GiveMeSport
·27 September 2021
GiveMeSport
·27 September 2021
Journalist Liam Kennedy has compared Newcastle's talismanic attacker Allan Saint-Maximin to former Magpies star Hatem Ben Arfa.
Make no mistake about it, Saint-Maximin has enjoyed an affluent start to the new campaign.
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The 24-year-old has notched up five goal involvements in six Premier League starts this term, with a 2-0 defeat to Aston Villa being the only game in which he's failed to contribute a goal or an assist.
In that time, he's also averaged the joint-eighth-most key passes per game (2.7) of any Premier League player, while ranking second throughout the division for dribbles per game with a staggering 4.2.
Newcastle have managed just two goals without Saint-Maximin being directly involved this season and he's now only three goal contributions shy of beating his previous highest total in that respect - seven in each of the last two campaigns.
Speaking with GIVEMESPORT, Newcastle World journalist Kennedy compared Saint-Maximin to Newcastle cult hero Ben Arfa, while stating that he needs to maintain a level of consistency across the remainder of the 2021/22 campaign.
He told GMS: "He's got all the skills, he's got everything in his locker. I mentioned Hatem Ben Arfa earlier - comparable. You can't teach the kind of skill that they've got. Balance, poise, pace - everything about them.
"It's just about converting that and making it something consistent week-in, week-out and staying fit. That's what he's done this season. He's been absolutely outstanding."
Ben Arfa was at his best for Newcastle during the two seasons after he signed permanently from Marseille in summer 2011.
During 2011/12, Ben Arfa chipped in with five goals and five assists in the Premier League. As previously mentioned, Saint-Maximin is yet to actually reach ten goal involvements in a single top flight season for the Magpies - although he's already halfway there this term.
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But as Kennedy alludes to, probably the most direct shared trait between the two players is their dribbling ability. This was most prevalent during 2012/13 for Ben Arfa, when he averaged 4.2 successful dribbles per game in the top flight - the exact return Saint-Maximin has produced this term.
33 games for the Toon and is yet to better the 23 Premier League starts of his debut campaign.