The Mail Bag
Leighton Baines
Comments (13)
Does anyone else feel that he is quite vulnerable at left back? He seems to get dragged out of position a lot. This is due to him liking to get forward a lot, which is great, but i just think it leaves us short at the back.
I think he would work a lot better in a 5-3-2 (3-5-2) formation. Or even left mid in a 4-4-2. I think he could be a great out-an-out winger with some good coaching. He has all the attributes ? passing, pace, crossing and he can also beat a man.
I honestly believe Moyes should give him a go there. Lescott or Valente are more than capable at left back.
Lee Penswick, Posted 01/10/2007 at 13:40:17
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dave t
2 Posted 01/10/2007 at 16:02:16
2 Posted 01/10/2007 at 16:02:16
i personally think he marked ronaldo out of the game so he’s a great defensive player when he is asked to be
he’s only 22 so the positional play will come
players like valente can help him there though
he’s only 22 so the positional play will come
players like valente can help him there though
John Lloyd
3 Posted 01/10/2007 at 15:59:53
3 Posted 01/10/2007 at 15:59:53
Why in this country does every time a left back shows any attacking intent does someone shout ’he’s a winger’ or ’he should be a left mid’????? He’s not a midfielder he’s a defender who likes to get forward, why cant one of our many defensive midfielders just sit in for him and do thier fucking job. This post isnt a slight against Baines its another against the growing number of inadequacies of our defensive midfielders (Nev, Cars or Jag) Imagine Cole (pre-chelsea) or Clichy or Evra getting lashed left wing because they go forward. Fucking daft.
On the continent they cant understand how even though full backs see more or as much of the ball as anyone on the pitch in England we seem to have limited footballers in these positions!
Modern fullbacks should be able to defend, attack & be comfortable with the ball at feet. Also be covered by team mates if they foray into the attack.
My point is would you pick Hibbert over Baines?? A one dimensional, poor fullback who still has first game nerves years after his debut or a young boy who can defend, likes to be involved with play & has improved every season in the top flight??
On the continent they cant understand how even though full backs see more or as much of the ball as anyone on the pitch in England we seem to have limited footballers in these positions!
Modern fullbacks should be able to defend, attack & be comfortable with the ball at feet. Also be covered by team mates if they foray into the attack.
My point is would you pick Hibbert over Baines?? A one dimensional, poor fullback who still has first game nerves years after his debut or a young boy who can defend, likes to be involved with play & has improved every season in the top flight??
David G
4 Posted 01/10/2007 at 16:17:00
4 Posted 01/10/2007 at 16:17:00
Baines is on a different planet to Valente and Hibbert is a liability. Baines is a great footballer who is only going to get better at full back. He is not a left sided midfielder or winger and to suggest he should be worked into one is crazy. With our terrible center mid partnerships we will need to rely on Baines even more to add an attacking option. I think he’s going to prove to be an outstanding signing.
John Holmes
5 Posted 01/10/2007 at 16:19:25
5 Posted 01/10/2007 at 16:19:25
For those who weren’t too blinkered in their hatred of Moyes to realise it. Baines moved to the left-wing when Yobo came on on Sunday. No, we weren’t playing a flat back 5 at home, no because 7 players who can play in defence are on the pitch does not mean we are playing 7 defenders.
Granted we weren’t really playing with much attacking intent but he didn’t really look up to it to me. Full-backs abilities to get forward are usually built on surging runs past players when already up to spped and willingness to overlap the winger rather than the ability to take a man on from a standing start. I don’t see Baines as any variant from this. He’s a fantastic full-back and, in an emergency, could maybe fill in on the wing but that’s it.
Granted we weren’t really playing with much attacking intent but he didn’t really look up to it to me. Full-backs abilities to get forward are usually built on surging runs past players when already up to spped and willingness to overlap the winger rather than the ability to take a man on from a standing start. I don’t see Baines as any variant from this. He’s a fantastic full-back and, in an emergency, could maybe fill in on the wing but that’s it.
GB
6 Posted 01/10/2007 at 16:52:21
6 Posted 01/10/2007 at 16:52:21
Yeah Baines is terrible...been really bad since he’s come to Everton Hibbert is far better. Jesus what planet are some people on. How the fuck is he weak at defending?....Take it ya never seen him mark Ronaldo out the game then.
Gary Carter
7 Posted 01/10/2007 at 17:31:45
7 Posted 01/10/2007 at 17:31:45
What a brilliant idea, lets change to a formation that no one in the premiership uses because it has ALWAYS failed miserably.Baines as a winger, no, he is a left back that can play a bit, but he clearly showed against Borough that he isnt really a left midfielder when he played there for 10 minutes or so.
Whats wrong with having an attacking full back in a 4-4-2 anyway, jesus, enough people moan about Moyes negative tactics, he brings in an attacking full back and all of a sudden we have to change formation or get players to play ion new positions that are unfamiliar to them !! This is one of the reasons that the people that post on here are not football managers !!!
Unbelievable !!!!
Whats wrong with having an attacking full back in a 4-4-2 anyway, jesus, enough people moan about Moyes negative tactics, he brings in an attacking full back and all of a sudden we have to change formation or get players to play ion new positions that are unfamiliar to them !! This is one of the reasons that the people that post on here are not football managers !!!
Unbelievable !!!!
Dave Roberts
8 Posted 01/10/2007 at 17:54:31
8 Posted 01/10/2007 at 17:54:31
Funny enough I was only saying to my mate on the way home on Sunday...Baines reminds me of Ray Wilson. Same build, good tackler, nippy, good going forward, reads the game well and not afraid to say his piece despite his tender years.
Now for a few years Ray Wilson was considered to be the best full back (never mind left back) in the world....!
Now for a few years Ray Wilson was considered to be the best full back (never mind left back) in the world....!
jeffy grimes
9 Posted 01/10/2007 at 18:52:38
9 Posted 01/10/2007 at 18:52:38
Baines has been the player of the year so far. Full of running and has put his heart and soul into showing the fans what he can do. He is a quality left back which is hard to come by these days but he is also head and shouolders above the injury prone Valente and quite awful Phil Neville. Who might i add needs a lot of extra passing practise, he must surely have the highest percentage of missed passes out of every premier league fottballer. I really like Tony Hibbert, I’m a scouser and long time season ticket holder and there is nothing like seeing one of your own break through the ranks but it just isn’t the same Tony HIbbert, he doesn’t get forward to help in attack and has lost a little bit of the excellent positional sense which has seen him shut out some of the best wingers in the league. Come on Tony, sort it out. I feel we can only get better and on the evidence of the season so far there is definitely a place for a fit Thomas Gravesen. There is absolutely no penetration from midfield which is a worry. NIL SATIS NISI OPTIMUM. Some of the players need to get that into their heads !!
James Elworthy
10 Posted 01/10/2007 at 22:17:16
10 Posted 01/10/2007 at 22:17:16
Baines is an excellent signing and is an out and out left back. He has looked good defensively particularly when marking Ronaldo and for a player on the short side he is good in the air.
Hibbert has more defensive attributes and if he is the ultra defending fullback which sometimes is a good foil to have two different types of fullback. If Hibbert can regain his form they will make an excellent pairing. If not then Jagielka and Neville are right backs so we have plenty of options.
Valente is a fairly week player defensively he hasn’t got the engine to get up and down the field and is often at fault when goals are scored. He is also injury prone.
We have 3 good solid centre backs, 3 right backs and a quality left back a good keeper and quality backup in goal.
Hibbert has more defensive attributes and if he is the ultra defending fullback which sometimes is a good foil to have two different types of fullback. If Hibbert can regain his form they will make an excellent pairing. If not then Jagielka and Neville are right backs so we have plenty of options.
Valente is a fairly week player defensively he hasn’t got the engine to get up and down the field and is often at fault when goals are scored. He is also injury prone.
We have 3 good solid centre backs, 3 right backs and a quality left back a good keeper and quality backup in goal.
Roy coyne
11 Posted 01/10/2007 at 23:03:34
11 Posted 01/10/2007 at 23:03:34
I can not understand any one wanting to move Baines from full back to me he will end up with as the best left back since Ray Wilson and that is praise coming from me as I idolised Wilson.there are a lot of players who are getting messed about by being moved about Neville for instance should stay at right back.Lescott at centre back to name two.
Kevin Bennett
12 Posted 02/10/2007 at 08:42:00
12 Posted 02/10/2007 at 08:42:00
PAT VANDENHAWE !!!
Now there’s a left full back ??
He would have sorted Ronaldo out, Row Z springs to mind !!
Now there’s a left full back ??
He would have sorted Ronaldo out, Row Z springs to mind !!
Lee Spargo
13 Posted 02/10/2007 at 12:52:32
13 Posted 02/10/2007 at 12:52:32
Baines is the best left back we’ve had for a long time. He should not be played out of position under any circumstances. Anybody who cant see that is mad, really.
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1 Posted 01/10/2007 at 15:58:04
We should not make the same mistake as Inter did with one Roberto Carlos and presume a good attacking left-back makes a good winger. Baines was not convincing when he moved further forward, and I think would be too defensive for a left-winger.
As for Valente, he’s well off the pace. Past-it. Lescott is needed and should be played at centre-back.