Is Ba really unhappy on the wing?

An interesting question posed by NUFC.blog

Demba Ba has hardly looked happy when he has been substituted in the last couple of games.

But today, he is playing with a straight bat, and says he has no problem at all about playing on the left wing, as Alan Pardew plays an attacking 4-4-3 formation, with Cisse in the center and Ben Arfa out on the right.

While things may be different behind closed doors, Ba says he has no complaints about where he is playing at the moment:

“I work in order to score goals but also so Papiss can score,” “The coach told me he would put me on the left. And for the team I thought, ‘Let’s do it’. Also, I know the qualities of Papiss as a finisher.”

“It does not bother me at all.” “As a striker you like to be in the striking position but now the coach has made a decision. He has decided for Papiss to be there.”

“I do what I have to do to balance the formation for the good of the team. If I can be in the finishing area I do everything to be there, if I cannot, we do the work for Papiss.”

“I like to be up front but lately the coach has decided to play with three strikers (Hatem Ben Arfa is the other) and I do not mind playing on the side.” “If I score, that’s great, but if I don’t score there is someone else who does.”

Ba’s goals have dried up since he returned from the African Cup Of Nations in early February, and in fact he has scored only one goal since then, in his first back against Aston Villa, which we won 2-1, with goals from the Senegal twin strikers.

A perfect start to the Stoke game on Saturday, would be for Newcastle to get an early penalty and for Demba Ba to ram it home, and if that happens Ba could even end up with a hat-trick.

 

As I said at the time when people thought he looked unhappy and would leave, he seems a very professional lad to me.

 

i would like to see him score again, he did miss that pen against the mackems remember?, i think if he gets one from open play then great.

 

He seems the type of unselfish lad that would take a Toon win over a goal for himself if matters dictated.

 

Of course he is unhappy! he will be sold I'm 100% I'm sure of it. The only reason he's coming out sayinjg good thing s is advice form his agent. Think about it if he wont want Ba putting off any interested clubs because of his attitude would he.

 

No wonder you've won 5 on the spin if Pardew is playing "an attacking 4-4-3 formation"

Ba's favourite opponents this weekend isn't it? Should be a dead cert for a goal.

 

I didn't know we had an extra player on the field.

 

I imagine that Ba probably isn't best pleased to out on the wing but I'm not sure you could describe him as 'really unhappy'

 

He knows that even if he would prefer to be in the middle, if Cisse gets injured/suspended, he'll move into the centre (I'd think, but Pards has a history of odd decisions.)

 

I think he's unhappy about his current form more than anything else. Upset with himself rather than the manager or the team.

 

He's been unlucky not to score.

He's hit the post and forced saves.

Plus we wouldn't have scored some of our latest goals without him contribution.

If Ba or Ben Arfa have a game where they don't contribute with a goal or a direct assist, their presence causes defences to open up. There's no way any defence could successfully mark all 3 of our forwards. And if they did, they'd leave a number of other talented members of our team freedom to play.

 

If does not get sold I'll eat my family in some pies.

 

Rofl. Ba is a good striker but any club daft enough to pay the fee that we'd ask for him, will probably aim higher than Ba.

I'm more scared about losing Cisse now tbh. He's the one currently impressing everyone.

Then there's Cabaye, Tiote ect.

AAAAAH

EVERYONE'S GONNA BE SOLD MAN!

 

The fact is the club will be thinking about his knee and taking 5-7 million would make good business. I hope not but it would be a bad decision if the ticking time bomb runs down. I'm pleased to see you're starting to see we will sell all our best players as we have done since the 80's.

 

Yes! I see sense now. We will sell Ba, Cisse, Ben Arfa, Cabaye, Tiote and Krul.

Doomed

 

Respect

 

Ba's obviously not happy. He's a striker and he's not scoring.

I don't think ye's unhappy about being at Newcastle - - all things considered he seems to like it here.

And so long as we don't sell Carr, I'm feeling fairly relaxed about transfers

 

Wouldn't be right if he was happy. As a good goal scoring striker he want's to be on the scoresheet every game and nobody can blame him for that. It's not as if he isn't capable of putting the ball in the back of the net.

It's good that we're spoilt for choice, and nice to know we've strength in reserve.

 

He is going to PSG

 

Glad to see you made it out of the furnace