Chelsea have announced they have signed striker Demba Ba from Newcastle United on a three-and-a-half year deal for an undisclosed fee.
Demba Ba – signs for Chelsea
The 27-year-old has scored 13 league goals for the Magpies this season and in 58 games in all competitions he scored 29 goals – one goal per every two games.
We thank Demba Ba for his short 18 months at the club, where he helped us to 5th place in the league table last season, and he has scored 13 of our 27 league goals this season.
We expected the announcement before 12 noon today so he can play for Chelsea at Southampton tomorrow in the FA Cup 3rd round tie.
Ba will wear the number 29 shirt and could make his first return to St. James’ Park on Saturday, 2nd February in our home game with the Blues.
That should be interesting.
Comments welcome.
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1,047 comments so far
JAMSHA
Jan 4, 2013 at 1:12 PM
Comment #81time to put SIR BOBBY ROBSONS PIC ON.THE BANNER…
Mister Tuff
Jan 4, 2013 at 1:12 PM
Comment #82Tsunki @47 your sentence:-
“The bigger picture is what is happening to the entire unit that drags players into unfamiliar areas, and attempting to cover places where others should be.”
Spot on, concise description of our poor form of late.
darrenfletcher88
Jan 4, 2013 at 1:13 PM
Comment #83Any interviews yet or pics of are new fill back??
newcben
Jan 4, 2013 at 1:14 PM
Comment #84Need Remy now and either Samba, Sakho, Hangerland (or some decent CB).
Tiote is going away soon with AFCON but I feel with Anita hitting form and Cabaye coming back we will be ok and Bigi is really proving himself even as a rookie.
My team would be.
—————-Krul—————
Debuchy–Colo–STaylor–Santon
———-Tiote—Cabaye———-
Marv———HBA———-Remy
—————Cisse—————-
Bench.
Harper
Sakho
Jonas
Anita
Bigi
Shola
I’m still not sold on Cisse as he looks so clumbsy even when banging them in last year BUT missing the sitters I wasn’t convinced would of much preferred Ba up top but no one is bigger than the club!
For tougher games where we need to stay tighter I’d go.
—————Krul—————
Debuchy–Colo–STaylor–Santon
———–Tiote—Anita———–
HBA———Cabaye——–Remy
—————Cisse—————
two steps forward one step back
Jan 4, 2013 at 1:14 PM
Comment #85Ba has been great for us, and good luck to him, though not Chelski.
Just compare him with the other great payday forward Mr Owen.
Now who did we get better value from while they were here ?
Next a top CB, plus forward and Sissokho for an early Christmas
hatem786
Jan 4, 2013 at 1:14 PM
Comment #86here is the first words of the greedy b……d and ed plz remove him…Demba, welcome to Chelsea. What are your first impressions?
It feels good to be here, I’m very happy and very proud. This training ground is massive, it has good facilities and will only help my work.
It was important for me, and for Newcastle, to get my future sorted and now we can move on. Now they have the whole month to buy someone and for me as well, the sooner the better. Now I am here I just need to get settled in.
Interest in you was well-reported. Was it a difficult decision in joining Chelsea?
When the club who won the Champions League wants you, the decision making is very easy. This club is massive and that’s something that helped the decision a lot. It was not a hard one.
I remember the last game we played. It was tough. They dominated the whole game against us and we lost 2-0 at Stamford Bridge. When you see a team coming to Newcastle and winning 3-0 like they did last season, you know it will be hard to face teams like that. Now I am on the other side I will be happy to do the same to the other teams.
I am also happy to be back in London. It means everything to be here. I think I will not live far from the training ground. I am a city boy, but I have two kids and a wife, and it is different.
Do you know anyone at the club already?
I know Eden Hazard a little bit. I met him through a friend and [goalkeeping coach] Christophe Lollichon as well. I met him some times in France, so there are a couple of faces I know a little bit.
Your career has been an incredible journey, but you seem settled in the Premier League?
In two years now in the Premier League I have learned a lot and I keep learning. I just want to keep playing football and trying to score goals. I try to be strong mentally. This is a big part of the success of someone. If you are strong mentally then you have good chances to succeed.
Yesterday I was looking back and smiling to myself, saying “Yes, I’ve done it.” I feel very proud, not only for me but the people who supported me over the years – my agent for instance who has been there since I was 15, my mum as well because when I skipped school she was afraid but today I am very proud for my family and today.
I never lost belief in my football though, never. You keep working and things come. Rewards always come.
You also settled in quickly at both your previous clubs in England…
Hopefully I can do the same here, it would be good. This club is at another level, it isn’t West Ham or Newcastle. They are both big clubs with a strong history, but Chelsea is Chelsea and you cannot compare. It will be easier with world-class players around, who make the football look so easy.
I hope they can create a lot of chances for me when I play. I have watched some replays of some games to see how the team is playing and hopefully it will be good.
Is it fair to say you play better as a lone striker than in a pair?
I don’t know if it’s fair to say. It doesn’t matter if you have one, two or three forwards. You always have someone supporting you and more than one player thinking of scoring goals.
When you play with two both will try to score goals, and the percentage chance can increase automatically. With another striker I can do a bit more around the pitch and not just be focused in the penalty area. With only one striker it can be good also because you have wingers helping you. It really doesn’t matter for me.
Are you fit and available to play for this weekend’s FA Cup game against Southampton?
I am fit. I played Southampton recently and we had a bad experience. We had a bad game from the first to the last minute, so hopefully if I am part of the squad it will be another story.
newcben
Jan 4, 2013 at 1:17 PM
Comment #87I defo agree with Sissokhon as well but i can not see Ashley parting with that much money for four players in one window would be about.
Debuchy – 5
Sakho – 8
Remy – 10
Sissokho – 9
with only 7 coming in for Ba.
I no this is old news so shouldn’t really bring it up however I’m sure we never spent all that 35m from Carroll….
sirtoongospel
Jan 4, 2013 at 1:17 PM
Comment #88http://www.chelseafc.com/news-article/article/3030484/title/demba-ba-first-words?
For the record Cisse was our top scorer in 2012. By a distance. He has out scored Ba goals per game in his whole career, and will continue to do so. My feeling is Papiss will score between now and end if May than Ba will.
Les Grossman
Jan 4, 2013 at 1:18 PM
Comment #89Remys Wiki page is an interesting read…
Creased!
Jayden
Jan 4, 2013 at 1:18 PM
Comment #90newcben, Sissoko’s free in summer, so only £3-4m should suffice…
JackRobson28
Jan 4, 2013 at 1:19 PM
Comment #91“The decision was easy for me” “Newcastle and West Ham don’t compare to Chelsea” Nice first words about us in his Chelsea interview.
sirtoongospel
Jan 4, 2013 at 1:19 PM
Comment #92Sissokho is out of contract in the summer, so the 9 million is way out. He would be more like 3.
Les Grossman
Jan 4, 2013 at 1:21 PM
Comment #93Belter
Copied from Wiki.
‘Remy will Join English Premier League Side Newcastle United for an undisclosed fee within the next 10 days. Interviewed in French publication Le Coq, Remy is stated as saying “I am le toonward boond”.
sirtoongospel
Jan 4, 2013 at 1:22 PM
Comment #94Ha ha ha wiki in Remy superb. Got to laugh
Rake
Jan 4, 2013 at 1:25 PM
Comment #95@Tsunki i wish some fans would take there rose tinted glasses off with some players. Jonas covered Santon allowing him to do what he is best at which is attacking.
mindshaft
Jan 4, 2013 at 1:28 PM
Comment #96Xisco 5.7 million + 50k a week over 5 years and 1 goal – no sell on fee
Ba Free + 50k a week for 18 months and 29 goals + we got 5-7 million back ( dependant on whatever you read)
Can’t see how people can gripe about Ba leaving
Mister Tuff
Jan 4, 2013 at 1:29 PM
Comment #97Les – that would have been so tempting to put on a post as a newsflash and statement.
One comment a day
Jan 4, 2013 at 1:32 PM
Comment #98Had to laugh at NUFC giving Debuchy number 26 on Simpsons 26th birthday!
two steps forward one step back
Jan 4, 2013 at 1:32 PM
Comment #99Tsunki
Well put. The problem still remains that we need our FBs to defend. Its okay for midfielders to drop back to cover but Tiote being slightly off form and Colo less than his best hasn’t helped.
Maybe we do need a nippy libero instead of using our midfielders to cover the DM roles all the time.
bambams
Jan 4, 2013 at 1:32 PM
Comment #100Not worried about losing Tiote for acon as we have bigi and anita who can do a good job.
Our team will very soon pick itself with 11 first choice players, this cannot be good.
I hope, no pray that we get a cb and striker that will improve us. Only problem is I can see another player leaving first !
chris_g
Jan 4, 2013 at 1:36 PM
Comment #101Demba says:
“This club is at another level, it isn’t West Ham or Newcastle. They are both big clubs with a strong history, but Chelsea is Chelsea and you cannot compare”
Exactly right, Demba. West Ham and Newcastle are both big clubs with a strong history. Chelsea Ain’t Got No History, and they know it 😉
http://www.weaintgotnohistory.com/
Nufc-83
Jan 4, 2013 at 1:37 PM
Comment #102Glad Ba’s gone such a greedy player and even if he had 20+ goals would rather Cisse in the middle. That opinion may have changed if two wingers played alongside Ba and not Cisse but it was heartbreaking to see such a top class goalscorer struggling on the wing and not being passed to when in excellent positions.
Jamiemac
Jan 4, 2013 at 1:37 PM
Comment #103Ba: “Newcastle now have a full month to sign somebody”
Wayayman
Jan 4, 2013 at 1:38 PM
Comment #104@Tsunki
Exactly what I was trying to say the other day. Anyone who has played even amateur football in Central Defence will know your fullbacks have to be disciplined and the midfielders have to track back. Players who instinctively ‘drop in’ are worth their weight in gold. Gerrard, Lampard, Speed, Batty, Dog Shagger Keane, Makelele, etc all made themselves first names on the teamsheet because of this.
Tiote was like this most of last season, this season he’s just giving the ball away too many times when we are flooding forward which exposes the central defenders who are too disciplined to do a Socrates…
JackButler
Jan 4, 2013 at 1:43 PM
Comment #105Mark Douglas ?@MsiDouglas
“@jsullivanwhu: I am very sorry about this news Chamakh has sign a 6 month loan deal! not my pick :(” — ha ha
Novocastrian66
Jan 4, 2013 at 1:44 PM
Comment #106Bambams
Jan 04 – 1:32 PM. The team has been picking itself all season.
Nufc-83
Jan 4, 2013 at 1:44 PM
Comment #107Would look to try and offload Tiote. Never been his biggest fan and always thought he was overarted as his distribution has always been poor. Number 1 attribute for Cm regardless if defensive or not is vision/passing. Give it away in the middle and you are in trouble.
Dannyo
Jan 4, 2013 at 1:46 PM
Comment #108Lee Ryder ?@lee_ryder
Papiss Cisse and Fabricio Coloccini out of the Brighton game as a precaution with slight knocks #nufc #FACup
GIVE ME A BREAK!!!!
Do they kick a farkin bowlingball around on a steel pitch?
gaz 44
Jan 4, 2013 at 1:46 PM
Comment #109if remy reports are anything to go by here except movement by Wednesday next week or except us to move on.. from What im hearing remy himself is tempted to hold on and see What other offers come in rather than moving at first opportunity. the fact we have dubs and cabs only enhancing chances of deal going through but he’s not too keen on benny boy so I’ve been told
Tsunki
Jan 4, 2013 at 1:46 PM
Comment #110My worry for tiote is that when he comes back from ACoN he might need a cushion. I fear he will come back to a team doing ok without him.
JackButler
Jan 4, 2013 at 1:46 PM
Comment #111Lee Ryder ?@lee_ryder
Papiss Cisse and Fabricio Coloccini out of the Brighton game as a precaution with slight knocks #nufc #FACup
Give young Campbell a game then
bambams
Jan 4, 2013 at 1:46 PM
Comment #112@novocastrian
you are probably right fella
Indian Magpie
Jan 4, 2013 at 1:47 PM
Comment #113from nufc.com
If our understanding of the UEFA regulations is correct, Debuchy would be eligible to appear for Newcastle in this season’s Europa League, despite previously playing for Lille in the Champions League:
Rake
Jan 4, 2013 at 1:47 PM
Comment #114Ranger or Campbell against Brighton? or both?
JackButler
Jan 4, 2013 at 1:49 PM
Comment #115Dannyo
I think Pardew is prioritizing the league and is afraid of loosing any more players to injury.
If Colo and Cisse pick up knocks against Brighton we are in the shyte in the league. The FA cup and Europa League are two distraction we don’t need with our league position
Tsunki
Jan 4, 2013 at 1:49 PM
Comment #116Have to say itsa cardinal sin for a DM not to have decisive distribution skills, its basically part 2 of the 2 requisites for the position. Tiote struggling with that.
gorgonzola ( former Pecorino former to gorgonzola)
Jan 4, 2013 at 1:49 PM
Comment #117Ba to me has proven to be a bit of a bastard in my eyes. he did play for himself on numerous occasions Cisse was alone he chose to go for goal from exuberant positions. I dont like players like that.
He would never work in a manure or Barca on the other hand he aint no Ibra so he cant act that he is good enough for the selfishness..
All in all good riddance.
One problem is I dont feel Remy is a good enough replacement personally. But I could be proven wrong if we get him
Dannyo
Jan 4, 2013 at 1:51 PM
Comment #118@JB
Ye, well, i have to agree with him on that if that is the case, which i too think it is.
I’m not too bothered about the FA Cup this season, altho i’d prefer not to lose out against Brighton again, or a lower league team for that matter.
I cannot for the life of me see how the team setup will be tomorrow now tho.
Tsunki
Jan 4, 2013 at 1:51 PM
Comment #119Indian – I think you are correct he should be able to feature in europe.
AusMagpie
Jan 4, 2013 at 1:51 PM
Comment #120Apparently Ba described it as an “easy decision”.
Dog. Glad he’s gone.