Demba Ba Proving To Be A Scoring Machine With Besiktas This Season

Demba Ba is on fire when it comes to scoring for Besiktas in the Turkish Super Lig. With today’s goal in the 2-0 victory at Genclerbirligi, he now has 18 strikes in all competitions.

Let’s remember that this is a Senegalese international who mostly rode the bench last season for Chelsea in the Premier League. He scored an important brace in the Champions League quarterfinals against Paris Saint–Germain.

He patiently scored the big goals knowing that he was down the pecking order. However, Jose Mourinho decided that Ba should be offloaded in the summer.

Premier League clubs were on alert and all know exactly what he is capable of. Instead of trying to sign him, they allowed Turkish side Besiktas to pay 8 million euros for his services. And since his signing, he has been the hit-man going forward.

Currently, Besiktas sit in second place behind Fenerbahce by a single point in the league standings. Ba scored nine of his 18 goals in the Super Lig with his most recent one arriving off a cheeky free-kick that he grounded past keeper Ramazan in yesterday’s league match.

Ba is a tall, strong and intelligent striker who enjoys playing atop the 4-2-3-1. He did so at Chelsea last season and is continually improving in that position with Besiktas. He is their best striker and is lucky to have such great service from his teammates.

He will be turning 30 on May 25 this year, and it seems as if he still has a good 2-3 years left at the top level. Besiktas are truly lucky to have him as he could have continued at a mid-table club in the Premier League. He could have started for Everton or even Tottenham Hotspur, both of which are taking part in the Europa League. Everton’s Romelu Lukaku and Tottenham’s Roberto Soldado are playing below expectations, and Ba is someone who could have at least scored 10-12 goals thus far for either side.

Instead, he is coasting in the Super Lig while also bringing one of the better clubs to newer and brighter heights. If Besiktas are smart, they will do anything and everything to keep him beyond this season as he is their savior. Premier League, La Liga and Serie A clubs alike could all use his services, but the Super Lig needs more players like him to lead the way.