Baldock- our most improved player this season?

[Hastings gull]

Ok, so obviously I think all of this praise is ridiculous. His goal yesterday was excellent, and one hell of a surprise. Not to see him hiding outside the box, that's not overly unusual but he actually kicked it. Hard. Quality goal and then a quality cross for Murray's goal - my criticism of him is that he doesn't affect the game at all, but in those two moments he turned the game for us yesterday and deserves high praise for it. It's like with Skalak, he often isn't in the game at all but then we get a set piece and he directly impacts the game with a delivery. Overall, his performance was as it usually is, he's a runner on a football pitch. Ineffective up against any opponent at all, no real ideas on the ball and if he were to win the ball back he'd only lose it immediately anyway because his a game is to pass to Murray, the b is to pass to Knockaert or if neither of those things are possible, he'll try to win a free kick.

All the praise of his "defending from the front" is generous at best, he runs around without doing anything. Maybe 1 in 5 the opposition player will misplace a pass or shank it out of play, so fair play, his running around has had an impact. But the rest of the time it doesn't make a difference. Nobody has mentioned the numerous times a move broke down because he couldn't keep hold of it, and nobody has mentioned that when Baldock tries to intercept a pass he misses, but Knockaert at least twice made an interception which actually got us the ball back. His effort actually had results.

As usual, I really think people should post where they watched the game from. I sit in the East Stand Upper, so I can see the whole game. If you sit in a lower tier or behind a goal, you don't have the same view, so you won't hold the same opinion. I'm very clear in my opinion, which is based entirely on his performances. He also needs to pack in getting in the faces of opponents and then having a cry to the referee when they tell him to piss off, he comes across as a tedious little man who is carried by the team. Yesterday he won us the game, obviously I'd be more than happy if he did that every game but he won't - he did nothing at all against Aston Villa but that's conveniently ignored and he did nothing in the first half yesterday, also not mentioned. But he was a worthy man of the match for the excellent goal and brilliant cross, it's just a shame it's completely out of character.

I think this is just a little harsh on him, though also feel that you do have a point. Fully agree with the comment that he scored a great goal, and all credit to him. But during the first half all I saw of him was plenty of running (to his credit) but little then came of it, as he was so easily and regularly bundled off the ball. I have no strong feelings about him either way - just what I saw yesterday and it was a similar story against Villa.

 

[chaileyjem]

Really pleased for Baldock. As previously mentioned, he's now having a run of games, building confidence and working well with Murray. Hope however this doesn't mean that Mr Tony is going to consider keeping his hands in his pockets in January.

If TB lands a striker in January its to replace Manu/Wilson who weren't replaced in the summer, not Baldock specifically. Hughton needs insurance and decent / competition back up for Murray/Hemed/SB . Warren was right yesterday on BBC Sussex. If we don't get a back up and Murray is injured in February, we won't be promoted. We need four strikers especially as its inevitable that Lua Lua , Manu (and others)will be off, on loan i guess, in January.
http://www.theargus.co.uk/sport/14929662.Albion_boss_weighs_up_loan_moves_for_fringe_players/

 

[Tony Meolas Loan Spell]

I think this is just a little harsh on him, though also feel that you do have a point. Fully agree with the comment that he scored a great goal, and all credit to him. But during the first half all I saw of him was plenty of running (to his credit) but little then came of it, as he was so easily and regularly bundled off the ball. I have no strong feelings about him either way - just what I saw yesterday and it was a similar story against Villa.

Yep that. Too easily shrugged off the ball. A slightly better CMS. This is where we fell short last season. Him amd Hemed were anon v Boro away really needed both to stand up to the plate. Shame BZ couldnt walk at that point.

 

[chaileyjem]

But he was a worthy man of the match for the excellent goal and brilliant cross, it's just a shame it's completely out of character.

He's scored 5 times this season and had 4 assists from his 13 appearances. We lost v Newcastle and that was partly down to him but in his 12 other appearances we've been unbeaten.
He played 28 times last season. Only once did he appear in a regular match in which we lost (the last 20 minutes v Cardiff).
Remarkable how this keeps happening yet inexplicably he seems to do nothing and its nothing to do with him.

 

[chaileyjem]

Yep that. Too easily shrugged off the ball. A slightly better CMS. This is where we fell short last season. Him amd Hemed were anon v Boro away really needed both to stand up to the plate. Shame BZ couldnt walk at that point.

Baldock was probably anonymous for most of the Boro game because he was taken off at half time.

 

[Machiavelli]

He's scored 5 times this season and had 4 assists from his 13 appearances. We lost v Newcastle and that was partly down to him but in his 12 other appearances we've been unbeaten.
He played 28 times last season. Only once did he appear in a regular match in which we lost (the last 20 minutes v Cardiff).
Remarkable how this keeps happening yet inexplicably he seems to do nothing and its nothing to do with him.

Scored six, this season.

 

[carlzeiss]

Ok, so obviously I think all of this praise is ridiculous. His goal yesterday was excellent, and one hell of a surprise. Not to see him hiding outside the box, that's not overly unusual but he actually kicked it. Hard. Quality goal and then a quality cross for Murray's goal - my criticism of him is that he doesn't affect the game at all, but in those two moments he turned the game for us yesterday and deserves high praise for it. It's like with Skalak, he often isn't in the game at all but then we get a set piece and he directly impacts the game with a delivery. Overall, his performance was as it usually is, he's a runner on a football pitch. Ineffective up against any opponent at all, no real ideas on the ball and if he were to win the ball back he'd only lose it immediately anyway because his a game is to pass to Murray, the b is to pass to Knockaert or if neither of those things are possible, he'll try to win a free kick.

All the praise of his "defending from the front" is generous at best, he runs around without doing anything. Maybe 1 in 5 the opposition player will misplace a pass or shank it out of play, so fair play, his running around has had an impact. But the rest of the time it doesn't make a difference. Nobody has mentioned the numerous times a move broke down because he couldn't keep hold of it, and nobody has mentioned that when Baldock tries to intercept a pass he misses, but Knockaert at least twice made an interception which actually got us the ball back. His effort actually had results.

As usual, I really think people should post where they watched the game from. I sit in the East Stand Upper, so I can see the whole game. If you sit in a lower tier or behind a goal, you don't have the same view, so you won't hold the same opinion. I'm very clear in my opinion, which is based entirely on his performances. He also needs to pack in getting in the faces of opponents and then having a cry to the referee when they tell him to piss off, he comes across as a tedious little man who is carried by the team. Yesterday he won us the game, obviously I'd be more than happy if he did that every game but he won't - he did nothing at all against Aston Villa but that's conveniently ignored and he did nothing in the first half yesterday, also not mentioned. But he was a worthy man of the match for the excellent goal and brilliant cross, it's just a shame it's completely out of character.

Did he not set up Murry for the equalizer against Villa or have I imagined that ?

 

[dazzer6666]

Did he not set up Murry for the equalizer against Villa or have I imagined that ?

He did.

 

[chaileyjem]

Did he not set up Murray for the equalizer against Villa or have I imagined that ?

Yep. Set up Murray for his goal. Completely out of character of course.

 

[fat old seagull]

If TB lands a striker in January its to replace Manu/Wilson who weren't replaced in the summer, not Baldock specifically. Hughton needs insurance and decent / competition back up for Murray/Hemed/SB . Warren was right yesterday on BBC Sussex. If we don't get a back up and Murray is injured in February, we won't be promoted. We need four strikers especially as its inevitable that Lua Lua , Manu (and others)will be off, on loan i guess, in January.
http://www.theargus.co.uk/sport/14929662.Albion_boss_weighs_up_loan_moves_for_fringe_players/

Personally I don't consider new purchases necessarily to be replacements. I consider them as squad strengthening aquistitions. And I definately can't imagine us off loading Baldock.
I would be surprised if Manu survives, for his own sake. And have to consider, bearing in mind what PW has in mind, whether we will retain Tomer, as he was (so rumour suggests) the subject of a seriously large Israeli bid in the last window. Of course if Tomer does leave that would mean we'd need at least two new strikers. I know some don't agree, too bad, but I'd be over the moon to see Leo back. He's only bench warming now at Leicester. And I think he'd love the service he'd get from Knocky and Skalak.

Anyway, that's my 'pie in the sky' contribution!

 

[Wardy's twin]

Reckon most people would have been in favour of booting him off at half time. OK, most of the team played complete shite in the first half, but the bloke was visibly shirking just about every physical challenge. Not the bravest forward we've ever had. Not what you want with a battle on your hands. And we had a serious battle on our hands yesterday. All very well to pay retrospective homage to Baldock for his second half contribution, and to be fair that strike was SWEET. But can we do far better in January? Absolutely!

But CH seems to like him maybe he fits CHs system better

 

[Wardy's twin]

he's quite good at doing that . Last season he played the first 16 games of the season (bar 1) alongside Zamora / Hemed. We lost none of them. 4 assists , 2 goals.
When he returned after the mid season injury he played / started in 14 out of 17 games and we only lost 2. (Cardiff, and the first Sheff Weds play off).
He's sorely underrated on here.

i guess we are all trying to rate him as a goal scorer rather than a part of a team who are second and have a massive goal difference, in the former role he has been lacking but he must be doing something because CH keeps playing him. i think it is all a confidence thing, not sure what was said at half time but it sure worked.

 

[Thunder Bolt]

Personally I don't consider new purchases necessarily to be replacements. I consider them as squad strengthening aquistitions. And I definately can't imagine us off loading Baldock.
I would be surprised if Manu survives, for his own sake. And have to consider, bearing in mind what PW has in mind, whether we will retain Tomer, as he was (so rumour suggests) the subject of a seriously large Israeli bid in the last window. Of course if Tomer does leave that would mean we'd need at least two new strikers. I know some don't agree, too bad, but I'd be over the moon to see Leo back. He's only bench warming now at Leicester. And I think he'd love the service he'd get from Knocky and Skalak.

Anyway, that's my 'pie in the sky' contribution!

I hope we do keep Tomer as Bournemouth may cause a problem with Murray in January, or Murray could get injured. I feel for Tomer, at the moment, as he is a good striker, but the partnership of Baldock & Murray together is very strong.

 

[Da Man Clay]

I hope we do keep Tomer as Bournemouth may cause a problem with Murray in January, or Murray could get injured. I feel for Tomer, at the moment, as he is a good striker, but the partnership of Baldock & Murray together is very strong.

Bournemouth can't be difficult. We are paying a fee so he cant be recalled. It would be very short sighted to sell Hemed anyway as you say. Murray will get injured/tired/have a loss of form at some stage this year.

 

[Thunder Bolt]

Bournemouth can't be difficult. We are paying a fee so he cant be recalled. It would be very short sighted to sell Hemed anyway as you say. Murray will get injured/tired/have a loss of form at some stage this year.

Is that a fact? When this was discussed before, nobody seemed to be able to say for sure.

 

[durrington gull]

I definitely haven't been his biggest fan and he's been extremely fortunate that we have failed to sign a quality striker to take his place(which we may do in January??), In his 2.5yrs so far I would say he hasn't been good enough but tbf if he can produce the goods then fair play, I still think that we need a better striker in January though

 

[dazzer6666]

Is that a fact? When this was discussed before, nobody seemed to be able to say for sure.

Because no-one outside the club knows ? Isn't entirely dependent on whether there is a clause in the loan contract ?

 

[Sheebo]

Sometimes you should just sit back and admit you are being proved wrong about a player [MENTION=13055]Ninja Elephant[/MENTION]. I've had it a few times - Bruno the most recent example and also Duffy after his first 2 games where he was poor. Baldock was clearly a key part of the squad last season and people have started to notice what he does more. This season he's in most people's top 3 or 5 for player of the season. You've dug yourself a hole by being over the top NSC-style critical of him and to save face you're still carrying on! (from what you can see of the screen with the egg everywhere)

 

[brightn'ove]

Sometimes you should just sit back and admit you are being proved wrong about a player [MENTION=13055]Ninja Elephant[/MENTION]. I've had it a few times - Bruno the most recent example and also Duffy after his first 2 games where he was poor. Baldock was clearly a key part of the squad last season and people have started to notice what he does more. This season he's in most people's top 3 or 5 for player of the season. You've dug yourself a hole by being over the top NSC-style critical of him and to save face you're still carrying on! (from what you can see of the screen with the egg everywhere)

Couldn't agree more. The way Baldock stretches defences and creates space is so mind blowingly obvious that somebody who has been watching football for more than five minutes should be able to spot it. NE has convinced himself that he is correct through sheer repetition of the same nonsense. The comparison to CMS is laughable, how many chances came from his closing down of the ball? How many runs actually created chances? From my recollection it was far far fewer than Sam has contributed in far less time here. CMS was a headless chicken, Baldock is an intelligent footballer.

 

[chaileyjem]

Is that a fact? When this was discussed before, nobody seemed to be able to say for sure.

we aren't paying a fee.
but players can only be recalled from season long loans if player, and both clubs all agree.