Ba set to make St Mary's debut in cup

8:30am Saturday 5th January 2013 in Sport Photograph of the Author By Adam Leitch, Chief Sports Writer

Demba Ba Demba Ba

Demba Ba is poised to make his Chelsea debut in today’s FA Cup third-round tie at St Mary’s after completing his move from Newcastle.

Ba could replace Fernando Torres up front for the third round tie, with interim manager Rafael Benitez keen to rest his fellow Spaniard at times during the second half of the season.

Nigeria stars John Obi Mikel and Victor Moses will be available before jetting off to Portugal for a pre-African Nations Cup training camp, but John Terry (knee) and Petr Cech (groin) remain out.

Ba has signed a three-and-half-year contract after Chelsea activated the £7m release clause in his Magpies contract, the value of which had controversially become public ahead of the transfer window.

It is the second time Ba has exploited such a clause since moving to English football, having been allowed to leave West Ham following their Premier League relegation in 2011.

But he had no regrets about his career path and said: “This club is at another level – it isn’t West Ham or Newcastle.

“They are both big clubs with a strong history, but Chelsea is Chelsea and you cannot compare.

“It will be easier with world-class players around, who make the football look so easy."

Full story in today's Daily Echo

Comments(6)

Norwegian Saint says...
9:20am Sat 5 Jan 13

And.....???
We stuffed Newcastle when he was playing then and I didn't see any threat from him!
I really hope we knock out the holders but I have a feeling NA will field a 50/50 squad of first/second team players.

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SaintMax says...
9:42am Sat 5 Jan 13

Reckon,

Gazza
Richardson
Hoov
Yosh
Fox
Punch
JWP
Davis
Gaston
Rodriguez

Report this post »

richard1946 says...
9:57am Sat 5 Jan 13

When ever a team fields a new player against Saints they always seem to get a Goal or Two. Just hope our midfield/forwards can play to there poential then we stand a chance of beating Chelea. Saints manager should have a word with the Directors 0n Sat.to see if we can get Frank Lampard at St. Mary,s before the Jan. Transfers or at least at the end of seaon?

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Strasbourg Saint says...
11:06am Sat 5 Jan 13

SaintMax wrote:
Reckon,

Gazza
Richardson
Hoov
Yosh
Fox
Punch
JWP
Davis
Gaston
Rodriguez
Hope you aren't picking the team. Not that disagree with much but you've only picked ten players :)

I'd give Boruc more time in goal - he needs it. We also need a senior player as captain (Fonte or Cork?).

Report this post »

Norwegian Saint says...
12:20pm Sat 5 Jan 13

Strasbourg Saint wrote:
SaintMax wrote:
Reckon,

Gazza
Richardson
Hoov
Yosh
Fox
Punch
JWP
Davis
Gaston
Rodriguez
Hope you aren't picking the team. Not that disagree with much but you've only picked ten players :)

I'd give Boruc more time in goal - he needs it. We also need a senior player as captain (Fonte or Cork?).
Who's this "Reckon" fella???

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TEBOURBA says...
2:23pm Sat 5 Jan 13

Not bothered about the result at all.
I would just as soon see Saints knocked out of the Cup, my only hope is that none of the Saints players get crocked this afternoon.
An extended Cup run can bring injuries, replays, fixture congestion, any of which could be a death blow to Saints' overriding objective to stay in the PL and build a strong PL team for the future.
Year on year, the FA Cup has lost a lot of its glamour since Saints won it in 1976, in my book it is now of the same importance as the League Cup.
Premier League survival is paramount --anything that threatens that should be put aside until Saints are firmly established in the PL.

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