The Mail Bag
Baines vs Cole
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Having read a rather derogatory comment about Leighton Baines in comparison to Ashley Cole after the England / Ghana match, I have been thinking about these two left backs.
Firstly, Leighton should be Player of the Season for us. He's played virtually every game and performed consistently with who knows how many assists and some fantastic goals (Spurs, City, Chelsea).
It's also telling how many chances are still being created down the left despite Pienaar going. Ahem.
Anyway, what grabbed me was the fact that Ashley Cole hasn't scored this season. Now, you number crunchers out there might prove me wrong, but I am fairly sure that Baines has assisted way more than Cole... therefore, given that both have made a couple of defensive errors with neither comparatively inferior on that point, this makes the Everton left back the better player.
My favourite left back was always Andy Hinchcliffe but Leighton Baines is on a different planet.
And he might think this song is about him.
Andrew James, Posted 02/04/2011 at 23:00:24
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Ashley Cole has 2.
But we concede a lot of goals from our left flank, and that's the problem. Just look at the first Villa goal yesterday, Downing ran into the box unchallenged. Happens too often for my liking.
And lastly, what the hell is John Gee on about?
Baines certainly doesn't seemed to have suffered since Pienaar left, although it became painfully apparent yesterday that Bily will never cut it on the left wing: he left Baines horribly exposed on too many occasions, and for someone who's supposed to be cultured and sophisticated, his movement and positional sense were dreadful. Baines would be better off with Gueye in front of him, not that this is staggering news to most.
On the contrary, I think Baines HAS suffered since Pienaar's departure. As you rightly point out, he's left exposed far too often and, because of this, I think the threat he posed down our left flank has been reduced.
Bily should be given a chance, a last chance, to show what he can do in central midfield where speed of thought is as important as fleet of foot, and if he still can't cut it, he should be shipped out before his stock falls even more.
Gueye looks like he has a degree of talent and should be tried in front of Baines to see if a partnership can be developed between them.
Was Pienaar involved with Spurs yesterday at any level, I don't think he got on the pitch, was he on the bench?
BTW on this season's performances, give me Bainsey over Cashley all day long.
Baines has been great for us, Player of the Season for me but as a realist he is not as good as Ashley Cole as much as I would like him to be.
If Cole was playing for Everton he's be far more influential than he is at Chelsea. They have quality all over the pitch but also their style of play is different and they often like to play through the middle ?- there's not that same reliance on Cole as there is on Baines.
Not looking forward to the summer!
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1 Posted 03/04/2011 at 08:51:24
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