How Ben Arfa Has Been Rejuvenated At Nice.

Dubbed a failure and a wasted talent at Lyon, Marseille, Newcastle and Hull, Hatem Ben Arfa has shown that it is never late to rediscover one's lost talent . Ben Arfa has had more negative news than positives and at one stage
went AWOL in Hull before his loan deal was terminated by the Yorkshire club in 2014. This is a player who was suspended by FIFA after he tried to sign a contract with Nice and return to France, thus breaking the FIFA rule which prohibits a player from signing for more than two clubs in a season.



Experienced Frenchman and Nice coach Claude Puel stood by Ben Arfa even when he was suspended by FIFA and finally had his dream of building his team around him since his suspension was lifted ( beginning of  2015/2016 season). Ben Arfa's highlight includes a wonder goal against St Etienne on September 27, 2015 which he dribbled five defenders and slotted the ball inside the net with his right foot (weaker foot). Ben Arfa has also played 21 league games this season scoring 10 goals with two assists and creating 17 chances. He has also completed 610 passes this season with a pass accuracy of 80% and of which 59% were forward passes. The French man has been productive partly because he stars in a team that plays possession based football (4-1-2-1-2 formation) with him being the vocal point of the midfield diamond. To digress further , Ben Arfa is complimented in midfield by the likes of Nampalys Mendy (5ft 6in and holding role), Jean-Michael Seri ( 5ft  6in left) and Vincent Koziello (5ft 5in) who all lack the physical features but supplement with their possession and organisational abilities. This has resulted in Ben Arfa always having the ball at his feet and not being burdened with  the defensive duties of breaking up play or tracking back, rather concentrating on his attacking talents. At 1.77m and 69kg, he has won an average duel of 53% with a shot accuracy of 51%.

Ben Arfa has confessed that his improvement and transformation is down to his manager Claude Puel. He said " He (Puel) takes me as I am. Recently I went into his office and told him that in training, I sometimes drift off. He responded : 'Don't worry. I knew what I was getting when we signed you.' This shows that unlike his former managers Didier Deschamps, Alan Pardew and Steve Bruce, Puel was more interested in improving the strengths of Ben Arfa rather than to focus on his weakness.

The 28 year old's form has been so deadly that he recently earned a call up and played in a friendly against Germany and England  in November 2015, three years and five months after his last game for the Les Bleus during the Euro 2012 tournament.    One knows that if Ben Arfa continues with his present form then one can bet that he will move to a top side in Europe in the summer . At last talent has again shone much more than indiscipline and controversy,