Smart money on Baines to stay a Blue?

As for Roberto,I think his hands have been tied in that,officially Ginger Minger is still in charge until today! I have faith that RM will come up with some goodies,let's hope he gets the backing he has been promised!

Yes, great swathes did proceed Moyes' exit to Man Utd. However betting was also suspended on Periera to Everton and various other incorrect scenarios.

Believe it or not, this article itself has probably sent a slight ripple to the bookies, such is the media obsession of many football fans.

The Baines and Fellaini (reduced) money will go to Martinez albeit in slightly strung-out amounts (ie, last bit day before window closes).

Get Oviedo into the line-up. He's not Baines right now. But Baines wasn't Cole or Evra 3-4 years ago. Yet he played his way up.

Oviedo can do the same.

Whatever we get from ManU should all go to Martinez.

Agreed James. Ovieda is young, hungry and sharp. Martinez might like him.

Don't you think "Ovieda" is a bit of a girlie type of name? I mean, really... I know these Latin blokes can be very , er... 'Sympatico" but honestly....

Tell you what: let's call him "Oviedo".

Much more manly, don't you think?

[Oh, and it is his real name. You know... one of the Everton players... squad names listed on the back of the programme... heck, I think he might even wear it on his shirt. Jus sayin'...]

While I entirely agree that we should get the player's name correct, your logic is somewhat dodgy. Oviedo is his "apellido" or surname, so has nothing to do with gender, it is actually also a place name. If you apply your logic Pepe Reina (Queen) would have to be Pepe Reino... or more correctly maybe Pepe Rey (King).

Maybe some Pavlovian reward mechanism would work better?

He's a great player now but I think he can become even better. Unfortunately I can't see us breaking into the Champions League just yet and I don't think time is on Baines's side I would love to see him and Fellaini stay.

If you worked in the Merseyside area then got a job in the Manchester area ,would you change your kids school just because you've added 40 mins to your commute?

Bookies odds - they rarely get it wrong because odds are designed to minimise their risk of loss. The more money goes on a bet the shorter the odds get only to minimise their loss. Not because somebody knows something. Sky bet customers are mainly people who are fed info by Sky Sports News... which, let's face it, is Tabloid TV.

If your making a market on such 'will Baines sign for utd' you know for certain that there comes a point where big money from certain quarters tell you its insider money that already know for sure what Leighton is going to do.
That's always the outcome in such markets.

I was too hasty in saying that the money for baines was significant, it was prob money that saw the price as value.

What, like the insider money on Neil Lennon being our next manager that was coming from a certain Mr Rodgers in Carnlough?

'you know for certain that there comes a point where big money from certain quarters tell you its insider money that already know for sure what Leighton is going to do.'

----

And when exactly is 'that point' when we 'know for certain'? It's seemingly after the event has concluded. Money surges towards lots of bets that turn out to be entirely false.

I'm aware that nobody said anything about the bookies always getting it right - but it seems that most people pay attention to their odds when gauging the likelihood of events. My point is: DON'T.

Welcome Roberto (and sorry about the silver haired fella, he's as mad as a box of schizophrenic frogs on LSD).

Incidentally, I asked a question yesterday which was ignored.
Your Toffee Web stats state that Howard is 6'-3".
Is this true? He looks more than a half inch shorter than Distin who is 6'-3½.

A new era begins. Best wishes to Roberto and his team.

I'm looking at it from the bookmakers perspective, there comes a time with this type of market when they know for a certainty what the outcome will be. It's when money is coming from certain quarters, and they are willing to bet at any price as long as they can get on. The ordinary punter will by then have missed the boat, because the window of opportunity is very brief and the bookmakers will have closed the market.

Anyway enough of that, if I was forced to have a bet at this stage, my money would still be on Leighton to stay, my reasons being, firstly because of the type of lad he is, and secondly the impression he gave when asked about playing under a manager like Martinez.

Howard is 5ft 11in isn't he? Never 6ft 3in.

Just looked up his profile Howard that is. 1.91m - 6ft 3inch.

I would never have thought that.

Martinez is going to have his own ideas and selling Baines and Fellaini would give him some serious money to rebuild and go for his favoured three at the back.

It's hard to tell wether Baines wants to go to Man Utd or not as he has behaved with dignity during the whole speculation but this is more a case of what the board want.He's gone and we all know it.

Kenwright Out!

How about this? His wife, kids, dad and mom, siblings are in his ear daily with "Now or never. This is your chance".

He's spent his last few years with the chancers own EFC.

What chance you think he'll take?

As for Moyes, I was one of those who would stick up for him week in, week out, but I've lost all respect for him now. He's a two faced hypocrit who cried like a baby when Lescott wanted out but is prepared to do the same to us now the shoe is on the other foot. He strung us along for months when he knew damn well he was on his way to MU. Hope he fails and gets fired within 18 months.

If we do sell him, we might just as well throw the towel in now.
Its not going to do the moral of the club much good at the start of a new era is it?

Sure, why not? As long as you think what's best for his family is the same as what's best for you, me, and all the other Club supporters.

I may be being naive, but I just feel that there is a chance that he might stick with us, even if the new contract we offer is less than the one Man U can offer. If he does decide to leave I'm sure he will do right by the club and assist us in getting the best possible fee we can. I just hope that if Baines and Fellaini do go BK will stick to his word and give all the cash to Martinez so he can replace them with quality. We might even come out the other end with an even stronger squad if Roberto invests the money wisely!

I'd like to think that the prospect of making his wife and kids sit through another chorus of "Stand up if you hate scousers" when they decide to visit Old Trafford to watch him would also put bainesy off asking for a move there.

Perhaps that is a reason why Rooney doesn't appear to be as loyal to man u as they expect him to be - odd that eh?

BBC is quoting a Manchester Evening News report that Baines has a meeting with Martinez this morning. Fingers crossed that he knows which side his toast is buttered and that he doesn't drop it on the kitchen floor butter side down. Er, sorry, I lost control of that metaphor...

He just makes our team tick.