Demba Ba (now retired)

[M4]

There is a school of thought that the guy who was fouled shouldn't take the pen. I know it's pretty common in French football but they're always making up their own rules. Was surprised it all was sorted so quickly, guess Demba knows better than to start an argument with Ben Arfa.

 

Don't think it was too big a factor though, even after his goal he barely smiled.

[Wilson]

would love to know what stevey taylor was saying to him after he scored

 

class finish

[huss9]

Looked really miserable yesterday. If there's no agreement that Ba is "the" penalty taker, he really shouldn't make a fuss out of it. Ben Arfa made the pen, man. Bit annoyed that he didn't celebrate the second goal.

 

Great goal, mind

 

he did celebrate the second goal - came over to the corner and congratulated ben arfa - was right in front of us.

[Cajun]

Looked really miserable yesterday. If there's no agreement that Ba is "the" penalty taker, he really shouldn't make a fuss out of it. Ben Arfa made the pen, man. Bit annoyed that he didn't celebrate the second goal.

 

Great goal, mind

 

he did celebrate the second goal - came over to the corner and congratulated ben arfa - was right in front of us.

 

In every positive we will strive to find a negative.

 

Looked happy as fuck after scoring his goal too.

[taxfree]

Looked really miserable yesterday. If there's no agreement that Ba is "the" penalty taker, he really shouldn't make a fuss out of it. Ben Arfa made the pen, man. Bit annoyed that he didn't celebrate the second goal.

 

Great goal, mind

 

he did celebrate the second goal - came over to the corner and congratulated ben arfa - was right in front of us.

 

Good stuff. Was the commentators going on about how he didn't celebrate. Didn't see it myself.

 

And Cajun, even if it wasn't directed 100 % towards me, no, I'm not trying to find negatives here

[Skeletor]

Ba is a bit hit and miss with his penalties so I'm glad he didn't take it in such a pressure moment.

[Beren]

Ba is a bit hit and miss with his penalties so I'm glad he didn't take it in such a pressure moment.

 

 

I think people are reading too much into Demba's alleged sulking too, fwiw. He looked fine and happy to me. He's just a little tamer in character than most of the team.

 

One of my favourite squad members and one of the few whose words/interviews I'm fairly comfortable accepting at face value.

[Skeletor]

I don't think he was sulking either. He cracked a giggle when the interviewer asked if he could hand Jonas the bubbly.

[Mole_Toonfan]

As far as i'm concerned with Demba's demeanour in the post match conference and in general it can't be easy to act more joyful etc when you haven't eaten for so long.

 

I know one thing if hadn't eaten for as long as Demba has i would be grumpy as hell.

[Dave]

Everyone thinks they're a body language expert after Enrique left, bit embarrassing IMO.

 

He says he's happy, why can't we just leave it at that?

[Geordie Ahmed]

Everyone thinks they're a body language expert after Enrique left, bit embarrassing IMO.

 

He says he's happy, why can't we just leave it at that?

 

Exactly

[Tisd09]

Demba played well yesterday and looked a lot sharper than Cisse. Amazing goal. Demba missed the last two pens hasn't he so I was expecting Cisse to step up.

 

I am surprised that someone wasn't given the pen taking role before the game though. I don't like the squabbling over pens, it adds extra pressure to an already pressurized situation anyway.

[Dinho lad]

As far as i'm concerned with Demba's demeanour in the post match conference and in general it can't be easy to act more joyful etc when you haven't eaten for so long.

 

I know one thing if hadn't eaten for as long as Demba has i would be grumpy as hell.

 

Definitely.

 

 

 

[Wullie]

Demba played well yesterday and looked a lot sharper than Cisse. Amazing goal. Demba missed the last two pens hasn't he so I was expecting Cisse to step up.

 

I am surprised that someone wasn't given the pen taking role before the game though. I don't like the squabbling over pens, it adds extra pressure to an already pressurized situation anyway.

 

Cisse's the last one I would want on them after that one in the shootout.

[Tisd09]

I didn't see that

 

I just remember him taking some top pens on a famous video site after he first signed.

 

Pity we can't do special teams and bring wor Shola on for pens (I know we couldn't have done that anyway yesterday)

 

I assume now the HBA will be on pens at least until he misses?

[Cajun]

Saylor should take them if Shola isn't on the pitch, iyam.

[loki679]

As far as i'm concerned with Demba's demeanour in the post match conference and in general it can't be easy to act more joyful etc when you haven't eaten for so long.

 

I know one thing if hadn't eaten for as long as Demba has i would be grumpy as hell.

 

Am I missing something here?  Do you think muslims don't eat for the whole of ramadan?

[Si]

As far as i'm concerned with Demba's demeanour in the post match conference and in general it can't be easy to act more joyful etc when you haven't eaten for so long.

 

I know one thing if hadn't eaten for as long as Demba has i would be grumpy as hell.

 

Am I missing something here?  Do you think muslims don't eat for the whole of ramadan?

 

[Interpolic]

[Mick]

Saylor should take them if Shola isn't on the pitch, iyam.

 

I was over the moon to see Ben Arfa stepping up to take the penalty because it’s a pressure situation and I doubt Ben Arfa would ever consider missing one so he’s already half way to scoring.  I doubt any of our players has more self-confidence than Ben Arfa.

[Dyeyzzon]

As far as i'm concerned with Demba's demeanour in the post match conference and in general it can't be easy to act more joyful etc when you haven't eaten for so long.

 

I know one thing if hadn't eaten for as long as Demba has i would be grumpy as hell.

 

Am I missing something here?  Do you think muslims don't eat for the whole of ramadan?

 

 

[54]

Saylor should take them if Shola isn't on the pitch, iyam.

 

I was over the moon to see Ben Arfa stepping up to take the penalty because it’s a pressure situation and I doubt Ben Arfa would ever consider missing one so he’s already half way to scoring.  I doubt any of our players has more self-confidence than Ben Arfa.

[Dyeyzzon]

Saylor should take them if Shola isn't on the pitch, iyam.

 

I was over the moon to see Ben Arfa stepping up to take the penalty because it’s a pressure situation and I doubt Ben Arfa would ever consider missing one so he’s already half way to scoring.  I doubt any of our players has more self-confidence than Ben Arfa.

 

Aye. When someone steps up to take a penalty, there just seems to be a "he's gonna miss" or "he's gonna score" aura about every taker. An on-form Ba would have such aura about him, but Hatem seems to be one who I really cannot see missing a penalty. The fact that he volunteered to take it ahead of Ba alone pretty much confirmed the success for me.

[Ameritoon]

I knew right when Friedel went sprawling it was going in, love when a premature celebration is successful. Also, the touch to bring it down and line up the shot was top class stuff.

[Shak]

Delighted he got a goal yesterday, will take the pressure off him.

 

I do fear his reluctance to play out wide may become a problem in the coming months though. With the players we have in the squad we absolutely should be playing a 4-3-3 as our main system, but it seems that Pardew still views it as our 'Plan B'.

 

If Pardew has promised Ba he'll be played primarily in the middle then he's made a mistake IMO.