[Albion] Carlos Baleba SINGS a 5-year deal

[Jimmy Grimble]

Milner isn’t being picked as a right wing back. He’s being picked as a right back who inverts into central midfield to help with first and second phase build up.

There is no way him and Pervis are being sent out with the same instructions. RDZ will not be expecting Milner to be hugging the touch line and bombing forward.

 

[Mellotron]

It is a bit mad to me that we arguably don't have a single person in the squad whose primary role is Right Back, and only 1 whose primary role is Left Back.

 

[Bakero]

It is a bit mad to me that we arguably don't have a single person in the squad whose primary role is Right Back, and only 1 whose primary role is Left Back.

I think it's just indicative of how we set up.

Perv is basically an auxiliary winger or wide forward when we have the ball while the right back tucks into midfield to give us a numerical overload. If we had an Estupiñanesque fullback on both sides, we'd be left wide open.

That said, I think with our current players, Veltman is the man for the job. Would be nice if we could have Ben White back though.

If Baleba turns out to be the dominant CDM we're hoping for, it would allow the RB to be a bit more adventurous.

 

[Mellotron]

I think it's just indicative of how we set up.

Perv is basically an auxiliary winger or wide forward when we have the ball while the right back tucks into midfield to give us a numerical overload. If we had an Estupiñanesque fullback on both sides, we'd be left wide open.

That said, I think with our current players, Veltman is the man for the job. Would be nice if we could have Ben White back though.

If Baleba turns out to be the dominant CDM we're hoping for, it would allow the RB to be a bit more adventurous.

I get that, but that's ONE plan. Surely we should have multiple plans - say Estupinan gets injured, we could very conceivably end up with midfielders in both full back roles (I shudder as I remember losing at the Amex to Benitez' Everton with Moder and Gross as the fullbacks!).

Therefore surely it would be wise to have at least ONE person whose primary role in the squad is full back, to give us more tactical flexibility.

 

[Deportivo Seagull]

Playing in the Dutch or Belgian leagues maybe but not in the Premier League. He just wasn't good enough unfortunately.

Trossard and played veltman in the Dutch and Belgium leagues.

 

[Bakero]

I get that, but that's ONE plan. Surely we should have multiple plans - say Estupinan gets injured, we could very conceivably end up with midfielders in both full back roles (I shudder as I remember losing at the Amex to Benitez' Everton with Moder and Gross as the fullbacks!).

Therefore surely it would be wise to have at least ONE person whose primary role in the squad is full back, to give us more tactical flexibility.

True. I wouldn't mind seeing the new super-charged Solly March in the Pervis role though.

 

[Farehamseagull]

Trossard and played veltman in the Dutch and Belgium leagues.

Yeah I know, what’s that got to do with Ali J not being good enough to play in the PL?

 

[Nobby Cybergoat]

Afternoon everyone, hope you’re doing well. Here’s a video detailing everything you need to know about new signing Carlos Baleba in 90 seconds for those interested. Despite being just 19, he’s already amongst the best across Europe’s big 5 leagues in several metrics, and I have no doubt he’s going to smash it at Brighton. Let me know what you make of him and feel free to ask any questions you may have, cheers!

Nice one. Thanks

 

[The Fits]

A lot of this is about the West Ham result. Even Moyes admitted that he could have set up his team exactly the same way and lost, and that's because ultimately they got it spot on, took most of their chances, played out of their skin as a unit at the same time as we were ponderous in attack and appalling at the back.
That coupled with the Enciso injury has suddenly really changed the perception of our squad depth (and perhaps even overall quality).
Now RDZ has his Caicedo replacement, and it feels like this is the one he really wanted, there's an element of him having to earn his salt.
It's intriguing because the guy is undoubtedly a genius..but not all geniuses get the Pep treatment. You're not simply given the best teams and biggest budgets in the world. It's fairly obvious that RDZ with Man City's squad would do at least as well as Pep. Imagine how frightening it would be having Walker as the RB in this formation rather than Milner (IE the fastest FB in the world). Imagine how much more solid you'd be at the back with Akanje and Diaz, and Ake etc in support, and Rodri just in front. But we ain't Man City.
So RDZ now has to answer questions that we and the football world at large will start to ask if (as it seems) managers and teams have 'worked us out' a little.
Can this style of football be taken to the next level with Gross and Milner down the right?
If not, who plays down the right?
Do we have the creativity through the middle when the play gets congested?
Can we score in different ways when playing against 9/10 defenders?
What is the answer if both Mitoma and March are struggling to beat their man out wide and finding no space when they move inside?
Where does JP fit if he naturally moves into the same space as Mitoma and Pervis?
Where does Igor fit in?
Have we got an alternative to Pervis if he has a stinker, needs a rest, gets injured?
If RDZ does feel the experience and quality on the ball of Gross and Milner are invaluable where do we fit them in?
Is one genuine DM enough to stop teams making serious ground through the middle of the pitch?
Can Welbeck and Ferguson play together?
Do we have the right players in the right positions to play such a bold style consistently?

If the transfer window slams shut and Baleba is the last one through the door I am sympathetic to RDZ if he feels we still don't have the quality in the squad but ultimately we are Brighton. We will have spent huge suns for a club our size (even considering the exits) and we do seem to have backed him with players he wants.
But he will have to remember that this club has limitations and ultimately these riddles are his. He's created them so he is going to need answers to them.

Anyway this isn't a dig at RDZ. Last season was incredible. I do just think there's a point where he is going to have to be a little more flexible (and maybe even ever so slightly pragmatic until he is at a club like City ) and that ultimately most of the questions we now have come from his decisions. Luckily he strikes me as the kind of man that, once the opportunity for new faces is over, will thrive trying to work out the puzzle.

 

[Greg Bobkin]

Afternoon everyone, hope you’re doing well. Here’s a video detailing everything you need to know about new signing Carlos Baleba in 90 seconds for those interested. Despite being just 19, he’s already amongst the best across Europe’s big 5 leagues in several metrics, and I have no doubt he’s going to smash it at Brighton. Let me know what you make of him and feel free to ask any questions you may have, cheers!

Hi Carlos

 

[Sheebo]

sound source usually…..

Not this time! Although prob played by the club or someone in this instance…

 

[Guinness Boy]

If Baleba turns out to be the dominant CDM we're hoping for, it would allow the RB to be a bit more adventurous.

Yep.

Said that on a couple of other threads. We need a ball winning holding player to bring back that shape we had last season. Not literal Caicedo but a '6' that can win the ball, protect the CBs and cover a bombing full back if needed. Good point too from @Jimmy Grimble but I don't think that inversion's worked. Majority of the opposition attacks in the first three games have been down our right hand side.

 

[Greg Bobkin]

Not this time! Although prob played by the club or someone in this instance…

Or maybe the talks HAD stalled, but then got going again? And, correct me if I'm wrong, but he still hasn't actually officially SINGED yet, has he?

Another reason to ignore all the 'noise' around transfers.

 

[Sheebo]

Or maybe the talks HAD stalled, but then got going again? And, correct me if I'm wrong, but he still hasn't actually officially SINGED yet, has he?

Another reason to ignore all the 'noise' around transfers.

Yep true - although the mouthpiece Rom was tweeting there was a new offer at the same time so one must have been wrong / outdated. Load of rubbish from everyone usually as we know.

 

[severnside gull]

If his issue with Veltman is that he isn't a natural wingback, why would he replace him with Gross or Milner, two of the slowest players in our squad? I'm amazed and confused that Veltman doesn't play. He could have put Milner as DM, pushed Gross upfield and dropped Welbeck.

Milner “one of the slowest in our squad”??
So so wrong

 

[Jim in the West]

Yep.

Said that on a couple of other threads. We need a ball winning holding player to bring back that shape we had last season. Not literal Caicedo but a '6' that can win the ball, protect the CBs and cover a bombing full back if needed. Good point too from @Jimmy Grimble but I don't think that inversion's worked. Majority of the opposition attacks in the first three games have been down our right hand side.

In the match at Wolves Milner and Estupinan swapped wings for a couple of minutes....almost as soon as they swapped, Wolves had a break on our left, and Milner lost the tackle, leaving Neto (I think) with a good chance). They immediately swapped back again! My guess is that RDZ was happy to risk Milner in games against teams he thought we could be most adventurous (eg: our first three games). I'd be really surprised if Milner plays RB in our next two games, which will be tough.

 

[Guinness Boy]

Yep true - although the mouthpiece Rom was tweeting there was a new offer at the same time so one must have been wrong / outdated. Load of rubbish from everyone usually as we know.

Bring back SHEEBS and BLADDERS #ITK

 

[Guinness Boy]

In the match at Wolves Milner and Estupinan swapped wings for a couple of minutes....almost as soon as they swapped, Wolves had a break on our left, and Milner lost the tackle, leaving Neto (I think) with a good chance). They immediately swapped back again! My guess is that RDZ was happy to risk Milner in games against teams he thought we could be most adventurous (eg: our first three games). I'd be really surprised if Milner plays RB in our next two games, which will be tough.

Oh, yeah, I remember that. My son noticed. "Dad, he's swapped the fullbacks over.........wait........no, he's swapped them back".

 

[warmleyseagull]

It is a bit mad to me that we arguably don't have a single person in the squad whose primary role is Right Back, and only 1 whose primary role is Left Back.

That is SOOOO yesterday.

 

[Sheebo]

Bring back SHEEBS and BLADDERS #ITK

Duck knows where that prick @Bladders has gone - cried off cos I CEPT outing his SHIT SORCES