Only last Tuesday, at Nottingham's City Ground, Pardew said Peter Lovenkrands and Shola Ameobi were at the front of his thoughts.
But what a difference a week makes.
Pardew: "I haven't directly laid down a challenge to my strikers but, if you do read about new signings, it does raise your game.
"Managers are always looking to replace players with better ones and you have to prove yourself when you step up a division like Leon Best has done.
"His replacement seems to have been on his way here for 16 months, ever since we got promoted. The speculation hurts you into proving people wrong.
"Demba is a good guy. He said to me when I signed him that he was going to come here and fight for the team and you have to acknowledge he did that against Blackburn, not just with his goals but his all-round play. He made tackles and linked play.
"Him and Besty had as good a game as a pairing as any other strikers since I have been at this club.
"There is huge pressure to deliver at this club and they both delivered against Blackburn. Now they have to deliver at Wolves next week."