Demba Ba hasn’t scored in 9 games and indeed, he has scored just one goal since he returned from the African Cup of Nations in February.
Demba Ba in action yesterday against Bolton – stroppy again?
And that was in his first game back after just 30 minutes in the 2-1 win over Aston Villa at home, when Papiss Cisse on his debut in the number 9 shirt, got that fantastic left-footed winner after 71 minutes.
Papiss Cisse has gone on to score another 9 goals in the 8 games since Villa, and is taking all the headlines for his goal-scoring exploits at Newcastle this year.
Alan Pardew has admitted what everybody already knew yesterday – that Demba Ba was again annoyed at being subbed in the game:
“Demba was upset when I brought him off, as I’d just had a go at him about something,” “I was trying to get a reaction from him, if I’m honest.”
“I want him to be angry and fight. He’ll come out fighting. I know Demba, and I’ve got no worries about him.” “It wasn’t Demba’s day, but it might be in two weeks’ time.”
“Ba, Shola, Papiss and Hatem have massive roles to play for us between now and the end of the season,” “Cisse’s work-rate was right up there with the rest, and he came up with a goal.”
Shola Ameobi didn’t really receive the credit he deserved yesterday, for brilliantly setting up Papiss Cisse for Newcastle’s second goal, and we think Shola can definitely do a job for Newcastle over the last five games of the season.
So we expect him to come on as a sub in most of those games, and he showed yesterday why he is now a senior figure on Tyneside, and he played very well in those final 25 minutes or so.
But we also hope that Ba doesn’t go into a huff if he is taken off again, because it’s not good for team morale. And it’s much more important what the team achieves than what any one individual achieves.
Alan Pardew has proven time and time again, that he’s an excellent man-manager, and we expect the Londoner to find some way to get Ba back on the scoring track again and keep him happy.
Or at least keep him supporting the team, and keeping Newcastle’s magnificent team spirit intact and alive through the final five games of a magnificent season.
And Ba did send out a tweet after the game on his Twitter account, referring to Ben Arfa’s great strike:
“Have you seen messi at SJP this afternoon??? Haha”
Maybe Demba Ba can get a second hat-trick against Stoke a week on Saturday – that would be good. 😀
Comments welcome.
279 comments so far
check the toastie
Apr 10, 2012 at 11:13 AM
Comment #1Reading between the lines pardews fell out with Ba
Toon_Tom
Apr 10, 2012 at 11:15 AM
Comment #2yeah people are now comparing HBA with Messi ……….
I mean he is good – but he is no Ben Arfa 😉
check the toastie
Apr 10, 2012 at 11:17 AM
Comment #3Ba will be fine im sure, just think he is gutted with his own form, last two games he has played equally up top as much as Papa, he has just been a little poor, Cant really complain about anything, he hasnt been great for a while, hes a gud guy Demba Ba and will come gud im sure, watching them warm up yesterday and for me still looks like he loves it here, unlike Simmo who i feel cant get out the place quick enough, and thus should be dropped for Perchinho.
Tsunki
Apr 10, 2012 at 11:17 AM
Comment #4@1 & 2 – 🙂
Hthe one time HBA shuld have been selfish was when he passed instead of finishing his second mazy run. You would have been on a hatter man!
Londtoon
Apr 10, 2012 at 11:19 AM
Comment #5Reading between the lines Pardew had no strawberry syrup in the house when he invited Ba over for dinner
Tsunki
Apr 10, 2012 at 11:23 AM
Comment #6Ok right here we go reading between the lines:
Pardew is no tactician
His handling of HBA is woeful and because of this he will leave in the summer.
We have a rubbish squad who have got where they are by fortune and other teams failings, we also haven’t played anybody yet.
Scumderland will finish above us AGAIN.
We are a ‘selling’club.
martoon
Apr 10, 2012 at 11:23 AM
Comment #7Toon_Tom @2 – I love it that’s a classic.
shearermania
Apr 10, 2012 at 11:24 AM
Comment #8almost feel a bit sorry for stoke city…..its not going to be funnny for them having an angry BA running riot at them….im sure they still remember his face from the game at their shed.
Tsunki
Apr 10, 2012 at 11:26 AM
Comment #9demba seems to like us btw – latest tweet is
“I have to say……the toon army fans are great 😉 and 3 song for me are the best. Guess???”
He’ll be ok.
Tsunki
Apr 10, 2012 at 11:28 AM
Comment #10Check – do you think the twitter nonsense and his contract demands have made up simmos mind? I do.
pbNcl
Apr 10, 2012 at 11:30 AM
Comment #11God I hope he stays
Winstoon
Apr 10, 2012 at 11:34 AM
Comment #12Think Ba will be fine and glad he’s showing passion and obviously wants to be doing better. Shows what a great position we are in that he can be off form an still doing well! With him, cisse and hba on fire – ohhhhhhhh!! Also, agree that hba shoul have been greedy with that second chance but shows how his attitude has changed to being. Team player now which will benefit us in the long run!!
Indian Magpie
Apr 10, 2012 at 11:34 AM
Comment #13call me -ve, pessimist or whatever, but god i hope we dont play 442 this season again.
Winstoon
Apr 10, 2012 at 11:34 AM
Comment #14Think Ba will be fine and glad he obviously wants to be doing better. Rather have that than someone who doesnt care. Shows what a great position we are in that he can be off form and we’re still doing well! With him, cisse and hba on fire – ohhhhhhhh!! Also, agree that hba shoul have been greedy with that second chance but shows how his attitude has changed to being a team player now which will benefit us in the long run!! He deserves an international call up!
Winstoon
Apr 10, 2012 at 11:36 AM
Comment #15Sorry for the double post!
Tsunki
Apr 10, 2012 at 11:38 AM
Comment #16pbNcl – lol who?
IrishToon009
Apr 10, 2012 at 11:38 AM
Comment #17Shola done a top job yesterday, making great impressions as a sub. Just hope simmo and guthrie get their contacts sorted, so good to have, simmo started every game! That’s just brilliant, competition wouldnt hurt but if he was RB next year Id be content, we could do an awful lot worse let me tell ya
martoon
Apr 10, 2012 at 11:40 AM
Comment #18Can’t help feeling Pardew tried to appease Ba by playing 442. It’s not AP’s fault if has gone off the boil. I’m sure it is a confidence thing which all started when he missed that penalty if I remember correctly.
Londtoon
Apr 10, 2012 at 11:42 AM
Comment #19Appreciate the transparency from Pardew on this.
CODARM (The poster formely known as Ibizatoon)
Apr 10, 2012 at 11:42 AM
Comment #20As we’re back on “reading between the lines”
It’s clear he’s being sold this summer as Pardew said they all have roles this season. What about next? He’s definitely gone 🙂
Tsunki
Apr 10, 2012 at 11:42 AM
Comment #21IrishToon009 – hope so too, I’ve been a bit critical of his forward runs but in all a very competent and speedy RB. His body language suggests to me he is eyeing a better offer, just a gut feeling. but if he wants to go,like any player I wish him well, as long as he doesn’t slag us off.
Londtoon
Apr 10, 2012 at 11:44 AM
Comment #22Martoon I feel it was more to do with Tiote and Guthrie both missing so we couldn’t go for a 4-3-3 as would of left the middle relatively weak
Tsunki
Apr 10, 2012 at 11:45 AM
Comment #23Ibiza – reading between the lines they’re ALL gone! Next year our squad will be ‘Championship quality at best’ 🙂
Tsunki
Apr 10, 2012 at 11:45 AM
Comment #24@22 – yep.
CODARM (The poster formely known as Ibizatoon)
Apr 10, 2012 at 11:47 AM
Comment #25Next year? We’re only championship quality now!
CODARM (The poster formely known as Ibizatoon)
Apr 10, 2012 at 11:47 AM
Comment #26Or is it Champions League quality?
Beattie25
Apr 10, 2012 at 11:47 AM
Comment #27I for one hope that Everton beat Liverpool.
The worst thing that could happen is that we take our foot of the peddle knowing that Europa Leauge is secured. Everton claiming that spot will drive the team onto trying to clinch 5th and in the process maybe claim 4th.
I hope Tottenham also win so that Chelski and the £1 billion spent in under a decade have no Europe next year when we take 4th/5th!
Anyway this is one of those seasons that will stay with you forever, like so many of the mid 90’s and early 2000’s!
What makes this better than any of those for me is that we were tipped for relegation and at the start of the season most wouldve settled for a slight improvement on last year and now with 5 games left we are guarenteed a 6th place finish (almost) and are challenging to play in club footballs biggest competition.
Everyone laughed off the fact that Eden Hazard was at our training ground in Janurary because he was meeting Cabaye.
Who’s to say that if the dominoes fall into place we can’t attract a name like his? It’s all big dreaming on my part, but thats the beauty of this season, we can dream again.
Winstoon
Apr 10, 2012 at 11:48 AM
Comment #28Simpson would be stupid to go. Getting lots of games, just had a baby so settled here. Defo can’t see him going to a “bigger” team, which at the moment means only man u, citeh and arsenal!
martoon
Apr 10, 2012 at 11:51 AM
Comment #29Londtoon @22 You could be right although Jonas Cabaye and Perchino is not a bad three. Talking of Perch was the substitution through injury or purely tactical? If tactical you have to admire Pardews balls for subbing the player who has arguably been MOM in the last 2 games.
CODARM (The poster formely known as Ibizatoon)
Apr 10, 2012 at 11:52 AM
Comment #30Beattie…We certainly are looking like a good prospect for players again. A team that is growing and shows good promise for the future. I think it will be more of an issue of his cost, as I still can’t see Ashley changing the model he has set for us to progress.
I honestly think what he’s trying to achieve is a top 8 team that can push for top 4. For now anyway. I don’t think one season is going to sway him to make radical changes to the set up…still exciting times ahead
CODARM (The poster formely known as Ibizatoon)
Apr 10, 2012 at 11:53 AM
Comment #31Martoon…Who doesn’t admire Pardew’s balls?
Tsunki
Apr 10, 2012 at 11:53 AM
Comment #32yeah whats the craic with perchinho? Injury?
check the toastie
Apr 10, 2012 at 11:54 AM
Comment #33Tsunki – simpson just didnt seem that interested yesterday, half hearted efforts at stopping crosses and also during warmup just going thru motions, looks heavy as well (running on sand), its a shame as he is obviously a gud lad, however he was a big pal of Barton’s so must have some character flaws somewhere.
The Twitter stuff was totally out of order, feel for the lad, but plenty players not gud enough for the shirt have been moved on and for me if we sign another towering physical CB in summer ala Douglas then Saylor cud play RB, we wud be solid.
Think Williamson was excellent yesterday and is unrecognisable from the player a month ago, was even getting the ball off Krul, whilst Simpson jogged up to the half way line with his back constantly turned, running away from any responsibility.
In the last month Williamson has stood up to be counted as he was having a mare, well done i say, and we would be lost without him in the Stoke game, for that game Pardew could give the reason to Simpson that Perch needs to play due to aerial prowess, it works for me.
This is not about just bashing the lad, IMO i think he has no future at the club, so now is the time to replace him.
CODARM (The poster formely known as Ibizatoon)
Apr 10, 2012 at 11:55 AM
Comment #34Didn’t see the game, but haven’t heard anything regarding an injury. Didn’t he want Fergie on for some pace etc, try and open them up a bit?
Don’t think our new superstar Perchinho has a problem!
Beattie25
Apr 10, 2012 at 11:56 AM
Comment #35Also on the part of player recruitment, I think that players such as Tiote, Cabaye, Ba etc… all took a gamble signing for us and we took a gamble on them.
We are now a club that top players will want to play for. We are a club that doesnt pay for big time charlies, we go for players that have a passion for football and we are a place where we welcome names that are not household but we propel them into the hearts of the geordie nation and the minds of football fans nationwide. The best thing pehaps is come the summer (despite any budgetery constraints put in place) quality players will see NUFC as a club challenging for the Champions Leauge and that makes us a supremely attractive option.
I always wondered why Tiote and Cabaye turned down Champions Leauge football to play for us, why Benny (often quoted as one of the most gited talents in French football) would come to a newly promoted team and why Colo chose to sat at NUFC rather than find pastures new.
Now I see, for I have been blind!
Tsunki
Apr 10, 2012 at 12:02 PM
Comment #36Beattie – may be a simplistic take but I have found that being happy at your job is 80% of all things. – yeah being rich means you can be miserable in extreme luxury, but for ‘proper’ professional players I think that ultimately achievement is more satisfying when it isn’t set up for you – we seem to have that mentality of team members who want to win on their terms and receive due adulation for it. Nowt wrong with that imo. Better that than the Balotelli – infested upstarts of this game.
JDdubai
Apr 10, 2012 at 12:02 PM
Comment #37I dont have a problem with Ba being grumpy or pissed off or even if he leaves, the big issue is that it is dangerous for Pardew to change the formation to keep 1 man happy.
We have improved so much with 4-3-3 and it is clearly the way forward for us but it seems he changed to 4-4-2 to let Ba have what he wants. We shouldnt change the formation of the team for the sake of 1 player being unhappy with it.
Also with Cisse and Ba swaping between centre forward and left wing when we do play 4-3-3, personally I think Cisse should be left up front all match, why have someone as lethal as he is running about at left back?
Ba should be centre forward or nothing, we needs another creative, quick player on the left, a HBA on both wings would be ideal!
Beattie25
Apr 10, 2012 at 12:02 PM
Comment #38@ Ibiza
I truthfully believe that the model set up by Ashley is enough to allow a challenge for top 4 regardless.
I highly doubt that Eden Hazard will ever join Newcastke because that would brake the bank, but I think that sticking to the model and continuing to unearth the cheap gems of players could make us a top 4 team.
Players like Hoilett, who may have considered Tottenham/Liverpool etc.. will now see the movement made by NUFC and I think we are as an attractive proposition as any team.
Literally if we add 4-5 players for a total outlet of around 12 million, retain a few and sell some to fund the incoming transfers I think we will have a better team than Arsenal/Tottenham and Chelski I really, really do.
Yes Chelski have Mata, Arsenal Van Persie and Spuds have Bale, but they dont have the passion or team work that is our hallmark.
I think Ashley is aiming for top 4 using the moneyball method, and its working!!!
CODARM (The poster formely known as Ibizatoon)
Apr 10, 2012 at 12:05 PM
Comment #39Beattie…amen good sir
Indian Magpie
Apr 10, 2012 at 12:08 PM
Comment #40Forget eden Hazard
go for Younes Belhanda, and if Tiote ever leave then may be we can go for M’villa (wishful thinking, Perhaps)