Super Scotty Murray Posted September 24, 2018 Report Share Posted September 24, 2018 It is clearly a huge loss that Kalas is going to be out for around 6 weeks due to the injury sustained against Wigan, but there seems to me to be a lot of anti Nathan Baker sentiment here that I just don't understand. He clearly did not have a great end to last season, but up until January him & Flint were pretty much the best centre back pairing in the Championship and we were all waxing lyrical when we managed to sign him at the start of last season. Why not give the guy a chance to prove he is still the player that we know he has been for most of his career, rather than assume he is the player who had a few bad games at the end of last season? The only slight concern with Baker is that as we are trying to play it out from the back this season he may struggle a little on the ball. However, as we have overplayed it at times this season it might not be a bad thing to have one player who keeps it simple. Can anyone please let me know if there is anything I have missed here? (Same goes for Bailey Wright, our captain, who many seem to have also written off for similar reasons). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ooRya Posted September 24, 2018 Report Share Posted September 24, 2018 I think it is most likely just "scapegoating" due to our poor finish to last season. A very good player when on form Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dynamite Red Posted September 24, 2018 Report Share Posted September 24, 2018 Good player. Needs to show the desire and performances to make him undroppable a bit like Flint showed last season. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ZiderEyed Posted September 24, 2018 Report Share Posted September 24, 2018 Phenomenal player who's dropped in form. Bit of bandwagoning too. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Super Posted September 24, 2018 Report Share Posted September 24, 2018 He is a good player but makes some poor decisions (QPR home last season) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EnderMB Posted September 24, 2018 Report Share Posted September 24, 2018 Every year we seem to have a scapegoat, and since we're not doing "terribly" it tends to be a player that is to blame. Seems like Baker is the scapegoat for now. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lrrr Posted September 24, 2018 Report Share Posted September 24, 2018 If on form then yes he's an excellent option but when he's not I feel it hurts us. Look at when he came on against Wigan we had 2 centre backs who were happy with the ball at their feet and to play it around, Baker came on and we go long ball as he gets rid of it up field. Its why I'd rather move Kelly to CB and play Dasilva or Wright at RCB with Webster if he's back and ready to go. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BS3City Posted September 24, 2018 Report Share Posted September 24, 2018 Perfect chance for Nathan to show us again exactly how good a player he really is, particularly with the first opportunity against his old club! We're lucky to have such a great replacement - come on Nathan do your stuff!!! COYR!!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BigTone Posted September 24, 2018 Report Share Posted September 24, 2018 1 hour ago, Super Scotty Murray said: It is clearly a huge loss that Kalas is going to be out for around 6 weeks due to the injury sustained against Wigan, but there seems to me to be a lot of anti Nathan Baker sentiment here that I just don't understand. He clearly did not have a great end to last season, but up until January him & Flint were pretty much the best centre back pairing in the Championship and we were all waxing lyrical when we managed to sign him at the start of last season. Why not give the guy a chance to prove he is still the player that we know he has been for most of his career, rather than assume he is the player who had a few bad games at the end of last season? The only slight concern with Baker is that as we are trying to play it out from the back this season he may struggle a little on the ball. However, as we have overplayed it at times this season it might not be a bad thing to have one player who keeps it simple. Can anyone please let me know if there is anything I have missed here? (Same goes for Bailey Wright, our captain, who many seem to have also written off for similar reasons). The answer can be spelt out in four letters .................... O T I B Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Snufflelufagus Posted September 24, 2018 Report Share Posted September 24, 2018 I would imaging even he (Baker) probably knows deep down that when Kalas is fit he will be back in the team if not for him then Webster. Johnson said something along the lines of when Kalas signed that he was costing quite a lot and wasn't here to warm the bench. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dullmoan Tone Posted September 24, 2018 Report Share Posted September 24, 2018 6 minutes ago, EnderMB said: Every year we seem to have a scapegoat, and since we're not doing "terribly" it tends to be a player that is to blame. Seems like Baker is the scapegoat for now. I think he will be fighting Marley Watkins for that undeserved title. I agree with OP we should be glad we have him as a fallback - we all said last season we were weaker when he wasn't playing. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BessexRED Posted September 24, 2018 Report Share Posted September 24, 2018 Baker would be playing in the Premier League if not for his tendency to constantly pick up niggles. If he can keep himself fit he’s comfortably one of the best centre halves in the division, I’ve missed him. Prefer him to Webster massively. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Offside Posted September 24, 2018 Report Share Posted September 24, 2018 I think Baker is a good player. My only concern is that sometimes he does not seem to be in the right place mentally. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
INCRED Posted September 24, 2018 Report Share Posted September 24, 2018 32 minutes ago, hodge said: If on form then yes he's an excellent option but when he's not I feel it hurts us. Look at when he came on against Wigan we had 2 centre backs who were happy with the ball at their feet and to play it around, Baker came on and we go long ball as he gets rid of it up field. Its why I'd rather move Kelly to CB and play Dasilva or Wright at RCB with Webster if he's back and ready to go. Bearing in mind the front four that Villa may have up against us then think Kelly and Dasilva is the better option especially being at home Bit of a snub for Baker but if LJ wants us to continue to play from the back then that's what he needs to do in my opinion Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
1bristolcity Posted September 24, 2018 Report Share Posted September 24, 2018 He is one of own at least, not a loan 118 Could just be the chance he has been waiting for, not as bad as some are thinking, loads of experience, and a good pro. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Swede Posted September 24, 2018 Report Share Posted September 24, 2018 I remember being at Villa Park after his first loan spell and witnessed a MOM performance by Baker against us. Quick, strong & attacking. A colossus. I think Friday is the ideal match for him to whet his appetite. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ChippenhamRed Posted September 24, 2018 Report Share Posted September 24, 2018 Are we happy with “best centre back pairing in the Championship until January”? Pretty big claim that. I’ll need convincing. Especially given there were both regulars all season in a team that eventually finished 11th. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
spudski Posted September 24, 2018 Report Share Posted September 24, 2018 When on form a top player...but not seen enough of it this year. Same goes for Pato. Both need to up their game and become more consistent. A Kalas Webster Partnership for me, could be in with a chance of top 6. Without Kalas... I feel the replacements of either Baker, Wright or even Kelly would lead to more inconsistent performances and more likely a mid table finish. Hopefully Baker and Pato find their true form soon. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bar BS3 Posted September 24, 2018 Report Share Posted September 24, 2018 I couldn’t agree more! Last season it was generally when Baker was absent that we were left with glaring defensive problems. I do believe that Kalas is a notable upgrade, but Nathan Baker is a quality Championship CB when fit. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Huntstile Red Posted September 24, 2018 Report Share Posted September 24, 2018 2 hours ago, Super Scotty Murray said: Why not give the guy a chance to prove he is still the player that we know he has been for most of his career What is the player he's been for most of his career? Injured? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mr Popodopolous Posted September 24, 2018 Report Share Posted September 24, 2018 From a technical (as in ball-playing) standpoint, he's not the best tbh. However one quality centre back defensively (Baker?) and one of Webster and Kalas could be a useful pairing IMO, that is if one of the latter pair isn't fit. However ball playing centre backs in a 4-4-2 is an interesting move- really it needs to be a 3-5-2 or a 4-3-3 to get the optimum out of such a setup IMO, between the lines in a way that can dominate the ball- ironically though we seem to have done better when we've had less of the ball this season (check the possession stats for all our games), which seems to have been a bit of a shift from the games v Bolton and Middlesbrough. Regardless of that though, a fit and in form Baker is surely an asset- but both Webster and Kalas as a pair would provide the best pair technically. Still think our bringing it out would be more cohesive with a 3 man midfield, but that's another debate. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Robbored Posted September 24, 2018 Report Share Posted September 24, 2018 Negativity? I don’t see much negativity about Baker. Hes a decent enough CB but has been injured and Kalas came in alongside Webster so Baker became third choice. His ‘issue’ is that he tends to be something of a hothead and the Villa boys will know that.........if he gets thru the game without a yellow I’ll be surprised. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Unan Posted September 24, 2018 Report Share Posted September 24, 2018 Because it has looked like he doesn’t care Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bazooka Joe Posted September 24, 2018 Report Share Posted September 24, 2018 He appears to be totally disinterested; the least he could do is feign it. Hopefully, he'll feel he has something to prove against Villa (to both us and them), but he'll need to stay level-headed, especially if they try to wind him up. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Major Isewater Posted September 24, 2018 Report Share Posted September 24, 2018 I get the impression that Baker is still in shock having left such a big club as Villa to suddenly find himself a long way off the Prem at lil ol' Bristol City . We need to see more of the monster that ran half the length of the pitch to get in a good tackle only to be sent off unjustly. Come on Bakes we know you can do it . Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bristol Oil Services Posted September 24, 2018 Report Share Posted September 24, 2018 6 hours ago, ChippenhamRed said: Are we happy with “best centre back pairing in the Championship until January”? Pretty big claim that. I’ll need convincing. Especially given there were both regulars all season in a team that eventually finished 11th. No, it wasn't the best but Wright, Flint, Baker and Bryan/Magnússon were conceding a goal a game (24 in 24 games) up to and including Reading on Boxing Day. Fulham conceded a goal a game (46 in 46) last season (Wolves and Cardiff 39) so, up until January, we were defending at play-off standard/level. The best central defence so far this season is Middlesbrough's: 3 conceded in 9 games! That's a lot of clean sheets. Flint has played every game; every minute of every game. I'd imagine Pulis organises his team so that his centre backs are not exposed in the way Flint and his fellow cbs were here by the awol tendencies of, and limitations of, and/or the general piss-poorness of the likes of Luke Ayling, Mark Little, Adam Matthews, Korey Smith etc. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
1bristolcity Posted September 24, 2018 Report Share Posted September 24, 2018 6 hours ago, Robbored said: Negativity? I don’t see much negativity about Baker. Hes a decent enough CB but has been injured and Kalas came in alongside Webster so Baker became third choice. His ‘issue’ is that he tends to be something of a hothead and the Villa boys will know that.........if he gets thru the game without a yellow I’ll be surprised. If he get's through the game without a Yellow, I will be disappointed Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ChippenhamRed Posted September 24, 2018 Report Share Posted September 24, 2018 39 minutes ago, Moments of Pleasure said: No, it wasn't the best but Wright, Flint, Baker and Bryan/Magnússon were conceding a goal a game (24 in 24 games) up to and including Reading on Boxing Day. Fulham conceded a goal a game (46 in 46) last season (Wolves and Cardiff 39) so, up until January, we were defending at play-off standard/level. The best central defence so far this season is Middlesbrough's: 3 conceded in 9 games! That's a lot of clean sheets. Flint has played every game; every minute of every game. I'd imagine Pulis organises his team so that his centre backs are not exposed in the way Flint and his fellow cbs were here by the awol tendencies of, and limitations of, and/or the general piss-poorness of the likes of Luke Ayling, Mark Little, Adam Matthews, Korey Smith etc. Fair play I said I’d need convincing and you’ve put together a good case. Undeniable that the stats were good until January. But to be considered anywhere near the best, I think you’ve got to do it over a whole season. Only thing I’m not happy with is the phrase “piss poor ness” being used anywhere near Korey Smith. Though I appreciate you’re referring to him as a full back, which is not what he’s about. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Loosey Boy Posted September 24, 2018 Report Share Posted September 24, 2018 Come on Bakes - Friday is your time to shine again! Start by lumping Kodjia and Bolasie six feet up in the air! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cidered abroad Posted September 24, 2018 Report Share Posted September 24, 2018 31 minutes ago, Loosey Boy said: Come on Bakes - Friday is your time to shine again! Start by lumping Kodjia and Bolasie six feet up in the air! But do it when nobody in a black shirt is looking. We need to be at full strength fir all the game. Seriously, Bakes will do fine and we'll get three points. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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