Brighton midfielder Carlos Baleba has had a challenging start to the new seasonplaceholder image
Brighton midfielder Carlos Baleba has had a challenging start to the new season | Getty Images
Carabao Cup fourth round: Arsenal vs Brighton at the Emirates Stadium on Wednesday, 7.45pm
Brighton boss Fabian Hurzeler insists Carlos Baleba must get the chance to play his way back into form.
The Cameroon international has struggled so far this term and delivered another poor display during the 4-2 loss against Manchester United at Old Trafford last Saturday.
United tried to sign Baleba last summer and the transfer speculation has clearly distracted the midfielder. The 21-year-old is yet to complete 90 minutes in the Premier League this term and has been substituted at halftime on occasions.
“Keep going,” said Hurzeler when asked if it's time to take Baleba “out the firing line.”
“That's the main thing. To take him out is an easy way to solve the situation. It's about overcoming these phases. It's about dealing with it.
“And in the end, I'm always in front of them. So I always try to protect them. The main thing is they have the environment where they can improve, where they have the environment where they can be their best.
“There are just like small margins missing. It's also not easy for a young player. Having these rumours in summer, coming then into the stadium and trying to perform there. And it might affect him.”
Hurzeler: We trust Carlos Baleba
“To take him out means you don't give him the trust. You don't give him the belief. And that's not the fact.
“We want to give him the support he needs. We want that he overcomes this phase. If it might be that he's missing one game, then it might be a decision.
“But long term, we see him on the pitch. Long term, we want to help him. That's the one part that he has our trust.
“ But the other side is the player needs to show it as well.”
Midfielders Jack Hinshelwood (ankle) and James Milner (muscular) are injured at the moment, which means Hurzeler has limited options in midfield.
The head coach needs his star man back in form, starting against Arsenal in the Carabao Cup on Wednesday night.
Hurzeler added: “He can't continue like this, like he's continuing at the moment. Because then he will regret something.
“And that's what we all try to avoid by giving him psychological safety, by giving the right environment. But on the other side, he needs to step up.
“He needs to make the next step. And he needs to focus on the things he can influence to overcome this phase and to get back to shape.”
Baleba and his regular midfielder partner Yasin Ayari struggled at Old Trafford last time and were outclassed by United experienced duo Casemiro and Bruno Fernandes.
What can Baleba and Ayari learn from Man United loss?
“Every small positioning, small margins,” said Hurzeler toSussex World.
“How to implement our principles, how important it is. So how important is the first touch, how important is the position when you receive the ball, how important it is to be very clean in these areas.
“Try to avoid the mistakes. It's very important to give them the chance to make mistakes as well because if they don't do mistakes, they won't grow.
“But I think the mistakes we did, or they did, they were avoidable. So just by doing the small margins right.
“That was something they could learn because when you look, when you see how Casemiro, how Fernandes are playing, a lot of experience, very mature, then I think that's something where Carlos and Yasin can make the next step.
“But it's natural and normal that we can't expect from 20-year-old players doing the same like 30-year-old players, there's a big gap in between.
“But overall, we are very happy with their development. We see a lot of progression and I'm sure that they can have a similar career if they keep pushing.”
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