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Ben Arfa: My year out injured has made me stronger

Published 22:30 22/09/11 By Simon Bird

 

 

Sucking in pain-killing gas as he was carried off in agony, Hatem Ben Arfa feared his career was in jeopardy.

 

Thankfully, Newcastle's French midfielder has just completed an impressive comeback against Nottingham Forest this week after almost a year on the sidelines.

 

But the memories of the awful day last October when he was crocked in a tackle by Manchester City's Nigel De Jong remain fresh.

 

"My leg was shattered in two places. One bit pointing this way, the other pointing the wrong direction" - Ben Arfa gestures with his arms at different angles, to emphasise the point - "but now it has finally healed, and it is straight again! It took a year, there were setbacks along the way but now it is right. It is a massive relief.

 

 

"It was 11 months. I was sad and a very frustrated at times but I had to keep calm. I wanted the whole process to hurry up. I wanted it to be ready immediately.

 

"I have not been depressed, but I have certainly been sad. It has been hard watching the team play and not being involved. It is difficult to come back from a big injury like the one I suffered, but now it is finished and I will put it behind me."

 

Ben Arfa has gone through 11 months of agony since the injury.

 

Operations to set the double fracture meant he was still walking with a limp in January - which was when Newcastle, taking a gamble that he would eventually return, paid £5million to make his loan move from Marseille permanent.

 

There were still months of rehab ahead, much of it taking place in France with doctors and former team mates that he knew, and check-ups on Tyneside, as United managed his recovery carefully.

 

It could have gone badly wrong if they'd kept a young lad in a strange town to recover from such trauma, but they allowed the leeway for him to rebuild himself back home.

 

Boss Alan Pardew is easing the French international back gently.

 

After his hour in a much-changed side against Forest, he will be on the bench against Blackburn this weekend.

 

Ben Arfa is hoping to use the whole experience to benefit his career - which has attracted a reputation for fireworks off the pitch as well as on it.

 

"So many things went through my mind," he said. "It was not just worrying about football. It was life in general. It is difficult to explain, but it has made me a bit more patient, I appreciate my career now.

 

"I think it can make me a stronger person, coming through that sort of trauma. My heart is stronger.

 

"I have to make sure that, in the long run, it becomes an experience that I learn from - a good experience, in a way. Now it is finished, though.

 

"I am very happy to be playing again. It has been a difficult year, a long, hard time for me physically and mentally. I am delighted now to have got back on the pitch."

 

Newcastle fans have paid their part in keeping Ben Arfa on track.

 

He revealed: "It feels good to be back at work. The supporters have been texting me and messaging me and I have to thank them for their support. They have been very good with me and they have kept me going."

 

There is expectation that Ben Arfa will be the major creative spark for Pardew's side and it's a prospect he relishes.

 

"It is important for me to take my responsibilities as a playmaker for this team - someone who is creative," he said. "I have to do good things on the pitch every game.

 

"I have confidence in my ability and in this squad. We have some very good players and we can go far this season.

 

"Am I ready? I would, of course, love to play some part on Saturday. I am ready."

 

Pardew will recall his first-choice XI for Blackburn's visit, and says Ben Arfa has to produce more moments of magic in training before he wins a start.

 

"It is a horrible road to go down, with a long-term injury like that," said the manager. "He is in a good place right now. He has been helped by the other new French boys. He has five or six French speakers around him now.

 

"He likes the group and he trusts us. Now it is a matter of when he is ready. He shows flashes of brilliance in training, but I want him to do it more often in training before I bring him in.

 

"My view is that he can't play out wide. He has not got the relish for it and his best football comes through the middle.

 

"Realistically, he knows he has got more to do on the training ground. He smiles at me as if to say, 'Okay, I will play next week.'

 

"He has character and there are times in [the] coming weeks [when] if he has not made a start he will be kicking my door down."

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I can't believe Pards is entertaining not starting him on Sat.

 

I'd give him the first 70min. For confidence building alone its worth it.

 

If he plays on Sat he'll score. (Not if he comes on for 12min or summink).

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I can't believe Pards is entertaining not starting him on Sat.

 

I'd give him the first 70min. For confidence building alone its worth it.

 

If he plays on Sat he'll score. (Not if he comes on for 12min or summink).

Sensible decision if you ask me.

 

When players have been out for so long, there's a higher chance of them picking up muscle injuries, so he definitely needs to be nurtured back.

 

Imagine the reception he'll get when he comes off the bench on Saturday?

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I can't believe Pards is entertaining not starting him on Sat.

 

I'd give him the first 70min. For confidence building alone its worth it.

 

If he plays on Sat he'll score. (Not if he comes on for 12min or summink).

Sensible decision if you ask me.

 

When players have been out for so long, there's a higher chance of them picking up muscle injuries, so he definitely needs to be nurtured back.

 

Imagine the reception he'll get when he comes off the bench on Saturday?

 

I agree, off the bench for a few matches, no starts in the prem

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I wouldn't say Pardoo is treating Ben Arfa any differently than he would treat any other player recovering from a 12 month injury.

 

Can't wait to see him back to match fitness. He is class and hopefully we can enjoy watching him play for us during the best years of his career.

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Pardew:

"My view is that he can't play out wide. He has not got the relish for it and his best football comes through the middle."

 

While I might agree that he's best in a central position, I definitely think he could do a job out wide. He would be given a lot more space there and wouldn't be caught up in the physical play. He's played on the wing most of his career, hasn't he? Ben Arfa or Obertan - no-brainer of course.

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Might be worth handing him a free role and allowing him to get involved in all aspects of attacking play. Certainly has the creativity and ability to do a job there.

 

As an added bonus it would fuck up Deano's formations.

Isn't that the plan?

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We're playing Blackburn who are a physical side so I'd rather not risk him if we can get away with it.

 

this, any one of them mongs whos tired will go clean through him after Arfa has shomwed him a clean set of heals for the 3rd time

 

I'd only introduce him if we are chasing the game with 30 mins to go

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Giving him the last 30 mins tomorrow is fine by me. And who are we kidding, Pardew is saying that so he doesnt slack in training, my man-management-for-dummies-book says so. I remember in the pre-season matches he looked quite buff. Hopefully he can put a shift in when he gets full match fitness. I do like the idea of having him floating around the middle though, that wasnt all that viable last year with Nolan already occupying that space. Ben Arfa Marveaux and Sammy triple sub in the 60th tomorrow, we'll counter-attack rape them! :lol:

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I'm not just excited about Ben Arfa's return, but the prospect of him linking up with the likes of Marveaux and Cabaye. As the team this year appears to be more suited to Ben Arfa's game, as we've got rid of the likes of Nolan, who despite his important contributions is very once paced and not really blessed with the technical ability that Marveaux and Cabaye posses.

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