ALBION 0 IPSWICH TOWN 0 Carlos Baleba was used as left-back, centre-back or not at all in Albion ’s pre-season friendlies and first-day fixture. The way he is striding on to centre stage now an opportunity has arisen is one of the highlights of what remains a positive start to the campaign, despite two points dropped here. Baleba has not just put his foot in the door after other midfielders either left the club or suffered injuries.
He has barged it wide open. Looking strong, confident and unhurried, he produced a performance which suggests he enjoys the responsibility of being the main midfield man. His performance built on what he showed at Arsenal and, according to reports, two stand-out displays as the fulcrum of his national team in Cameroon.
Baleba has qualities which at one stage it looked like Fabian Huerzeler was looking to crowbar into his side at left-back when he had the luxury of James Milner, Mats Wieffer and Billy Gilmour competing for midfield roles But there are early signs that Baleba can trace a path similar to that of another former Lille man, Yves Bissouma, in becoming a big hit after an initial season of finding out what the Premier League is all about. He still has a few rough edges. Albion put out an enjoyable montage of his best bits on their social channels after this game.
Two of the clips were of a lovely body swerve to create space and a determined tackle to win possession. But they edited out the bit in the middle of that sequence, where his pa.