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Demba Ba (now retired)


jdckelly

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DEMBA Ba has issued his strongest denial yet that he is looking for a route out of Newcastle United.

 

Fancy a Bet? Free £25 Bet with Blue Square Speaking at United’s Algarve training base in a week which has seen him linked with Liverpool and Russian side Rubin Kazan, Ba has rejected talk that he is seeking a money-spinning move away from Tyneside.

 

His well-documented contract clause has placed him at the centre of speculation all summer but, with just four days left until the reported £7.5m clause is de-activated, Ba says his focus is solely on next season with Newcastle.

 

The striker is scheduled to play a part in tonight’s clash with Olympiakos – the first of two games set to be contested in the XII Trofeo Guadiana this weekend.

 

After taking part in a brisk evening work-out yesterday, he brushed off the speculation surrounding his United future with a frank denial of the latest round of rumours.

 

“I don’t care what is being said. I think is part of the game,” he told The Journal.

 

“However, I have never said anything other than I love being at Newcastle.

 

“If they hear something from me about my future, that is the truth. Otherwise everything that is said is not true.

 

“The newspapers and I are not very friendly at the moment. For months and months and months people have been talking about me but there is nothing happening.

 

“Of course, I am looking forward to next season with Newcastle.

 

“We just have to build on the progress we made last season. For

 

me, I just can’t wait to start the first game.”

 

Ba certainly looked part of the United squad as he engaged in a feisty workout under the gaze of Alan Pardew’s lieutenant John Carver.

 

United have been joined by France international Yohan Cabaye – back after his Euro 2012 exertions with France – and Tim Krul was also part of the hour-long session in the evening sun in Portugal.

 

Newcastle intend to give most of their squad minutes in the two Algarve Stadium matches – and Ba will be hoping for more of the same after opening his account for the season with a close-range header against Monaco last week.

 

Although his rebuttal of the reports surrounding his future might paint him out to be frustrated, he cut a very relaxed figure and was happy to set the record straight.

 

He also said he was thoroughly “enjoying” his second pre-season with Newcastle.

 

Ba added: “We have to complete our preparation and we have two very important games where almost every player will get 90 minutes.

 

“It is intense over here, even in training.

 

“However, we will enjoy it and of course it is always better to work when the weather is hot.”

 

Even if Ba stays, Newcastle may look to strengthen their attacking options in anticipation of their battle on four fronts next season.

 

United remain interested in brokering a deal which will bring Andy Carroll back to St James’ Park, but the emergence of West Ham – who have a strong bargaining chip in Kevin Nolan – places the transfer in jeopardy.

 

Liverpool’s insistence that they want to recoup a big slice of the £35million they paid for Carroll also makes the deal a no-goer at the moment.

 

 

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DEMBA Ba has issued his strongest denial yet that he is looking for a route out of Newcastle United.

 

Fancy a Bet? Free £25 Bet with Blue Square Speaking at United’s Algarve training base in a week which has seen him linked with Liverpool and Russian side Rubin Kazan, Ba has rejected talk that he is seeking a money-spinning move away from Tyneside.

 

His well-documented contract clause has placed him at the centre of speculation all summer but, with just four days left until the reported £7.5m clause is de-activated, Ba says his focus is solely on next season with Newcastle.

 

The striker is scheduled to play a part in tonight’s clash with Olympiakos – the first of two games set to be contested in the XII Trofeo Guadiana this weekend.

 

After taking part in a brisk evening work-out yesterday, he brushed off the speculation surrounding his United future with a frank denial of the latest round of rumours.

 

“I don’t care what is being said. I think is part of the game,” he told The Journal.

 

“However, I have never said anything other than I love being at Newcastle.

 

“If they hear something from me about my future, that is the truth. Otherwise everything that is said is not true.

 

“The newspapers and I are not very friendly at the moment. For months and months and months people have been talking about me but there is nothing happening.

 

“Of course, I am looking forward to next season with Newcastle.

 

“We just have to build on the progress we made last season. For

 

me, I just can’t wait to start the first game.”

 

Ba certainly looked part of the United squad as he engaged in a feisty workout under the gaze of Alan Pardew’s lieutenant John Carver.

 

United have been joined by France international Yohan Cabaye – back after his Euro 2012 exertions with France – and Tim Krul was also part of the hour-long session in the evening sun in Portugal.

 

Newcastle intend to give most of their squad minutes in the two Algarve Stadium matches – and Ba will be hoping for more of the same after opening his account for the season with a close-range header against Monaco last week.

 

Although his rebuttal of the reports surrounding his future might paint him out to be frustrated, he cut a very relaxed figure and was happy to set the record straight.

 

He also said he was thoroughly “enjoying” his second pre-season with Newcastle.

 

Ba added: “We have to complete our preparation and we have two very important games where almost every player will get 90 minutes.

 

“It is intense over here, even in training.

 

“However, we will enjoy it and of course it is always better to work when the weather is hot.”

 

Even if Ba stays, Newcastle may look to strengthen their attacking options in anticipation of their battle on four fronts next season.

 

United remain interested in brokering a deal which will bring Andy Carroll back to St James’ Park, but the emergence of West Ham – who have a strong bargaining chip in Kevin Nolan – places the transfer in jeopardy.

 

Liverpool’s insistence that they want to recoup a big slice of the £35million they paid for Carroll also makes the deal a no-goer at the moment.

 

 

 

 

that's better

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Guest elbee909

I just finished watching the season review DVD.

 

Demba is fucking class. What a pair of strikers we have in him and Papiss. They are going to tear shit up this year.

 

Yeah, real shame what happened to Harry oh no it isn't FUCK YOU HARRY HAHA

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Was just looking at Ba & Cisse's previous start to seasons.

 

10/11 Ba scored 8 in first 12 starts

11/12 Ba scored 11 in first 12 starts

 

10/11 Cisse scored 10 in first 12 starts

11/12 Cisse scored 8 in first 12 starts

 

So hopefully in for a class start, need it for opening fixtures.

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I just finished watching the season review DVD.

 

Demba is fucking class. What a pair of strikers we have in him and Papiss. They are going to tear shit up this year.

 

Yeah, real shame what happened to Harry oh no it isn't FUCK YOU HARRY HAHA

 

:lol:

 

Yes indeed.

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Was just looking at Ba & Cisse's previous start to seasons.

 

10/11 Ba scored 8 in first 12 starts

11/12 Ba scored 11 in first 12 starts

 

10/11 Cisse scored 10 in first 12 starts

11/12 Cisse scored 8 in first 12 starts

 

So hopefully in for a class start, need it for opening fixtures.

 

As much as I like 4-3-3 and it being more pleasing on the eye, I think 4-4-2 is our best bet again with those two. We can still play good stuff, defences will have nightmares against those two, full-backs will still have nightmares playing HBA and Jonas, even more so with Santon and Debuchy overlapping, while Tiote and Cabaye showed they can play as a two to good effect (see Villa away, Man U at home).

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The problem with that is that it restricts how effective Cabaye, Jonas and Ben Arfa are.

 

Ben Arfa and Cabaye are much better pushed forward, Jonas is better in the middle where he can keep it simple and need to be relied upon.

 

I'm also convinced Cisse is better as a "1" than he is alongside someone, although there's no proof behind this yet.

 

In theory it could work in certain games but it restricts too many players IMO.

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I just think it's a shame, because every player except Ba is basically more suited to 4-3-3. I love Demba, but there is an issue if we play 4-4-2 just to accommodate him.

 

Obviously there is a place for different systems and squad rotations etc though.

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