The current number 10 at Newcastle is Hatem Ben Arfa, and he will be sold this summer before his contract runs out next June – so when the squad numbers are given out next week at Newcastle, we fully expect Siem de Jong – a natural number 10 – to be given that number.
Hatem Ben Arfa – about to lose his shirt
That’s unless of course Newcastle have somebody lined up who is a natural number 10 and (even) better than Siem – we suppose that’s always possible.
But we read the Chronicle article about maybe upsetting Ben Arfa if Siem was given the number 10 shirt, but from everything Alan Pardew has done and said this year – it seems he has given up on Hatem – and Ben Arfa wasn’t even on the bench for the last few games of the season.
Hatem is probably more upset about being shipped out this summer, than what shirt number he is given for the next seven weeks or so – or until he is sold.
It seems almost a certainty that the Frenchman will be moving out of the club, unless there is a 180 degrees shift by the manager in his opinion of the winger.
We would love for Hatem to stay on Tyneside, and that Pardew and the player patch things up between them, but with everything that’s happened this year it seems Pardew has simply given up on the mercurial winger, who was blessed with unbelievable football skills.
And Ben Arfa didn’t play the number 10 role at Newcastle very often at all – but was played out on the wing.
In short – it seems that Siem is the future of Newcastle and (unfortunately) Hatem is not.
That seems to be Alan Pardew’s thinking.
What do you think?
Written from Winchester, England.
100 comments so far
Sazzer
Jul 3, 2014 at 8:35 PM
Comment #1Get French Football ?@GFN_France
Clement Grenier made a “personal decision” not to accept the invitation of the @FFF to attend France vs Germany. #EDF #WC14 #OL
Pizzicato The Arizona Geordie
Jul 3, 2014 at 8:40 PM
Comment #2@Sazzer, what is the significance of this??
and… who said De Jong is going to be given the number 10 shirt???
jazzyp
Jul 3, 2014 at 8:42 PM
Comment #3Geordietwo
I just think we should give players a chance before labelling them mate…That’s all.
No disappointment here buddy, Just about to show my manliness by tackling this Bacon Manwich !
Belfast
Jul 3, 2014 at 8:43 PM
Comment #4The chronicle is full of bollox. Made up nonsense.
jazzyp
Jul 3, 2014 at 8:43 PM
Comment #5Pizzicato
That was his shirt no at Ajax
the truth will out
Jul 3, 2014 at 8:45 PM
Comment #6he has asked for 69
Shaker Shakrah
Jul 3, 2014 at 8:53 PM
Comment #7bad bad article from the Chronicle
Ben Arfa is still with the team
that’s mean De Jong will take another Number .
End of Story .
Shaker Shakrah
Jul 3, 2014 at 8:55 PM
Comment #8I really hope HBA & Cisse back to their
best next season 🙂
Belfast
Jul 3, 2014 at 8:55 PM
Comment #9Being banned has made it ten times worse. They seem to now write opinion pieces on the same subject over and over again. De Jong being the latest subject lol
Laurent Robert 32
Jul 3, 2014 at 8:55 PM
Comment #10The name Gervinho hasn’t been mentioned on here after being a bit of a golden target of yesteryear. Just thought I’d knock some of the dust off it.
Like Barnetta, in the Jesmond Dene hotel, another false dawn although you can add a few more names to that list.
Absolutely pointless post there, I know.
christoon5369
Jul 3, 2014 at 8:55 PM
Comment #11Ashley had to buy SDJ so he couldnt be accused of asset stripping,
GeordieTwo
Jul 3, 2014 at 8:55 PM
Comment #12To continue from the previous article that’s roughly an 18M profit from player sales over the last 7 years so far beermonkey. Not as much as I thought it would be but not too shabbly. And 12M for Debuchy would add to that nicely. And what is Benny worth now? Probably not much with 1 year left on his deal and the season he had. I would guess 4M tops but he could come back and make a huge impact for someone with an actual manager at the helm.
GeordieTwo
Jul 3, 2014 at 8:59 PM
Comment #13I am now accepting early orders for the amazing beermonkey sports and beer drinking thong by the way! 🙂 It’s black and white with an easy access flap for peeing in peoples’ back pockets. 😯
beermonkey
Jul 3, 2014 at 9:01 PM
Comment #14G2
thought it would be more than that
GeordieTwo
Jul 3, 2014 at 9:03 PM
Comment #15Aye beermonkey so did I. But give Ashley a bit more time this summer. And that’s just the gravy. The TV money is the main meal. Beautiful.
Sazzer
Jul 3, 2014 at 9:08 PM
Comment #16Ben-arfa still here – still number 10.
Pizzicato The Arizona Geordie
GFN probably just teasing everybody by stating a fact by a player in demand.
beermonkey
Jul 3, 2014 at 9:08 PM
Comment #17G2
he will take his cash out
he is on the board now so a huge wage will go his way soon
jimmysmith
Jul 3, 2014 at 9:08 PM
Comment #18I’m confident we’ll sign a couple more Siem DeJong calibre players and equally confident one or two will disappoint and the others will be sold at profit in a year or two.
I think De Jong is here because no bigger club came in and he’ll be off as soon as one comes calling. Same with Cabella, Grenier and Laszerette, who we have a big chance of getting for the same shop window type reasons.
Malta Mag
Jul 3, 2014 at 9:09 PM
Comment #19Is it not possible that Ben Arfa may adopt a positive stance and see the signing of SDJ as a reason to stay. As Ed says, Ben Arfa rarely played in the No.10 role even though most of us imagined that to be his ideal position. I’ve always loved Ben Arfa and would be devastated to see him leave but you have to say that he hasn’t done himself any favours when he’s been given the chance. When Cabaye left I could see him play that role and come of age yet instead he looked dis interested? Maybe there is a clash between him and Pardew but you can’t only blame the manager as it works both ways. I only hope that both are big enough to patch things up and bury the hatchet.
On paper we are a couple of players short of a very decent team no matter what the sceptics amongst us say.
Pizzicato The Arizona Geordie
Jul 3, 2014 at 9:13 PM
Comment #20Yea, a number is ONLY a number.
jimmysmith
Jul 3, 2014 at 9:13 PM
Comment #21Actually, I’ll amend that last post. I think if we got those players and pushed on to 5th and maybe a possibility of fourth then we’d be a way bigger chance of keeping our better players. We’ve paid heavily for a failure to kick on when we’ve had the chance in the past.
Sazzer
Jul 3, 2014 at 9:13 PM
Comment #22Luuk De Jong unsure about going back to PSV. He will wait and see.
Charlietoon
Jul 3, 2014 at 9:15 PM
Comment #23I’d say it’s being done so that all those Ben Arfa fans go out and buy another shirt.
jazzyp
Jul 3, 2014 at 9:21 PM
Comment #24Jimmysnith
If that was the case with SDJ then do you not think it would have been better to stay for just one more season at Ajax. Then he would have been in a Gomis type scenario and surely would have had more suitors and a better wage structure offered to him than he has received by coming to Nufc
As for his brother I genuinely felt sorry for him for his time with us. He came to us with his confidence shot. To a team on one of its worse runs in history. And asked to play a more defensive role behind the Cf rather than as an out and out striker
Sazzer
Jul 3, 2014 at 9:22 PM
Comment #25Valbuena’s doubters remained, however, most notably in the shape of then Marseille coach Deschamps, who wanted the winger sold. Eventually, after two failed attempts to get rid, Deschamps was won over as Valbuena worked his way off the bench to play a key role in a Ligue 1 title and two Coupe de la Ligue triumphs.
Deschamps then later doubted the winger at international level when he took over as France coach. Valbuena was dropped for the World Cup qualification play-off first leg in Ukraine which France lost 2-0. Deschamps restored Valbuena to his side for the return leg in Paris.
http://www1.skysports.com/football/news/14657/9367172/world-cup-mathieu-valbuena-vital-for-frances-hopes
Sazzer
Jul 3, 2014 at 9:24 PM
Comment #26Like the big brother he is Siem will take shirt number 23.
jazzyp
Jul 3, 2014 at 9:32 PM
Comment #27Newcastle passe à l’action pour Lacazette http://loveofoot.over-blog.com/2014/06/newcastle-passe-a-l-action-pour-lacazette.html … #LYON #OL #LACAZETTE #NEWCASTLE #PREMIERLEAGUE #Transfert
Rumours all over Tw@tter that a 12.5 euro’s has been agreed for the sale of Lacazette to Nufc
Thump
Jul 3, 2014 at 9:41 PM
Comment #28@jazzy: I honestly reckon that LDJ will come good and make us regret not picking him up when we could. He made all the right moves, but the lad was out of practice and out of confidence. Gutting for him, really.
On Lacazette, that’d mean we’ve spent around £18m on two players… I don’t think Ashley can part with that kind of money without crying.
beermonkey
Jul 3, 2014 at 9:46 PM
Comment #29jazzy
do you think Lacazette will give us the goals to save us from going down
thump
I would like to see him here but price is key or loan deal
jazzyp
Jul 3, 2014 at 9:49 PM
Comment #30Thump
Agree mate on LDJ. I thought he looked like the perfect link player when he first came, but was used more and more in a reserved role just in front of the midfield really and behind Remy. I hope the lad comes good where ever that may be as a few goals would soon boast his confidence.
Personally signing Lacazette for that fee would make excellent Business sense to Ashley. He sold Cabs for 19 mill and for that got Sdj and lacazette in return.
That’s a cracking bit of Business in my eyes buddy
Belfast
Jul 3, 2014 at 9:49 PM
Comment #31You do know most of these rumours on twatter come from kids pretending to be football agents and journalists Jazzy ?
Indi kalia etc etc.
Thump
Jul 3, 2014 at 9:53 PM
Comment #32That’s a good point actually, mate. I’d already written off the Cabaye fee off. I suppose it all depends on this Debuchy deal, too. He could probably buy another player in an still be in profit… greedy bar steward what he is.
jazzyp
Jul 3, 2014 at 9:53 PM
Comment #33beermonkey
I think that will all depend on who else we bring in and what philosophy Pardew goes into the Pl with this season.
I thought the first part of the season we showed promise all over the pitch. but the second half we just capitulated every game…..Again I put it down to tactics and confidence.
Belfast
Jul 3, 2014 at 9:56 PM
Comment #34Like the Danny Ings one the other night.
Must be really annoying for real journalists on twatter, constantly being pestered about false stories that have originated from those fake accounts lol
Thump
Jul 3, 2014 at 9:58 PM
Comment #35@Belfast: How dare you! Indykaila is a real journo, don’t you know? He’s on the radio! …in Abu Dhabi or some such shite.
jazzyp
Jul 3, 2014 at 9:58 PM
Comment #36Belfast
I certainly do bud. but soccer sauce seem to be getting a lot of things right lately, whether that’s by sheer luck…Who knows.
One thing that has come out again today is that Lyon are in dire need of a cash injection of around 20 mill tax.
Cash up front would go along way to securing a deal for this player providing he wants to play for Nufc of course
jazzyp
Jul 3, 2014 at 10:02 PM
Comment #37Thump
As much as I would love to see Debs at Nufc next season, 12 mill is an excellent price for a 29 yr old. Providing we reinvest that in to the squad then im sure we can get over him as we will Remy at Arsenal.
Belfast
Jul 3, 2014 at 10:04 PM
Comment #38That Indi is the best one thump lol
Think he’s behind a lot of those fake accounts. They all seem to retweet each other.
probably making a fortune with all his little links
beermonkey
Jul 3, 2014 at 10:11 PM
Comment #39jazzy
its not all negative where the team is concerned but when it goes wrong we got no plan b lots of things for o]pards to work on
I am hoping the new coach we have just bought in has some impact and say in first team training
and even though last season we bought that faye in as a fitness consultant our overall fitness is poor more so second half of the season
Blofal
Jul 3, 2014 at 10:16 PM
Comment #40Jazzyp I hope that is true. I really rate Lacazette.