Time for Ba to put up or shut up!

toonsy

Listen up Demba
Listen up Demba
Well you just knew it was going to happen didn’t you?

Once again this whole Demba Ba debacle is being dragged through the press and once again the whole situation is causing uncertainty at a time where we really don’t need it.

According to the press Ba’s advisers have been chatting to QPR and are fully abreast of all the options open to the striker. Whilst it’s only the press suggesting this though I don’t feel that,on this occasion anyway, they are far wrong in their assertions and there is definitely something going on behind the scened with regard to Ba’s future.

My own personal feeling is that it’s a matter of when and not if Ba walks away from St James’ Park, but the antics over the last few weeks have actually started to make me wonder if that would be such a bad thing after all. He’s been our top goalscorer, both last season and throughout this season, but has him being played in a position which is detrimental to the team been the defining factor in all of this?

Alan Pardew has carried the can for altering the formation, with some suggesting this is to accommodate Ba who was reportedly unhappy with being played out on the wing. Personally I think there is some truth behind that and even though you can blame Ba’s entourage for going to the press, you can only blame the player himself if you listen to his comments in the wake of the Everton match earlier on in the season.

Of course Pardew has been rewarded with goals from one of his strikers, but it’s also knocked the stuffing out of another and with Ba looking increasingly likely to move on is this such a wise move?

It’s my opinion that Ba has been more than a little bit selfish. Yes he has been scoring goals this season and heaven knows where we would have been without them, but you could just as easily say that Cisse might not have lost so much form had we persevered with the way we were playing at the back end of last season.

The problem I have with Ba right now is that he seems to be playing for himself at the moment with little thought to the team. He’s shooting from anywhere right now, seldom tries to set up a chance for another player and seems more interested in putting himself in the shop window ahead of anything else.

Alan Pardew has backed Ba all the way. He’s accommodated him, defended him in public and praised him when due, so how does Ba repay him?

By letting this circus roll on and on…

About toonsy

A lifelong Newcastle fan and current webmaster of this very 'blog who has the sole aim of creating a place by Newcastle United fans, for Newcastle United fans.

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236 thoughts on “Time for Ba to put up or shut up!”

  1. Aussie the problem is his Bro and agents have overstepped the mark with comments so many times and I don’t see him telling them to shut up like .End of the day he employs them no.

    Munich ,I understand Bas worth ,I truely do, but I do believe he has had an effect on Pappiss form indirectly because he has been assured of the central slot over him and Istill believe that Pards has been foolish to so pubicly say Ba would play there given his **** form at the end of last season over a free scoring Cisse 🙄 One can only wonder what Cisse made of that comment. Honestly if it was me I would be fuming mad .
    I don’t get why you would remove a freescoring forward from his most effective position 😕 if not to apease another player that’s all.
    Anyway ,it’s the clubs problem to sort or Pards Ishould say and I’m done with the whole thing really.

    Well we have our differences but it’s all good banter ,hopefully 😉 A merry crimbo to all of you. 😀 I’m away to see how me dads doing cya later.

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  2. Papiss Demba Cisse ‏@CissePapiss
    Sometimes frustration is bad, I respect my manager&his decisions! Great win 4 the club & let’s hope we can do the same in the next 2big game
    Expand Reply Retweet Favorite More

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  3. @Munich
    my issue with ba isn’t even about cisse. i think he is a bad apple. we aren’t talented enough a squad to do well without team spirit and unity there.
    i also don’t like that arry could poach at any moment and we’ll be left with no replacement, and little funds for the next window.
    the freekicks point wasn’t on ba taking them, they were shocking but fair enough for having a crack. if you watch the match highlights ba takes

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  4. Didn’t mean to post. ba rushing to take a freekick in injury time leads to us losing possession and taraabt having a chance to equalize. all the other players were trying.to play keep ball and he’s just trying to get on the scoresheet. that’s not being a selfish striker, that’s being an idiotic prat .

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  7. AMF all the best to you and yours and hope you learn a bit more about footy in the new yr 😀 😀 lucky for richie xmas eve has fell on a monday 😆 😆

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  8. (THIS IS A GOVERNMENT HEALTH WARNING. THIS POSTER IS LIABLE TO DISAGREE WITH YOUR POINT OF VIEW. ONLY ENGAGE IF YOU AREN’T SENSITIVE AND DON’T TAKE HISSY FITS)

    We were 5 th this time last year player Ba as the main striker.

    It’s the players around him to blame, particularly the defence for the predicament we find ourselves in, not Ba.

    I can’t believe Ba is getting stick and the defence and midfield are escaping flak because of it.

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  11. Troy, you’re wasting your time trying to talk football. The mob are out on Ba, and for the bloke who cannot string more than two words of two syllables together, the bad language is flying about too.

    Pity really when there are women and children regularly visiting the blog. Shameful really.

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  12. Kim@151, I think Ba is the better bet playing through the middle. Better than Cisse, that’s just my opinion.

    Read Troy’s statement @158, the rest of the team need to step up to the plate and start creating chances for the strikers. Once that starts happening they will BOTH come good.

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  13. Ice, all the best to you and your family as well mate!! However, what more can I learn about football that I don’t already know? 🙂 🙂

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  14. (THIS IS A GOVERNMENT HEALTH WARNING. THIS POSTER IS LIABLE TO DISAGREE WITH YOUR POINT OF VIEW. ONLY ENGAGE IF YOU AREN’T SENSITIVE AND DON’T TAKE HISSY FITS)

    It’s certainly not Ba’s fault that Cisse has lost form IMO

    he’s had dozens of opportunities in front of goal which he’s fluffed.

    I suggest leaving a player who is performing brilliantly well alone and concentrate on the others in the team that are contributing nixy.

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  16. I know it’s easy to just be angry with Ba, but is it that hard to understand where he’s coming from? The lad’s from an immigrant family, and I doubt they had a lot of money before he broke into the Premier League. No doubt there’s agent and development fees to settle, too. But his career could be over next week, leaving him without ever getting his big contract. That’s a lot of pressure to carry around.

    Anyway, it’s shaping up to be an interesting transfer window. Tiote may be out the door as well. Supposedly Loic Remy is coming in to replace Ba. We’re still in for Miralem Sulejmani and Moussa Sissoko. (Hopefully Mondial have been suitably impressed by the club’s treatment of Hatem Ben Arfa to give us the inside track on those two!) Lille’s weakness on the pitch this term puts them in a more difficult position with Debuchy. The Douglas link is still about.

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  18. Wellington, the club shouldn’t take there eye off the ball either as far as Cabaye is concerned. One or two good signings would communicate the intent of the regime, and also reinforce the team. However I feel this should have happened during the close season.

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  19. Merry Christmas folks.

    I think the argument both sides is as a result that the fans see both don’t play we’ll together. Pards should only play one and as Demba won’t commit the fans see the natural solution to get rid of Ba

    To be fair it is that simple – the team comes before one man

    Ba should have been happy we were thrashing all comers last year with him outside but he has put personal wealth and glory ahead of the greater good. Sell him I say!

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  22. Ba being promised to play in the centre never implied Cisse on the wing. Seriously, why is this so hard to grasp for people? We started the season 442 with both of them in the flaming centre with pards clearly hoping that would work. Cisse is out wide nowadays because of his shocking form which as Munich and Troy have said is essentially down to him.

    It’s just like Rooney. All the sky sports “experts” were saying how he was down and out because RVP is now the main man. Total bollocks, Rooney is a hugely dependent on his form, sometimes he’s a worldbeater and sometimes he’ll miss a sitter.

    We’re not playing entirely to Cisse’s strengths that’s true. But even when we have, and sat him at the top in a 433 he’s missed the majority of his chances. Make of that what you will.

    Anyway, this argument has gone on for too long now. Merry christmas one and all, now lets whip Manure and Le **** 😉

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  23. We can play with both Ba and Cisse, we just need to get the rest of the team performing to suit there play.

    Ba is cracking the goals in, and Cisse is struggling, but Pardew is trying his best by accommodating both and waiting for Cisse to get through his drought.

    Once Cisse cracks in a couple of goals that will put a smile back on his face, and things will improve.

    KKForever@171, you couldn’t be further from the truth.

    Stardust@169 😳 Sell Ba …. 😆 😆 😆

    Pardew needs to get his team sorted out, then we can reap the benefits of two fantastic strikers, probably the best pairing we have had for yonks.

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  25. According to the German media, it looks as if the old Freiburg trainer Volker Finke, is going to take over at Senegal. That could be a good move for Cisse and Senegal, help them get out of the slump.

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  26. Munich@173

    Exactly, we can get them playing together properly if they adopt my 4312 formation for example :mrgreen:

    You too buddy 😛

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  28. Apparently Winn solicitor has been on to RVP this morning with a promise of £1500 for an injury at work 😳

    What’s annoying me is how come Lpool can have Sturridge on a medical ready to sign him come the 1st Jan and what are we doing?
    I’m not saying I want Sturridge but I keep seeing other clubs stealing a march on the transfer window but its never us!.

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  30. I think if you are one of the top scorers in the best league in the world, with colleagues around you on more money it’s natural to keep your options open. Any one of our players could be sold if the right money comes in, difference with them is they haven’t had statements from the club to the media putting pressure on them to sign and turning a fickle crowd into witch hunters…

    He has been leaps and bounds our best player and whilst I agree with some who have said Ba is greedy and tries to score from anywhere…maybe he believes he is the only one who can at the minute and to be honest he isn’t alone in that!

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  32. @indykaila: Ba to #Arsenal. Looks likely

    @indykaila: Newcastle open talks with Ajax with Holland under-21 star Jody Lukoki. This guy is very exciting player. Newcastle officials in holland.

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  33. 3HW – I’m all for signing exciting young players, but if we are facing a relegation battle, I’m not sure this is the player we need.
    Anita looks brilliant now, but look how long it took for him to settle. This lad has less experience and will likely need more time to settle.

    Wonder if they will speak to Douglas while in Holland as well?

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  34. Don’t know anything about Lukoki. Hopefully if there is any truth in this then we will bring someone like Remy in as Ba’s replacement. Finding anyone that will hit the ground running is difficult though we did it with Cisse. I think Douglas may well still be on the radar but if not him then I think we will get another CB. Have to hope Ashley will make sure we bring in at least two if Ba goes.

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  37. 3 HW – I’m sceptical, but if its gonna happen, then the sooner the better.
    Sick of the whole circus and debate about Ba now.

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  38. Aye I hope so Sharpy but I think Cisse will benefit from being the main man again and playing through the middle. We haven’t managed to get Ba and Cisse to work as a pair so Ba leaving may work to our advantage particularly if we can get someone like Remy in who can play through the middle or on the wing. He’s strong, bags of pace and may be a better foil for Cisse. For sure if Ba goes we will have to bring in a quality striker in January. Hopefully Ashley will sanction spending decent money knowing he will lose out massively if we didn’t stay up.

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  39. BB I’m sick of it as well. I think Ba will go this window unless of course any buying club get cold feet when they see the state of his knee. I honestly think it may be a blessing as long as we bring someone decent in as a replacement.

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  40. Interesting to see if Ba lines up for us against Arsenal on the 29th December. That might indicate if a deal with them is close.

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  41. whatever it needs sorting because its goals for that we are short. Goals against 26 is higher than it should be but only by a few and with the injuries to Saylor that is understandable. But we are well short of goals for. Playing 2 strikers who do not gel is part of the problem. Lack of creative midfielders in the absence of HBA & Cabaye is probably the rest. Yes we need a FB and a CB but it’s up front where the reason for our current league position lies. Ideally we need three creative midfielders playing off Ba, the striker in form. Marv, Obertan have not stepped up. Playing Cisse there is not the answer. Jonas is now a DM. We need to buy. Maybe Remy is the answer.

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  42. “Maybe Remy is the answer.” – in the longer term yes, but not for the immediate future. I just cant see him arriving, and settling in and also gelling with the rest of the team so quickly. It takes time, that we dont have or can spare.
    Pardew shouldn’t have gone on so long with both strikers. Should have given Cisse the europa games to get his form back and played just Ba in the Prem to start with.
    meh

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  44. Its all well and good saying Marv hasn’t stepped up, but he has never been given a run of games to a) get match fit, b) form a working relationship with the rest of the team and c) show us what he can do.
    The odd game now and then and the occassional sub appearance for 15 -20 mins isn’t enough.

    .

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  47. Sho no go – report

    Alan Pardew quotes reported by the BBC, Dec 24th:

    “Shola (Ameobi) won’t be going (to the African Cup of Nations). The national team manager knows the reasons, which I am keeping to myself.”

    Shola Ameobi quotes reported by the BBC, Dec 8th:

    “Every professional player loves to play at major tournaments and I’m no different. You can call me a late bloomer at international level but I’m grateful to God for this big opportunity.

    “The African Cup of Nations is what the European Championship is to others – so it will be a dream come true to represent my motherland.

    “This is a big chance and I know this is the closest for me. Hopefully, I can live that dream when and if selected.

    “I need to earn it because the are several players out there equally deserving of that chance to represent a country like Nigeria. There’s always that healthy rivalry to fight for a place – you just need to keep giving your best and hope to stay fit and healthy.

    “The club is still in Europe and Nigeria is preparing for a big tournament. It’s a big honour to be considered by both.”

    😯 😯

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  48. have a good xmas every 1 ,because judas ba will defo have 1 kerching all the way to the bank ******

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  49. Agree with you BB @195. Marveaux can come good given enough playing time. Surely Pardew can see that Jonas has faded badly this season and we need Marv’s pace in the lineup. Put both Anita and Marveaux in there from the start of games Pards. I like the idea put out by some to try Santon as a winger as well. He has great pace and is good on the ball. He doesn’t seem to have much of a cross in him yet but Jonas doesn’t either and maybe Fergie is stll not ready. I would play Fergie as much as possible in Europe along with Obertan on the right. We have to get more mileage out of Obertan. Can’t wait to get Ben Arfa back.

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  51. To All – for one day tomorrow, **** football!!!
    Hope all of you and your families have a fantastic Christmas Day.

    Toonsy – take tomorrow off mate 😀 😉

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  53. Premandup I think you have it right @191. We need a premium striker as Ba will probably leave but can’t play with Cisse even if he doesn’t. We need a CB asap and I would like to get in an RB. Give Marveaux and Anita a good run in the midfield along with Tiote after his yellow ban. Use Ben Arfa as a true no. 10 and try to release Cisse or Ba in on goal as much as possible until we get a new striker. Forget 4-4-2 with the players we have. We need Ben Arfa in the middle in behind one of the strikers. I would definitely put Ba back on the left if we go 4-3-3. Pardew has been too cautious and now the team has lost confidence. Push forward more against the weaker sides from 4-3-3 or 4-2-3-1.

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  54. 🙂 Merry Christmas lads and lasses. Ice and Big Dave stay out of trouble and keep and eye on Icepup. Kimtoon hope you have a great Christmas as it seems you’ve had some upset lately. Munich Mag, Premandup,BB, Sharpy17, and Wellington keep thinking of ways to improve the team. Brilliant to discuss the football with you. Toonsy have a Merry Christmas with your family. Write us a new article when you have time. Newkie and 3HW Howay the Lads! Troy, Shamrock, Stardy, KKForever, Moreno, AMF and all the rest Santa hasn’t forgotten you either. All the best. 😀 😆 😉

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  61. looks like the truth hurts with some people ,ba will be a judas using ****

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  62. KK with you 100% mate,will serve the git right if he fails medical,whats he ganning to do if he does 👿

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  63. dog it wouldnt surprise me if he joined QPR mite have a bet on it 😉

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  64. looks like muchin has scared dave off 😆

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  65. If the rumours are true and Ba is off to Arsenal.the Remy rumours had better be true as well. Hearing now we are arguing with them about the fee though. What else is new? Surely we can’t be expected to pay a fair price? Dekka get in there with your ugly mug and mess things up as usual. Ashley supports you all the way. 👿

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  66. So according to Pardew Shola won’t be going to ACON but he won’t say why not. It’s pretty obvious Ba is leaving and we will be short of strikers. Horrible spot to be in now with Llambias in charge of incoming. So we would have Cisse, Shola, Ranger, and Campbell. Thanks to Shola for that winning goal but that’s 1 in his last 32 Prem outings! We will be deep in the brown stuff in January the way things are looking now.

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  68. Batty, I might be wrong like but weren’t you saying two weeks ago Ba was the best player since shearer and people saying sell him were mad? Did the canal interview changed your mind?

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  70. newkie yes your defo wrong cos i never sed nothing of the sort mate ,hes just a user

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  72. djg aye love looking at the old stuff 😉 when a was young 🙁

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  73. Dave ya can come out now munchin has gone bed 😆

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  75. just been looking at cisses goals most he scored from the laft side or middle not coming in from thr right

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