ToffeeWeb - Season 2010-11

The Mail Bag

Baines ? a real star

There is understandable frustration about us being nearly there on the site. Strange season as we play lovely midfield football but cannot score. School of Science stuff but just missing that elusive Big Bang.

But, whilst we all have our people to blame, may I just suggest that we have a player who seems to give his all and do it well for us: Leighton Baines.

So good and so unrecognised ? unless he makes a mistake of course.

He plays in a position that does not grab headlines and the press have forgotten about him but for me he is one of our best players and we would have lost last night without him.

When he retires, we will look back on him as a real star.
Ged Simpson, Cheshire Posted 11/11/2010 at 17:28:09

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David Duignan
1 Posted 11/11/2010 at 20:48:20

Couldn't agree more, Ged. He is up and down that line non-stop, his workrate is taken for granted. Love Mikky but would make use of Leighton's left peg on deadball more. Defo under-rated in my opinion, top player.

Kevin Hudson
2 Posted 11/11/2010 at 21:48:52

About time someone submitted a post praising Everton's own Roberto Carlos!

Phenomenal work ethic, and one of the most creative Left Backs in the world. Considering he had a ropey start with us and has now become indispensible,says an awful lot about his character & his will towards self-improvement.

He was given a huge hand by us in the corner of the Lower Gwladys,when he came (sprinting) over to show Arteta how to take a decent a corner. Hats off to him..

Stephen Davies
3 Posted 11/11/2010 at 22:09:03

The thing with Leighton Baines is he wants to play for US he wants us to do well and gives it his all.
We have had players that want to play for themselves, to play for a transfer.
Baines has the skill and more confidence in himself now, I hope he is part of Everton for a long time

Graham Holliday
4 Posted 11/11/2010 at 23:16:46

There's a future captain, right there. An example of a good professional.

Rob Murphy
5 Posted 11/11/2010 at 23:39:01

His ne'er say die attitude was there for all to see last night. It was Baines who, in the 93rd minute, won the ball off Lee Chung-Yong & passed it on to Beckford who put the ball in the back of the net.
Our most creative player for quite a while now, deserves a lot of praise. (Tips his hat)

Guy Wilkinson
6 Posted 11/11/2010 at 23:43:35

Arteta's dead-ball delivery is shocking.

Rob Fox
7 Posted 11/11/2010 at 23:59:10

Thing with Baines is he has set such high standards for himself we take him for granted. Superb player, and like Ged says we only notice him when he dips below 8/9 out of 10. Captaincy? Dunno, personally I think he's best left just to play his game.

Andrew Presly
8 Posted 12/11/2010 at 00:45:21

Sadly not physically or mentally strong enough to be top level ? but for us?.....

Eugene Ruane
9 Posted 12/11/2010 at 01:44:58

Agree Ged, a good player, a good pro and a good lad.

Remember reading a piece by him when he first arrived and he (very honestly) talked about being a bit nervous and worrying about being good enough to make the step up.

Well he's done that and is now one (of the few) I feel relaxed about and feel can be counted on to perform with some consistency.

Lee Kidd
10 Posted 12/11/2010 at 02:58:42

I remember when we first got him in and he was pretty much benched behind Lescott as he settled in. Predictably, people on here started asking for him to be sold.

Some right geniuses on here at times ^^

Mike Coates
11 Posted 12/11/2010 at 05:41:05

Baines has to be Coleman's inspiration.

Coleman has an amazing attacking ability down the right, but lacks the turn and pass or alternating at the moment that Baines and Pienaar have perfected so well.

Once Coleman has a player of Pienaar's calibre on the right, both our flanks will be dominating. Of course, Coleman has now moved into a winger and Neville at right back, but we need a creative player to mix with our attacking wing backs.

COYB!

Eric Myles
12 Posted 12/11/2010 at 09:07:36

Lee (#10), if I remember right, his first season with us he was out injured most of the season with a recurring injury from his Wigan days, hence the fans' frustrations. But since then I don't remember him missing a game which is fortunate as we don't have a back-up for him.

He's always the first name down on my Fantasy League Team sheet and I bet he is with Moyes too.

Chris Fisher
13 Posted 12/11/2010 at 10:03:54

Baines has been my favourite player for a while now. He hardly ever puts a foot wrong, is our most dangerous set-piece specialist and the best crosser of the ball in the team.

When things aren't going our way and we need someone to create something, it's always him I look to, just two examples being the game against Man United and the game against Bolton. He also isn't one of the growing number of players that come out every week talking a load of crap that we then usually don't go and back up on the pitch!

Larry Boner
14 Posted 12/11/2010 at 11:07:52

"Not physically or mentally strong enough"???? ? He is currently the best left back in the toughest most physically demanding league in the world. He was still going flat out in the 94th minute when the majority of the "mentally and physically strong" players of both Everton and Bolton were dead on their feet.

Look at the number of assists the lad has, a lot of them when he is running people ragged after 90 mins has long been up, Man Utd, Birmingham, Bolton. I always thought Ashley Cole was the best left back, but in my honest opinion I think Baines has overtaken him, after all Coles outings for Chelsea often consist of 90 mins as an extra attacker with no defensive duties.

When Pienaar leaves, we will lose the best left sided pairing in the division, but whoever comes in will improve with Baines behind him.

Alex Kociuba
15 Posted 12/11/2010 at 11:53:55

Well said, Larry

Peter Warren
16 Posted 12/11/2010 at 12:22:29

What a load of balls. He is ok but not world class and has defensive frailties.

I fail to see the need to commend people just because he loves the shirt and gives his all. Well done but this is the minimum requirement.

He has not overtaken Ashley Cole, he has not even overtaken Warnock. He was at Wigan and is now with us and probably at the right standard but the clubs near the top of the league ? Arsenal, Man U and Chelsea ? would not look twice at him.

David Price
17 Posted 12/11/2010 at 12:28:14

Peter, you forgot he only uses his right leg for standing on, any other faults to direct at the hopeless Baines, address to Peter at Winwick hospital, day ward.

Mikey John
18 Posted 12/11/2010 at 12:36:04

Baniesy is deffo one of our best players... love him, his goal against Spurs was pure class and I think he doesnt get enough praise!

Great Post! LIKE LIKE LIKE!

John Nelson
19 Posted 12/11/2010 at 12:42:02

Andrew (8) and Peter (15), what a load of fucking bollocks. Tell me do you actually go the game or have watched any of our games for the past 4 seasons???

"Not mentally or physically strong enough" ? what basis do you have to come out with shite like this? He always wants the ball, always stands up to be counted, gets stuck in and I can't recall him ever being bullied off the ball ? again watch a few Everton games before spouting shite.

"Not better than Warnock" and "Arsenal, Man Utd and Chelsea won't look twice at him" ? fucking hell! He's fucking MILES better than Warnock! Arsenal have Clichy, Chelsea have Cole and Man Utd have Evra, in which I don't think it would be churlish to suggest Baines is right up there with them! Plus, do you want other clubs looking at our best players???

Bainsey has by and large got better as the seasons have gone by, and this season is without doubt one of our best performers. Actually, I'll even go as far as to say I don't think I've ever seen him have a bad game for us.

It just annoys me when some people who CLEARLY don't know what they are talking about come out with fucking daft comments.

Great post by the way ? keep it up Bainsey lad!

COYB

Kev Lacey
20 Posted 12/11/2010 at 12:52:17

The way he pulled together that last burst of energy to run across and win the ball back in the 94th minute says it all for me. That's showing the kind of commitment and determination that everyone watching at Goodison and who posts up on here would show if it was us wearing our beloved blue shirt.

I only wish we had a few more on the pitch who had that same level of passion and desire... whether he's the best left back in league is another matter but I wouldn't swap him for anyone else.

Easily been our best player in the first quarter of the season, keep it up Bainsey!

Peter Warren
21 Posted 12/11/2010 at 13:30:08

John (post 18) ? I have been a season ticket holder for about 15 years although rarely go away now. Capello seems to have thought Warnock was better and so do I ? he's quite a snarling gobshite who gets right up the arse of wingers / right-side players and doesn't give them a second to dwell on the ball.

Baines on the other hand gives them time to cross which results in many goals (do you not go to the game?). Another fault is that he is easily beaten when going in-field ? an example, given that we're playing Arsenal, is that Bendtner ripped him apart by taking him inside last season, I think at home.

You seem to think that CLEARLY I don't know what I'm talking about ? I think it's you with your rosy eyes specs. Pienaar makes Baines look better, not the other way around.

I think he's alright, not our biggest problem by a longshot, and more of an asset than detriment, but to compare him with best left backs in the world is, in my view, total balls.

Peter Warren
22 Posted 12/11/2010 at 13:43:35

Oh another thing while I'm on, Baines has been far better going forward this year and I guess that's why a load of people cumming over him. Do people forget his defensive positional play, the fact he's out of position and does not close down? Man U and the Tunçay "goal" spring to mind and despite Howard (who's another who I think similar level to Baines) being at fault for Spurs goal, again Baines nowhere to be seen to stop that ball coming in.

Enough said.

Ged Simpson
23 Posted 12/11/2010 at 15:46:21

Seems many like Baines but the most incisive comment has been from Peter Warren:

"Enough said."

How true.

Jon Cox
24 Posted 12/11/2010 at 17:48:42

I can't wait till Baines, once in the box, starts to think "Fuck this" and pulls the trigger. It seems he's not aware of how dangerous his left peg is in open play. It would be sure nice to see it happen against the Arse!

Simon Templeman
25 Posted 13/11/2010 at 01:06:13

Peter Warren, How dare you even compare Baines to Warnock? The dirty kopite shite that put Rodwell out for 2 months!!! I despair of some people.

Trevor Lynes
26 Posted 13/11/2010 at 08:33:02

Baines was complained about due to his lack of height when he first came and I pointed out that height is not a prime neccesity for being a top full back and never has been. If Baines gets injured, we have no-one who can replace him!! It is the one position we have no cover for!!

He is right up there with the best FBs and he has most of the attributes required, eg, pace, crossing ability and link up play. He is not a fantastic tackler but neither is Clichy... BUT he is an integral part of our side and is the best LB we have had since Ray Wilson in my opinion.

The best full backs have never been tall, height is needed in the centre of defence and the domination of the penalty area by a top goalkeeper. Baines has the ability to cope with most wingmen he comes up against and backs up our midfield and strikers very well.

Larry Boner
27 Posted 13/11/2010 at 12:19:04

Peter Warren (18) to put yourself in the same class as Mr Capello when judging players says it all. This was the guy who took Upson, an unfit Barry, Ferdinand and Rooney, to South Africa, was comprehensively out-thought and out-played by the likes of Algeria, thought it was a great idea to have a totally unqualified Beckham sitting on the coaches bench, and picked Warnock in place of Baines when he had not kicked a ball E forngland for about 3 years.

Baines was the most productive full back last season, assist-wise, and is probably the most productive this season also. Mr Capello left Baines because he got over-run against, I think Mexico, Gerrard completely leaving Baines to fend for himself against two men.

Paul Thompson
28 Posted 13/11/2010 at 13:03:07

He has definitely been our best player this season. The number of assists is incredible. But he does need to work on some aspects of his defensive play. As observed above, he sometimes stands too far off the flank player, giving them too much time and space to cross,

Dean Adams
29 Posted 14/11/2010 at 01:05:56

Once again the England squad fails to include the best left back, Baines. What a joke the England team is; no wonder they have failed constantly for over 40 years. If you want to win the World Cup or the Euoros then pick every Everton player who has English roots, drop the overpaid tossers of the Sky 4, and throw caution to the wind.

Ernie Baywood
30 Posted 14/11/2010 at 04:41:13

He's genuine quality. If we win something during his time (I know) then he should be considered one of our best left backs.

Agree with others - SHOOT!

Jason Lam
31 Posted 17/11/2010 at 09:19:47

He gets knocked off the ball because of his lack of size but otherwise quite decent going forward. His partnership with Cahill far outweighs that with Pienaar.

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