The fortunes of Newcastle United’s strikers has been in direct contrast.
Alan Pardew may be a genius. Knowing that Demba Ba couldn’t possibly keep up his outstanding form over the whole season, he brought in a man who could take over where he left off.
Or something like that. For there was no way really of knowing how Ba’s form would trail off. If it would have done, Newcastle would have been relying on Shola Ameobi and Leon Best to score the goals.
The elephant in the room of course, is the notion that Demba Ba’s form has dipped because of Papiss Cisse.
Ba has not scored since the first match he played in returning from the African Nations Cup, a 2-1 win over Aston Villa in which Cisse came off the bench to score a superb winner.
Cisse has scored 13 times now in 13 games, including a wonderstrike against Chelsea last night.
Ba on the other hand can’t buy a goal, hitting the bar last night, and must wonder when his next one will come.
He is obviously suffering from a bit of a lack of confidence, and as they say, he just needs one to go in for him.
His problem has been that with Cisse up front, he has been played deeper, and at times out wide.
While both have benefited the team to a degree, with Newcastle still flying high in the race for the Champions League places, they must work on a way to get both strikers firing.
In some ways it can be argued it doesn’t matter who is banging in the goals so long as one is, but it is frustrating watching Ba at present, knowing that he can contribute so much more.
Imagine how dangerous Newcastle would be if they had the early season Ba and Cisse on form. Unstoppable surely?
“Cisse won me £220!” – Watch Newcastle fans celebrate after Papiss’ wonderstrike.
How can Pardew get Ba and Cisse scoring together?
image: © mickyb59
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