It’s been a slow start to life on Tyneside for the Senegalese international but in recent weeks there have been signs that the former West Ham striker has been steadily clicking into gear at NUFC.
It all started against Fulham for me. He didn’t start that game and instead came off the bench. He didn’t find the back of the net, but he did nearly break the woodwork on the Gallowgate goalframe with a ferocious shot from the edge of the area. He drew another blank against Villa but played well despite the lack of a goal and obviously now we have his hat-trick from the weekend to consider.
It’s been coming for a few weeks now and whilst I didn’t expect to see a hat-trick there have been sings that Demba Ba is starting to find the form he showed at West Ham last year. With arguably a better team behind him who is to say that he won’t do even better?
Ba’s record speaks for itself and it stacks up with the best of them. He’s averaged a goal every two games throughout his entire career which is none too shabby in fairness. Put simply, if you play him, he will score goals.
How many can he score though? 5? 10? 15? 20? I’d be willing to bet that he can hit the 15 goal mark as long as he remains fit although it’s the remaining fit part which is cause for concern.
Ba has issues with his knees. It’s widely known and it’s no secret, but what I will say is that it hasn’t really held him back in his career to date and it’s been some time since he has been out with any form of injury. Rest assured that I am vigorously touching wood as I type this in the hope that an injury doesn’t crop up from somewhere.
I’ve read some utter tosh regarding Demba Ba in the last few weeks. I’ve read comments berating him and writing him off already. I hope to high heaven that he makes those people eat their words. Apparently you aren’t allowed time to settle into a new club before being written off. I’d have hoped that the way Jose Enrique, Joey Barton and Fabricio Coloccini proved people wrong after their shaky starts to life on Tyneside would have heralded at least a slight change in opinion. Apparently not…
It’s early days for Demba Ba, but if he can continue to improve and find the back of the net on the regular basis that his record seems to suggest he can the we could well have found our goalscorer. He’ll be getting chances, and with a strike partner in the form of Leon Best next to him it could Ba who comes shining through in the end.
What do you think?
How Ba and Tiote managed to play whilst fasting beggars belief but it shows their determination, i couldnt go past lunch time before flaking out.
Ba was outstanding in a relegation haunted West Ham side, i can see him playing as the lone striker with Ben Arfa playing just off him, my worry is that they will prevent further strengthening and if we are honest, we still lack depth particularly at the back.
Robert(Quote)
He is a goalscorer as is best but would really love another striker; ameobi and loverman are not going to be up to it im afraid.
Liam Southern Toon(Quote)
Troy any news on the talksport comments mate?
Liam Southern Toon(Quote)
Ba is quality. His first goal was class and hopefully sat performance is the start of a goal scoring run for him
johno toon(Quote)
Interesting stat was BA had three shots on target….three goals. Clinical
Liam Southern Toon(Quote)
MY LINEUP FOR WOLVES GAME:
================KRUL==================
R.TAYLOR====S.TAYLOR==COLO=======SANTON
================TIOTE==================
OBERTAN========CABAYE========GUTTIEREZ
===============DEMBA BA================
================BEST==================
SUBS: SAMMY, MARVEAUX, ARFA
NOT USED: HARPER, SIMPSON, GOSLING
I’M A BELIEVER(Quote)
The trouble is, there is so much pressure in the prem, that there is no time for players to settle.
This was the fear many had, about so many changes to our team this season. If the players hadn’t bonded so well, after the debarcle that was pre season, we could well have found ourselves rock bottom after 6 games.
Fortunately this was unfounded fear, and now we are in an absolute dream position in the league. The players have great spirit throughout the whole squad and seem to be enjoying themselves. The football has been mostly good to watch. And yes we have ridden our luck at times, so what, we have been due a little bit of lady luck for a change after all the bad luck we have had over so many years.
Ba n Best played well together and was good to see. If Besty can get his finishing sorted, we wont be buying a striker come january.
Christ on a bike we could of won that match 6 or 7 up easily. You dont get many chances like that in this league, so you have to take them when you can.
Ba looks the real deal and well worth the investment. I’ll put him down for 19 goals this season.
Beardsleys Boots(Quote)
Liam – disagree that Loverhands isn’t up to it mate. It wouldn’t surprise me if he ousts Best in the team. I think the style of football we are starting to play will suit him more now and he can put the ball in the net better than Best. Maybe. Possibly. ???
Beardsleys Boots(Quote)
BB – im thinking long term mate he is 31 now and next season may find himself surplus to requirements.
For me he doesnt do enough in games. He is a good finisher but unlikely to be starting in the near future
Liam Southern Toon(Quote)
I’m a Believer- Only 6 subs? Replace simpson with RTaylor? Harsh.
Santon wont get a start even if fit. Same line up for me that started v B’burn.
Beardsleys Boots(Quote)
Agree about the long term Liam, but if Besty doesn’t find his shooting boots and soon, he wont be here long term either.
And NO I’m not dissing him or getting on his back, I actually like the lad and all the work he is putting in, but at the end of the day he is paid to bang that ball into the back of the net, not row z 8 times a match. lol
Beardsleys Boots(Quote)
Yeah I agree that Loverman is too old now. His contract runs out at the end of this season and I can’t see the ‘home-counties’ mafia offering him another contract, Best would be better. Thought Best was excellent against Blackburn, he set up one, was ready to pounce for the second and prevented the third being cleared off the line. Top man!
jc(Quote)
http://www.scotsman.com/hibernianfc/Phil-Airey-returns-to-Newcastle.6842869.jp
I’M A BELIEVER(Quote)
s.taylor talking on talksport
asim(Quote)
“‘home-counties’ mafia ”
Beardsleys Boots(Quote)
Home counties mafia 😆
Much better. And accurate to boot 🙂
toonsy(Quote)
Btw has anyone else noticed how zoes nickname for cabaye has spread and is being noted every time the ronnie mention him?
Dubtoon(Quote)
I hope we’ve found ‘one of’ our goalscorers in Ba.
Best has also improved a lot over the last year, probably down to the simple fact he’s been getting games under his belt.
Despite this, I really hope we still bring in a quality striker in January. In my opinion Shola and Lovenkrands aren’t really up to it, and Ranger, well, err.
Must admit, Pardew’s latest …..”The strikers we have now are going to have to prove to me that we don’t need to invest in one”…..comment pissed me off a bit. I’m sure if Best and Ba are still fit, and have hit 20 between them come Christmas, we can forget about another Striker coming in. Maybe I’m just greedy, but I still think we need another.
Rodzilla(Quote)
Rodz – What did you expect him to say?
“Yeah sure, they are both playing well and scoring goals but it doesn’t really matter as we’re still looking for someone to replace them no matter how well they do”
End of the day I don’t see the point in spending money on a striker unless they are going to be a marked improvement on what we have. None of the strikers over the summer ticked that particular box for me apart from perhaps Gameiro and Cisse. Maiga? Nope. Erding? Nope.
toonsy(Quote)
Toonsy, point taken on Pardew’s comment, it just irked me a little because I read between the lines with everything and that to me sounded like “we ain’t gona bring anyone else in, so don’t build your hopes up”.
You can’t deny every decent side needs quality competition in all areas of the squad, particularly so at the ‘business end’. At the moment, Best and Ba seem nailed on as our front 2 (when we play with 2 upfront), but one of them will get injured at some point – it always happens, and one of them will also hit a dip in form – that’s inevitable. I’d still like to see another. I currently think we’re a LB, RB and striker short of a VERY strong squad. I’m just a perfectionist, with a dash of OCD, and it bugs me when things aren’t quite there yet.
Rodzilla(Quote)
Pards is keeping his distance regarding strikers & I dont blame him. We might not need one if Best/Ba keep improving. Pards is doing the right thing keeping schtum since his egg on face experience during the transfer window.
My biggest signing in Jan would be an improved 2-3yr contract for Collo.
mark(Quote)
I see the never – improving at 30 SRPhillips was playing his usual pap game y’day.. Barton must be pig-sick plying his trade with these no-hopers. DJ Campbell, Derry, SRPhillips, FitzHall are their best players and they’re all utter ****..lol he wanted a challenge, certainly gets one playing with these donkeys.
mark(Quote)
If Ba continues this form, and even is Best is also firing, we will still need to add a striker in as the former is likely to be called up to the African Cup of Nations.
Susan Boyle(Quote)
Indeed, Susan. How are the new gnashers fairing anyway? I must say you’re looking fantastic of late. I’m sure your new pearly whites make tearing the livers from new born calves quite simply a doddle these days.
Rodzilla(Quote)
I don’t see this ‘and have hit 20 between them come Christmas, we can forget about another Striker coming in’……why? If someone who’s better is available [unlikely] then yes…but not just to bury the old chestnut about spending money. The club is very clearly leading the way forward for all the clubs who aren’t backed by a mega rich owner, and whilst it’s easy to slag Ashley, I think we may all have to admit that things are being done the right way at the club, possibly in living memory [and I’ve got a very long memory] I still maintain that we’ve not sold anyone who didn’t want to go and agitated until they got a move, and I might be wrong but I don’t think Ashley is a fool and if players like HBA, Cabaye, Tiote etc are performing on the pitch week-in week-out they won’t be sold. That will also apply to Collo, although not sure how they’ll fit his high salary into their wages structure like.
JoeSoap(Quote)