Need for a new left back

Joe (#7) ? Arteta's best position is attacking midfield, the same position he played for PSG & Rangers, and has on occasion played for us too; for injury cover he can play on either wing but it's not his strongest position.

I don't know whether we have any youngster who can cover for him but I do not fancy the idea of playing yet another out-of-position stop-gap in the event of his being injured. Do any other writers on this forum agree???

I am not sure you can simply say that a player "is a full back" and that is the end of the story. I am not sure how old you are but many years ago there was one Fred Pickering who began life as quite a solid reliable full-back at Blackburn and was transformed into quite a formidable centre-forward here at our beloved Everton.

As a schoolboy I played against a fine inside forward called Tommy Wright who joined Everton in that position, moved to wing half and finished as a fine England full-back. Jamie Carragher across the park was transformed from a journeyman full-back into quite a formidable central defender...

Football is awash with players who found a niche role removed from their original position. It was only a suggestion for debate, as I believe Baines is blessed with skills that may just suggest that he be able to blossom in a much more offensive role rather than a primary defensive one. If he were to grow into such a role, he would be a wide left-sided midfield player, not another left back further up the pitch.

I also feel that getting him into forward positions more frequently would facilitate more threatening quality on crosses from a naturally balanced left-footed player, allied to his ability to strike the ball with both power and finesse. However, it may well be, as others suggest that he would be incapable of applying himself in such a role, and that a full back he is destined to stay ? but the possibility does excite at least this one elderly Evertonian!

I take your points about Pienaar's qualities but still think his cause is often overstated... and yes, unless you are Colin Harvey, I do expect a midfield player to be more of a threat in the goal attempts department. Developing that aspect of his game would be a more authentic claim to professionalism than the hard work ? in my humble opinion ? but there we go; we are all Evertonians aren't we? All the best!!

Pienaar picks the ball up in midfield and then looks to Baines overlapping; if Baines goes in to midfield, then he will be picking up the ball in midfield and looking for someone else to overlap. Bale basically wasn't good enough to play the role that Baines plays now, so was pushed up.

The thing about Bale is he is lightning quick so he can just pass the ball round players and run on to it, Baines isn't quite as fast so in my opinion would be less effective in midfield than at left back... he's been playing amazingly so why change it?

What a cracking idea.

Under Smith, we often saw 3 centre backs unsure of their role and who to mark. Having said that, I doubt Moyes has the tactical vision to try it . But I don't believe we will get the best out of Coleman /Baines as attacking options as midfielders because what they have as full backs is the view from the back and the space to run into. Bale is in a different league due to his extreme pace.

Thanks for the list of very fine left sided wide players but I do believe that if Baines was playing with and alongside some of the players these fellows play with ? especially those at Man Utd, Chelsea, Arsenal! ? then yes, I do feel that he has the technical abilities to match most if not all of them!