Baines CM

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He'll make a few mistakes but with Barry at his side I see no lasting problems
 

...no chance, absolutely no chance. This has been discussed to death on here before and I just can't see it happening. We can only play 11 and he'd have to displace a proper midfielder, also he was lost and chasing shadows when playing there against Newcastle. A very fine left back, but that's it as far as I'm concerned.
 
Nymzee said:
Could this ever work as he gets older? Personally I'm not sure it would as he'd have to learn a new way of defending and playing the game ahead and behind him. Might give more chances to Oviedo/Galloway/Garbutt (if he stays).

http://www.liverpoolecho.co.uk/sport/evertons-leighton-baines-not-expect-9360110
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I've never been convinced on this.
Baines is a decent defender and good on the ball, but his real strength is driving forwards at speed.

I can't really see him sitting back and breaking up play in the way that the likes of McCarthy and Barry have done when they've been on form. He's not exactly ace in the air either so he'd need someone next to him to break up the play and leave him to do something creative.

It might a trendy thing to try but it seems to me like it's just a classic "playing someone out of position" judgement.

TL;DR ?

What @Eggs said
 

"Roberto Martinez, last season, revealed how he took Baines to Manchester United’s Champions League tie with Bayern Munich so he could study Philipp Lahm who successfully made the transition from full-back to midfield.

And though the Blues boss and Baines had discussed his potential to play there he admits to be being surprised when, eight months later, Martinez named him in Everton’s midfield at St James’ Park. “I’d never even trained there,” Baines said.

“Roberto told me on the day (that I would be playing there)."

Surely you work all week on a game plan for upcoming games no? That's the way I've always thought it's done anyway..
 
It was just an effort to compensate for our lack of creativity in the middle of the park. I reckon it could work if properly practised, but would rather just buy an actual creative midfielder and keep playing Baines as left back.
 
Nymzee said:
Why is there a problem me asking the forum if it's something they'd like to see? Martinez clearly said he'd like to as Baines gets older so I'm pretty sure if we saw it twice this season we'll see it again one day.
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Don't take it to heart mate.
I think people are just remembering things like

https://www.grandoldteam.com/forum/threads/the-baines-midfield-dilemma.71747/

https://www.grandoldteam.com/forum/threads/do-we-like-baines-in-mid-field.72160/

https://www.grandoldteam.com/forum/threads/is-it-time-to-play-baines-through-the-centre.70623/

If he hadn't just had an op which looks like it might keep him out for some of the pre-season then pre-season would probably be the time for Martinez to try Baines in a different position, but with the op on his foot and Oviedo out injured too, it doesn't really look like they'll have much of a chance to try it in friendlies.
 
Try it out in pre-season and if it works then great if not then forget about it and move on.

Spew experimenting during proper matches.
 

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