ALAN Pardew has told Hatem Ben Arfa he will be excused his defensive duties if he keeps playing as well as he did on Saturday.
Newcastle United’s season has been built on disciplined defending, but manager Pardew is willing to excuse his playmaker such responsibilities, providing he produces performances like the one which inspired the Magpies into round four of the FA Cup.
They were the second team out in yesterday evening’s draw and will travel to Brighton and Hove Albion or Wrexham. Non-league football’s last representatives drew 1-1 at Brighton’s new home on Saturday.
Meanwhile, Ben Arfa was scoring only his second goal this season and third in all for the club to equalise against Blackburn Rovers. His all-round performance in the 2-1 win delighted Pardew.
“It’s all about balance,” he insisted. “His work-rate was quite good, it’s just sometimes intensity that’s the difference. It didn’t help in the first half that Mehdi (Abeid) stepped off a little bit and was a little bit too deep and therefore that didn’t help Hatem either. It all sort of combined.
“I was really, pleased with his attitude when he went on to the right (in a tactical reshuffle in the 56th minute). He could
have gone, ‘What am I doing out here?’ but he attacked the position. That’s really pleasing.
“I knew if we got the ball to his feet he was going to cause the full-backs a problem. His first sort of introduction that side he impacted the game and put them straight on the back foot. Then we started to dictate.
“Anyone who’s seen us will know collectively we work really, really hard defensively. Gabby Obertan sometimes switches off and Besty (Leon Best), so he (Ben Arfa)’s not alone. That ethic is what we’re about and it has to balance up.
“If he is like he was in the second half on Saturday when he’s affecting the game so much, he doesn’t need to defend.
“At times in the first half he didn’t threaten them, and then we’re losing both sides. But second half, he doesn’t need to defend when he plays like that. His close control is phenomenal.”
