so unless we win vs QPR we’re 90% certainly relegated. But if we beat QPR the chance of sunderland+norwich+wigan/villa winning 1 out of last 2 games are quite low. so we would be 90% certainly safe. (thats counting on wigan winning today, cause if they lose, villa lose in the weekend, and we win. I think it would be impossible for us to be relegated.)
So AP knows we need to beat QPR, we know we have to beat QPR. The players know we have to beat QPR. Harry hates us and will do his best to stop us and my worst fear is remy putting the nail in our coffin. BUT its been a while since we scored, and players like cisse+cabaye+hba+gouff surely cant be kept down long. we were inches away from destroying benfica for heavens sake. I’m really nervous about the weekend but I hope our players can pull it off.
Anyone for Girad as manager next season? wants to manage in either BPL or championship so thats us either way 😉
Newcastle Brown Alien
May 7, 2013 at 3:34 PM
Comment #29Ben arfas hamstring is refusing to work under par dew, i certainly do not blame it
hibbitonthewing
May 7, 2013 at 3:35 PM
Comment #30It’s illuminating perhaps that last year when results broadly went our way – albeit with some flashes of individual brilliance to help – and Pardew’s handling of HBA was lauded as great man management (by most people on here) together with the emergence of ‘Percino’, Pardew’s media handling seemed confident and balanced. Never the brightest spanner in the toolkit he earned respect from neutrals.
Now he’s up against it and luck is not going our way, the judgement is clear. He’s just not intelligent enough to deal with the pressure of elite athletes under performing. His platitudes are increasingly embarrassing for both himself and the club.
He has no insight, no grit and most unfortunately for us, no ideas.
I think (hope) we’ll stay up. We’re due one or two players having a blinder and with some leadership from Colo, there is more chance of that happening.
But please Ashleigh – acknowledge the obvious. Your assets are being devalued whilst there is no intelligent hand on the tiller. We can all see it – even those who put their support firmly behind Pardew.
We need a serious coach and a leader of elite sportsmen. Very early in the summer.
Rotonda heights
May 7, 2013 at 3:35 PM
Comment #31toontime
i think it was quite telling that girard said he was happy to coach in the championship as well as the PL
Rotonda heights
May 7, 2013 at 3:37 PM
Comment #32Dok
Nothing personal at all, just emphasizing the largeness of pardew’s ego.
Jesus1983
May 7, 2013 at 3:38 PM
Comment #33How many fans wanted Pardew sacked a few weeks ago after he jumped in the crowd?
Rainrix
May 7, 2013 at 3:40 PM
Comment #34Jesus1983…. Quite a lot of them actually.
Rotonda heights
May 7, 2013 at 3:41 PM
Comment #35Jesus
Me. It made my stomach turn
stuart no9
May 7, 2013 at 3:42 PM
Comment #36jesus @33—–me !
spitfire_
May 7, 2013 at 3:42 PM
Comment #37Last time when we score more than once in a single game was… against Stoke on March 10th… sad sad sad.
t00ntime
May 7, 2013 at 3:43 PM
Comment #38@rotonda agreed. He also said he doesnt need money to win things, a good youth and scouts are just as good. so thats a plus for us and MA. (or somewhere along those lines)
Indian Magpie (HD_07 on Twitter)
May 7, 2013 at 3:44 PM
Comment #39I posted the modified version of my comment @ # 18 on twitter and got 13 RTs and 5 favorites 🙂
fatash
May 7, 2013 at 3:44 PM
Comment #40Hibbit
Pardew, Never the brightest spanner in the toolkit
He reminds me of some chinese spanners I bought very nice and shiney to look at but when you needed the they bent and turned out to be absolute s***e