What the fans see
The above table shows the possession-based touches from Newcastle players in the Premier League this season. For his time on the pitch, Hatem Ben Arfa’s numbers for unsuccessful touches and dispossession are relatively high and he has overran the ball less than only Jonas and equal to Obertan. HBA’s total losses of possession aren’t too healthy either; he loses possession 9.67 times on average per game, worsened only by 5 Newcastle players.
Although Ben Arfa’s dispossession statistics aren’t the best, what he doesn’t do, is lose the ball in silly areas – that’s a misconception of his game. The above table shows HBA’s passing stats in his Premier League appearances this season.
In his own half, his passing percentage is 91% – 8 games he has produced a 100% passing record in Newcastle’s half of the field. It is further up the field where these dispossession numbers come into play. His loss of the ball via passing drops along his accuracy – 73% in the attacking half and 71% in the final third.
More on Page 4: Where does Ben Arfa work?