Newcastle fans only have to hear Hatem Ben Arfa’s name to start reminiscing over the Frenchman’s incredible strike against Bolton Wanderers from 2012. Any excuse to bring it up will be made, and yesterday, the seven-year anniversary of that goal clocked around, giving Newcastle’s official Twitter account an excuse to post it.
#OnThisDay in , Hatem Ben Arfa scored a sensational solo goal as Newcastle United earned a 2-0 win against @OfficialBWFC in the @premierleague… #NUFC pic.twitter.com/yH9MWiDYE6
— Newcastle United FC (@NUFC) 9 April 2019
As you can imagine, seeing that strike again went down a treat, and the Magpies would love to see something similar from their new record signing Miguel Almiron sooner or later. Staying with Ben Arfa, though, the Frenchman scored a similar goal when playing for Stade Rennais against Angers recently, as he turned three players inside out before playing a neat one-two and firing into the roof of the net.
The goals both have the similarity of being scored by Ben Arfa after the Frenchman left defenders in his wake, and the brilliance of the Frenchman is something that the Geordies still miss at St James Park. Towards the end of his days at the club, attitude problems plagued his game, and it’s a sad story to see that he never truly reached his full potential, yet in the eyes of the Toon Army Ben Arfa is still a hero.
You can read the Magpies’ thoughts on Ben Arfa and that famous goal here:
Magician pic.twitter.com/52Or3L8Jwj
— Adrian (@Adrian____29) 9 April 2019
Of all the players that left Newcastle (during the Ashley era) he has to be the one of the top ones we wish had stayed or returned
— Chris Haggerty (@chrishaggerty82) April 9, 2019
@Braddleyyyy Twice the goal Hazard scored last night.. Miss this guy!
— Max Fraser (@Fraser_Max) April 9, 2019
https://twitter.com/dillon_dodds/status/1115550663382056960
https://twitter.com/Shafka_Gunner/status/1115554638110052353
Probably the highlight of my life as a Newcastle supporter.
— The Father Nature (@TFN_PERTH) April 9, 2019
The Magpies will always love Ben Arfa for his moments of magic, and that one against Bolton was the most impressive of all.
