A lot of Newcastle United fans are shocked and appalled by Mark Douglas’ decision to exclude Hatem Ben Arfa from his Team of the Decade.
The Evening Chronicle are getting their writers to select the best Newcastle team since 2010 as we edge closer to 2020.
Douglas decided that Moussa Sissoko deserved to be in ahead of one of the most talented players Newcastle have ever seen, and the decision has not gone down well with a lot of Toon fans.
Ben Arfa was inconsistent, but he did play a vital role in the squad that finished fifth and scored some of the best goals in the Toon’s history.
Ben Arfa also had a strong connection with the city and the fans, and that is something Sissoko never had.
Does Ben Arfa get in your TOTD?
Yes, he was amazing
No, was too inconsistent
Ben Arfa, for me, was one of the best players I have ever seen pull on a Toon shirt, and he provided us with some fantastic moments that surely warrant a place in the Team of the Decade?
Certainly, these other Magpies fans agree.
See the best of the reaction below.
???? When you actually look at what he contributed… https://t.co/r1UdObJv5n
— Mark Douglas (@MsiDouglas) November 18, 2019
Bit weird. He had a very good goals/assists per game ratio for us (better than Ginola, if I recall) and was a huge part of our best side this decade.
— Alex Tebay (@AlexTebay1) November 18, 2019
Howay, Mark… NUFC’s most talented player since Shearer, at a completely different level to Ritchie and quite clearly did more than Sissoko.
People like to rewrite history with Ben Arfa because of the way it ended, which is weird because the fans all fell out with Pardew, too
— Ben Spratt (@bensprattjourn) November 18, 2019
He contributed some ridiculous goals which will live long in the memory.
— Shaun Pearce (@shaunpearce89) November 18, 2019
Still rather HBA over Sissoko any day
— Laurence Taylor ️⚽️⚫️⚪️???????????????????????????????????? (@laurence_1999) November 18, 2019
Ben Arfa contributed some of the most amazing moments with a football I’ve seen a Newcastle player do in the last decade.
— Rafa Facts (@FactsRafa) November 18, 2019
Vital goals to win games for the team
— Robert Mitchell (@MitchellRob738) November 18, 2019