Ba and Shola For Next Week

We saw what they did vs Man United last season. That was one of the best performances and results of the last decade, never mind the season! Shola and Ba worked brilliantly, and if I recall correctly, it was an amazing flick on from Shola that found Ba for the first goal (similar to the second equalizer at Goodison).

Cisse and Ba - for whatever reason - just aren't clicking. I'd throw Ba and Shola up top together against the Mancs, and bring on Cisse in the second half - seemed to work earlier this week!

 

If pardew insists on playing a 442 then I have to agree with you.

 

Might have something to do with Cisse and Ba competing with each other to prove who's best, whereas Shola just wants the Team to do well.

 

No point in making this our first 4-3-3, and they'll be shaken after that game.

I'd play -

----Ba------Shola------

--Cabaye----Ben Arfa----

----Bigi----Tiote---------

Santon-Colo--Saylor---Anita

---------Harper-------------

 

Spot on! They absolutely battered Man Utd that night. They were like men possessed!

 

This for me. Rather not see us line up in a 442 but Shola as a target man with Ba making the runs off him would work better than with Cisse.

 

Shola has been playing so well when called upon. I hope he starts with Ba too

 

we just have to throw caution to the wind and go 4-3-3.

 

Let's hope they can batter Man Utd on Sunday.

 

Also, it might give Cisse a welcome kick up the arse.

Certainly benching Ba against Villa seems to have worked a treat

 

Yep Shola starting for me - give Cisse a start in Europe this week and see how it goes - we can't afford to carry low confidence players at the moment, we have too many people not playing to their full potential.

 

Is this game on tv?

 

I don't agree with the notion that Cisse and Ba cannot play together. I think last season proved they could. I believe they can work in a 442 or 433 if they are in form and they have the rest of the first xi behind them. That has yet to be the case this season and that is why we haven't hit our straps. People are getting way too hung up on formations. Our lack of form is because of form of key players/injuries to key players (mainly our spine).

However I think if it is our intention to play direct football like last year then it makes sense to play Shola. As Man U have already shown they may still have a weakness that Blackburn exploited, and Pardew copied last season. It therefore seems sensible to test them out again. Not a pretty game to watch but it was enjoyable anyway, not least because of Demba's super goal and Cabaye's superb free kick. Then we had the Jones comedy show..............

 

When everyone is fit I don't know why Pardew doesn't try a a front 5 of the below:

Cabaye Tiote

HBA Demba Jonas/Fergie

Cisse

Cabaye can sit deeper and play the "Pirlo" role, tiote is the ball winner and Demba get's a bit of a free role just off Cisse.

 

I think that will be the intention. Unfortunately he has yet to have that option so far this season.