Speculation: Lewis Baker

[SCIAG]

Sent back to Chelsea by Düsseldorf:
https://weaintgotnohistory.sbnation.com ... to-chelsea
Apparently went AWOL just before Christmas.

We’re well stocked for central midfielders, but he’s better than what we have and we’ll probably be able to get him for a good price given he’s failed everywhere else. Adam and Pele probably won’t be here next year so I think Baker would make a good addition.

[WoodleyRoyal]

its a yes from me

[JimmytheJim]

Mega yes.

[Snowflake Royal]

Hell yes, though I feel bad for the restricted opportunities it would mean for Rino, Olise, East, Holsgrove and Frost

[Hound]

It would make all sorts of sense all round for him to come back here. He's almost 25 ffs, he needs to settle down and sort himself out.

Suppose it depends on finances. And if Swift is likely to hang around - though heard nothing about that not being the case

A midfield with Pele at the base and Ejaria, Swift and Baker rotating round in front is too tasty a thought for me to cope with at this time of the morning

[Hound]

Hell yes, though I feel bad for the restricted opportunities it would mean for Rino, Olise, East, Holsgrove and Frost

Personally can't see East being up to it on what I've seen. Holsgrove is a year or so away, and Frost needs a good loan.

Rino and Olise are good enough to either cover for any of them, or play out wide in Olise's case

[WoodleyRoyal]

sadly i can see us being flooded with very high-risk Brazilian players, rather than Baker. Which is a shame.

[NewCorkSeth]

It would be orgasmic. I know 0ele has shown how quality he can be but Baker was beastly in the deep lying role. A midfield of:

Baker---Swift
-----Ejaria

Would be terrifying. Agree that Rinomhota and Olise missing out would be a massive shame but they would both offer great cover.

[Royalwaster]

Didn't see Baker much last season - didn't watch many games - but how can he have been so good when we basically did pretty badly in the league (although we did just survive post-Xmas)? Was it everyone else around him that did so badly?

[Hound]

He was generally a class above everyone on the pitch in the last couple of months of his time

[URZZZZ]

He was terrible for his first 2 months here and from no-where, looked a class above

Considering we already have Adam, Pele, Rinomhota, Swift, Ejaria and Olise now after yesterday's performance, I'd tend to say no here, with a view to perhaps looking again in the summer if any leave (possibly Adam and Pele is obviously only on loan)

Obviously I wouldn't be upset to see him join back now but I don't think it's too essential, would be a terrible mistake to drop Pele at the moment and not sure how else he'd fit in unless we go back to a 4-2-3-1 rather than a 4-1-4-1

[morganb]

It appears that a lot of our recent loan players have really enjoyed their time at Reading. Both Ejaria and Miazga were happy to return this season, you felt that if we had the money then Oliveira would have joined and Pele has stated that he'd stay if we asked him. Baker looked totally committed to the cause last season so if he has any say in the matter you'd hope he'd want to come back.

[NewCorkSeth]

He was terrible for his first 2 months here and from no-where, looked a class above

Considering we already have Adam, Pele, Rinomhota, Swift, Ejaria and Olise now after yesterday's performance, I'd tend to say no here, with a view to perhaps looking again in the summer if any leave (possibly Adam and Pele is obviously only on loan)

Obviously I wouldn't be upset to see him join back now but I don't think it's too essential, would be a terrible mistake to drop Pele at the moment and not sure how else he'd fit in unless we go back to a 4-2-3-1 rather than a 4-1-4-1

-----------------------Rafael
Yiadom---Morrison---Moore---Blackett
-------------------------Pele
--------------------Swift---Baker
------------------------Ejaria
---------------------Joao---Puscas

Feck the wings, dominate midfield.

[sandman]

Think we could do with another midfielder. If you think how Adam can only really last an hour, Olise is capable but still young and Rinomhota has been very poor all season then it makes a some sense to strengthen.

Don't think it will happen though.

[WestYorksRoyal]

We could let Adam go in the summer and replace with Baker. Very similar skill set, but a younger, more mobile version.

[Stranded]

We could let Adam go in the summer and replace with Baker. Very similar skill set, but a younger, more mobile version.

This would be my preferred solution - if we are offered him on loan again, I wouldn't say know but Baker seems to be a good fit for us as a club so a permanent move in the summer (at the right cost) should suit all parties.

[URZZZZ]

He was terrible for his first 2 months here and from no-where, looked a class above

Considering we already have Adam, Pele, Rinomhota, Swift, Ejaria and Olise now after yesterday's performance, I'd tend to say no here, with a view to perhaps looking again in the summer if any leave (possibly Adam and Pele is obviously only on loan)

Obviously I wouldn't be upset to see him join back now but I don't think it's too essential, would be a terrible mistake to drop Pele at the moment and not sure how else he'd fit in unless we go back to a 4-2-3-1 rather than a 4-1-4-1

-----------------------Rafael
Yiadom---Morrison---Moore---Blackett
-------------------------Pele
--------------------Swift---Baker
------------------------Ejaria
---------------------Joao---Puscas

Feck the wings, dominate midfield.

It takes real skill to master that formation, you rarely see it work in practice

Fitting all those players into the system may suit a 4-2-2-2 instead but I'm still not sure. I like a wide pitch, not a narrow one, would depend a lot on Yiadom and Blackett

[NewCorkSeth]

He was terrible for his first 2 months here and from no-where, looked a class above

Considering we already have Adam, Pele, Rinomhota, Swift, Ejaria and Olise now after yesterday's performance, I'd tend to say no here, with a view to perhaps looking again in the summer if any leave (possibly Adam and Pele is obviously only on loan)

Obviously I wouldn't be upset to see him join back now but I don't think it's too essential, would be a terrible mistake to drop Pele at the moment and not sure how else he'd fit in unless we go back to a 4-2-3-1 rather than a 4-1-4-1

-----------------------Rafael
Yiadom---Morrison---Moore---Blackett
-------------------------Pele
--------------------Swift---Baker
------------------------Ejaria
---------------------Joao---Puscas

Feck the wings, dominate midfield.

It takes real skill to master that formation, you rarely see it work in practice

Fitting all those players into the system may suit a 4-2-2-2 instead but I'm still not sure. I like a wide pitch, not a narrow one, would depend a lot on Yiadom and Blackett

If you look back from my posts last year I was crying out for the brazilian 4-2-2-2. Would work so well with the players we have. Could see Swift and Ejaria thriving in that. Joao would be 100% nessecary for either formation to work though.

[Stranded]

-----------------------Rafael
Yiadom---Morrison---Moore---Blackett
-------------------------Pele
--------------------Swift---Baker
------------------------Ejaria
---------------------Joao---Puscas

Feck the wings, dominate midfield.

It takes real skill to master that formation, you rarely see it work in practice

Fitting all those players into the system may suit a 4-2-2-2 instead but I'm still not sure. I like a wide pitch, not a narrow one, would depend a lot on Yiadom and Blackett

If you look back from my posts last year I was crying out for the brazilian 4-2-2-2. Would work so well with the players we have. Could see Swift and Ejaria thriving in that. Joao would be 100% nessecary for either formation to work though.

Weren't we essentially trying to play 4-2-2-2 under Gomes - didn't really work with the players we had then. As a formation I think it puts too much pressure on your full backs whilst being one that only works if everyone is on their game - see the Cardiff 3-0 - if just 1 or 2 players are not performing at their maximum, it falls apart - see nearly every other game under Gomes this season.

[NewCorkSeth]

It takes real skill to master that formation, you rarely see it work in practice

Fitting all those players into the system may suit a 4-2-2-2 instead but I'm still not sure. I like a wide pitch, not a narrow one, would depend a lot on Yiadom and Blackett

If you look back from my posts last year I was crying out for the brazilian 4-2-2-2. Would work so well with the players we have. Could see Swift and Ejaria thriving in that. Joao would be 100% nessecary for either formation to work though.

Weren't we essentially trying to play 4-2-2-2 under Gomes - didn't really work with the players we had then. As a formation I think it puts too much pressure on your full backs whilst being one that only works if everyone is on their game - see the Cardiff 3-0 - if just 1 or 2 players are not performing at their maximum, it falls apart - see nearly every other game under Gomes this season.

I think it's a stretch to call that what Gomes played a 4-2-2-2. He made a switch to a back 3 early on for example and before that played with wingers. A 4-2-2-2 never has wingers.

Gomes, before the switch to a back 3, played a sort of 4-3-3 with wide forwards.

A true 4-2-2-2 can leave the full backs over worked but the point would be to have the DMs covering.

----------GK
WB--CB--CB--WB
------DM--DM
-----B2B--B2B
------DLF--AF

The deep lying forward is the most essential part. You need someone capable of bridging the gap between midfield and attack. Without wingers the attack pattern becomes predictable so the key is to be so good in possession that, even though they know what you are going to do, they cant stop it.

If we keep Pele and get Baker then they would be ideal in the deep roles. One more defensive, yet capable in possession and a midfield general with a fantastic passing range. It would work.