Demba Ba

[didierforever 7,349]

May I point out, as you posted it ?

...would have predicted BA scoring....the result he did not. One can not rely on him, I feel.

As I was looking at falcao as the top goal scorer with 7 goals in 9 games, my mind is going on a wild tour. Suddenly, I see Falcao at Chelsea, BA sold, Willian not bought, & Eto´o freezing in Russia. What you say to that ?

who would not have wanted that? falcao/cavani in the blue shirt. the perfect targetmen. i feel cavani would have been perfect. strong, workman-like player, proper jose player. also their names would have preceded them. i feel the opposition defenders are no longer scared of our strikers the way DD used to make them or the way, rvp and rooney make them. they are more worried about our AMs. these guys could have done us wonders and would have taken so much pressure off our AMs.

but since it dint happen,we have to make do with what we have. i feel ba suits us most against organized defences especialy away from home (like norwich, cardiff, stoke,wba etc). etoo suits us when teams come at the bridge to park the bus so as to break down the defences. and torres when he gets space and chances to run at the defenders (like tottenham, and other big games). my take on things. we have to make do with what we have.

[robsblubot 3,502]

When in doubt, let the transfer marker speak...

We paid 50m for Torres, so we could indeed expect world class performances from him, but we all know they did not come. He shows flashes of quality here and there, but only hits any sort of form for short periods of time. He does better against weak opposition, but has trouble finding the net against tougher sides.

Then we have our 7m 27yo (now 28) "bargain" buy. Was he the deal of the century or just an average striker who is prob not Chelsea quality? I'll go with the more likely. We lost quality by replacing Daniel with Ba, but suspect other factors were at play.

Eto'o was a free transfer, so in itself a huge bet. He was a striker who relied a lot on his fantastic pace, which at 32 might not be the same.

So, yes, we still have a striker problem esp when comparing our options to the ones of the other top sides out there.

[bushman 2,043]

who would not have wanted that? falcao/cavani in the blue shirt. the perfect targetmen. i feel cavani would have been perfect. strong, workman-like player, proper jose player. also their names would have preceded them. i feel the opposition defenders are no longer scared of our strikers the way DD used to make them or the way, rvp and rooney make them. they are more worried about our AMs. these guys could have done us wonders and would have taken so much pressure off our AMs.

but since it dint happen,we have to make do with what we have. i feel ba suits us most against organized defences especialy away from home (like norwich, cardiff, stoke,wba etc). etoo suits us when teams come at the bridge to park the bus so as to break down the defences. and torres when he gets space and chances to run at the defenders (like tottenham, and other big games). my take on things. we have to make do with what we have.

Yes, we have to do with the 3 stooges.

[The_Flash 1,144]

May I point out, as you posted it ?

...would have predicted BA scoring....the result he did not. One can not rely on him, I feel.

As I was looking at falcao as the top goal scorer with 7 goals in 9 games, my mind is going on a wild tour. Suddenly, I see Falcao at Chelsea, BA sold, Willian not bought, & Eto´o freezing in Russia. What you say to that ?

I agree we CAN'T rely on him or Eto'o, it's a worry, god the rest of the team is so strong, I think back to Drogba couldn't stop scoring

a good day? when does that come? or rather when will that come.

with ba and etoo, the law of averages has to catch up soon. i mean , the everton game, etoo could have had 2, ba yesterday could have had a hat-trick, and soon they WILL start taking their chances. and the statement "these two don't look like getting a goal between them" is so wrong. they do look like getting a goal. after 20-25 minutes in the norwich game, u definitely would have predicted ba scoring a goal, rather than not scoring one. but he had no luck. even from 4 yards out somehow it just dint go in and sometimes u need that luck and like i said, it will happen.

There has been plenty of good days for Torres and the start of this season he looks sharp again. As I said yes they could have had many goals Ba and Eto'o but they haven't and if 'almost' scoring doesn't win leagues. We can't rely on luck, we need talent and fast.

[didierforever 7,349]

I agree we CAN'T rely on him or Eto'o, it's a worry, god the rest of the team is so strong, I think back to Drogba couldn't stop scoring

There has been plenty of good days for Torres and the start of this season he looks sharp again. As I said yes they could have had many goals Ba and Eto'o but they haven't and if 'almost' scoring doesn't win leagues. We can't rely on luck, we need talent and fast.

in that case, tell me how many goals has torres scored in PL? u r talking as if torres playing would mean a definite goal over ba and etoo. sorry to disappoint u but that is far-far-far from the truth.infact, most of the games, playing torres becomes a liability.

we have 3 strikers who have different strengths. and as i mentioned to bushman, i expect mourinho to play them according to their strengths and the oppostion's weakness.

[The_Flash 1,144]

I am not saying that about Torres if you read more of my posts you would see I actually think they are all pretty terrible but if I HAD TO PICK one of the three, Torres is the best of a bad bunch, and even then he could still be terrible but I think Jose could get him back, whereas I think Demba never had it .

[bushman 2,043]

in that case, tell me how many goals has torres scored in PL? u r talking as if torres playing would mean a definite goal over ba and etoo. sorry to disappoint u but that is far-far-far from the truth.infact, most of the games, playing torres becomes a liability.

we have 3 strikers who have different strengths. and as i mentioned to bushman, i expect mourinho to play them according to their strengths and the oppostion's weakness.

Oh, I know how many, fuck all.

[The_Flash 1,144]

What strengths? Sadly they are all lacking ? It's so disappointing I wish SO MUCH it was different but it's not. Perhaps Luiz could start blessing Torres again, perhaps do it to all three?

People keep acting as I don't like them, I do actually and I REALLY REALLY want to be brilliant and we all talk about what wonderful hat tricks they have got which helped us win the league but deep down do you think any of them will be up there with like RVP, 30 goals?

[bushman 2,043]

What strengths? Sadly they are all lacking ? It's so disappointing I wish SO MUCH it was different but it's not. Perhaps Luiz could start blessing Torres again, perhaps do it to all three?

People keep acting as I don't like them, I do actually and I REALLY REALLY want to be brilliant and we all talk about what wonderful hat tricks they have got which helped us win the league but deep down do you think any of them will be up there with like RVP, 30 goals?

You can´t stop now to see them being brilliant, you wanna know when they start scoring...take your time though, you might wait till Christmas.

Show me Torres, BA or Eto´o some goals.

[chelseathebest 150]

I thought Ba worked really hard, but still it is clear he is an average player at his best. He tends to be clumsy, he is slow, his link-up play is terrible and with all that he ain't something of a finisher.

So I'd rather play Eto'o. He hasn't been brilliant so far, but I think he could start performing better with time.

[Blue Armour 4,278]

a good day? when does that come? or rather when will that come.

with ba and etoo, the law of averages has to catch up soon. i mean , the everton game, etoo could have had 2, ba yesterday could have had a hat-trick, and soon they WILL start taking their chances. and the statement "these two don't look like getting a goal between them" is so wrong. they do look like getting a goal. after 20-25 minutes in the norwich game, u definitely would have predicted ba scoring a goal, rather than not scoring one. but he had no luck. even from 4 yards out somehow it just dint go in and sometimes u need that luck and like i said, it will happen.

Well, Torres has had more "good days" than Ba, after the latter arrived here. Ba did play fewer matches, but an in-form Torres offers more than targetman Ba, which is why he'll be likely to start most of the coming matches (as long as he maintains form of course)

[didierforever 7,349]

Well, Torres has had more "good days" than Ba, after the latter arrived here. Ba did play fewer matches, but an in-form Torres offers more than targetman Ba, which is why he'll be likely to start most of the coming matches (as long as he maintains form of course)

those "good days" were against pub sides in europa, while ba was playing in the PL.

an "in-form" torres is a myth which after 2 and a half years i refuse to believe in.

[Blue Armour 4,278]

those "good days" were against pub sides in europa, while ba was playing in the PL.

an "in-form" torres is a myth which after 2 and a half years i refuse to believe in.

Well he has had his good showings against teams like Arsenal and Bayern.

Irregardless of the Torres myth, I refuse to believe that Ba is a better option than Torres. He's a better targetman maybe, but that's about it.

[didierforever 7,349]

Well he has had his good showings against teams like Arsenal and Bayern.

Irregardless of the Torres myth, I refuse to believe that Ba is a better option than Torres. He's a better targetman maybe, but that's about it.

arsenal (away) thats it. 2 and a half years and that is one match in which you can say he was a 50 million striker.

against bayern he did score a goal but was not even in our top 5 performers on the day - hazard, oscar, schurlle, cole, cech.

i dont think that is a good stat in anyway.

ba is a better targetman and a better option for us specially when playing away against organized and physical defences (which is almost all PL teams). torres is a better option when playing against teams like tottenham and bayern because they will give him space and he will be better suited in a counter-attacking situation.

[bushman 2,043]

Today, I read Chelsea are keen on Burak Yilmaz & are ready to offer BA in part exchange.

I´d say, the sooner, the better.

[robsblubot 3,502]

arsenal (away) thats it. 2 and a half years and that is one match in which you can say he was a 50 million striker.

against bayern he did score a goal but was not even in our top 5 performers on the day - hazard, oscar, schurlle, cole, cech.

i dont think that is a good stat in anyway.

ba is a better targetman and a better option for us specially when playing away against organized and physical defences (which is almost all PL teams). torres is a better option when playing against teams like tottenham and bayern because they will give him space and he will be better suited in a counter-attacking situation.

Ba is not good enough. Yes, he is a target man, just not a very good one. He's a target man who is not that great in the air (can't remember him heading the ball in the back of the net actually). He also goes to the ground very often and has a history of injuries, if not mistaken, had problems with his knees.

I really don't think Roman wants us playing target man - quotes from AVB time - so Ba will be a rotation player at most, prob a backup when all strikers are available.

[didierforever 7,349]

Ba is not good enough. Yes, he is a target man, just not a very good one. He's a target man who is not that great in the air (can't remember him heading the ball in the back of the net actually). He also goes to the ground very often and has a history of injuries, if not mistaken, had problems with his knees.

I really don't think Roman wants us playing target man - quotes from AVB time - so Ba will be a rotation player at most, prob a backup when all strikers are available.

no one needs to be told that ba is not good enough. he was a stop gap that we bought to plug a hole. we wanted to loan him out and that speaks a lot.

but let us look at our options.

is torres good enough? hell no. why is he still here - because roman and the board are unwilling to accept the 50 mil pounds shambles he was.

is etoo good enought? definitely no. why is he here - because we could not get falcao, cavani and rooney and he was the only one close to good enough, ex WC player that we was available in the market, that too for free.

looking at our options, while accepting that ba is not good enough, i would still say ba is the best of our options. so far he has not had any problems with his knees for us, and even if he does, we would not moan twice about it. going to the ground or not, he wins us balls in the air. luiz canot play out of the defence all the time. watch how van wolveswinkel kept biting at his ankle, because teams know we dont have a way out except for luiz. so their is not much of ball retention for us without ba.

as for roman - he can want what he wants, but right now the the manager is JOSE and even for a second i wont believe that jose would have made it completely clear to roman that he would want total control of this team.

[robsblubot 3,502]

no one needs to be told that ba is not good enough. he was a stop gap that we bought to plug a hole. we wanted to loan him out and that speaks a lot.

but let us look at our options.

is torres good enough? hell no. why is he still here - because roman and the board are unwilling to accept the 50 mil pounds shambles he was.

is etoo good enought? definitely no. why is he here - because we could not get falcao, cavani and rooney and he was the only one close to good enough, ex WC player that we was available in the market, that too for free.

looking at our options, while accepting that ba is not good enough, i would still say ba is the best of our options. so far he has not had any problems with his knees for us, and even if he does, we would not moan twice about it. going to the ground or not, he wins us balls in the air. luiz canot play out of the defence all the time. watch how van wolveswinkel kept biting at his ankle, because teams know we dont have a way out except for luiz. so their is not much of ball retention for us without ba.

as for roman - he can want what he wants, but right now the the manager is JOSE and even for a second i wont believe that jose would have made it completely clear to roman that he would want total control of this team.

Sure, Jose is the manager now. However, Roman as the owner sets the long-term vision for the club and if Jose does not deliver, he will find someone who can. Jose himself said that there will be a transition period a couple of weeks ago; that he cannot deliver the change of style because we've been playing the same way for so long - according to him, since he last left.

yeah definitely a valid strategy in certain occasions. The irony of it though is that it did not work! We've managed to still only scored one goal missing a number of chances some with Ba himself. We won the game with Eto and a bunch of mobile players on the pitch applying pressure in every corner and playing short quick passes.

As a target man, I see Lukaku (for example) win far more headers and actually scoring with a header than Ba ever did.