[Albion] Carlos Baleba

[GT49er]

I didn’t know much about him (I know you watch the age group / other games), and I recently listened to others who watch those games who don’t rate him. He did okay today.

At age group - and most of the time out on loan - he didn't seem all that much. He's played, successfully, for our first team, far better than many of us ever thought - he's on a breakthrough season, in the view of many who have been watching him play for us.
Sometimes we can just enjoy a nice surprise! Quite a few are rating him now - perhaps he's just in the right place at the right time with the right manager? That can often be a winning position!

 

[AZ Gull]

Ayari's starting to look good.

I didn’t know much about him (I know you watch the age group / other games), and I recently listened to others who watch those games who don’t rate him. He did okay today.

At age group - and most of the time out on loan - he didn't seem all that much.

Ayari has never featured for an Albion side other than the first team.

 

[GT49er]

Ayari has never featured for an Albion side other than the first team.

Well no, he didn't impress in the age groups. Would have been a big ask, eh?

Coming in and looking good in that environment - has come as a bit of a surprise, no?

 

[jackanada]

First half Ipswich counter down our right. Velts backing up as two men bear towards him. Baleba steaming back points him to his man emphatically.
Very pleasing.

 

[TugWilson]

Agreeing with above , i think we`ve got a fantastic pair of lads with Baleba and Ayari , both had a big part in most of what we did right today , seem better every game .

 

[Flounce]

Did the half dozen Ipswich counter attacks not concern you, they ripped us to shreds? JPVH I think last ditch saved us twice, whilst some awful finishing by them saved the day. So open to pace.

Did me, I was quite concerned how Ipswich grew in confidence as we lost it and went a bit headless chicken late in the game. A bit of composure from Ipswich and we’d have come away with nul point. I actually thought Ayari was probably our most creative player

 

[American Seagle]

Looking way better than he did last season. Hopefully it is him maturing and learning. Still lots to improve, especially in the opposition half, but it's great to see him starting to give us consistent glimpses of the player we thought was in there.

 

[sussex_guy2k2]

Did the half dozen Ipswich counter attacks not concern you, they ripped us to shreds? JPVH I think last ditch saved us twice, whilst some awful finishing by them saved the day. So open to pace.

It’s the two 8 positions that are causing this. They’re so high and wide when we’re attacking that they’re not in a position to press efficiently when the opposition win the ball back. To be honest, it was much better with Ayari in there today rather than Milner, as Baleba had some help at least, but his positioning was still so high.

 

[Farehamseagull]

Did the half dozen Ipswich counter attacks not concern you, they ripped us to shreds? JPVH I think last ditch saved us twice, whilst some awful finishing by them saved the day. So open to pace.

No not at all. The one attack that concerned me was the Delap one but other than that I felt very comfortable, I didn’t think there was any danger of them scoring, they created nothing really of note.

Our defensive line was good again but the late linesman flag is going to be a constant source of annoyance this season.

 

[Skaville]

He was unbalebable yesterday.

 

[One Teddy Maybank]

Did me, I was quite concerned how Ipswich grew in confidence as we lost it and went a bit headless chicken late in the game. A bit of composure from Ipswich and we’d have come away with nul point. I actually thought Ayari was probably our most creative player

Agree.
Veltman needs Minteh, as Adingra just doesn’t contribute enough from that perspective.

 

[One Teddy Maybank]

Our defensive line was good again but the late linesman flag is going to be a constant source of annoyance this season.

It really is.

I noted an Ipswich player clutched the back of his hamstring on one of those and then went off shortly afterwards.

Until a ‘so-called big club’, loses a player after a late flag, this absolute nonsense will remain.

 

[Oh_aye]

No not at all. The one attack that concerned me was the Delap one but other than that I felt very comfortable, I didn’t think there was any danger of them scoring, they created nothing really of note.

Our defensive line was good again but the late linesman flag is going to be a constant source of annoyance this season.

The guy with the Lidl Grealish haircut caused us a few problems late on over that side. He came on as a sub.

 

[Oh_aye]

It’s the two 8 positions that are causing this. They’re so high and wide when we’re attacking that they’re not in a position to press efficiently when the opposition win the ball back. To be honest, it was much better with Ayari in there today rather than Milner, as Baleba had some help at least, but his positioning was still so high.

Yes Ayari playing really high. Almost as a 10 when we had the ball. That said, we were on the front foot for most of the game and theoretically having an extra bod in attack is a good idea in those circumstances. If we put away a few chances in the first half it suddenly makes sense but became a bit wobbly later on as we lost our composure.

That overload in attack also seems to compound the issue of playing pacey impact players like Minteh. We'd be better off playing more technical players who are happy in tight spaces - Enciso, Gruda when he's fit or Pedro and Rutter together, to crack the nut.

Leave Minteh and Co for when we need to hit on the break.

 

[The Fits]

He's by far the greatest Baleba the world has ever seen.

 

[Clive Walker]

He’s a beast with energy and great feet

£120m +

 

[Arthritic Toe]

It really is.

I noted an Ipswich player clutched the back of his hamstring on one of those and then went off shortly afterwards.

Until a ‘so-called big club’, loses a player after a late flag, this absolute nonsense will remain.

I just don’t get this line of argument, which seems to surface every time late flags are discussed. How is the lateness of the flag in any way related to an injury? They could just as easily be injured after an early flag and a quick restart.

 

[Han Solo]

I just don’t get this line of argument, which seems to surface every time late flags are discussed. How is the lateness of the flag in any way related to an injury?

200% this. It makes no sense.

Its like saying you should remove the advantage rule because someone might get injured if you keep playing. Its fecking dumb.

 

[jcdenton08]

I just don’t get this line of argument, which seems to surface every time late flags are discussed. How is the lateness of the flag in any way related to an injury? They could just as easily be injured after an early flag and a quick restart.

The argument is that playing those extra seconds heightens the risk of injury.

A reason why this may be the case is that a player is more likely to run all-out when facing a goal scoring opportunity and suffer a hamstring or thigh injury (which is what happened), collide with a goalkeeper/defender, suffer a bad tackle to prevent a goalscoring chance, overstretch reaching a cross, injure themselves while shooting.

All of which wouldn’t have happened if the assistant flagged in a timely fashion where the player is clearly several yards offside.

 

[Han Solo]

The argument is that playing those extra seconds heightens the risk of injury.

A reason why this may be the case is that a player is more likely to run all-out when facing a goal scoring opportunity and suffer a hamstring or thigh injury (which is what happened), collide with a goalkeeper/defender, suffer a bad tackle to prevent a goalscoring chance, overstretch reaching a cross, injure themselves while shooting.

All of which wouldn’t have happened if the assistant flagged in a timely fashion where the player is clearly several yards offside.

Shorten the games to 89 minutes and 43 seconds then, and we can keep the current system where linesmen don't have to make a quick guess if someone is offside or not.

If the rule is reverted, it will take five minutes before someone makes a wrong offside call, denying someone a great goal chance and then we will hear about the evil refs who rather blow the whistle than let it go. As was the case on a weekly basis before this change was made.