It’s not something that Newcastle United fans will want to read too much into. Farbeit for me to stir up some kind of Geordie hornets nest. The fact remains however, that the Toon possess a winger of rare talent in their ranks. A winger who, if he even begins to find a decent vein of form, may soon outgrow the North East club and look for an employer that can offer Champions League football on a regular basis.
At 25, Hatem Ben Arfa is about to explode onto the world scene. In my opinion, serious injury is the only thing that has prevented him from becoming one of the stars of The Premier League already. He’s very similar in style to Nani at Manchester United, but has the potential to offer more consistency than the still regularly frustrating Portuguese.
Questions have been asked about the temperament of the player after apparent bust ups with Karim Benzema whilst at Lyon. But similar controversy has followed Craig Bellamy and not many Liverpool fans have a problem with him do they? Noone at Newcastle seems to have a problem with Ben Arfa so it’s obviously a manageable situation.
Ben Arfa is lightening quick, intelligent and powerful. He also offers an excellent final ball. Crucially, and all too rarely for a winger, he plays with his head up and combines vision with his ample natural talent. He has that bit of magic and explosiveness that someone like Stewart Downing sometimes lacks. Ben Arfa doesn’t sit in any categories marked ‘conventional’. For me, he is exactly the sort of player that Liverpool need to add width and guile to their side.
If Ben Arfa stays free of injury, you feel that it’s only a matter of time before other clubs come calling. That is no disrespect to Newcastle, who are themselves a huge club. But with the competition as it is in The Premier league there are probably only 6 teams that can claim to be serious candidates for the Champions League places and, currently, Newcastle aren’t quite in that group. Liverpool, on the other hand, probably are. Ben Arfa’s time is now or never and if he is to fulfill his ambitions with the national team, he may have to move to a club which can deliver the sort of stage that he requires in order to remind Laurent Blanc (or any future France coach) of his talent on a weekly basis.
You can surf the web to find any number of impressive highlights compilations of the tricky winger but I thought Liverpool fans would prefer to see him chewing up The Toffees.
wurkeyticket
Mar 8, 2012 at 9:54 am
errr….. Champions League???? Sorry, which Champions league group were you in this season???? Have you recently looked at the league table??? Look closely and i’ll think you’ll find we are 5 points ahead of you, with you in 7th place, you’ve no chance of a top 4 spot this season.
How much has Dalglish spent in the transfer market since he came back to Anfield and with just a Carling Cup to shout about????
If you want any more Toon players, you couldn’t get Colo, he’d rather sign for us than think about going to Anfield, why don’t you just switch to playing in Balck & White???
Ben Arfa will stay with the Toon as he sees a club on the up, rather than go to a stagnating team with a manager who is past his best!!
bill
Mar 8, 2012 at 10:02 am
when did newcastle last win anything? your owner isnt interested in taking club to next level he is all about money so anything is possible…. bet you dont have demba ba at start of next season
Nidzam
Mar 8, 2012 at 10:14 am
haha…want to gloat about that tiny cup…better nothing than that tiny cup…did it really spur you on..nope …a defeat against Arsenal…thats the thing…you gloat about the past…i wonder whether does your excellent primary result would determine ur success today…nope..King Kenny legeng? YESTERDAY…Kings of Europe = YESTERDAY…top 4 material= YESTERDAY…i wonder what happened to your once upon a time school of excellence that now u’re poaching other players….ZZZZzzzzz…Can’t wait to see Newcastle finish above you guys….btw, today is more important than YESTERDAY ZZZzzzz..
TheNark
Mar 9, 2012 at 1:27 am
Wow.
I bet that tiny cup would look overwhelmingly obese in your trophy cabinet mate. Didn’t spur us on? You clearly didn’t watch it then – as we were very unlucky there, 2 moments of RVP magic won it unjustly for them. Your fans would have given anything for Carroll to have stayed, as would Liverpool fans with Torres – but now just love to slate them even though you’d have them back in an instant. I can see why you’re eager to forget history when just 2 years ago Newcastle were in the championship – but this LFC mate, our history is there for all to see. And our 8th carling cup trophy doesn’t look so tiny nwith all of our league, champions league and FA Cups trophies behind it!
Ragish
Mar 9, 2012 at 6:09 am
Nidzam: you can talk b******* all day if you like, but you know what will happen to you AGAIN under Ashley. It was like us when we had the two clowns. We even managed to finish 2nd until liverpool imploded thanks to the two clowns. I only wonder when this will happen to you, but it seems to be sooner rather than later. You and manyoo will have the same fate it seems, only you wear that rosy glasses and don’t see it yet, just like what happened to liverpool.
Ragish
Mar 9, 2012 at 6:11 am
Nidzam you can say all the b******* all day if you like, but you know deep down that it is a matter of time before you start imploding and fighting relegation AGAIN thanks to your clown Ashley. Even Liverpool had that illusion under the two clowns when they finished 2nd, and look what happened after.
Nidzam
Mar 8, 2012 at 9:55 am
You must be a joke thinking that your team have a chance of sniffing a Champions League place…You guy’s must be dreaming and hoping when you bought Andy Carroll and look at the wonders he has done so far with his hefty price tag…anyway…like the Beatles like to say…Liverpool are so YESTERDAY!
robert
Mar 8, 2012 at 9:58 am
a club that can provide champions league on a regular basis? so not liverpool then when was the last time you had consecutive seasons in he champ league?. 4/5 years ago. why would anyone want to go o a club that destroys careers, andy carroll, torres, keane (slightly unfair) henderson (poor young lad)
Ragish
Mar 9, 2012 at 6:15 am
Torres? I thought Chelski ruined him. He was a regular goal scorer with liverpool. Well we may also talk about Mascherano then… no wait, it was West Ham who destroyed his career. Liverpool actually resurrected it. Michael Owen…. no again, oh it was with Newcastle where he barely played.
Indian Toon Fan
Mar 8, 2012 at 10:04 am
are you’s for real? get a life and stop poaching you parasites of football. We find these players and work to their strengths – you ruin thier careers. 52,000 screaming fans will agree with me. Yes he is a talent and Pardew is then man to get the best out of him, like he has done with Ba, Krul, Colo and to a lesser extent and R Taylor (ANOTHER PLAYER YOU WERE LINKED WITH). He aint going anywhere, we however are on the up. Look at the table bin eaters
stanley
Mar 8, 2012 at 10:13 am
Newcastle are 5 points ahead of you in the league and have as much of a chance of CL football as Liverpool do. We also have a fully fledged French international under the guidance of Blanc playing for us at Newcastle, in the form of Cabaye. And also, why would he want to go to a club that doesn’t seem to understand how to get the best out of their players? Carroll and Downing have reverted as players since they arrived at Anfield. Henderson has made no real improvement, and Suarez seems to be on the slide.
I think a lot of players would really think twice about joining Liverpool these days. It’s simply not the club it once was, and, in fact, is a bit of an embarrassment to English football.
The Reds
Mar 8, 2012 at 10:14 am
Liverpool will never be relegated not like NUFC… Haha. How many times do you won Trophy in Europe?
faiz ali...
Mar 8, 2012 at 10:18 am
loserfool…
Roscorich
Mar 8, 2012 at 10:19 am
Hahahahahahahahahahahaha………..*cough, cough*…..hahahahahahaha….*cough, hack*….hahahahahahaha……… You gotta be f*ckin joking!!!!! Champs football on a regular basis.???? I think a little bit of wee came out there 😀
Roscorich
Mar 8, 2012 at 10:59 am
@ The Reds.
Football is about the future, not the past. Our future is bright, yours is…. well let’s say, not so bright. Will Poorpool be returning a profit for the last year????? I think not.
Ragish
Mar 9, 2012 at 6:35 am
Bright you say? Well just wait till Ashley strikes again then!
Anfield
Mar 8, 2012 at 11:03 am
Hahaha… Ben Arfa? We don’t need him. Our need is a true ‘world Class’ player. He is not good enough to play for a big club like Liverpool. YNWA…!!
Roscorich
Mar 8, 2012 at 11:09 am
What you need is 11 world class players. I wouldn’t replace anyone in the Newcastle first 11 with anyone from Liverpool.
udinnstarr
Mar 8, 2012 at 11:13 am
everytime we go into the debate with the kopites they will say ‘how many times you have won UCL’ …c’mon stop talking about the past. this is now. spending 56 million and 7th in the league with the league cup to show is an embarrassment to your rich history, you kill good players too.
The Reds
Mar 8, 2012 at 11:13 am
No,football is not all about the future. History plays an important role for every club.
The Reds
Mar 8, 2012 at 11:14 am
No,football is not all about the future. History plays an important role at every club.
Joe Aussie
Mar 8, 2012 at 11:17 am
What are we your Scouting Dept?!! Liverpool are always sniffing around the players at Newcastle.
You want to get yourselves some decent Scouts mate, instead of waiting till our blokes find the gems
and then along comes Dalglish wanting to take them. You can keep Carroll though. Suckers!!
acherco
Mar 9, 2012 at 7:23 am
liverpool is a racist club so i personally cant see him joining them.
in the last 3 years youve outspent spurs, Arsenal, Manu, and even chelsea
and they are all ahead of you. There is one thing youre lacking, that is class,
you cant buy that.
You got rid of Benitez, who is the only manager who came close to winning the the league.
Youve now ended up with a thug, who has been in charge a year and already spent more money
than Benitez spent in 3 years. HOOO!!!!!!!, youve just won the CARLING CUP. WELL DONE!!!!.
Roscorich
Mar 8, 2012 at 11:19 am
History does not win trophies. We are a perfect example of that.
The Reds
Mar 8, 2012 at 11:52 am
I hope Newcastle wins next season UCL.
Dalglish is a Dog
Mar 8, 2012 at 12:21 pm
I hope Liverpool can continue to brag about their past and finish above Newcastle…NOT!!! If Dalglish is a nobody, he might have gotten the sack like poor Roy No doubt rich with history and culture but wasting pounds of money…all down the drain…If Dalglish is not there…pondering who will be at the helm…Top class manager (by name only), wealthy, not relegated, and you’re sitting 7th….you must be a whole lot of JOKE!
gee man
Mar 8, 2012 at 4:27 pm
i see the newcastle fans have a lot of respect for there past managers kenny dalglish, youse really are a sad lot.
ochure chujor
Mar 8, 2012 at 4:48 pm
Ben Arfa is an attacking CM! Would love to sign him though!
Toontowncalum
Mar 8, 2012 at 8:32 pm
Is it me or i am imagining things but i think Ben arfa was interviewed on monday saying he loves Newcastle and doesn’t want to leave. I thank you.
Matty K
Mar 9, 2012 at 1:27 am
He will stay at Newcastle because Liverpool will want someone better quality. If he had the chance theres no doubt he would leap at the chance. By seasons end Liverpool will leap Newcastle again – its not rocket science that Newcastle are a mediocre club whos time in relegation will be upon us in the next few seasons. Sorry – I realise the truth hurts…..
scousers are cretins
Mar 9, 2012 at 2:16 am
gee man I realy hope that was tongue in cheek. Why in the world would newcastle respect the guy who single handedly destroyed kevin keegans team? I used to think of liverpool as my second side , especially when we were playing fizzy pop league a few years ago. But there is something that doesnt sit right with me since the new yanks and kenny took over.
Fadzly of Toon Army Malaysia
Mar 9, 2012 at 4:13 am
Heard from elsewhere – Every big team got their own official football TV channel. MUFC with their MUTV Channel.. Real Madrid with their Real Madrid TV channel.. Arsenal with their ArsenalTV channel.. Chelsea with their Chelsea TV channel. Liverpool FC even got their own TV channel, and they’re damn proud of it! It’s called “HISTORY Channel”..
Jeemoh
Mar 9, 2012 at 6:59 am
Newcastle fans are nw bragging, wel dat is footbal. Its your time but mind you to all standard, liverpool are better than you guyz
Tommyy
Mar 9, 2012 at 7:56 am
Gee Man – Exactly like you did with Hodgson right? Hypocrite. He’s doing wonders at WBA now, whereas Dalglish is showing everyone how to be an average manager despite spending huge sums of money.
HGH
Mar 9, 2012 at 8:05 am
U STUPID GEORDIES WIN ‘Nothing’ (edited by soccersweep) AND U THINK YOUR HAVING A GOOD SEASON LOL UR GOOD SEASON IS LIVERPOOLS BAD SEASON,A GOOD SEASON FOR LIVERPOOL IS A TOP 4 A GOOD SEASON FOR NEWCASTLE THE TOP HALF OF THE TABLE,GET REAL ITS VERY RARE NEWCASTLE FINISH ABOVE LIVERPOOL WE HAVE DOMINATED U AND BECAUSE U A 5 POINTS AHEAD OF LIVERPOOL U THINK U ARE THE BEST ,IT SHOWS U NOT USED TO NOWT BUT THAT SPEAKS FOR ITSELF.ENJOY IT WHILE IT LASTS LOL.IM FROM NEWCASTLE .
JohnnyTheFox
Mar 9, 2012 at 8:34 am
Newcastle operating loss £37.5m
Newcastle debt £111m
Newcastle Trophies last 10yrs – 0
Liverpool operating profit £45m
Liverpool debt £0
Liverpool Trophies last 10yrs – 6
ahaha
Mar 9, 2012 at 4:14 pm
errrmmm…realiti cheik plseeee….we did win a trophy though last 2 seasons..coca-cola chmpionship..stupid red warrior spenderssss…lolololollolololoolol
JohnnyTheFox
Mar 9, 2012 at 9:06 pm
Sorry was that a trophy?
I thought it had fallen off a charm bracelet !!!!
Jenfc
Mar 24, 2012 at 10:14 am
Omg to that Newcastle fan, All because u above us at the moment you think you got a hell in chance finish in the top 4 lol dream on and yes we won’t finish in top 4 too but i still think we can finish above u and get 5th and all big teams around you haven’t been playing that well this why your up there, If we would took our chances and other teams took there’s and playing well them you wouldn’t be up there now in 6th.