The College Dropout

It's alright demba, all is forgiven.

I agree fully with what you're saying. That's kind of my point. An in-form Cisse doesn't need a particular style of play, just get it to him in and around the box and he'll do the rest. The back-to-goal thing, if you're upfront by yourself you'll probably spend a good piece of time doing that if the team is under the cosh. I would say first time shots from crosses and we do kinda try to get ti in the box although not with the most guile. And through balls but a lot of teams in the division defend rather deep. But overall, most of his issues are down to his own poor performance/limitations. Pardew is a poor manager imo. I can't see him gee'ing up Cisse or whoever the way SBR had Bellamy feeling 6'4. But each player with a good amount of ability and experience should look at themselves primarily after last season's horror.

Poor by his standards? 8 league goals in 36 games is poor by anyone's standard for a #9. He missed a good number of those types of opportunities imo.

What are these strengths? How does he help the team play that style?

Lucas the one at PSG? Looked very good when I saw him in the CL.

Gouffran doesn't have Bellamy's energy levels or stamina. Or even movement now I think about it. Bellamy would routinely run non-stop. Gouff is just as fast and probably stronger but his overall game isn't as good.

While never close to being as good as Shearer in his prime, by the time he left Bellamy was much the better player and had improved his finishing. By the time he left he was our best player. Scored the same amount of goals as Shearer did the season he left despite playing less games. Went on to score 1 in 2 for Blackburn the next season.

This was my only point this season: Cisse was/has been rubbish all season. Like everyone you can blame Pardew/the team to an extent but he himself has had a shocker. Hasn't done his goalscoring and his build-up/hold-up play was poor. He's part of the problem but he can also be part of the answer. It's not everyone else's fault he only scored 8 league goals. Two more than wor Cabaye who had an indifferent season himself. People even try to blame referees for ruling his goals offside like that doesn't happen to every striker. Forgetting the S'hampton wonder goal was offside and another bounced off his arse without him looking- literally.

I don't want him sold. I don't know why people are saying that. However, if daft money is offered 20-25m, we'd be daft to say no. I think next season he'l get 15-20 goals.

He's not suited to much imo. He's a square-wondergoal'd peg that we're trying to fit in the proverbial round hole. Agreed.

duo you are delusional fella.

Agree with Unbelievable! Another striker then a wide man is what we need. We don't need 4 first team strikers.

£20m though? Selling all day.

Rare for a team not in Europe to have more than 2 top quality strikers. even under SBR we had 2 great strikers, and 2 decent strikers at best. Cisse, another good striker, Gouff and Shola is as good a quartet we would hjave had in many a year.

Point is, season before it would've flown top corner. Last season, most of this situations went against him. It was symptomatic of what would go on to be his season. He played in the exact same fashion as the previous season, early shots, going for the spectacular, off the last shoulder of the defender but this year it didn't work.

Ba on the left of a front 3 with Cisse in the middle. Yes, i thought that would work. What with their being a precedent an 'all. Football isn't that simple. Cisse scored at least half his goals in a 4-4-2 as well. Everything he did was amazing when he first came, it was obvious 6 games into the season it wouldn't be the same and it would be a tougher season for him. Just look at Jelavic at Everton. Moyes did't persist with the same thing that worked towards the end of the previous season and it ended with Jelavic coming off the bench for most of the second half of the season. If you actually saw Cisse play, I don't see how you could think everything would be solved and he'd go back to scoring a wonder goal every game if you moved Ba wide and kept him up top.

Probably, I still think he will. he may, next season. But you and a lot of this board were very wrong earlier in the season. You let personal bias cloud your judgement, the horrible penalty he took should've made it obvious Cisse's problems were bigger than occasionally playing wide.

This. I'd sell for £20m in a heartbeat tbh. £15-18m it would depend on wrapping up deals for two other strikers. I don't think there's a top striker going for that money who is so poor outside the penalty box. Anyway you shape it, 8 goals is a horrible return. that's Shane Long type numbers without the pace to really help the team.

You also probably thought Cisse would start banging them in playing in a central position.

I would say a majority wanted Ba outwide so that Cisse could play up top. I also remember the majority thinking results and performances would drastically improve with such a move.

If we don't sell him he needs to sign a new contract very soon.

He's 26 and he's never come close to realising his potential. Even with us, he's been here 3 years and has only had 6 good months. You won't find many players with that history going for more than £10m let alone £20m.

Anythign approaching 25m and we've robbed them.

He played CB under Biesla right? You guys like playing natural DM's there but he's more suited to it than anyone.

Don't know why Barca didn't go for Martinez. Well apart from the money.....