Martinez looking to reward Baines with new contract

Is it just my computer or has toffee web placed some very tacky and intrusive "spam like" adverts"?

Crazy money in the real world, I know, but this is not the real world and there are people paid more than him elsewhere and perhaps one or two at The Old Lady who are not fit to lace his boots.

One of the top 15 players in Europe apparently and hiss own self-effacement and modesty is I bet the sole reason why he has not caused storms.

Give him what he deserves.

He ought to be the best paid player at the club, even though he is a full back and not a glamarous striker like say ... well .......

He will stay. His wages will be doubled. He will sign a longer-term contract.

And a decade or so from now we on here will be calling him an Everton legend

But seriously, he is my favourite Everton player of all time. Such a gifted player who works hard and creates so much, yet not an ego in sight. An absolute model pro and a great lad.

Sign that contract Bainesy!

The people having the weird things happening with their PCs, sounds like you have a malware infection so you will need to run some kind of anti-malware software to get rid of it. It can be a bit tricky sometimes depending on the virus; may I suggest Malware Bytes. Good luck.

This one is very much deserved though, but could be done anytime. If Baines goes, it will be for Champions League football, which he deserves a shot at.

Roberto likes a back three, so Jags, Distin, Lescott, with Baines & Coleman playing further forward on the wings would offer a solid defence, with plenty of pace. Don't forget, Lescott was keeping Baines out of the side with his performances at left back, and chips in with a few goals.

I have often said Baines would be even more effective playing further up the pitch, the amount of running he has to do during a game was ridiculous for our most creative player.

Superb choice of words, Roberto!
That's the style.

Like all above, I'm sincerely hoping that Leighton is offered and signs a new rewarding long contract. With talk like Roberto's as the opening gambit, I'm encouraged.

Distin is 36 this year, which is a worry really. Although still pacey, I would say this is probably his last season as a first-choice central defender. I would be happy to see Duffy as back-up to those three, slowly taking the place of Distin as time moves on.

It looks like we may be signing Alcaraz on a free though, he is the same age as Lescott. I haven't seen much of him, but he's probably worth a punt for nothing.

As for Lescott, I think I agree with Dan that I would prefer someone a bit younger if we're gong to spend £4-6m. I think Bruno Martins Indi looks like a very good Distin-esque CB who could be available for about that amount.

I agree about Baines and Coleman. They rely on a wide midfielder to cut inside to create space for them. If they were out and out wingers then they just wouldn't get the same space.

I also agree that they play as wing back already in our back 4. As far as I can tell, Martinez's 3 at the back system simply adds in a central defender that isn't needed. Baines and Coleman have terrific stamina and I think they cope well getting back and going forward in a back 4.

I'd welcome Lescott back despite his messy exit. Good player and still held in high regard by our players.

Our right hand side has never posed the same threat in years. Coleman can play as an out-and-out winger though, guys. I think Baines was washed out the second half of the season, and will be more consistent in a 3-5-2.

The key is to have players who are comfortable with a change of formation if the original plan is not working, I think we were that set for a 4-5-1, especially when playing away from home, we found it difficult to adjust midway through a game.

I think some players benefit from a rest and others just lose their rhythm and find it hard to get back in the groove. One of the many judgement calls a manager must make, I guess.

If Martinez comes in and tries to make players fit a formation, won't we just be back to the Moyes fitting square pegs in round holes scenario?

As it happens I think we could play three centre-backs and let Coleman and Baines get forward more as proper wing backs as that suits their game. We will have to wait until the pre-season games to get an idea of how Roberto sees Everton evolving tactically.

Personally I would like to see us experiment with a 3-2-3-2 system with two up front (possibly with Mirallas just behind Jelavic), three in midfield, two wing-backs, and three centre backs. This system could prove to be very strong in defence or attack with the wing-backs either boosting the defence or the midfield up to 5, depending on the needs of the game at that time.

Baines and Coleman would be ideal for a system like that and I think it is essential offer Banies a much improved new deal to end the transfer speculation surrounding him! I can't believe he isn't on a better wage than he is now!

Er, isn't he an RS?

I like the idea of 4-2-3-1 and I think it will fit well with the players we currently have as long as Fellaini plays in the 2 next to Gibson. We may need to buy somebody with a bit more creativity to play between Pienaar and Mirallas in the 3 and whether or not the strikers we have available are good enough is up for debate, I would say no.

Is his identity secret Chris or something?

Maybe now we'll see if all this talk about half of Wigan's team trotting out at Goodison next season has any grounding. Now they've installed Coyle they can get on with buying/selling players just like we are...

I take it that is you being sarcastic mate?

We are not getting on with buying or selling anyone. As per usual.

Can this PLEASE be the last time the topic is raised.

He was also a local lad from Kirkby... and the inevitable question of whether his boyhood preference was for Everton or Liverpool was confounded by interest in both clubs. This quote from FourFourTwo would seem to sway the evidence in favour of the Dark Side:

"As a boy I supported... Liverpool. As a local lad I used to watch from The Kop when Robbie Fowler was making his name. I started out at Liverpool's Centre of Excellence and although it was disappointing when nothing came of it, I was lucky that both Wigan and Wolves wanted to sign me."

However, a more complete account was presented in this Guardian piece:

"I was only young, though, and I didn't like the hustle and bustle of the stands. I lost interest in Liverpool, but I still loved watching football. I was at the 1995 FA Cup final [aged 9, when Everton beat Manchester United 1-0]. I went through a spell of liking Blackburn Rovers because they had Alan Shearer and Chris Sutton in attack. And then I started watching Everton properly when I was about 14. My mum wouldn't let me go on my own but my cousin was three years older than me so we'd get the bus, 50p from Kirkby, and then hang around outside until we could sneak in.

"We'd wait until they opened the gates after 75 minutes for the early-leavers to go. There were stewards on the gates and if they were in a good mood they would wink and let us in. One guy, in particular, used to look out for us. But sometimes, if we were unlucky, there would be a jobsworth on the door and we wouldn't get to see anything."

Didn't he go to the cup final in 95?

It seems he was forced into supporting the shite until he knew better.

Good lad.

makes watching the rugby more interesting.

carry on

Who are the best "boyhood Blues" who did or did not play for us?

Imagine if we had him and Sharp in that 80s team.