Analysis: Ba to NUFC

While Jeremy is our resident NUFC supporter, he is out of pocket this week so I'm going to take over with my thoughts on the transfer of Demba Ba from WHU to St. James' Park.  Taken as a move by itself, there is little to do other than like it a lot.  NUFC is desperate for strikers and Ba was very effective over the second half of last season at Upton Park.  If he can stay healthy, I don't have any trouble seeing him match the goal total of the man he is, in essence, replacing - Andy Carroll. 

What could go wrong with this move? A couple of things:

Most Valuable Player

Discuss.

Here's my take on it: Birmingham went down because they couldn't score goals. They prospered last season by winning a lot of 1-0 matches. That was never going to be sustainable, but the blueprint was there. Be a difficult side to breakdown and do enough on the other end to collect the points.

Without McFadden there wasn't that level of guile, of experience, aggression... whatever combination of skills and traits that Faddie brought to the team. No offense to Beausajour, Fahey or Bentley, but they're not Premier League caliber starters yet, never will be, or never will be again.

So Birmingham were relegated with McFadden's absence for the large majority of the season only proving just how valuable he was to the team.

Season Preview: Birmingham

There isn't a great deal of transfer speculation ongoing that is likely to have a major impact on Birmingham's season or fantasy fortunes one way or the other.  The squad is likely set for the most part with only an oldster (Camoranesi?), a youngster (Clyne?) and a forward looking to climb a few levels of competition (Dembele) even in the "strongly rumored" stage of the transfer process.

Overall Outlook - It was an odd season for Birmingham but certainly a solid one for a team newly promoted.  That said, major questions linger about the sustainability of the form that saw them comfortably above the relegation fray all season.  First, how much of their prowess at the back was due to the heroics of now-back-at-City Joe Hart? Which defence is the real defence? The one that gave up a combined total of 6 goals over 10 matches in Novermber and December including draws with Citeh, Liverpool, Everton, and Chelsea and compiled 22 points over that stretch? Or the one that gave up 29 goals in 18 matches after the calendar turned to 2010?  The latter isn't a terrible team, but it certainly isn't a team you want to hitch your fantasy hopes to.  Now subtract Hart and sub in Ben Foster who isn't a bad option but certainly wasn't challenging to be England's Number 1 this summer.  Only one major addition so far in Zigic and I have to say I see a drop in fortunes for Brum going into this season.