Our top scorer will, apparently anyway, be playing tonight despite strong rumours linking him with a move to Chelsea in the near future.
Of course that potential move may just be a rumour at the end of the day,but it wouldn’t surprise me if those rumours are true. It’s pretty clear that Demba Ba’s representatives are pretty “aggressive” and I don’t doubt there have been meetings, but forgetting Chelsea and forgetting any moves by other clubs, the real question for us to consider should be trying to find the best course of action as far as NUFC is concerned.
Should we play Demba Ba or should we leave him out until his future is resolved one way or the other? There is an argument for both scenarios of course so let’s take a look at them, starting with the rather short argument supporting why he SHOULD be playing.
The argument for playing Ba is obvious really. Simply put he is our top goalscorer and we need goals so on that basis he must play. There really isn’t much else to it and it would appear that this is the option that will be used by Pardew. One thing I will say is that through all of this Ba has always still produced the goods so why should the latest round of rumours make any difference?
However the argument for NOT playing Demba Ba is a little bit deeper as many other factors come into play. For once, as mentioned above, I don’t think motivation of the player is going to be an issue. Ba seems to be a pretty driven and focussed individual and he’ll do what he can, but what about the effect on the rest of the team?
First off we have to look at what, or who, will be left behind should Ba actually depart for pastures new. The main man will be Papiss Cisse who is being used out of position which is doing no good for the lad. He is a striker and nothing else, he is doing his best in a position unfamiliar to him but he needs to be up front to cause the damage we’ve seen he can cause.
Is it worth perhaps looking at putting Cisse back through the middle in an attempt to play him into form? I mean we’re going to need him to bang in the goals should Ba leave and I’m thinking of our fortunes beyond January.
Then there is the team. Will they be as willing to back a man who they know might be away in a few days or weeks? Would there be a second though if that killer pass to Ba was on? Would it cause annoyance if Ba continued being the focal point when it looks likely he will leave?
How about the fans? What will their reaction be to a guy who has always remained tight-lipped and non-committal over his future? Granted he’s never said he wants away, but he’s never said he wants to stay either. It does work two ways…
Ultimately it’s Pardew’s call. He’ll see what is going on and I dare say he is aware of what is going on. He’ll also know if Ba is ready to play and if the team are ready for him to play and it seems that, after all that, Ba will play anyway.
Is that the right decision though?
Good question Toonsy and not easy to answer really. I must admit he has stayed focused throughout all the rumours surrounding him and as our top scorer you would have to play him I suppose. On the other hand I do wonder how the other lads in the dressing room are feeling about the whole circus. Do they feel it’s affecting the team /club /moral 😕 who knows .Maybe we need to let Cisse take centre stage over Ba for a couple of games after all we need a confident Cisse back in form and it would show real faith if Pards played him over Ba and not just after Ba leaves. Pards has a tough call to make and it may be determined by how much the club want Ba to stay and agree new terms, if they want shot now then he may as well play Cisse imo.
KIMTOON(Quote)
1st 😉
KIMTOON(Quote)
who does he play for? of course he should be playing, we’ve had this speculation and clause ***** every window and every month leading up to the window, his agents/advisors hawking him around every club in europe, so what’s different now? he plays performs and sscores
john(Quote)
Get him on the bench! Cisse is more than capable through the middle and Ba needs to be shown he is not bigger than the club. He will need to get used to it at his next club ..small fish in a big sea!
badgertoon(Quote)
fed up with the ba **** its a talking point i know but enough is enough even the players will be fed up with it,what will happen if he gets injured tonight
doesnt bare thinking about as the whole thing will start all over 👿
icedog(Quote)
agree with badgertoon plus shout a few judas chants when hes on the bench 😆 😆
battysback but kev will always be king(Quote)
Ba will affect Cisse. Cisse should be the CF! He is so bad when he play the winger!I don’t think Cisse worse than Ba 👿
Hay(Quote)
Bottom line is; unlike Enrique, we know Ba will give 100% regardless of speculation.
Whether him playing suits our team game is another debate imo.
When I saw the title of your article I was worried you were going to include “in case he gets injured” toonsy 😉 which I believe is the WORST argument for anything, ever. I don’t think there’s ever been a case (unless someone has some examples)
People mentioning it in regards to Simmo are crazy, why did we play him last game, or the game before? Where does it end?!
SolanosTrumpet(Quote)
Of course he should play and give his damnest. NUFC pay his wages dont they?
Also he is in some serious form all this tosh about we wont miss him when he goes of course we will hes a class player.
Liam Southern Toon(Quote)
Toonsy very good read mate, I just hope you have your tin helmet on on 😀
I would play him but out onthe the left and play Cisse through the middle , as Cisse has been playing out on the right without a bad word being issued so maybe it’s time Pards showed Cisse a bit of faith and see if he can be the main man.
Big Dave(Quote)
Just a thought ,but if the Chelsea deal is not dead or he’s close to a deal with another club are they likely to ask if we’d withdraw him to prevent injury ? does this ever happen or do selling clubs do it anyway as a precaution. Solano ,understand what you are saying but as he is activly involved in talks with other clubs there is a case for dropping him to avoid injury.
KIMTOON(Quote)
Dave ,I’m with you ,time to show faith in our no.9 .
KIMTOON(Quote)
For me I would start him, he is our form player and is scoring goals. Its as simple as that. Our players need to be professional and do their job.
Johno Toon(Quote)
i see pardew has said the players have not trained for a few days to give players a rest and have just worked on the board about the game,bet ba had the chalk 😆
icedog(Quote)
Ba’s position isn’t that crazy. He’s said that he wants a much improved contract. The club won’t give him that. So rather than pack a sad, he trains & plays hard, while his agents look for that contract elsewhere. Dropping him or pushing him out of position for reasons other than form only makes sense if you know he’s going to leave. If it’s still up in the air, then this sort of victimisation is going to make him more inclined to leave.
If you want someone to blame for this situation, blame Ashley for trying to keep a quality player at a bargain rate.
Wellington(Quote)
Kim I would say if he was in talks there is a good chance that he wouldn’t be played to avoid injury, but then the club wouldn’t have to admit that as they could just make up BS like he picked up niggle in training or they thought his heed mightn’t be right etc etc.
But imo it wouldn’t annoy the Regime if they did play him and he did pick up an injury as it would take him outta the transfer window leaving them moretime to try to talk him in to a new contract 💡
Big Dave(Quote)
The Sun now reports that Ba will be replaced by Peter Odemwingie. 🙄 Daily Mail reckons Mobido Maiga, which is more in line with the club’s stated transfer policy.
Wellington(Quote)
Wellington as much as that makes sense Ba’s knees will go at any point. Hard to justify that kind of wage with such a problem.
little snippet out of the club – remy deal unlikely to happen the lad wants champs league footy apparently. I am not ITK or any of that rubbish just passing on info.
Anyone else worried that Ba could leave and not be replaced at all.
Liam Southern Toon(Quote)
Liam, no concerns about Ba going without replacement. There are plenty of Shefki Kuqi types still playing. (In fact, Hibs might let us have the man himself for ten thousand quid and a place on Ashley’s Christmas Card list.)
As for the knee anxiety – sure, it’s a reason not to pay him properly. But in that case, he has to have the option to go to a club that will take the risk.
Wellington(Quote)
If I was Pardew I would ask him if he’s committed to NUFC, if he says he wants to move I would leave him out, give Cisse the central role and say to him “Right Papiss, go out there and show there’s life after Demba!”
Ba and the circus must be having a detrimental impact on the moral of the squad.
Stuart79(Quote)
Ba will start in his ususal position today, up front in the middle, with Cisse playing wide.
There will be more than enough time to “pick up the pieces” for poor decimated Cisse if and when Ba should leave. Cisse will more than likely be the main man then, and there will be nowhere for him to hide. He knows that himself too. It’s a team game, and at this stage of his development, without Ba or another strong striker alongside him Cisse will still struggle as the main striker.
I’d like to see us perhaps play a different more fluid formation, whereby we don’t always have to concede possesion by being outnumbered in midfield, but can still break forward en masse to create chances and score goals. Hunting in packs i.e. like Dortmund… 😉
Maybe we can achieve that playing with a lone striker, and with quick skillful midefielders i.e. HBA, Obertan, Marveaux, Santon breaking forward and running at the opposition ? We’d also probably concede less goals that way too.
Munich Mag(Quote)
Of course Ba should play.
If he wants a move on his terms ( wages and fees ) , he has to put in world class performances — and we need the points !
We can rest him against Brighton and let Cisse play CF for that game.
sidekick(Quote)
Demba Ba is a newcastle player after all, and i cant see him giving anything other than 100% if he plays. I cant actually wait for us to play our full strength team. Cabaye anita and marv in the centre with benny cisse and ba up front.
Alex(Quote)
play him on the left, that’ll learn him
hugovic(Quote)
On last article
.
I was always under the impression he was a striker but wiki says LW/LWB 😕 , so guess you were right.
On this article
Play him for the full 90, make sure he gives 120% if this is to be his last game. If we’re lucky he’ll get a short-term injury to prevent a club coming in for him
Andymag(Quote)
*Mark on last article
Andymag(Quote)
Looks like Chelsea have rekindled talks with Ba. It is difficult to see how this wont affect his team mates. I’d be inclined to drop him as it seems likely he will be off.
3hourswasted(Quote)
Confirmation that Ba given permission to speak to Chelsea.
Not in squad tonight. 😥
Beardsleys Boots(Quote)
Demba out tonight ,Speaking to Chelsea SSN
KIMTOON(Quote)
Well I guess that answers the question I asked 😆
toonsy(Quote)
——————————Krul——————————
-Perch——–Williamson–Colocinni———Santon-
——————–Bigi————Tiote———————
—————————-Anita——————————
—-Obertan————-Cissé————Marveaux—-
Subs: Harper, Ferguson, Tavernier, Abeid, Sa Ameobi, Sh Ameobi, Campbell
Andymag(Quote)
Just read Debuchy in Newcastle for talks.
Johno Toon(Quote)
…….new it would happen …but still foookin gutted if he goes 🙁 🙁 🙁
geordieqatar(Quote)
team for tonight imho
krul
perch
willo
colo
santon
obertan
anita
tiote
bigi
marveaux
cisse
tattyheed(Quote)
Surely ashley has a replacement lined up then……….. ❓
Liam Southern Toon(Quote)
we’ll pan the b**tards 😆
tattyheed(Quote)
*team that should be out tonight with Ba’s absence
Can swap Anita and perch around but would mean a more defensive CM.
Andymag(Quote)
Very bad timing for this. But look **** happens. Every faith in Cisse
Johno Toon(Quote)
I hope we are never dumb enough to sign a player with a clause again, £7m got to be the deal of the century knee or no knee 😉
KIMTOON(Quote)
Relegation is real if we dont replace Ba. We only have two strikers then.
Bad times……
Liam Southern Toon(Quote)
Everton will be breathing a sigh of relief ,let’s hope Cisse makes them take a rethink. 😀
KIMTOON(Quote)
Glad that’s over! Come on Cisse son, prove your doubters wrong
EvilFranky(Quote)
Liam ,I have faith in Cisse but we desperately need another forward as should he get injured we are in deep do do.
KIMTOON(Quote)
Kim
With Ba gone Cissé will get a hatrick as the lone striker 😉 , Demba was the reason we kept losing games, reckon we’ll turn the season around now 😕 .
Andymag(Quote)
Evil ,There’s nowt wrong with Cisse the lad will do fine.
KIMTOON(Quote)
Andy ,do hope so mate ,Cisse has the chance to fly now ,hope he grasps it with both hands. 😀
KIMTOON(Quote)
Kim – cisse is a great player but if ever you lose a class player you will always be weaker no matter what team you are.
Liam Southern Toon(Quote)
Cisse deserves **** all but backing from fans. He was **** hot last season, got ****** about because Ba had a paddy and is now playing in a position he has never played in but STILL tries his best and gives his all and doesn’t moan about it.
toonsy(Quote)
Toonsy ,got it in one mate 😀
KIMTOON(Quote)
here here toonsy lad ❗ 3-1 the toon tonight, Cisse brace and a Marveux Free-kick screamer!!!
HWTL!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! 😎 😎 😎 😎
geordieqatar(Quote)
Kim
You and me both 😉
Toonsy
Completely agree, Cissé was sent to RW each week, why wasn’t Ba started at LW at any point?
Andymag(Quote)
Dont think cisse and ba were that good mates anyway. just from same country. terry and ferdinand are from same country and look what happened there.
maybe we could ask for oscar on loan till the end of the season…….. 😥
Liam Southern Toon(Quote)
Howay Cisse the main man again. Just think back to last year son and believe in yourself, the goals will come – fingers well and truly crossed.
Hopefully the BA deal is done asap to give Pinky and Perky plenty of time to open the coffers and find us another striker along with the others we need.
Hope BA enjoys bench warming, he’ll be doing quite a bit of it in the forseeable future.
Geordie Deb(Quote)
Be interesting to see what mood the team are in tonight now won’t it.
KIMTOON(Quote)
Toonsy @48 = agree 100%
Happy new year by the way.
Geordie Deb(Quote)
Deb @53 😆 pinky & perky
KIMTOON(Quote)
thank christ thats over,now get someone in and lets start playing
icedog(Quote)
LST
You suggesting that Ba was racist towards Cissé? 😯 😯 😉
Did anyone ever see that video were NUFC and SAFC players were at a show racism the red card thing early last year. A little boy asked whether the reason Demba wasn’t scoring was because Cissé was racist towards him. Ba laughed and explained they were both black and from the same country so it couldn’t happen.
Andymag(Quote)
I’ve never been this happy to lose a good player. Come on now Cisse!
MDS(Quote)
Well now that it looks like Demba Ba will be leaving Cisse has no excuses…. apart from the fact that two of the players providing the bullets, HBA and Cabaye are missing.
Tough times for the toon but I’m sure Pardew will have them chomping at the bit tonight, and we start off at a lightening pace. I hope our defence is up to the task.
Howay the lads
Munich Mag(Quote)
MDS – why happy we havent got a replacement? Can you see us getting one so quickly? If i was marseille I would whack an extra 5m on top just because i know we need a striker!
Liam Southern Toon(Quote)
MM
Anita will be the creative influence, also if we play 433 Ober and Marv will whip balls into the box for a instinctive Cissé finish.
Andymag(Quote)
LST- I’m happy this saga is over and think cisse will excel again when played alone up top.
I don’t have a ton of confidence we will get another striker in but this step needed to occur first. I’m just glad it happened at the beginning of the window
MDS(Quote)
Toonsy spot on and good to have you back lad.
On Cisse I just hope this gives him the lift that he clearly needs, after Pards and a lot of fans clearly took Ba’s side and gave into his demands.
So Hopefully Pards can lift him up to where he was last season when he was knocking them in for fun
Big Dave(Quote)
Meant to add I hope we have players to feed Cisse tonight because he has proved over the last few seasons if you feed him he will score
Big Dave(Quote)
ok, agree totally with the “long live Cisse” calls, been very professional while he has been mucked about, unlike his ex-partner. Give him the ball to his feet in the box and he will score…. so tonight
………………………………….. Krul……………………………….
Anita………….. Williamson……….Colocini……….Santon
………… Bigi…………………..Tiote…………….Perch……….
……………………Obertan……………marvaux…………………
…………………………………….Cisse……………………………..
Anita/Obertan can cover the baines/Pienaar issue , should be quick enough, and one of perch/tiote/bigi should man mark fellini… the rest arn’t worth bothering about…
then tomorrow, get on with Ba’s replacement, a new CH and a tough midfielder to cover while Tiote is in Africa/suspended/cant be bothered.
then get our injured players back work out why so many of them are getting hamstring problems and change the exercises to sort it out… knees are just
unlucky…
kev(Quote)
Step up Cisse, you are now the main man 😉
TonyGreenSupreme(Quote)
Glad to see the back of him really. He had the first touch of an elephant tho Cisse isn’t much better. Lot of pressure on him tonight. Let’s hope it isn’t too much.
Really hope that lessons have been learned by AP & co from earlier in the season when Baines and Pienaar tore us apart.
georgio(Quote)
Missing my first game in years because of being wiped out by this man flu. Cannot see how Cisse is going to turn into a free scoring striker when lately he has been struggling to control the ball
Toby le Rhone(Quote)
Kev
Think Baines and Pienaar might be out of the game but they might make it.
Andymag(Quote)
Andymag – is that wishful thinking 😆 saw they were rated as doubtful, but you never know. they ripped us apart at their place, so I hope so.
kev(Quote)
Kim – I’ve never said otherwise…you have read my posts about wanting Ba gone recently haven’t you
Toby – Because he has been played completely out of position all season. You do remember January to May last year don’t you?
EvilFranky(Quote)
Tough to lose Ba if he goes. Leaves us very short up front. Pardew just couldn’t come up with a formation that worked for both of them. Surely we must bring in a striker if Ba leaves. Strange days at Newcastle United. 😐
GeordieTwo(Quote)
So what would be our first choice 11 be by the end of the window ?
here’s mine, allowing for a new CH and Ba’s replacement.
………………………………….. Krul……………………………….
Debuchy………….. ????????……….Colocini……….Santon
…………..…….. ………..Tiote…….Anita……….
……………Ben Arfa…………Cabaye ….…………Remy ???……
……………………………..….Cisse……………………………..
although on this seasons form its close for Cabaye/mauvaux behind Cisse. but maybe having his mate with him might cheer Cabaye up.
kev(Quote)
Kev
You and me both
Andymag(Quote)