Dem-olition man - 7M sport

Dem-olition man



I have a say

Posted Monday, December 26, 2011 by The Sun

Dem-olition man
HOT SHOTS ... Toon striker Demba Ba

DEMBA BA is being mentioned in the same breath as some of the Premier League's hottest hitmen — and he's loving it.

The Toon striker has already bagged 13 goals this term and arrives at the Reebok today off the back of a brace against West Brom.

That only proved once again just how much Alan Pardew will miss Ba when he goes to the African Nations Cup next month.

Ba has scored more than 60 per cent of Newcastle's goals this term, showing just how badly Pards needs another hitman in his ranks.

The Senegalese said: "It is great to be in such nice company in the scoring charts.

"It is a compliment to me when you see the background of these guys at the top and you see my background. What can I say?

"I have a lot of confidence at the moment and I am just going out and playing my football.

"When you are in form, you are in form and when you are not, you are not.

"I have never been in such good form.

"My goal per game average at Hoffenheim was not bad but I never had this kind of run before.

"It seems that the Premier League is the best league for me!"

The likes of Robin van Persie, Sergio Aguero and Wayne Rooney always grab the headlines but Ba added: "It is different for me at Newcastle because I am doing it here at my club, whereas they are scoring goals for Manchester City, Manchester United and Arsenal.

"They probably get more chances. I am doing this for my team-mates, for the club and for the fans as well.

"The manager always told me I would score goals and he gives me a lot of confidence.

"At the moment I just want to carry on what I am doing now, scoring goals for him.

"When I got the call from Newcastle in the summer I decided quickly what I wanted to do.

"I looked at the team and wondered if I would fit in there. Obviously I made a good choice.

"I decided pretty quickly. It did not take a lot of thought.

"It will be a terrible blow to leave the team next month. This is my club and I am proud of it but this is for my country.

"I am going there to play for my country and to try to win.

"I am not going there for a holiday. It is a big tournament.

"I have mixed feelings about going away, but I have to do it.

"I want to make my people and my country proud in the African Nations Cup. I will feel sad leaving at this stage because everything is going well, although we need to improve some of our results."

Pardew admits losing Ba will be a hammer blow, especially with Leon Best having failed to score since September.

The St James' Park gaffer added: "In terms of the other strikers not contributing, or rather not scoring at the moment, yeah, perhaps that is a worry.

"We're going to have to look at the side and make sure we get the balance right so that we're not so dependent on Demba.

"I am a little bit worried about Leon. I've mentioned his potency as a goalscorer before.

"That's what he is — a goalscorer. But he's not really getting a lot of chances to show that.

"We'll have to wait and see. I just think the last couple of games we've created enough chances for him to have got on the end of something, so we'll have to look at that."

Despite Toon's recent slump, the 50-year-old insists he and his players did deserve to have enjoyed Christmas Day — even briefly.

He said: "You couldn't fault the players. Twenty seven points from 17 games is more than we could have hoped for at the start of the season.

"But by halfway, if we could get 30 points — that's still a realistic target and it's something we hope to do."



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