Sam Baldock: The Low Down

UPDATE: Sam Baldock has signed for Derby County!

Sam Baldock has been training with The Rams and played in the first preseason match against Manchester United. The 32 year old striker is currently a free agent having been released by Reading this summer. We spoke with Simeon Pickup, editor of The Tilehurst End to find out out the veteran forward and what he could bring to The Rams.

Baldock played 23 times in all competitions for The Royals last season. How did he perform?

He had plenty of appearances but few of them were starts as Baldock was well down the pecking order. When he did get a run-out he offered little.

He didn’t score a single goal for Reading last season? Why is that?

Lack of game time predominantly, but – as with Aluko – he's never been prolific. Even during his Brighton and Hove Albion days when he did play regularly and helped the Seagulls get promoted automatically, he wasn't much of a goalscorer.

How would you sum up his time at the Madejski Stadium?

If one signing from the last few years has summed up this club's mismanagement, it's probably Sam Baldock. Reading overpaid in wages and transfer fee for an ageing, non-prolific striker who ended up being a poor fit for pretty much every system we've used during his time here.

What type of striker is Baldock?

Very much a support striker. He's pretty small, doesn't have the strength to hold the ball up, height to win headers or pace to stretch a defence, so NEEDS to be partnered with a bigger centre forward.

What are his strengths?

Work rate, work rate, work rate. Even his biggest critics will be unable to deny that Baldock runs his socks off for the entire 90 minutes, regardless of where you play him. Plus, due to his experience, he's got plenty of know-how at this level. He's a canny operator and the right guy to, say, hold out a lead.

What are his weaknesses?

Pretty much everything else really. He's poor technically, has little creativity and isn't up to much in front of goal.

What is he like in the dressing room?

By all accounts a nice guy who doesn't grumble. He was frozen out of the first-team picture in the early stages of the 2019/20 season, but eventually got back into contention and got on with the job of fighting for a spot in the side as if it had never happened. As much as there is to criticise about his ability, I can't fault his professionalism.

Can he still play at Championship level?

It all depends on system. If you're going to play any system with one centre forward, you're much better looking off elsewhere. However, should Derby line up with a strike pairing, Baldock should be a useful option. That said, given his lack of game time alongside a partner at Reading, I'm not able to go on recent experience.

What would you expect from him next season in the Championship with Derby County?

Not much really. At this stage I'd say Baldock is probably past his best, so I don’t anticipate him being a key player on a regular basis. That said, his experience would be a useful asset and could help out manager Wayne Rooney.

How can Derby get the best out of Sam Baldock? What formation or tactics could Rooney use to let him express himself on the pitch?

Any formation with two strikers. He looked much more comfortable when we played a 3-5-2 at points of the 2019/20 season, as he could focus on helping another centre forward and using them as the focal point. A 4-4-2 would also work well. Tactics wise, he's less suited to a possession side given his lack of technical ability, but would work well in a team that puts long balls into the channels and asks for their strikers to press and harry.