Pardew to put Ben Arfa in Nolan’s hole?
Posted on April 3rd, 2011 | 13 Comments |
Speaking in two interviews, one for the French publication, “L’Equipe”, and one for North East weekly, The Sunday Stun, Pardew revealed that he saw Ben Arfa playing as “a playmaker, a number 10, just behind one forward”. The manager also revealed his thinking on how he would be cautious about the final stages of Hatem’s rehabilitation, going slowly to make sure that he gets the best out of the player in the long term. This would be a refreshing change in the wake of several Newcastle United players returning from injury, only to return to the treatment table again after being rushed back too soon.
In the first interview, the one with L’Equipe, Pardew said of not rushing Ben Arfa:
“After such an injury you have to be patient. We don’t want to burn him out.
“The objective is to help Hatem to feel back at ease both in his body and mind. His rehabilitation has gone well, our doctors have been in constant contact with Clairefontaine’s medical team.” (Ben Arfa has been recuperating at the Fédération Française de Football’s centre of excellence at Clairefontaine near Paris).
“I have had several talks with Hatem. He has spent a lot of time in France during the last few months, so it is essential for him to adapt again to daily life in a group and get focused on the Magpies.”
Musing on a rough timescale for his return, and what his role withing the team might be, potentially playing behind the first striker in a position that has previously been occupied by Kevin Nolan, Pardew then added:
“We rely on him, above all, for next season, but we won’t rule out anything.
“If he can play one, two or three matches before the end of May, it would be fine both for us and him.
“Next season? He will play a central role in our attacking line. I want to use him as a playmaker, a number 10, just behind one forward.
“I am convinced he is able to score between 10 and 15 goals a season.”
With a slightly worrying note of caution in relation to whether Ben Arfa would still have the great acceleration he displayed before he his leg was broken in two places by Manchester City’s Nigel De Jong, he then concluded:
“We will think about how to protect him during matches.
“Our expectations are big but once again we will go slowly. The end to this season will allow us to see if he has not lost his acceleration quality.”
Moving on to Pardew’s interview with the Sunday Stun, he concentrated on Ben Arfa’s return to Tyneside on Monday, where the player will complete the final stages of his rehabilitation and reaquaint himself with his teammates, and the club in general after such a long abcence. On these issues, Pardew mused:
“It’ll be a great boost for everyone to have him back on Monday. But he’s some way off still.
“He’s coming back to get the end of his rehab in and around the players, to get a sense of the club again because obviously he’s been away for a while now.
“We want him to get embedded with us before he starts playing football again. His recovery and rehab will be here.”
On the issue of some kind of schedule for his return, Pardew continued:
“I would like to say we won’t need him before the end of the season,” he said.
“Looking at the last three games – those would be the ones you look at and say ‘Well maybe he’s going to be all right for them’.
“He might be desperate to play in that last game. Some people are desperate not to go through the whole summer without playing a game.”
Aye, divven’t rush it, Alan!
it’s not nolan’s hole and he’s spent most of this season in CM.