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Leighton Baines

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loves baines, hes a propa blue like us... never a captain though ( always said the same about jags ) would honestly hand it to coleman now, hes what we need
 
LABlue2 said:
Don't want to give davek any ammo to insult our boss LB but...

Sometimes our players need to pick up the pace, passing it around the back slowly when we're losing is ridiculous...

Recently whenever there is space in front of Baines, he slowly meanders into the space and then passes it backward to the CB... would like to see him try and drive forward more like Coleman does. He doesn't really cross anymore (not that anyone in our squad can head a ball anyway) although that low cross/pass to Mirallas in the second half was great.
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He crossed pretty well for Coleman to score V Arsenal.
 
This is going to be a bit controversial but as it is at the moment I think baines is a player we should consider replacing. Not immediately but definately soon.

I think if you look at his numbers for assists and goals he's nowhere near the productivity that he used to be and when you take that out of his game you ask what he offers as a defender. In my opinion as a defender he's not the best, not bad but not great.

I also find that baines is too nice a player at times, always asking opponents if they are OK or shaking their hands etc. I like players with more snide and aggression as generally those types have more of a winning personality about them.

Baines is a player who I've always been a big fan of but you have to ask this question when you consider what a player offers to their role in a team. If he's not doing it in an attacking sense then would we not be better off having a left back who is quicker, more aggressive and more dominant?

If we take out his goals as they are generally from pens and look at assists, In his last 36 premier league matches hes got 3 assists. That in comparison to 9 assists in his previous 31 premier league games.

This is just my thoughts on this and if baines does up his productivity to the levels of old then he of course is an asset but just a thought really
 
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plays guitar, has a cool name and reads philosophy, I love him dearly, for a long time was amongst the best left backs in europe, at some point he will need replacing but he's still better than most in the league, not really a wing back as his offensive game was more about clever runs inside and sharp link up play, but given the strength of his hairline he is far from done yet
 
Walken said:
plays guitar, has a cool name and reads philosophy, I love him dearly, for a long time was amongst the best left backs in europe, at some point he will need replacing but he's still better than most in the league, not really a wing back as his offensive game was more about clever runs inside and sharp link up play, but given the strength of his hairline he is far from done yet
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Oh yes the strength of the hairline
 
Love Baines, the only player we've had (with the arguable exception of a brief period with Kanchelskis) since Southall who I think could have been considered the best in the world in his position at one time at Everton, straight fight between him and Ray Wilson as to who is our best ever left back - and he still has so much quality on the ball - but as a wingback, he doesn't have anyone in front of to make intelligent runs off like he used to do with Pienaar. He is the width and has to do it all himself.

He can still cross the ball brilliantly, but he isn't going to dribble past a player like Coleman can do and, although he presses well, he doesn't have incredible pace to get up and down, again like Coleman does on the other flank.

Andrew Robertson and Luke Shaw would be the two I would look at - both could conceivably move on this summer and both would make tremendous wingbacks in our system. I think we may end up regretting not having a wingback replacement/competition for Baines next season, particularly if we get into Europe. He's getting on a bit now and this summer would be an opportune time to look at bringing in his eventual replacement
 
Personal I think we should let him play there as long as possible and a get a decent lb when he retires cos we got the money anyway
 

toffeeblue9 said:
Love Baines, the only player we've had (with the arguable exception of a brief period with Kanchelskis) since Southall who I think could have been considered the best in the world in his position at one time at Everton, straight fight between him and Ray Wilson as to who is our best ever left back - and he still has so much quality on the ball - but as a wingback, he doesn't have anyone in front of to make intelligent runs off like he used to do with Pienaar. He is the width and has to do it all himself.

He can still cross the ball brilliantly, but he isn't going to dribble past a player like Coleman can do and, although he presses well, he doesn't have incredible pace to get up and down, again like Coleman does on the other flank.

Andrew Robertson and Luke Shaw would be the two I would look at - both could conceivably move on this summer and both would make tremendous wingbacks in our system. I think we may end up regretting not having a wingback replacement/competition for Baines next season, particularly if we get into Europe. He's getting on a bit now and this summer would be an opportune time to look at bringing in his eventual replacement
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This. He has been such a good servant to the club, but he needs to be replaced soon. He is still more than capable of getting the job done (as evidenced by our defensive record), but it would be nice to have two fullbacks that can get up the field as well. I will always hold a special place for Bainsy in my heart because he was the driving force of our team for so many years. Crazy to think that a team could be as fullback driven as we were for as long as we were. He was that good.
 
loooweee said:
Personal I think we should let him play there as long as possible and a get a decent lb when he retires cos we got the money anyway
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He can still do the job defensively, so I think there are other priorities over his position. He does need to be replaced soon though as Koeman really likes to utilize his fullbacks in the final third. Hopefully we can find one that can emulate the success of Coleman and Baines to some degree.
 
Any top four ambitious team doesn't have Baines as a starting LB.

Koeman has played him for diplomatic purposes. This summer that LB position needs sorting once and for all.
 

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