Demba Ba

[CHOULO19 24,332]

because he won't be playing much, especially if we sign a better striker, which is very likely. Even if we don't though, Lukaku needs matches and has the potential to be a hell lot better than Ba.

He may well choose confort and not move, but I doubt he will be happy not playing. He just isn't good enough for Chelsea and I thought buying him was a mistake back then. Could have gotten a younger player, perhaps even on loan.

Lukaku and Torres have a similar playing style. They both like to play on the counter and run at defenders. Ba on the other hand is our only target man and our best striker at hold up play. He gives Jose a different tactical option. I think he will get playing time, especially against weaker teams that park the bus.

[Bir_CFC 3,455]

Anzhi have denied any interest. Or, it could be just us saying fuck off now since Cavani isn't happening. Either way, looks like he's staying. Nothing wrong with it as he's a cheap backup anyways.

[robsblubot 3,595]

Lukaku and Torres have a similar playing style. They both like to play on the counter and run at defenders. Ba on the other hand is our only target man and our best striker at hold up play. He gives Jose a different tactical option. I think he will get playing time, especially against weaker teams that park the bus.

Disagree. Ba is a mediocre player with little mobility and poor technique. Yes, he can play target man, but that's a striker for smaller sides. Andy Carroll can do that too.

I just don't see us winning anything by starting a player like Demba Ba in many matches.

[CHOULO19 24,332]

Disagree. Ba is a mediocre player with little mobility and poor technique. Yes, he can play target man, but that's a striker for smaller sides. Andy Carroll can do that too.

I just don't see us winning anything by starting a player like Demba Ba in many matches.

But you see us winning by starting Torres and Lukaku?! Ba is by no means world-class, but mediocre is extremely harsh. He is a prolific goal scorer. We won a lot of games with him starting last season include knocking the eventual champions out of the FA cup.

[DONI. 1,291]

I would keep him for another season,to see what he can do under Mourihno.

[robsblubot 3,595]

But you see us winning by starting Torres and Lukaku?! Ba is by no means world-class, but mediocre is extremely harsh. He is a prolific goal scorer. We won a lot of games with him starting last season include knocking the eventual champions out of the FA cup.

good point, but we know we are stuck with Torres. And TBH Torres has better technique, even though not as good as goal scorer (as Ba). Yes, we did win a few matches with Ba, until he stopped scoring, in which case his contribution to the team is worse than Torres'.

Lukaku is too good a prospect not to give him games. So, Ba is going to go because we can sell him and we need to sell one of the two 'not good enough' strikers we've got.

[Jusek 2,031]

Ba is a perfect second/third striker option.

[Jase 43,479]

good point, but we know we are stuck with Torres. And TBH Torres has better technique, even though not as good as goal scorer (as Ba). Yes, we did win a few matches with Ba, until he stopped scoring, in which case his contribution to the team is worse than Torres'.

Lukaku is too good a prospect not to give him games. So, Ba is going to go because we can sell him and we need to sell one of the two 'not good enough' strikers we've got.

How so? When Ba isn't scoring the goals, he still gave just that little bit more than Torres to the team. He still make threatening runs in and around the opposition's defence and offer better off the ball movements (think how he got into positions to score but just didn't). And not to mention, his hold up play is so much better than Torres's in helping us keep the ball, win free kicks and bring others into play. With Torres, he's like a statue upfront who doesn't move and more often than not, get bullied off the ball far too easily.

Too easy for people to completely missed these aspects just because Ba hasn't scored a lot. It's just like how people are wanking over Torres because he scored a few goals past average to poor oppositions in the Europa League and Confederations Cup when in actual fact, his performances have hardly even been average to say the least. His goals has masked his poor performances such as when he did play in the Premier League against better oppositions, he hardly ever looked like scoring and of course, he went 4 1/2 months before knocking one past an opposition!

[different level 1,056]

Truth is Ba is at the bottom of the pecking order of our strikers atm, therefore it's not really a surprise Jose is looking to sale him, should we buy another forward. Lukaku did a fantastic job in WBA to deserve his place in our squad for this season, while Torres is kinda untouchable with his wages, which I doubt we'll find a team that is willing/have the ability to match them.

[robsblubot 3,595]

How so? When Ba isn't scoring the goals, he still gave just that little bit more than Torres to the team. He still make threatening runs in and around the opposition's defence and offer better off the ball movements (think how he got into positions to score but just didn't). And not to mention, his hold up play is so much better than Torres's in helping us keep the ball, win free kicks and bring others into play. With Torres, he's like a statue upfront who doesn't move and more often than not, get bullied off the ball far too easily.

Too easy for people to completely missed these aspects just because Ba hasn't scored a lot. It's just like how people are wanking over Torres because he scored a few goals past average to poor oppositions in the Europa League and Confederations Cup when in actual fact, his performances have hardly even been average to say the least. His goals has masked his poor performances such as when he did play in the Premier League against better oppositions, he hardly ever looked like scoring and of course, he went 4 1/2 months before knocking one past an opposition!

Yeah, sorry, I just don't see it. I see him as a good striker for a mid size team and one who should be nowhere near Chelsea starting XI. He's so poor on the ball for me; his first touch is poor, as is his link up play. Yes, he is a good finisher, which includes movement and positionion, but that's about it.

We keep going back to Torres every time we talk about Ba, which should be very telling. Neither is good enough, and we are going to sell the one that can be sold, so our younger (huge) prospect gets more games; it's that simple.

[Jase 43,479]

Truth is Ba is at the bottom of the pecking order of our strikers atm, therefore it's not really a surprise Jose is looking to sale him, should we buy another forward. Lukaku did a fantastic job in WBA to deserve his place in our squad for this season, while Torres is kinda untouchable with his wages, which I doubt we'll find a team that is willing/have the ability to match them.

Actually Ba isn't being sold because he's bottom of the pecking of our strikers at the moment. It's because of the reason you mentioned with Torres there. Nobody would be willing to pay his wages and fees while Ba is on lower wages and wouldn't require a high fee to get him.

Yeah, sorry, I just don't see it. I see him as a good striker for a mid size team and one who should be nowhere near Chelsea starting XI. He's so poor on the ball for me; his first touch is poor, as is his link up play. Yes, he is a good finisher, which includes movement and positionion, but that's about it.

We keep going back to Torres every time we talk about Ba, which should be very telling. Neither is good enough, and we are going to sell the one that can be sold, so our younger (huge) prospect gets more games; it's that simple.

Nobody is saying Ba should stay be our No.1 ST in the starting XI. People are basically saying he will be a decent option as 2nd or 3rd choice to use against lower rank oppositions but the tragic thing here is Ba will probably be sold only because it's easier to do so compared to Torres.

It's funny how people go on and on about Mourinho will improve Lukaku, get Torres back to somewhere near his best form but yet, nothing similar or same is said about Ba. He has showed what's he got at West Ham and Newcastle. Ba didn't suddenly just become a bad player because he joined us or like some of his games made it out to be. Someone like Mourinho can get more out of Ba especially when you consider he isn't a washed up striker like some flop blondie.

[CHOULO19 24,332]

good point, but we know we are stuck with Torres. And TBH Torres has better technique, even though not as good as goal scorer (as Ba). Yes, we did win a few matches with Ba, until he stopped scoring, in which case his contribution to the team is worse than Torres'.

Lukaku is too good a prospect not to give him games. So, Ba is going to go because we can sell him and we need to sell one of the two 'not good enough' strikers we've got.

But I don't think that one has to go. Jose can rotate them just like he rotated Dorgba, Crespo, Gudjohnsen in the 05-06 season.

[Strike 7,474]

Yeah, sorry, I just don't see it. I see him as a good striker for a mid size team and one who should be nowhere near Chelsea starting XI. He's so poor on the ball for me; his first touch is poor, as is his link up play. Yes, he is a good finisher, which includes movement and positionion, but that's about it.

We keep going back to Torres every time we talk about Ba, which should be very telling. Neither is good enough, and we are going to sell the one that can be sold, so our younger (huge) prospect gets more games; it's that simple.

when chasing a game, more often than not, it comes to target-man tactics. would keep him around to throw on as a late- game changer. add a bit of presence up-front.

[BlueLion. 21,491]

Besides Rooney at United and Dzeko at City, Ba is, by some distance, the next-best second-choice striker in the Premier League. We haven't even given him a real shot, yet. I genuinely think he could do a job for us as an option from the bench, or to be rotated alongside Lukaku and Torres. He brings us a different dimension as he is very, very good as a long-ball target.

[Stingray 9,441]

Actually Ba isn't being sold because he's bottom of the pecking of our strikers at the moment. It's because of the reason you mentioned with Torres there. Nobody would be willing to pay his wages and fees while Ba is on lower wages and wouldn't require a high fee to get him.

Exactly .... Why not ship of Torres to Russia?

Ow yes .... it may be too cold for him....

Damned. I want him at Anzhi.