🇸🇳 Demba Ba

[Special Juan 28,141]

He would never of been an option for this football club had we not been so naive in approach to January as we where. He was literally filling a void, a void that could of been avoided easily. If we can get back all, or at least a part of what we paid for him, it will be an achievement because regardless what people say he chipped in with some decent goals last season and whilst not been the greatest, he contributed.

Whilst some are critical of him they need to point the finger at the board before Demba Ba.

It's one of those situations where you won't be sad to wave him off but in the same breath wish him good luck and thank him.

[CHOULO19 24,332]

A reliable Italia journo Gianluca Di Marzio is saying Napoli are thinking about bidding for Demba Ba as a replacement for Cavani. Personally I think it's bullshit because Napoli seem to be after Higuain or Damiao but I suppose they could be after Demba if they fail to get either of them.

If we get Rooney, someone has to go. Personally I would be gutted to see Ba leave after so little time but Lukaku has rightfully claimed a place in the squad and Torres is nearly impossible to sell so I'm afraid that wouldn't leave the club with many options. Ba deserves a chance too but if it was up to having either him or Rooney, it really is no contest.

Di Marzio is reliable?!! Did I miss something?

[Jase 43,479]

I hope people are judging him too much based on pre-season. He's fasting for Ramadan so it's highly unlikely he's going to be anywhere close to even 50% right now.

It's not only Ba actually. Some fans have been too praiseful and overly critical of some of the players based on 2 pre-season games against poor oppositions and where the priority now is about getting back 100% fitness level than anything else.

[The Skipper 20,609]

I respect him for playing and training in the humid heat whilst fasting. That requires huge mental strength.

[The Skipper 20,609]

only now people start to realise that Ba isn't good enough!

Good enough for what? When Ba was signed, no one thought of him as our first choice striker. He's a very good 2nd/3rd choice striker though, better than most in the league.

[Special Juan 28,141]

It comes down to the same as the Moses situation, bought as a squad player and brought in to do a job, not expecting Messi type performances.

Squad rotation really does by pass people at times.

[Tomo 21,751]

only now people start to realise that Ba isn't good enough!

says the Torres fan

[BlueLion. 21,491]

It's not only Ba actually. Some fans have been too praiseful and overly critical of some of the players based on 2 pre-season games against poor oppositions and where the priority now is about getting back 100% fitness level than anything else.

Absolutely. Going by what we've been reading the last couple of days, Hazard is shit and should be benched, de Bruyne is the embodiment of the Second Coming and Bertrand Traore should start against Hull. Deluded!

I respect him for playing and training in the humid heat whilst fasting. That requires huge mental strength.

Absolutely! I struggle playing and training in moderate humidity during the British summer; but he's doing it in far harsher conditions and without eating during daylight hours. Absolutely incredible, I have nothing but respect for the man.

[Mouri_Matic 560]

He scored 4 GOALS in like 5 months last season, with 2 in his first match so no matter how you look at it, that is not GOOD ENOUGH.

[HNKS 508]

He scored 4 GOALS in like 5 months last season, with 2 in his first match so no matter how you look at it, that is not GOOD ENOUGH.

To be fair he wasnt exactly playing regularly.

[yuvala 2,167]

He scored 4 GOALS in like 5 months last season, with 2 in his first match so no matter how you look at it, that is not GOOD ENOUGH.

Thats too harsh mate.. He wasn't really the first choice striker, his form was off due to not starting + its a new team, a new system, new players.. he scored some important goals for us.

I'm sure he'll do good this season.

[Mouri_Matic 560]

Thats too harsh mate.. He wasn't really the first choice striker, his form was off due to not starting + its a new team, a new system, new players.. he scored some important goals for us.

I'm sure he'll do good this season.

I know it is quite hard. I am not bashing him either, all I am saying is he is not unsellable by any mean and should a good offer come in, we should take it. To be fair the only important goal he scored was against West Brom . And about him doing good this season, I don't know because he will most likely spend a lot of time on the bench behind Lukaku and maybe even Torres.

[Pacquiao 1,834]

says the Torres fan

Torres fan??? you must have me mistaken for someone else sorry!

[bleed_blue 136]

Thats too harsh mate.. He wasn't really the first choice striker, his form was off due to not starting + its a new team, a new system, new players.. he scored some important goals for us.

I'm sure he'll do good this season.

With his well published knee problems, demba ba was not gonna play more than 1 game a week. He started 17 games in 19 weeks after signing for us. Please dont use the excuse that he was not starting regularly.

[Jype 6,398]

He scored 4 GOALS in like 5 months last season, with 2 in his first match so no matter how you look at it, that is not GOOD ENOUGH.

He scored six. Mind you that's six times more than Torres scored in his first six months as a Chelsea player. Then there's also Anelka who only scored two goals in 24 games after arriving in the January window but went on to be the whole PL's top goalscorer in the following season.

It's not always so black and white as you seem to think, players are human beings too and adapting to a new city and a new club in the middle of a season can be hard and we shouldn't judge them so harshly before their first full season at the club.

Like I said a few days ago Ba deserves at least a year to prove his worth but if we get Wayne Rooney, I would understand if the club made the tough decision of selling Ba and keeping Torres. Not because Torres deserves fuck all but because he's pretty much unmovable and it really wouldn't be wise for the club to send him training with the reserves while keeping Ba in the squad if the alternative was to sell Demba for a decent amount of money and keeping the ladyboy as a third choice striker. Keeping them both but only using Ba would cost the club £250k a week but keeping just Torres would get the club somewhere around £10m in transfer fee and also £80k of that amount off the wage bill. Hving said that, I think selling Ba should only be a last resort if the club fail in selling or loaning out Torres.

[robsblubot 3,595]

He scored six. Mind you that's six times more than Torres scored in his first six months as a Chelsea player. Then there's also Anelka who only scored two goals in 24 games after arriving in the January window but went on to be the whole PL's top goalscorer in the following season.

It's not always so black and white as you seem to think, players are human beings too and adapting to a new city and a new club in the middle of a season can be hard and we shouldn't judge them so harshly before their first full season at the club.

Like I said a few days ago Ba deserves at least a year to prove his worth but if we get Wayne Rooney, I would understand if the club made the tough decision of selling Ba and keeping Torres. Not because Torres deserves fuck all but because he's pretty much unmovable and it really wouldn't be wise for the club to send him training with the reserves while keeping Ba in the squad if the alternative was to sell Demba for a decent amount of money and keeping the ladyboy as a third choice striker. Keeping them both but only using Ba would cost the club £250k a week but keeping just Torres would get the club somewhere around £10m in transfer fee and also £80k of that amount off the wage bill. Hving said that, I think selling Ba should only be a last resort if the club fail in selling or loaning out Torres.

Ba deserves nothing!

He may be a good/decent player, but Chelsea cannot, must not, wait to see if Ba makes the cut.

That's why we have a bunch of well-paid coaches who crunch numbers, watch our players every day in practice, and can judge the players way better than we. IMO Ba is nowhere near Chelsea's quality; not based on the number of goals he's score (or didn't), but his technical ability or the lack thereof.

I'd rather give Lukaku games than waste time with Ba.

[Jype 6,398]

Ba deserves nothing!

He may be a good/decent player, but Chelsea cannot, must not, wait to see if Ba makes the cut.

That's why we have a bunch of well-paid coaches who crunch numbers, watch our players every day in practice, and can judge the players way better than we. IMO Ba is nowhere near Chelsea's quality; not based on the number of goals he's score (or didn't), but his technical ability or the lack thereof.

I'd rather give Lukaku games than waste time with Ba.

You misunderstood me. The reason I didn't even mention Lukaku in my post is because for me it's obvious he should be the number two striker if Rooney comes and number one if we don't get anyone new.

I was merely comparing our misfiring strkers Ba and Torres because some people still believe Torres will come good while the same people think Ba is nowhere near good enough and should be gotten rid of immediately. From these two guys it shouldn't even be a contest and for the life of me I can't understand why anyone could still prefer Torres to Ba. If we get Rooney, we'd have him and Lukaku as our two main forwards and probably one of Torres/Ba as a third one because I honestly can't see us getting rid of both our strikers from last season. Not by any means was I suggesting we should stick with Ba through thick and thin like we have with a certain £50m Spaniard but as a second / third choice striker I would much rather have Ba than Torres if at all possible.

[robsblubot 3,595]

You misunderstood me. The reason I didn't even mention Lukaku in my post is because for me it's obvious he should be the number two striker if Rooney comes and number one if we don't get anyone new.

I was merely comparing our misfiring strkers Ba and Torres because some people still believe Torres will come good while the same people think Ba is nowhere near good enough and should be gotten rid of immediately. From these two guys it shouldn't even be a contest and for the life of me I can't understand why anyone could still prefer Torres to Ba. If we get Rooney, we'd have him and Lukaku as our two main forwards and probably one of Torres/Ba as a third one because I honestly can't see us getting rid of both our strikers from last season. Not by any means was I suggesting we should stick with Ba through thick and thin like we have with a certain £50m Spaniard but as a second / third choice striker I would much rather have Ba than Torres if at all possible.

No, I understood you point. I just consider Ba an awful player and that's the reason I think Torres is better; Torres is not an awful player, even now. Torres is an awful player if you consider his wages, expectation, and fee. However, as an alternative, he's quite interesting.

I just look a their technical ability and really don't see enough in Ba's play to justify him as a Chelsea player. He's got a poor first touch, can't turn, isn't strong enough (goes to the ground way to often for a guy of his build), isn't quick enough, can't link up play. Scoring goals, which he also hasn't been able to do, is just part of the deal for a top team. We cannot afford having a pole in the box these days.

Again I compare Ba to our opponent's options and I'd rather have any one of them over Ba.

Edit: I guess I'd also take most of them over Torres too. Oh well.

[xPetrCechx 13,571]

Ba: I’ll stay

Striker would welcome Roo.

http://www.thesun.co.uk/sol/homepage/sport/football/5034985/Demba-Ba-Ill-stay-at-Chelsea.html

[Diego Kwsta 96]

It's great to hear that he wants to stay and fight for his place.Competition is always a good thing.