[Albion] Carlos Baleba SINGS a 5-year deal

[Joey Jo Jo Jr. Shabadoo]

Another great performance against Liverpool, showing the potential we all hoped he had. He's ability to get the ball and drive forward, especially with his strength and deceptive pace over 20-30 yards is unique within the squad. It adds a different dimension to our game and maybe something we need to exploit more of in the run in and see how it goes.

 

[maltaseagull]

Fabulous at Anfield on Sunday.

He has everything in his locker that our midfield has been so obviously lacking all season. Pace, power, awareness to recognise when he has space to drop a shoulder and beat the press.

Billy Gilmour's injury is a real shame for him (and I very much hope for his sake that he can get fit and regain full match fitness ahead of Scotland's three group stage defeats at the Euros), but the opportunity that it presents for Baleba's development will see it as a long term blessing, IMO.

Now that RDZ simply HAS to play the lad, we'll hopefully soon see what he is really capable of. Baffling that the Italian 'genius' has been thus far, so unable to get a tune out of him.

 

[Mackenzie]

He’s so quick.

 

[The Fits]

Re Gilmour I'm yet to truly believe he is nothing more than a Scottish Harry Winks. Winks, let's not forget, was at one time a darling of English football and being compared to the Barcelona midfield greats.
Baleba does have a much, much higher ceiling and for my money it'll be him plus A N Other starting in CM next season.

 

[Easy 10]

He could be our Kobbie Mainoo.

 

[Coldwaltham Seagull]

It does all feel a bit like when Caicedo broke into the side late in the season doesn't it? Baleba looks like he has everything to be our next big star off the production line given the right development, so lets hope he takes the opportunity.

I do feel some of the Gilmour criticism is unwarranted though, for me he has arguably been one of our most consistent performers this season

 

[aolstudios]

It does all feel a bit like when Caicedo broke into the side late in the season doesn't it? Baleba looks like he has everything to be our next big star off the production line given the right development, so lets hope he takes the opportunity.

I do feel some of the Gilmour criticism is unwarranted though, for me he has arguably been one of our most consistent performers this season

More like Biss breaking in tbh. More gradual & frankly error strewn. Caicedo appeared to be the finished article from the minute we recalled him

 

[nwgull]

Re Gilmour I'm yet to truly believe he is nothing more than a Scottish Harry Winks. Winks, let's not forget, was at one time a darling of English football and being compared to the Barcelona midfield greats.
Baleba does have a much, much higher ceiling and for my money it'll be him plus A N Other starting in CM next season.

I disagree on Gilmour. The performance against Marseille at home was as good as MacAllister's best games for us. Don't forget that MacAllister wasn't a regular until the 21-22 season, when he was 23, and he also had the benefit of playing alongside either Bissouma and/or Caicedo throughout his Albion career. Gilmour only turns 23 this summer and hasn't had the advantage of playing alonside similar enforcers.

 

[Coldwaltham Seagull]

More like Biss breaking in tbh. More gradual & frankly error strewn. Caicedo appeared to be the finished article from the minute we recalled him

Good point actually, happy to stand corrected there. I remember being similarly concerned at points in Bissouma's first season or two that he wasnt quite good enough, only for him to flourish

 

[Beanstalk]

Absolutely love those marauding runs..nothing better in football than that imho. Unit picking up the ball and just striding through the middle of the pitch.

Absolutely wonderful, but he really needs to improve the last part. He looks untouchable when striding through but then often follows it up with a poor pass or touch. I think that's what frustrates RDZ and has held him back.

He's got it though, and looks like he's going to be a great part of our future midfield.

 

[The Fits]

It does all feel a bit like when Caicedo broke into the side late in the season doesn't it? Baleba looks like he has everything to be our next big star off the production line given the right development, so lets hope he takes the opportunity.

I do feel some of the Gilmour criticism is unwarranted though, for me he has arguably been one of our most consistent performers this season

Gilmour is a fantastic talent. On his game he's a beautiful footballer to watch. And he is young enough to really develop
But he will need to develop.
Right now his passing stats are exceptional. Which we can see game after game. But if we want to be at the level we are all starting believe we can be at, he is going to need to start contributing both defensively (he's basically in the very lowest percentiles Vs other CMs for things like tackles) and in the goals and assists columns.
I'm not writing him off, at all, but it's a couple of really important years for him.

 

[The Fits]

Absolutely wonderful, but he really needs to improve the last part. He looks untouchable when striding through but then often follows it up with a poor pass or touch. I think that's what frustrates RDZ and has held him back.

He's got it though, and looks like he's going to be a great part of our future midfield.

It's almost like he's surprised how far up field he's got and panics. Love it though.

 

[Mancgull]

A Baleba , Gilmour partnership could be the way forward.
As others have said he’s great at breaking through the press due to his pace but he needs to ensure he then picks the right pass as he can then give the ball away cheaply in an advanced position and so leave us open to a break.

 

[Billy the Fish]

Gilmour only turns 23 this summer and hasn't had the advantage of playing alonside similar enforcers.

Spot on.

This shouldn't turn into a Baleba vs Gilmour vs Gross debate. They all have different qualities.

Personally I think both Gilmour and Gross could flourish if they had Baleba + 1 new ball winning CM behind them and were allowed to float around and find the space. They should be fighting for the same position.

 

[brighton_tom]

An up & down first season, and then a jump in more consistent quality for the second season fits in with how we do our transfer business. We take risks on player just slightly before they are Prem ready, we go for the transfer before others are willing too. It might mean an iffy first 6 months or season, but next we’ll see Carlos really make his mark. Just like Caicedo & Biss.

 

[Littlemo]

I thought he did a lot of things well and like the other I agree his runs were really good, once he has developed the final ball, he’ll be excellent.

My concern though, was that Liverpool had the run of our midfield, now partly that was due to Ali Mac playing so well but also, neither Baleba nor Gross did much to stop that. We can admire his defending absolutely, but controlling midfield and getting the ball forward is a part of that job too, and we hardly had any possession or control against Liverpool.

I agree with the others, it doesn’t need to be Baleba v Gilmour, both have massively different attributes which honestly would compliment each other really well.

 

[Gabbiano]

Don't know why people seem to be pitting Baleba against Gilmour.

They have completely different skill sets and frankly they even each other out to a certain extent - Gilmour has better close control and passing, Baleba is faster, more powerful and direct.

Gilmour-Baleba is the midfield combination that looks most promising to me in the short to mid term, if the rumours that Gross will return to Germany are to be believed.

 

[The Fits]

Don't know why people seem to be pitting Baleba against Gilmour.

They have completely different skill sets and frankly they even each other out to a certain extent - Gilmour has better close control and passing, Baleba is faster, more powerful and direct.

Gilmour-Baleba is the midfield combination that looks most promising to me in the short to mid term, if the rumours that Gross will return to Germany are to be believed.

Then our priority has to become finding someone with a creative output close to Gross. Because if you take him out of our midfield you lose almost all of our creativity from CM. Maybe Gilmour can be that man playing a more advanced position.
Right now Gross has to play until he either leaves or cannot walk.

 

[Johnny RoastBeef]

Re Gilmour I'm yet to truly believe he is nothing more than a Scottish Harry Winks. Winks, let's not forget, was at one time a darling of English football and being compared to the Barcelona midfield greats.
Baleba does have a much, much higher ceiling and for my money it'll be him plus A N Other starting in CM next season.

I think De Zerbi's dream midfield pairing next season would be Davide Frattesi and Manuel Locatelli.

Locatelli would also make a perfect partner for Baleba, giving him licence to break the lines.

 

[Nicks]

Baleba has the job of breaking up play.
Gilmour has the job of recieving the ball off the player who breaks it up and finding the correct pass to get us up the pitch.
Two completely different players