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Bali Mumba

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So the worst kept secret has been made official with this signing confirmed today.

I’m not writing him off, far from it but To quote the Connor Southwell..

Yep. Very much a first-team option. He'll be a right-back option. Make of that what you will regarding Max Aarons. 

This is an 18 year old that was loaned out by Sunderland to South Shields last season. I find it hard to imagine he’s seriously and option this season as a starting right back. I may be wrong or judging too soon on too little information but what are everybody else’s thoughts?

Mine were that he’d join the development squad maybe and be another one “for the future”.

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The fact he plays in defence yet is 5ft 3 is laughable.. just when we need to stop conceding set pieces we sign the worlds shortest defender 😂

 

Seriously, massive talent and cant wait to see him play

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I think it is best to ignore the South Shields loan. Apparently that was arranged after he made it clear to Sunderland that he didn't want to sign a new contract and they weren't going to use him in their team. He asked to go somewhere to play football and Sunderland sent him there, which is where they send a few of their academy players.

He is an England youth international, which at the moment is not an easy thing to achieve, and was in the U18 squad when he was only 16. 

Pretty clear in the announcement that he will be in the first team - so highly unlikely he ends up out on loan or making regular U23 appearances. Bryam will be first choice right back at the start of the season (assuming Max is sold).

Aarons had zero appearances at any level when he made his debut for Norwich at 18, so Bali is ahead of him in that respect.

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Looks like he was their youngest ever first-teamer at the age of 16, but poor management may have stalled his progress into the first team. This report seems to indicate that Sunderland really didn't / do not have much of a concept in place for enabling young players to make the leap from the academy to the first team.

And under Phil Parkinson, he wouldn't get that chance. Parkinson is - lemme tell you as a fan living in Bolton - a real dinosaur in terms of how he wants his teams to play, and Mumba is not his kind of full back.

Looks like a back-up. Suspect Aarons will go, Byram will cover both full-back positions and this lad will get ahead.

https://rokerreport.sbnation.com/2020/7/27/21303396/mistake-or-masterstroke-norwich-sign-bali-mumba-from-sunderland-for-350k?utm_campaign=rokerreport.sbnation&utm_content=chorus&utm_medium=social&utm_source=twitter

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If he’s only 18 and was loaned out to a non-league side this season then I can only see him a possible choice for the future and being loaned out again next season to get some first team experience like Aarons, Godfrey and Maddison were. If we lose Aarons then we need to find an experienced full back as back up for Byram

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5 minutes ago, HazzaJet said:

If we lose Aarons then we need to find an experienced full back as back up for Byram

Not happening, you really haven't been paying attention to what the club is trying to do and the money they have to do it.

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9 minutes ago, HazzaJet said:

If he’s only 18 and was loaned out to a non-league side this season then I can only see him a possible choice for the future and being loaned out again next season to get some first team experience like Aarons, Godfrey and Maddison were. If we lose Aarons then we need to find an experienced full back as back up for Byram

As has been said, Aarons came from seemingly nowhere at 18 to play RB for the first team and Bali Mumba has already played for England youth sides. Its said DF  sees him as a first team option, so no disrespect Hazza but i will go with DF's thoughts on the young guy.

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For me this looks like a good signing, reported £350k rising to possibly £750k and has good potential (given his England youth career). We just need him to kick on and get some game time. He's joining a young squad so should fit in and he'll count as home grown too.

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I imagine we see Mumba as someone that who will thrive in our style of play. Based on reports he still has work to do physically and tactically but is a really good technical player.

With Byrams sketchy injury record I'm sure he'll be desperate to take the chance if it comes 

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13 minutes ago, jeagle said:

For me this looks like a good signing, reported £350k rising to possibly £750k and has good potential (given his England youth career). We just need him to kick on and get some game time. He's joining a young squad so should fit in and he'll count as home grown too.

Pushing the boat out again

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I'm not writing the guy off but surely 5 ft 3 is just too small to be a defender? Even if he's great going forwards that lack of height would be such a simple and easily exploitable flaw in our system for the opposition to target. Imagine him in a game against West Ham or Palace, he's literally a whole ft smaller than most of their players 😂

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You haven’t seen the newly installed rack we borrowed from Norwich Castle at Colney have you? Give our fitness team a few weeks and we’ll soon stretch him to 6 ft or thereabouts. 

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1 hour ago, cambridgeshire canary said:

The fact he plays in defence yet is 5ft 3 is laughable.. just when we need to stop conceding set pieces we sign the worlds shortest defender 😂

 

Seriously, massive talent and cant wait to see him play

Where has the 5ft 3 come from? 

Only thing I’ve seen about his height says he is 5ft 9. 

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Just now, Bethnal Yellow and Green said:

Where has the 5ft 3 come from? 

Only thing I’ve seen about his height says he is 5ft 9. 

Fifa.

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1 minute ago, Number9 said:

So if he's 5'9" he's still very short for a defender. 

 

5'9" isn't very short for a full-back. Maybe a touch smaller than average?

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Just eyeballing I would say he looks about level with Farke, who isn't a hobbit.

 

 

Edited by Mason 47

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Just now, KeiranShikari said:

It's as tall as our current £20m+ rated right back.

Who has been part of a tragic unit of defenders who haven't been able to defend set pieces. 

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14 minutes ago, Number9 said:

Who has been part of a tragic unit of defenders who haven't been able to defend set pieces. 

Yes, lets have a team who are all over 6ft just like Watford - it worked well for them this season after all.........oh, um. err.............

 

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9 minutes ago, Number9 said:

Who has been part of a tragic unit of defenders who haven't been able to defend set pieces. 

Okay.

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2 minutes ago, Thirsty Lizard said:

Yes, lets have a team who are all over 6ft just like Watford - it worked well for them this season after all.........oh, um. err.............

 

 

1 minute ago, KeiranShikari said:

Okay.

You two don't want to reduce the amount of goals we concede? 

Just because they're wearing City shirts, we don't have to close our eyes to our weak areas and assume that we can't improve. 

 

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12 minutes ago, GJL Mid-Norfolk Canary said:

The Brighton right back Lamptey is 5ft 3"...looks more than decent ...(although their left back is 6ft 7 !!)

That’s a totally unbalanced team.....it’ll never work!

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46 minutes ago, Number9 said:

So if he's 5'9" he's still very short for a defender. 

 

Ashley Cole was 5ft 8.

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45 minutes ago, Number9 said:

Who has been part of a tragic unit of defenders who haven't been able to defend set pieces. 

If that's the case , how come he is attracting any interest. His value in not in defending set pieces, its in what he offers going forward, most top teams will have enough 6' plus players to allow the odd shorty.  He is also incredibly fit and , to quote a recent stick to beat Farke with  ' he finds covering ground , for 90+ mins no problem'. If you cant see that , why discuss modern football?

Ps if he was 6'3" he'd be worth more. 

Edited by wcorkcanary

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45 minutes ago, Number9 said:

So if he's 5'9" he's still very short for a defender.

Daniel Alves 5' 7"

Jordi  Alba 5' 6"

Dani Carvajal 5' 7"

Marcelo 5' 7"

Roberto Carlos 5' 6"

Danny Rose 5' 7"

Paul Parker 5' 6"

Chris Hughton 5' 6"

Many shorter full backs over the years - speed and mobility the key requirements.

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55 minutes ago, Number9 said:

So if he's 5'9" he's still very short for a defender. 

 

Not if he puts very long studs in his boots!

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