Demba Ba

[Sheva. 5,373]

Not good enough to be a starter, but he's at least better than Torres as 2nd choice.

The more time goes by, the more likely it's looking Torres will still be playing 30+ games next season.

[didierforever 7,349]

Not good enough to be a starter, but he's at least better than Torres as 2nd choice.

The more time goes by, the more likely it's looking Torres will still be playing 30+ games next season.

i think torres will be 3rd choice. no way jose will make the same mistake as last season. lukaku will be 2nd choice.

[Pizy 18,368]

Never Chelsea standard to be a regular, but always gave 110%, scored some important goals, loved being a part of Chelsea Football Club, always had a positive attitude, and did everything that was asked of him.

Never complained to the media or moaned about playing time either. Lukaku could learn a thing or two from his situation.

Good luck to him.

[Sheva. 5,373]

lukaku will be 2nd choice.

Does he want to be 2nd choice though? every time he speaks, it's about starting; so i'm not counting on him being here come next season.

[MrExcalibur100 7,124]

Does he want to be 2nd choice though? every time he speaks, it's about starting; so i'm not counting on him being here come next season.

If you think about it, even Costa is not 1st choice by default. He will obviously be our best striker but he has to prove it still.

[didierforever 7,349]

Does he want to be 2nd choice though? every time he speaks, it's about starting; so i'm not counting on him being here come next season.

he will do what the club and jose want him to do. i would rather have that a hungry and to prove-himself LUKAKU comes off the bench when we are 1-1 at the 60th minute rather than selling/loaning him and making torres our no.2 striker.

[Styles 9,790]

I agree, but he was always the one who was going to make way and be sold/loaned. We simply couldn't go into a season with Costa, Ba and Torres.

Costa, Lukaku and Torres then yes, or even Costa, (Insert new name) Torres

Might sound controversial but Ba is better than Lukaku in my honest opinion. I know who I would trust if we played an important game any time soon.

[Special Juan 27,424]

Might sound controversial but Ba is better than Lukaku in my honest opinion. I know who I would trust if we played an important game any time soon.

I don't think Ba is that good but when he came on he always put himself about and tried to mix it up. Not once did I ever read of him moaning or complaining, just saying that when he gets a chance he wants to take it and do his best. As for Lukaku, don't get me started on him.

As for Ba....

45mins: Goal for Chelsea - Demba Ba takes advantage of a slip by Steven Gerrard to run through and put the visitors ahead

[Chelsea Legend 11 4,062]

he will do what the club and jose want him to do. i would rather have that a hungry and to prove-himself LUKAKU comes off the bench when we are 1-1 at the 60th minute rather than selling/loaning him and making torres our no.2 striker.

We'd all love that, I'm just not sure he is built that way. Seems like a whiny little baby to me who thinks he's entitled to a role rather than the type that fight for it. I'd only be upset if we sold him and the person we brought in ended up being another dud. Right now I'm not a fan of Lukaku's attitude, Ba spent pretty much his entire Chelsea career on the bench and never once heard a peep out of him! These are his prime years too.

[Sheva. 5,373]

If you think about it, even Costa is not 1st choice by default. He will obviously be our best striker but he has to prove it still.

Of course, but it's his spot to lose. He will start against Burnley and continue doing so until he proves he doesn't deserve to be starting.

he will do what the club and jose want him to do. i would rather have that a hungry and to prove-himself LUKAKU comes off the bench when we are 1-1 at the 60th minute rather than selling/loaning him and making torres our no.2 striker.

Nah, it's all up to Lukaku. The club won't keep an unhappy player.

He just seems very impatient, 2nd choice at a big club is nothing to ashamed of. He will still get looots of freaking playing time.

[Styles 9,790]

I don't think Ba is that good but when he came on he always put himself about and tried to mix it up. Not once did I ever read of him moaning or complaining, just saying that when he gets a chance he wants to take it and do his best. As for Lukaku, don't get me started on him.

I still remember Lukaku's performance against Bayern when he came on in the Super Cup final. People spoke at length about the penalty miss and said he wasn't ready because of that, but his general performance was woeful. He was walking around when we needed him to work hard.

Ba has been very unlucky here and remains largely underrated. Good luck to him and I hope he has a great time in Turkey.

[didierforever 7,349]

We'd all love that, I'm just not sure he is built that way. Seems like a whiny little baby to me who thinks he's entitled to a role rather than the type that fight for it. I'd only be upset if we sold him and the person we brought in ended up being another dud. Right now I'm not a fan of Lukaku's attitude, Ba spent pretty much his entire Chelsea career on the bench and never once heard a peep out of him! These are his prime years too.

i know dude. but if we were selling him to ATM and buying mandzukic to replace him, i would have been the happiest!! but right now which striker can replace lukaku who has shown that despite his big mouth, he has what it takes to be a great striker one day, who is already PL proven, who scored 32 goals in PL in the last 2 seasons.

and its not just about simply coming off the bench. the 2nd striker (whoever that it) will be getting plenty of starts and gametime. he needs to be managed. he is a young man and is acting like a spoilt boy!!! jose needs to earn his money by "managing" this guy properly!!! thats how i see it!!

[Special Juan 27,424]

. he needs to be managed. he is a young man and is acting like a spoilt boy!!! jose needs to earn his money by "managing" this guy properly!!! thats how i see it!!

BANG......and there is that brick wall, plus Jose having to deal with him and his agent, can you imagine how fucking difficult that must be? One bloke who thinks he is better than Suarez and can't shut his mouth, and the other just seeing pound signs rolling around in his eyes and head like a fucking fruit machine spinning.

Jose will manage the situation quite easily, he will tell Lukaku to shut the door behind himself on the way out.

[lionsden 4,689]

I will never forget this goal

[The only place to be 11,313]

Always pissed me off that he'd do his little prayer thing before celebrating with his teammates.

Hey Demba, you earn 70 grand a week because your teammates set you up to score goals. Say thanks to them first before your 'friend'.

Beyond that he seems like a good guy and he never complained whilst also scoring some important goals for us on the odd occasion. Wish him nothing but the best going forward, but from our perspective he's dead wood and we save some money. Would give his spot in the squad to Bamford every day of the week.

[Chelsea Legend 11 4,062]

i know dude. but if we were selling him to ATM and buying mandzukic to replace him, i would have been the happiest!! but right now which striker can replace lukaku who has shown that despite his big mouth, he has what it takes to be a great striker one day, who is already PL proven, who scored 32 goals in PL in the last 2 seasons.

and its not just about simply coming off the bench. the 2nd striker (whoever that it) will be getting plenty of starts and gametime. he needs to be managed. he is a young man and is acting like a spoilt boy!!! jose needs to earn his money by "managing" this guy properly!!! thats how i see it!!

Prem league proven but not Chelsea standard proven. If I'm being completely honest, and I try to be all the time, Lukaku hasn't shown he's of that high quality standard. Its similar to Demba Ba's case where he looked great with Newcastle where teams have no need to sit deep but as soon as he came here, it was a completely different story.

Not saying I want him gone yet but Lukaku needs to shut the fuck up and prove himself on the pitch. He says he wants to play in the Champions League this year like he's earned the right, what teams that are confirmed for Champions League(which represents the elite in European football) have a need for a spoilt little boy who is poor technically and cries when his coach rightfully subs him out of a world cup fixture? He needs and attitude adjustment and I'm not sure Jose has the time to mess around with a baby.

[The only place to be 11,313]

Interesting that people are talking about Lukaku in a thread about a striker who scored 16 goals for a mid-table Premier League team but wasn't good enough for us.

[Styles 9,790]

Interesting that people are talking about Lukaku in a thread about a striker who scored 16 goals for a mid-table Premier League team but wasn't good enough for us.

Interesting...

Are Lukaku's two seasons on loan better than Ba's two seasons with Newcastle? The numbers are quite similar, and one player is being described as not good enough while the other is supposed to be our future.