Ben Arfa out for three weeks?

Posted on July 21st, 2011 | 38 Comments |

Oh no! Not again!
Oh no! Not again!
As many of you may have heard, Hatem Ben Arfa was stretchered off in the Magpies’ 0-0 draw with US team, Sporting Kansas early this morning (UK time).

As esteemed collegue Hugh reported in this piece, Ben Arfa was injured around thity minutes into the game after a tackle by Kanasas player, Espinoza, and will be returning home from the tour. This is something that will, no doubt, be somewhat worrying for many Toon fans, especially so after the events of last season with Ben Arfa’s double leg break after a shocking scissor tackle committed by Manchester City hatchet man, Nigel de Jong.

Anyway, this may be just gossip, but honoured and trusted site user, ‘Geordiedug’, has has had word from a friend who is staying in the same hotel as the Newcastle United team that he has spoken with French master himself and he said that he was suffering with an ankle problem, should be out for around three weeks, and hopefully, will be back for the start of the season proper.

We will endeavour to fill you in with any further developments.

Over and oot!

NUFCBlog Author: workyticket workyticket has written 1091 articles on this blog.

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Posted on by workyticket in category: Hatem Ben Arfa and Injuries and fitness and NUFC gossip and speculation and Pre-season and Workyticket , with tags:
Comment on this post

38 Responses

  1. When I heard the news I was shocked as it was what I was dreading. Ben Arfa is our best player by miles and if he is injured for a lengthy spell then our whole attacking force loses strength. The team will not operate the same without him. He is what Thierry Henry was for Arsenal. An incredible talent that we cannot afford to lose for another season, especially now that we have not got Andy ‘Judas’ Carroll’s goals nor Nolan’s to help us along in his absence. I really feel for the lad and I bet he feels for us too. This is really sad news and I only wish a speedy recovery to this football magician.

    GET WELL SOON MATE

  2. @JP

    gan easy mate he’s only played a handful of games for us. I would say tiote and barton + colo were ahead of him as best player… imo

    but yes, he would be missed if out for too long

  3. mark says:
    July 21, 2011 at 6:36 pm

    “@JP

    gan easy mate he’s only played a handful of games for us.”

    I saw him playing before he came to Newcastle and I can say that he is indeed a remarkable player mark. He’s certainly been in the wars since he jouned us though and I hope that he doesn’t pick up any long term damage from all these injuries.

  5. big sighs of relief all round,as long as he’s alright.
    i think this american tour was a bad idea,we should have stopped hyem,and got the new lads bedded in against british opposition.

  6. “Ben Arfa is our best player by miles and if he is injured for a lengthy spell then our whole attacking force loses strength”

    “I saw him playing before he came to Newcastle and I can say that he is indeed a remarkable player mark. He’s certainly been in the wars since he jouned us though and I hope that he doesn’t pick up any long term damage from all these injuries”

    The wisdom of playing a formation which revolves around ONE player in a central key position is flawed to say the least.

    So IMO part of the problem lies with NUFC, forming a team around a fulcrum, while and another part is HBA himself !

    I watched the highlights of the Everton game from last season when he took the BBD’s on almost single handed. In the second half its pretty obvious there’s more emphasis on stopping him than in the first. Indeed at one point after Coleman lunged at him (unsuccessfully) there’s a blatant “scissors” foul on him by Jagielka (I think its him, he’s got 4 on his shirt but cant make out the name) which went unpunished by the referee.

    HBA’s skills undoubtedly mark him out as one to take special care! Similarly Ronaldo suffered from the same problems when he was at the Mancs but the key difference between them and us is that they had far more players of quality to make it more difficult for the opposition to single out any one player. I dont want to see HBA’s talent watered down so having some quality alongside would help even things out a little. Shaquri would help :)

  7. TROJAN 69 says:
    July 21, 2011 at 7:06 pm

    “i think this american tour was a bad idea”

    Some if the Septic fans on here and elsewhere might disaree like Trojan ;-) and we could have just as easily had a key player knacked over here as over there.

  8. I think the donkey CBs in the Prem are going to kick him to f**k. At least we’ll get a fair amount of free kicks and pens

  9. AndyMac says:
    July 21, 2011 at 7:09 pm

    “The wisdom of playing a formation which revolves around ONE player in a central key position is flawed to say the least.”

    I see what you’re saying Andy, but sometimes, and I’m not necassarily writing about Ben Arfa here but generally, sometimes a player is so good that it’s inevitable.

  10. “I see what you’re saying Andy, but sometimes, and I’m not necassarily writing about Ben Arfa here but generally, sometimes a player is so good that it’s inevitable”

    The problem is that HBA sticks out a mile as a formidable offensive opponent so there’s a natural inclination, from opposing teams, to mark him heavily and sometimes out of the game.

    Not wishing to drag up old wounds again but I remain convinced that there were instructions from Citeh’s management to let HBA know he was in a game as early as possible !

  11. As an opposing defender, faced with a forward line of HBA, Strolla and Lovenkrands who would you target ?

    On the other hand a three pronged forward line of HBA, Shaqiri and Sturridge would provide a major headache for any defence and would take the pressure off HBA to a certain extent.

  12. that’s just me worky,i cannot honestly see the merit of it.unless it’s a money making venture,though pardew reckons it’s a break even,whatever than means.
    i might be wrong,but all the travelling isn’t ideal preparation,and some of these american league players,will see these games as cup finals,and put the boot in.there is always a risk while playing,but i think if we were playing british sides,even if they are lower league,still use the games to top up their fitness levels.

  14. Even more reason to sign another couple of players if he is out for the start of the season WHO will replace him.. my god like? Can they not see how much of a small squad we have pardwho and cashley better start bloody spending or we will be in trouble… If we loose to the arsenal it will be a big big game against the scum that could well determine or season PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE spend

  15. AndyMac says:
    July 21, 2011 at 7:23 pm (Edit)

    “The problem is that HBA sticks out a mile as a formidable offensive opponent so there’s a natural inclination, from opposing teams, to mark him heavily and sometimes out of the game.

    Not wishing to drag up old wounds again but I remain convinced that there were instructions from Citeh’s management to let HBA know he was in a game as early as possible !”

    Aye, all true enough Andy, but generally, when you do have player who is head and shoulders above the rest it can still become inevitable. But then again life is full of paradoxes and contradictions which need to be resolved somehow.

  16. Hugh de Payen says:
    July 21, 2011 at 7:32 pm

    “More importantly, why don’t they make square sausages? It would make cooking my tea easier.”

    They would be better for sausage sandwiches too Hugh!

    Perhaps ‘Somerset square sausages’ would be a good business idea? ;-)

  17. AndyMac says:
    July 21, 2011 at 7:27 pm

    “As an opposing defender, faced with a forward line of HBA, Strolla and Lovenkrands who would you target ?”

    Strolla of course! :-)

  18. i think people need to realise chelsea are wanting in the reigon of 15-20 plus for sturridge nufc isnt going to pay anywhere near that and to be fair its a bit pricey aswell!

    if HBA isnt strong enough for the premier league then we will find out soon enough its a physical fast paced league but reckless challenges happen everywhere in every country so he needs to work on durability and robustness but again to be fair to the lad hes fresh off a bad injury so it takes time and we are already resting the hopes of the season on him

    the usa trip is a must for publicity and fund raising theres nee point playing gateshead and carlisle every season as you need to fly the flag outside the northeast and getting decent income is a bounus aswell. nufc has a massive following in the usa and this trip can only be a positve thing for the club! injuries will happen whatever country your in

  19. @workyticket

    I hear what youre saying m8, I too saw him before he signed & there’s no doubting the talent he is but.. I still think Barton plays more of an all-round role for the toon.

    Its like Ginola, great to watch but R Lee was probably our best player in midfield..

  20. Didn’t see the tackle that crocked HBA last night, but he can’t really be called ‘injury-prone’ on the back of de Mong’s tackle.

    I just hope he can get back to his best and we get a few seasons of good football out of him before Ashley sells him on at a profit.

  21. mark says:
    July 21, 2011 at 7:59 pm

    “Its like Ginola, great to watch but R Lee was probably our best player in midfield..”

    Aye mark, I see what your getting at there because Lee was such a versatile CM. He could pass beautifully and be a playmaker one second, and be just as good as a defensive mid the next. Players like that are very hard to find, especially nowadays with so many top teams playing 4-3-3 style formations.

  22. Just a thought but do u think HBA could do with beefing up he,s really skinny needs put some weight on i fear for him when the season starts games like wolves stoke in fact every team no player likes to be skined and HBA is master of it the tackles will be flying in i wonder how he copes when we play man city and hes up against that bastard de jong it will intresting

  25. “jimbobnufc says:
    July 21, 2011 at 8:16 pm

    “Just a thought but do u think HBA could do with beefing up he,s really skinny needs put some weight on i fear for him when the season starts games like wolves stoke in fact…”

    So did George Best and he had people like ‘Chopper’ Harris to deal with in times when football was far less polite jimbob.

  26. i think you fall into one of 2 categories of skillful type player you can rely on in your team

    one is the beardsley category were your not physically big and strong but your tough robust and clever enough to ride tackles that will come your way and you have a strong and professional will to win

    the other is the kieron dyer category where you have all the skill and ability in the world but your body just isnt up to the challenge or your head gets turned by fame and fortune (you can insert about 95% of all English players in this category)

    for me the jurys still out on HBA

  27. geordiedug says:
    July 21, 2011 at 9:38 pm

    “one is the beardsley category were your not physically big and strong but your tough robust and clever enough to ride tackles that will come your way and you have a strong and professional will to win”

    My favourite player in all my time watching Newcastle United. Besides being a legend himself, he made so many other legends because he made goals for fun. A real artist.

  28. Shaqiri would be the ideal player to fill in for HBA as he’s young and is touted as the future of swiss football. Nonetheless I don’t think we should be targetting another midfielder when we need cover in other positions i.e ST and LB

  29. The team should defo go to places like the states.
    It builds team spirit & is essential for expanding to new support bases around the world, owt else is small minded.

    HBA doesn’t need to put weight on either, it would kill his game & slow him down.

  31. Good football doesn’t rely on being fat though.
    Slim=agile/quick.
    Aye, ya’ need some fat gets too, but some of the best players ever were slim/lithe whatever.
    ;)

  32. In fact,
    it’s beefing up that leads to that vile english approach to football that we see with the national team-Yuk!
    It’s all bluster & hoofing.
    Skill & agility is now required if we wanna compete.

  33. i ment him hamming the gym the EPL is really tough thats a FACT? He needs some upper body strengh so he can stay on his feet

  34. Before we deify this guy, lets see him give us a season of football.
    He’s played a couple of games and is being compared to Rob Lee, Ginola and Beardsley, I mean c’mon guys ?
    Sure there’s great expectations, but like, here we go again, looking for the messiah.
    It may surprise some of you to learn football is a “team game” not a one man band.
    So lighten up and remember we have other exciting signings, with more to come (hopefully)
    As for the US tour, sure some ex pats love it, but doubt if many live anywhere near the clubs we are playing, not exactly destinations for immigrants or business people.
    Probably chosen (the tour) as a, “buy the shirt and support us as a EPL side” thing.
    But ill conceived and expensive, with constant traveling, Hughton had a better idea, took them accross to a hotel in Ireland especially designed for pre season, with equipment,pitches, physio, even a golf course.
    Typical when you make a comparison, one guy low keyed quiet, smart, the other a walkie talkie, wants to be in the spotlite and goes for the more glamerous.
    Hey whadda ya gonna do !

  35. On the subject of bulking up, sure some players like our kid Ferguson could use some of whats generally refered too as upper body strength.
    But an example of whats required is too look at Ryan Giggs
    who has as much fat as a gresy chip, who for a number of years has practiced yoga.
    And look at the Barca side, a bunch of little guys, who are like terriers in persuit of possession, who when in possession are amazing in their ability to keep control.
    Quite a difference from our style, when fans became anxious and still called for Enrique to hoof it out, instead of play it out and retain possession.
    Look NUFC fans have allways liked to see a brand of entertaining football and it presently looks like we have signed some players who can deliver, so lets enjoy the trip, and fugeddabout making them into Arnold Shwartzenegger’s.

  36. Honest answer has to be we don’t know how good or fragile he is because he has barely played for us. He could be a Ginola, or a Huckerby. A Beardley or a Robert!…you get the idea. Getting far too much carried away.

  37. Terrible idea to beef up Ben Arfa! We might as well sign Emile Heskey! Gods sake. Get Jack Charlton back as manager, or Big Sam.

  38. geordiedug says:

    “i think people need to realise chelsea are wanting in the reigon of 15-20 plus for sturridge nufc isnt going to pay anywhere near that and to be fair its a bit pricey aswell!”

    You must think I’m deluded GS :)

    We’d never pay £20m for any fecker but he is apparently available for a season long loan but it looks like Chelski are gonna offer Sturridge to Anderlecht for a season as part of the Lukaku deal ?