The last time most of us sawe Ben Arfa.The feel-good factor is in full swing at the moment, and it seems that it is more than just the fans who are wanting to get in on the act.
Hatem Ben Arfa has been keeping tabs on what has been going on at Newcastle as he recovers from a horrific double-leg break injury with his grandparents in Tunisia, and he has a simple message to the fans who have supported him ever since he arrived on Tyneside.
Speaking to the matchday programme at nufc.co.uk, Ben Arfa has delivered a timely reminder that he is still intent on returning to full fitness and repaying the faith that both Newcastle United and the fans have shown in him since he arrived from Marseille after a long-running, and at times controversial, transfer saga.
“I am doing really well. I am staying with my grandparents and that is good for the psychology aspect because it is not easy with an injury like this,” said Ben Arfa when asked about his recovery. (more…)
Get well soon Benny boy!With good news in short supply recently, Newcastle fans should hopefully be boosted by the news that Hatem Ben Arfa could be back in action sooner rather than later.
More details are beginning to emerge over the extent of the damage caused as a result of the double leg break Ben Arfa suffered a fortnight ago.
The news from the surgeons is that Ben Arfa will be back as good as before, and he may even return before the March date that has been unofficially mentioned.
One of the surgeons who operated on Ben Arfa also operated on Djibril Cisse’s broken leg, and that was a for more serious leg break than the one Ben Arfa has suffered. I’m not so sure if there is ever a good leg-break, but if there is then apparently Ben Arfa has one.
“One of the doctors involved with Hatem is the same French doctor that operated on Cisse so he knows what he’s doing,” Ben Arfa’s agent Simon Stainrod told the Sunday Sun. (more…)
Mancini: "Disappointed" with De Jong critics.Manchester City manager, Roberto Mancini has come out to say that he is “very disappointed” with critics of Manchester City hatchet man, Nigel de Jong, after he broke the leg of Newcastle winger, Hatem Ben Arfa’s leg in two places in a vicious challenge on the 3rd October.
De Jong, who was dropped from the Netherlands squad by manager, Bert van Marwijk, for his thuggish tackle, has so far not apologised to the Newcastle United player, and has also expressed dismay at the criticism of his violent tactics. A serial offender now, De Jong also broke the leg of the USA’s Stuart Holden in a pre World Cup “friendly”, and later launched an astonishing “Kung Fu” style attack on Spanish playmaker, Xabi Alonso during the World Cup final in Johennesburg last Summer.
Nasty Nigel doing what he does best.Olympique de Marseille have threatened to take legal action against Manchester City’s serial leg breaker ‘Nasty’ Nigel De Jong.
This folows hot on the heels of the Dutch hatchetman being banished from the Dutch squad by supremo, Bert van Marwijk, a man usually known for his penchant for ultraviolence in the middle of the park after the Netherlands somewhat robust World Cup performance, when De Jong also demonstrated some of his Kung Fu skills on Spain’s Xavi Alonso during the final of that competition. Van Marwijk said of the tackle which ruined Ben Arfa’s season:
“I have a problem with the way Nigel needlessly looks to push the limit. I am going to speak to him.”
Getting back to the Marseilles story though, their President, Jean-Claude Dassier told French TV station “Telefoot”: (more…)
Sign him up!Those words in the headline aren’t my own, but they are my interpretation of what Marseille boss Didier Deschamps has had to say today.
Perhaps it’s understandable that most of the news seems to be about Ben Arfa. After all, there is no club football coming at the weekend, and to be fair the injury to Ben Arfa is just about the biggest talking point of the moment for us.
Most of us are aware that the signature of Ben Arfa was to be triggered after the young Frenchman played 25 times for Newcastle. Given the quality of the lad that wouldn’t have been a problem and we would have signed him automatically I would imagine. This catastrophic injury though has put a proverbial cat amongst the proverbial pigeons however.
There is no way that Ben Arfa is going to play 25 games this season now, which has led to a lot of questions and speculation regarding the future of our new crowd favourite. Just what does it mean? Will we sign him regardlesss? Is the deal now off? They are all questions that I have heard and read over the past few days. (more…)
