Unbelievable

I think it's got to be difficult when he's getting so few chances though, the fact that you're going all the way back to a penalty in September to think of chances he's missing is evidence of that. There's got to be a tendency to snatch at chances when your job is to score goals but you only get one half chance every three games. Conversely, he did draw out a top class save from Hart in the first few minutes, and was a hair away from scoring at Fulham (pulled up for offside, replays showed he really wasn't). Apart from the chances that have been mentioned in the last couple of posts, has he really had any other real opportunities to score that he has squandered? 5 or 6 chances in 10 odd games is damning evidence of our complete lack of creativity for one of the most lethal finishers in the top division. Even if your numbers were right, wouldn't you expect "one of the most lethal finishers in the top division" to put away 3 or maybe 4 out of those 5 or 6 chances in 10 odd games? That's before even going into the fact that Papiss Cisse is an integral part of that forward line that has, as you say a "complete lack of creativity". As I said, it's not just his finishing that's let him (and us) down, it's also his lack of intelligent movement. Quite frankly, a lot of you are making excuses for him which wouldn't have been necessary if he had played anywhere near at the level we know from last season he's capable of. Eh? So you're not factoring in his self confidence issues? Do you not think these make a difference to a center forward when he's faced with the first half chance he's had in 3 games let's say? Look at it this way. Say Cisse played for Man Utd., with their current lineup. How many more chances per game would he be getting (on average), than he is getting at the moment? Do you think he would still be missing those chances, and with 2 goals to his name 4 and a half months into the season? The fact that he can't get into any sort of rhythm up front because of all the chopping up, add to that an obviously massive bout of self-doubt, and our lack of creative variety in the final third, are the causes of his dry spell. He is however, responsible to work even harder, mentally especially, to adjust his game to the new role he finds himself in. He has shown a little more in the last couple of games, so maybe he is doing just that. How does self confidence explain his piss poor start of the season after he was on fire in his first half season in a new league a few months earlier? Also, all the excuses you make (lack of creativity, lack of chances created, lack of continuity in the team) don't detract from the fact Ba got 10 times as many goals when they were paired at the start of the season. Is Papiss Cisse himself beyond criticism? Let me ask you this question: has he lived up to expectations these past couple of months?

How about Ba's?

How is it more valid? "One half chance in three or so games" - seriously? He's had one or more decent chance(s) in every of the last three matches alone, and that was playing out wide. Also, what are his strengths exactly? Are we supposed to carry a desperately out of form striker completely incapable to help us carve out chances, nay even drop our scoring forward for him as some argue, or should his movement and passing contribute to our attacking play maybe?

I think it's got to be difficult when he's getting so few chances though, the fact that you're going all the way back to a penalty in September to think of chances he's missing is evidence of that. There's got to be a tendency to snatch at chances when your job is to score goals but you only get one half chance every three games. Conversely, he did draw out a top class save from Hart in the first few minutes, and was a hair away from scoring at Fulham (pulled up for offside, replays showed he really wasn't). Apart from the chances that have been mentioned in the last couple of posts, has he really had any other real opportunities to score that he has squandered? 5 or 6 chances in 10 odd games is damning evidence of our complete lack of creativity for one of the most lethal finishers in the top division. Even if your numbers were right, wouldn't you expect "one of the most lethal finishers in the top division" to put away 3 or maybe 4 out of those 5 or 6 chances in 10 odd games? That's before even going into the fact that Papiss Cisse is an integral part of that forward line that has, as you say a "complete lack of creativity". As I said, it's not just his finishing that's let him (and us) down, it's also his lack of intelligent movement. Quite frankly, a lot of you are making excuses for him which wouldn't have been necessary if he had played anywhere near at the level we know from last season he's capable of.

I think it's got to be difficult when he's getting so few chances though, the fact that you're going all the way back to a penalty in September to think of chances he's missing is evidence of that. There's got to be a tendency to snatch at chances when your job is to score goals but you only get one half chance every three games. Your memory must be playing tricks with you. He's missed a fair few chances this season so far, big ones too. Also, the argument of being played out wide is extremely lazy considering he's only played their for the past four matches, and even in those he's been central in decent positions a fair few times and cocked it upped through bad movement (Wigan offside for ex.) or bad finishing (City, that header on Saturday).

For all this talk about greedy Demba Ba and tactically clueless Alan Pardew, Papiss Cisse could really help himself first and foremost by starting to score a few goals and looking a genuine goal threat. I'm not having all this talk that he's somehow a massive victim of circumstances beyond his control. In all honesty, he's been piss poor (by his standards) from the start of pre-season both in terms of movement and finishing.

78 points..

Dear oh dear

Shame we didn't lose. Better luck next time.

33 with Van Persie ©, Ivanovic, Hazard (v), Michu and Sterling still to play. For once, I got clean sheets so far from goalkeeper and all defenders

Shola

Wat? Wish it was someone else than Ameobi. Wat?

Shola

5 minutes? WTF ref

Wat?

*3

Not bad Marv

Ba to score a FK

Fuck off ref

Oooh, Marv should have done better

Great finish Shola

Get in!

SHOLA!!!

Come on Marv!