Papiss Cissé

[Cronky]

He's really struggling at the moment. I'd agree that he's a specialist finisher, but even if we play him in that advanced position, there will still be times when he'll have to hold the ball up for his team-mates, or even move wide to create space. It's not realistic to think otherwise.

 

His role in Liverpool's goal bothered me. Jonas passed to him in a lot of space and with an opportunity to turn and move forward with the ball. Instead, he just knocked it straight back to Jonas, who was under pressure from two or three opponents. For sure, Jonas's second ball was crap, but Cisse had passed the responsibility to a player who was in a much weaker position than him.

[alexf]

yeah his all round game is very poor this season. Wondering if it was as bad last year but we didn't notice due to him scoring every game.

[SiLvOR]

I thought he played well tbh.

 

Same, some good first touch passing, nice movement and pretty much did everything he could. As everyone is saying, it's down to service. Can't see what else we can expect from him really?

[Spudil]

He's really struggling at the moment. I'd agree that he's a specialist finisher, but even if we play him in that advanced position, there will still be times when he'll have to hold the ball up for his team-mates, or even move wide to create space. It's not realistic to think otherwise.

 

His role in Liverpool's goal bothered me. Jonas passed to him in a lot of space and with an opportunity to turn and move forward with the ball. Instead, he just knocked it straight back to Jonas, who was under pressure from two or three opponents. For sure, Jonas's second ball was crap, but Cisse had passed the responsibility to a player who was in a much weaker position than him.

 

What? Cisse played a one-two, Jonas was in a fine position he just looked like he was not arsed with any responsibility and lazily attempted a stupid ball.

[WarrenBartonCentrePartin]

aye can't blame Cisse for that.  Shit ball from Jonas.

[Shayno]

Will be good to see him get some time in the middle. Mediocre today but got little service

[Kanji]

He's suffering badly from the fact that we don't have anyone supporting from midfield and he's getting nothing played in front of him whatsoever.

 

Oh, and no crosses, ever.

 

This exactly. And the crosses that do come his way are terrible bar the ones we've seen Fergie supply him.

[Gallowgate Toon]

Thought he was alright myself. Nothing special but some nice passing and whatnot.

[Dave]

http://i.imgur.com/hzcvm.png

 

[Fenham Mag]

Plenty of time.

[Ronaldo]

It took him what, 3 months to get 13 goals?

[Hughesy]

He's really struggling at the moment. I'd agree that he's a specialist finisher, but even if we play him in that advanced position, there will still be times when he'll have to hold the ball up for his team-mates, or even move wide to create space. It's not realistic to think otherwise.

 

His role in Liverpool's goal bothered me. Jonas passed to him in a lot of space and with an opportunity to turn and move forward with the ball. Instead, he just knocked it straight back to Jonas, who was under pressure from two or three opponents. For sure, Jonas's second ball was crap, but Cisse had passed the responsibility to a player who was in a much weaker position than him.

 

Spot on. It was a brainless pass from cisse in the first place. He had time and space and no need to play the ball straight back to jonas - who was under far more pressure.

[Beren]

Can't afford to be just be a goalscorer in this day and age IMO. It's the reason why Lambert has correctly dropped Bent.

 

Unlike Bent, Papisto does have it in him to be much more than that, but he's not showing it. The goalscoring is a service issue, but the rest of his game is indefensibly poor right now.

[Guest BooBoo]

Can't afford to be just be a goalscorer in this day and age IMO. It's the reason why Lambert has correctly dropped Bent.

 

Unlike Bent, Papisto does have it in him to be much more than that, but he's not showing it. The goalscoring is a service issue, but the rest of his game is indefensibly poor right now.

 

Is the right answer.

[Tiresias]

Can't afford to be just be a goalscorer in this day and age IMO. It's the reason why Lambert has correctly dropped Bent.

 

Unlike Bent, Papisto does have it in him to be much more than that, but he's not showing it. The goalscoring is a service issue, but the rest of his game is indefensibly poor right now.

 

[Guest firetotheworks]

Can't afford to be just be a goalscorer in this day and age IMO. It's the reason why Lambert has correctly dropped Bent.

 

Unlike Bent, Papisto does have it in him to be much more than that, but he's not showing it. The goalscoring is a service issue, but the rest of his game is indefensibly poor right now.

 

Scoring goals breeds confidence, though. Without that, the rest of his game will suffer. You could say that Ba's all-round game didn't suffer last season during his drought, but he was still getting chances all the time. This season Cisse gets a chance or half a chance a game, if he's lucky. He's not just a goalscorer, but he needs to be allowed to be one for the rest of his game to click, imo.

[Lush Vlad]

Think he offers more than a goalscorer/poacher type like Bent and Owen.  But ATM, he's out of form, confidence looks shot and we're not playing to his strengths.  Add to that the fact he's played out wide a few times when he is in the team, or as part of a front pairing that hasn't gelled at all.  You can understand why he's not shown much. 

 

Still, despite him playing badly and lacking any service, he's still bagged three goals (one was a fluke of course). 

 

He's an instinctive finisher.  Let's start getting the ball to him in areas where he can flash one in.  Not 40 yards from goal, out wide with nobody else near him. 

[Dr Venkman]

shouldn't be playing on the wing when Ba can do the job better, it's as simple as that

[TaylorJ_01]

It's ridiculous how we've managed to make a player who scored with pretty much every touch last season look so poor.

 

 

He's an instinctive finisher.  Let's start getting the ball to him in areas where he can flash one in.  Not 40 yards from goal, out wide with nobody else near him. 

 

[Skirge]

It's ridiculous how we've managed to make a player who scored with pretty much every touch last season look so poor.

 

 

He's an instinctive finisher.  Let's start getting the ball to him in areas where he can flash one in.  Not 40 yards from goal, out wide with nobody else near him. 

 

[sugoinufc]

happy ba is scoring goals but cisse should play there or not be played at all. Cisse has to be on top alone....they are not good together on top. So annoyed with ba and his "me before the team". Ba is actually ok on the LW in a 4-3-3 like we saw last season, it was down to pure unluck that he didn´t score some goals from that positon.

 

I think our best line up and formation would be this. (See below) think this would make us more fluid, unpredictable and create more chances.

 

 

            Tiote    Anita

 

                Cabaye

Arfa                          Ba

                Cisse

 

 

Think this is the way forward. Actually i hope we buy and proper LW and then swap between ba and cisse on top according to form and fitness. With european and domestic cup matches there are plenty of time for both.

 

 

 

 

         

[Elliottman]

It's ridiculous how we've managed to make a player who scored with pretty much every touch last season look so poor.

 

 

He's an instinctive finisher.  Let's start getting the ball to him in areas where he can flash one in.  Not 40 yards from goal, out wide with nobody else near him. 

 

 

I agree that we arent creating enough for him, of course we arent. But that doesnt excuse his touch and his passing, both of which were awful yesterday for the most part.

[Lenny]

Can't afford to be just be a goalscorer in this day and age IMO. It's the reason why Lambert has correctly dropped Bent.

 

Unlike Bent, Papisto does have it in him to be much more than that, but he's not showing it. The goalscoring is a service issue, but the rest of his game is indefensibly poor right now.

 

Scoring goals breeds confidence, though. Without that, the rest of his game will suffer. You could say that Ba's all-round game didn't suffer last season during his drought, but he was still getting chances all the time. This season Cisse gets a chance or half a chance a game, if he's lucky. He's not just a goalscorer, but he needs to be allowed to be one for the rest of his game to click, imo.

 

I thought some of Ba's performances during his drought were atrocious to the extent that he looks a completely different player now to how he did at the end of last season. Looked like he couldn't take a first touch at times, sloppy passing etc.

 

Kind of like Cisse now.

 

As you say, scoring breeds confidence, he scores a few goals and his game will improve.

[Mole_Toonfan]

happy ba is scoring goals but cisse should play there or not be played at all. Cisse has to be on top alone....they are not good together on top. So annoyed with ba and his "me before the team". Ba is actually ok on the LW in a 4-3-3 like we saw last season, it was down to pure unluck that he didn´t score some goals from that positon.

 

I think our best line up and formation would be this. (See below) think this would make us more fluid, unpredictable and create more chances.

 

 

            Tiote    Anita

 

                Cabaye

Arfa                          Ba

                Cisse

 

 

Think this is the way forward. Actually i hope we buy and proper LW and then swap between ba and cisse on top according to form and fitness. With european and domestic cup matches there are plenty of time for both.

 

 

 

 

       

 

It is but Ba will never play on the left again that much is obvious.

 

We really have two options....A. We get a Wide player with a goal threat and rotate Ba and Cisse for the central striking spot B. Sell one of them still get that wide player and a back up to who ever stays.

 

It's quite obvious Cisse out wide obviously doesn't work and it's also quite obvious Cisse and Ba as a front 2 doesn't work the only formula that has proven to work is Ba out wide and Cisse through the middle and it seems Ba doesn't want to do that role anymore so we find ourselves struggling with a working formula that fits the both of them and doesn't effect the rest of the team.

 

I vote for option A but Pardew will have to be exceedingly clever to pull that off the longer this goes on the phrase " This Town aint big enough for the both of us" comes to mind hopefully we can find a happy medium which suits Ba, Cisse and the team because at the moment it isn't working.

[littlelunchbox]

im really shocked that some people are still advocating for Ba to be out wide, in a 4-3-3 or 4-5-1 formation.

 

he did relatively ok last season playing a few games out there.  But seriously Ba and Cisse are pure finishers , poachers type striker, you do not stick neither of them outwide, it is not the answer.  It's like playing Michael Owen or a Gary Lineker or Inzaghi or even Alan shearer out wide, you just don't do it.

 

its a waste.  Besides being a waste.  You need your wide men to be accustomed to working up and down the flanks, joining in attack and midfield You wont get that from Ba or Cisse.  They both played most of their career upfront and their instinct and nature of play is hanging off the shoulder of the last defender, they'r simply not the type of forward players you want out wide.