Lewis Baker

[Cjay]

Apparently edging his way to being our first signing.

On loan at Boro last season, didnt get much of a chance (neither did Forshaw before anyone panics).

Shone in Holland the year before for Vitesse, scored goals and inspired them to the 1st major trophy in there history.

6ft tall he is physically strong, technically gifted, comfortable running with the ball and known for his passing and set piece ability, however he is not afraid of doing his duties defensively.

Last summer Chelsea gave him a new 5 year deal and he seems to still be highly regarded by the Chelsea fans, however at 23 he now needs to push on

[Richard]

On Facebook a few Chelsea fans are amazed he didn’t get more game time at Boro said he has lots of pace, their fans seem to rate him. As long as Bielsa has seen him and wants him for his plan this season let’s bring him in.

[weasel]

https://www.yorkshireeveningpost.co.uk/ ... -1-9229132
https://www.leedsunited.com/news/team-n ... ns-on-loan


1 season loan deal

[weasel]

Crikey we finally make a signing and nobody is commenting about it. Day after day of mediocre journalist speculation and the site is in overdrive....

[The Subhuman]

I'm not commenting because I hate loans.

[Cjay]

Good signing, preferred a permanent, hopefully the end of O'Kane.

Most impressed that we been talking to him for 2 weeks and nobody had a clue till the other day.

[weasel]

Good signing, preferred a permanent, hopefully the end of O'Kane.

Most impressed that we been talking to him for 2 weeks and nobody had a clue till the other day.

To be honest I think a lot of the players we have been linked with have absolutely no semblance of reality about them but are just so called journalists creating stories so people click on the page and the webcounter counts the stats so they get advertising revenue. That was why I was a bit surprised at the lack of comments here today when we had actually signed someone instead of just being 'linked' with players.

An interesting signing given him youth pedigree contrasting against his poor loan spell last season at our level. Certainly no concerns that he hasn't broken into the Chelsea team and also not overly concerned that he didn't feature much at Boro as we saw when Monk was here that he was happy to loan players, such as Grimes and Mo Barrow and hardly play them. We also know that both Monk's and Pulis's teams are not really built on ball playing midfielders and we also saw that Forshaw was well down the pecking order at Boro but did well for us.

Pleasing that, like Cjay said, no one really knew about it till yesterday but that it hasn't been some sort of panic signing as we had been speaking to him a couple of weeks ago.

[Cjay]

To be honest I think a lot of the players we have been linked with have absolutely no semblance of reality about them but are just so called journalists creating stories so people click on the page and the webcounter counts the stats so they get advertising revenue. That was why I was a bit surprised at the lack of comments here today when we had actually signed someone instead of just being 'linked' with players.

An interesting signing given him youth pedigree contrasting against his poor loan spell last season at our level. Certainly no concerns that he hasn't broken into the Chelsea team and also not overly concerned that he didn't feature much at Boro as we saw when Monk was here that he was happy to loan players, such as Grimes and Mo Barrow and hardly play them. We also know that both Monk's and Pulis's teams are not really built on ball playing midfielders and we also saw that Forshaw was well down the pecking order at Boro but did well for us.

Pleasing that, like Cjay said, no one really knew about it till yesterday but that it hasn't been some sort of panic signing as we had been speaking to him a couple of weeks ago.

Do think a lot of the "links" are leaks from the club designed to pressure our actual targets into making a choice. For example i dont think we were ever in for Kyle Bartley, the original leaks came out around a time when we needed some good news, that was it.

Same with David Stockdale, he doesnt fit the Bielsa mould, known to prefer younger players, but as a local lad his "linking" will placate the fans while we work on actual targets (Jamal Blackman who appeared out of the blue yesterday).

I dont think people like Phil Hay outright lie, I'm sure what he reports is done in good faith and someone has told him these names, but i do think respected people like Phil report what he is told he but knows things that he doesnt say, I'm sure he knew about Baker for example but didnt say a word.

Happy with Baker, as you say he shouldn't be judged to harshly on his Boro spell. Boro fans seem to blame being played out of position by Monk and just ignored by Pulis, which is no surpise.

Baker is a technical, ball playing midfielder, you would expect Pulis to prefer an Adam Clayton, Grant Leadbitter etc . Good at what they do but suit the tough Pulis way.

Some are saying Vieira is in trouble, seems unlikely unless he wants to go. Ronnie is a defensive midfielder, Baker isnt, if anyone is under threat its Philips imo.

Lets hope for more surprising signings soon, if thats the calibre then we will be ok.

[gessa]

I'm not commenting because I hate loans.

Me too.

Chelsea make a mockery of what the loan system was all about, and as ever they're allowed to get away with it.

[The Subhuman]

They should be paying us for the privilege of studying under Biesla. Top clubs will queuing up to loan us their players. If he's good for us they can sell him for a nice profit, probably to someone in the prem, or back to us at a nice mark up. If he's junk for us they don't lose either

[SG90]

Wanted us to sign him last summer, so a year later we do. I wouldn't put too much gloss on him not playing for Boro, as Pulis doesn't give youth a chance and prefers hoofball to actual footballers. I think he should thrive under Bielsa, as has what we lack in midfield, pace and height and is too footed. He also has over 82% pass rating, which is what we needed badly since we give it away all the time.

[1964white]

I repeated myself all last season that our midfield were a bunch of midgets.

Bielsa comes in & the first signing he makes is a big strapping six-footer. Baker is obviously a talented player as he has been on the Chelsea books fourteen years as a 9yo, in that time he has made 45 appearances for England at U17/U19/U20/U21 levels

When did we last sign a player from Chelsea ?

Tony Dorigo in 1991 I think

[The Subhuman]

We still haven't signed a player from Chelsea, he still is Chelsea. Klich is 6 foot

[1964white]

Wanted us to sign him last summer, so a year later we do. I wouldn't put too much gloss on him not playing for Boro, as Pulis doesn't give youth a chance and prefers hoofball to actual footballers. I think he should thrive under Bielsa, as has what we lack in midfield, pace and height and is too footed. He also has over 82% pass rating, which is what we needed badly since we give it away all the time.

Wow a midfielder playing for Leeds who is pacy & can pass the ball

[1964white]

We still haven't signed a player from Chelsea, he still is Chelsea. Klich is 6 foot

Baker is at Leeds for a year, that we'll do for me. Klich hardly played a game Faaip, all I witnessed was midgets running around the pitch like headless chickens & constantly getting knocked off the ball last season

Two coaches hardly used Klich, it will be interesting to see if Bielsa rates him

[The Subhuman]

That was TC's fault and problem...we had a good 6 foot centre mid we paid good money for sat twiddling his thumbs.

[Cjay]

One thing dont see is where Baker fits into a 3-3-1-3 formation.

He cant play the more defensive midfielder role, he apparently is ok defensively but clearly is a more attack minded player.

He cant play wide left or right, Boro tried that briefly under Monk and he looked uncomfortable.

So that leaves him fighting for the Enganche role with Hernandez and Saiz.

Can see us going 4-3-3 or 4-2-3-1

[1964white]

One thing dont see is where Baker fits into a 3-3-1-3 formation.

He cant play the more defensive midfielder role, he apparently is ok defensively but clearly is a more attack minded player.

He cant play wide left or right, Boro tried that briefly under Monk and he looked uncomfortable.

So that leaves him fighting for the Enganche role with Hernandez and Saiz.

Can see us going 4-3-3 or 4-2-3-1

Bielsa will have a role for him Cjay

[1964white]

That was TC's fault and problem...we had a good 6 foot centre mid we paid good money for sat twiddling his thumbs.

Christiansen was very predictable with his team selections, his subs were even more baffling

[SG90]

One thing dont see is where Baker fits into a 3-3-1-3 formation.

He cant play the more defensive midfielder role, he apparently is ok defensively but clearly is a more attack minded player.

He cant play wide left or right, Boro tried that briefly under Monk and he looked uncomfortable.

So that leaves him fighting for the Enganche role with Hernandez and Saiz.

Can see us going 4-3-3 or 4-2-3-1

There's no way Pablo will play all 46 games anyway, he'll be a rotation player at best.