Balogun starts against PSG. Reports are that he is missing penalties in warmups. (Ben Yedder in the starting lineup and will probably take one instead of Balo.)
Announcer said they have officially lowered him on the PK depth chart. And I couldn't agree more. It is in his head now. Needs a break and perhaps he can come back next season and put the PK troubles behind him. AAR, was quite a handful at times for the PSV backline but he failed to convert on some good positions. Also had a great bit of hold-up, flick-on play to set up a score but Ben Yedder was deemed to be a tad offsides. An OK performance overall... but it sure seems to me like he needs a breakout game soon. There have been glimpses but not enough sustained quality play from the 9 position IMO. Great running off the shoulder... making use of that pace but not enough from a finishing perspective. And you really need that when you are striker that doesn't have a ton of hold-up play strength.
Starts: 👥 Le 𝗫𝗜 𝗱𝗲 𝗱𝗲́𝗽𝗮𝗿𝘁 🆚 @RCSA‣ #RCSAASM pic.twitter.com/TEJ15w7euk— AS Monaco 🇲🇨 (@AS_Monaco) March 10, 2024
Scored about 12 minutes off the bench: 𝗙𝗢𝗟𝗔𝗥𝗜𝗡 𝗕𝗔𝗟𝗢𝗚𝗨𝗡 !!!Un but de 🦊 pour @balogun ✊77' | 0️⃣-4⃣ #FCMASM pic.twitter.com/BNQeZ6FJJp— AS Monaco 🇲🇨 (@AS_Monaco) March 30, 2024
Still time for another. They're up 4-1. Metz scored not long after Balo's goal. Keeping the thin margin between them and LOSC. (Basically Monaco is battling to stay in 2nd, or at worst 3rd at this point. PSG has left everyone in their dust at this point.) Lol - Metz just added one. I might have to watch this now. 4-2.
1774132992031564046 is not a valid tweet id Plenty of time, it appears: 1774133130015719808 is not a valid tweet id
🚨BALO'S ONE GOAL AWAY FROM A HAT-TRICK🚨87' | 2⃣-5⃣ #FCMASMpic.twitter.com/tGgi2kb3FV— AS Monaco EN (@AS_Monaco_EN) March 30, 2024
Looks like the other video got skunked. Try this. (tiktok style highlights works for me in US) https://wscstoriesbein.prod-cdn.clipro.tv/games/299073-20240330-Metz-vs-Monaco.html
Big game for Monaco today 3 v 4 (LOSC). No idea if Balo bought himself a start with his brace last game. it's an evening game in France so I think 12 pst/3 est in Les Etats Unis.
Balogun on for ben Yedder in the 73rd minute as Monaco milk a 1-0 lead down a man against Rennes. Edit: Oops, it's 10 v 10, both teams down a man.
Monaco bests Brest 2-0. Balo on for both goals. Was in the mix for the 2nd. Zakaria's 1st was just dirty. 2 RCs to Monaco late.
Monaco v Lille today in a big end of season game. LOSC is 3 pts behind Monaco with a better GD. If they win today they leapfrog into 2nd on GD and drop Monaco to 3rd (Brest already played game 30) Any point(s) for Monaco today just puts a bit more distance between them and Brest/LOSC ahead of the final 4 games.)
Yeah, the Balo campaign seems to be the most overlooked around here, probably because he's not lighting the world on fire, but he is 12 in ligue one for G-PK and 10th for G-PK/90 and 11 for G+A/90, and on the 2nd place team still odds-on to get CL play. Hope he catches fire a bit these last 5 games.
It is kinda funny, in that if Balo had gone to Monaco from, I dunno, Galat or Gers or Aarhus and was doing what he's doing a lot of folks would be losing their minds, but as it is we're salivating over 2 Champs league attackers who are putting similar numbers (Sarge G-PK/90 is kinda off the hook of course, but otherwise...) Which is not anything against the Sarge and Wright interest - it's well deserved, but is an interesting comment on expectations (and group embarrassment when you miss a bunch of PKs! lol)
One issue with Flo and his form right now is that Breel Embolo is now back from his ACL injury. It was Embolo's injury last August that made getting Balogun more of a priority for Monaco. Embolo still has to work through rust and he only made a 5 minute cameo over the weekend. But If Embolo comes back strong, Balogun will have more competition than before. No question he's under a little bit more competition now.
Balo's growth curve has gone flat. He seems to be a known quantity at this point. Of course, if the function is totally flat, you can say it's a constant.
Disagree that his growth curve is flat. I think everyone would be thrilled if it was flat and that he was scoring 21 goals a season every year.
Monaco hold on to win 1-0. Embolo on for our Balo. Forfana goal scored with Flo on the field but I didn't see the game so not sure if he was involved at all. Monaco get a key 6 pts v LOSC (and 2 goal swing in GD.) Monaco has a pretty soft final 4 games and 6 point, 1 GD lead over 4th. Still time to mess it up, but today was a big step.