Alejandro "Álex" Baena Rodríguez

[Ghost Hardware]

For anyone interested, Baena’s Villarreal take on Williams’s Bilbao in an hour. Both start. Villarreal not having a great season but until their 1-0 loss to Atletico last week were on a 4 match win streak in the league. Should be a good game.

Unfortunately it was certainly not a good game largely because the Ref gave a second yellow to a player he clearly forgot he gave a first to within the first 2 mins of the second half. Completely killed the game. Ended 1-1

Was a bit of a mixed bag for both players. Baena in the first half won a pen but also missed a good chance to score. In general he probably wasn’t utilised as much as he should, he picked up some great positions but didn’t really make a mark on proceedings. Second half it was a fairly workmanlike performance from him and in general he sat a lot deeper due to being down a man. In the first half he played exactly the same position as I mentioned above, he stayed primarily between the left half space and the centre but on occasion drifted wide.

Williams also failed to affect the game, he made one or two very dangerous runs that caused panic in the defence but his final ball was significantly lacking and at times he hung onto the ball too long allowing a defender to nick the ball from him or he just straight up miss controlled it resulting in a turn over.

Both players have had better games.

 

[mill]

3 assists tonight

 

[Ghost Hardware]

3 assists tonight

Had a good game. He hit the post as well a great effort.

 

[Nick-TopSpursMan]

Get him in to replace Maddison as first choice CAM.

 

[Ghost Hardware]

Get him in to replace Maddison as first choice CAM.

Agreed. We can’t be going into next season with Maddison as a guaranteed starter. He needs competition from someone Ange will actually play and that’s clearly not Gio unfortunately. Maybe Maddison earns his starting spot but ether way it can’t be guaranteed.

 

[McFlash]

Get him in to replace Maddison as first choice CAM.

Yeah, I quickly grew to love Madders but his form has been concerning for a while now and he doesn't seem to be able to play his way out of it.
Ange doesn't seem to rate Gio so we definitely need viable competition for Maddison because when he's not firing, we lose any sense of creativity.

There's still a lot of work to do until we have a properly competitive squad.

 

[THOWIG]

100 percent. His form will come back, but we can’t be complacent and too nice. We need to give him serious competition.

 

[rossdapep]

100 percent. His form will come back, but we can’t be complacent and too nice. We need to give him serious competition.

Maddison was like this with Leicester last season.

Decent start, picked up in the middle of the season and was quite decisive but lost form at the end and Rodgers even benched him.

He's a talent but my worry is that he can't do it over the course of a season and that stops him from hitting the elite level.

We definitely need to be able to switch it up, not only that but we need 100% energy in Ange's system so Maddison will need resting regardless

 

[Hertsspur10]

 

[Ghost Hardware]

Had a good game. He hit the post as well a great effort.

He also did this in the game

 

[GutBucket]

It won't be easy to sign him, but we managed to sign Romero after he won Seria A defender of the year + Copa America so it's possible. Even if Maddison was more consistent we would still need competition for him. Although I wouldn't be against Donley getting a chance next season.

 

[Ghost Hardware]

Got another assist today.

 

[Ghost Hardware]

I do really wonder if we consider trying to part swap him for Gio given his history there. I know being realistic it will probably only reduce the price by like €10-15 mil but still. I certainly don’t see Barca finding that money. Their priority seems to be Williams if they can find the money. They won’t be spending that on Baena as good as he is.

 

[Scot-Spur]

I do really wonder if we consider trying to part swap him for Gio given his history there. I know being realistic it will probably only reduce the price by like €10-15 mil but still. I certainly don’t see Barca finding that money. Their priority seems to be Williams if they can find the money. They won’t be spending that on Baena as good as he is.

Could be the same as a few others, Rodon and Summerville/Gray as an example.

 

[Ghost Hardware]

Could be the same as a few others, Rodon and Summerville/Gray as an example.

Yup and Albert + Spence. Honestly we could bring in Baena, Albert, Doué and potentially Gray (if Leeds don’t come up) for very reasonable amounts partially subsidised by players moving the other way in 3 of those 4 cases. Improvement in technical ball playing ability would be significant.

 

[rossdapep]

Yup and Albert + Spence. Honestly we could bring in Baena, Albert, Doué and potentially Gray (if Leeds don’t come up) for very reasonable amounts partially subsidised by players moving the other way in 3 of those 4 cases. Improvement in technical ball playing ability would be significant.

Yeah and then we can go a bit deeper for a CF and 6

 

[Ghost Hardware]

Yeah and then we can go a bit deeper for a CF and 6

Exactly. I know on paper this summer looks like a daunting task and it is to a certain degree but i don’t actually think it’s as impossible as it might seem. You put the larger money into likes of Sesko and Varela, pick up the few I mentioned above and then add a Calafiori or Hato and the squad is significantly stronger across the board.

 

[yellowbean]

Appreciate Barca and Real are the pinnacle for Spanish players but highlighting the buy out clause in a 'come and get me' plea is disrespectful to Villareal. I wouldnt be happy if a Spurs player did this.
Coupled with the alledged Valverde situation there are indications he might not be the best character to bring in.

 

[Ghost Hardware]

Appreciate Barca and Real are the pinnacle for Spanish players but highlighting the buy out clause in a 'come and get me' plea is disrespectful to Villareal. I wouldnt be happy if a Spurs player did this.
Coupled with the alledged Valverde situation there are indications he might not be the best character to bring in.

He was asked directly about his clause and Barca. He wasn’t bringing it up voluntarily. Don’t think this makes him seem like a bad character tbh.

“My clause? I think that we have to talk to Fernando Roig about this, but that we will have to pay the €60m if they want me to leave. Who wouldn’t like to go to Barca? It would be one of the biggest dreams as a footballer, it is the best team in the world, but I am in the club of my life and I hope to be there for many years,”