Park Life

He's got coaching badges apparently.

He's nifty.

Quite.

That'd be one argument the twat couldn't walk away from

Really hope this happens. Mad and madder.

According to the BBC. The Yanks like him. Can't see him and Dalglish getting on tbh...

Rumour is that we've already signed this Douglas bloke.

Don't listen to em LM. Gloom's real name is Marcus Daley Goldstein.

It was clear at the time Pards wanted Obertan to succeed even when it was clear to all of us it was to the detriment of the side.

Agreed. He was awful when he had the run in the team after Christmas. We've had to be patient but I don't think I ever doubted the talent was there, just the temprament wasn't. Seems to have clicked with him and we're feeling the benefit. absolutely. we all wanted ben arfa to start because we were all aware of what he was capable of. but he wasn't doing it on the pitch so pardew was right to drop him. he was giving the ball away far too cheaply, not doing enough work off the ball. now he busts a gut for the team and seems to know when to pass and when to dribble. he also seems far better off playing the more advanced role in a 433 than he did wide right in the 442. it was galling seeing him on the bench while the likes of obertan and ryan taylor started ahead oh him but i reckon pardew has played it to perfection tbh. he used the media to criticise the player to let him know when he wasn't doing it on the pitch and showering him with compliments when he got it right. he's got a supremely talented but potentially temperamental frenchie playing out of his skin in for him. kudos to rapey Love this post coital Pardew mystification. Think Hatem just needed pitch time not 20/30 min here and there. Those are the facts. The Hatem quotes after the Swansea game were that of a player desperate to play good football not a player being man managed to perfection. Again that is a FACT.

Aye, when he was rumoured as signing i was astonished that the player considered by many in France as the most talented player the country had produced since Zidane, was potentially signing for us. Everyone has an opinion on him and a lot of french fans think he is an idiot and will never amount to anything. An equal amount consider him a magical talent who has not fulfilled his potential. The hyper critical mindset of the french fan created a lot of pressure around him when he was younger. In my experience, the antagonistic style of the french and the way they treat language means that heated words and things said in anger are treated more seriously and felt more acutely. His trouble came from his mouth and attitude to authority which was why the move to England made sense, just from the fact he was much less likely that his mouth was going to get him into trouble. The move to England has been about much more than that, the change in culture and how people treat him, the injury and the need to think more about his game in the heat of the premiership has led him to improve his game enormously. Consistency was always his issue at Lyon and Marseille for whatever reason (selection and attitude as much as his performances) and it seems that he is finding his rhythm in this league and playing a consistent role. That has given him the platform to produce the stunning displays of recent games. Massive credit to the player for coming back from the injury and staying patient but massive credit to Pardew who has apparently done what 3 or 4 french speaking coaches couldnt do before him. Same with my Spanish mate here, they are hyper critical of player performances and good technique has to be a given.

You had a lot less time for Pardew though and wanted Ben arfa to put in a transfer request. His deft trout tickling approach to Ben arfa that so infuriated for so long seems to have got the very best from the lad. I've eased off on Pards cause he's done what most have been calling for: more on the ground and HBA starting. If he'd been doing that earlier and not playing melon half a season I wouldn't have started nibbling at him. Hatem is older and that has also worked out in our favour. We are where we are on merit and I haven't hesitated in giving the manager credit for that....I was wrong in the sense that I underestimated Pards game view (his team awareness) and his ability to build a kind of togetherness and get the best out of average players: The sign of a good manager. Clearly a manager who is developing and willing to learn. He has put his ego aside which used to be an issue a decade ago. I'd still like us to stick to a 433 but as long as we keep winning that is moot. For once things have come together for the club so let's celebrate it and hope for the best.

-L’Equipe : “Ben arfa raises Newcastle” http://www.lequipe.f...ewcastle/276022 -Sport365 : “The sensation Ben arfa” http://www.sports.fr...rre_449507.html -Sport24 : “We can’t stop Ben arfa anymore” http://www.sport24.c...ben-arfa-547414 -Footmercato : “Goal of the year for Ben arfa ?” http://www.footmerca...-ben-arfa_83191 -Le Parisien : “Ben arfa scores (again) a goal from nowhere” http://www.leparisie...012-1946728.php

Said some good things today and imo successfully keeping a lid on the CL thing. I suspect he understands that we're now almost in a win-win scenario and has been at his psychological best last couple of weeks.

Some of these clubs have played a lot more games than us.

At one point it was me and you versus the whole board iirc. Not quite, my thread on him was over 100 pages before you appropriated him I didn't 'appropriate' him, I jumped in when he was getting battered outside the pub by savages. Through the long dark winter me and Jonny held a candle for him and a little croissant and warm milk by the fireplace. Cabaye today: "Ben Arfa is different class...That's it."

IMO the front 3 operate freer and better in the 433 with the added bonus of Hatem picking up the ball often higher up the pitch where it hurts the opp.

I was having a moan about it in the match thread.

At one point it was me and you versus the whole board iirc.

Spurs 3 away games in their last 5. Think it's on tbh. Might come down to the last game.

Spurs are running into some real terrific form.

Unreal.

100% behind Pards for bringing him off, he looked tired and sluggish.

Hatem MOM for me. Does what a game changer does.

Spurs are losing btw