Baines & Pienaar

SchoolOfScience · February 22, 2014

Does anyone think the partnership is now becoming a burden?

We all know together they keep the ball amazingly well but that seems to of been the only benefit of it this season, 2 Assists all season between the pair of them isn't really good enough considering they are the focal point of many of our attacks.

Maybe it's time now we've got the options to give Mirallas a go wide left and either McGeady or Deulofeu down the right.

DanEFC92 · February 22, 2014

Played better togger with Oviedo in the team.

sageyefc · February 22, 2014

Id move pienaer behind the striker and either play miralles or mcgeady on the left and have del boy on the right

chicoazul · February 22, 2014

Two assists only, wow.

dannyboy · February 22, 2014

Baines' levels have obviously dropped from the last few seasons, even though I thought he played well today.

As I've been saying for a while now, Pienaar is a good player but we need better if we want to improve. It's all about goals and assists and he doesn't get enough from that position.

tim cahill · February 22, 2014

SchoolOfScience said:
Does anyone think the partnership is now becoming a burden?

We all know together they keep the ball amazingly well but that seems to of been the only benefit of it this season, 2 Assists all season between the pair of them isn't really good enough considering they are the focal point of many of our attacks.

Maybe it's time now we've got the options to give Mirallas a go wide left and either McGeady or Deulofeu down the right.

They're definitely not providing enough together to make Pienaar a guaranteed starter anymore. As a player in one of our most attacking positions he hasn't contributed nearly enough.

SchoolOfScience · February 22, 2014

Does anyone think Pienaar is possibly holding Baines back?

Pienaar likes to go into the corner and keep it around that area hoping for little inside balls into feet in the box whereas I think Baines would have more joy if we had a winger looking to come inside and give him room to bomb on outside, More like the Coleman/Mirallas partnership which we know has been more fruitful this season

SteKelly · February 22, 2014

sageyefc said:
Id move pienaer behind the striker and either play miralles or mcgeady on the left and have del boy on the right

I love Pienaar but I'm afriad he dilly dallys on the ball too much. I'd just go for McGeady - Mirallas - Deulofeu or something. We need pace up top.

People say we battered Chelsea but lets be honest they were happy to just sit back because they knew we wouldn't break them down. We had a few chances to counter and as soon as it went to Osman or Pienaar they just slowed it right down.

Walken · February 22, 2014

Pienaar is still essential, he links the play better than any other player, this has been very obvious when he's missing, Until we sign someone better who can do the same he has to start

Azzurri · February 22, 2014

Nope. Everyone realises how important Pienaar is when he's injured then quickly forgets once he's back in the side.

noharmdone · February 22, 2014

Can we call them Bainaar again please ?

toffeeben15 · February 22, 2014

Walken said:
Pienaar is still essential, he links the play better than any other player, this has been very obvious when he's missing, Until we sign someone better who can do the same he has to start

But he shouldn't start thought today he had numerous opportunitys to play the ball in space to the runners yet he slowed the play down and waited for Baines . Pienaar must have confidence issues as he does this all the time when he came on loan he was getting a few assists but he's not really done owt since . We should start McGeady next game

Tubey · February 22, 2014

Azzurri said:
Nope. Everyone realises how important Pienaar is when he's injured then quickly forgets once he's back in the side.

He's a good link up player but he's a 1 in 5 performer in terms of making things happen himself. Problem he's had this season is that Baines has been off the boil and Leighton always made Pienaar look twice the player as it gave Pienaar the ability to link up with a driving force down that side of the pitch. So when Baines isn't on form, Pienaar looks relatively ineffectual as he hasn't got the game to drive with the ball in possession and threaten himself like Mirallas can do on the other side.

Azzurri · February 22, 2014

Tubey said:
He's a good link up player but he's a 1 in 5 performer in terms of making things happen himself. Problem he's had this season is that Baines has been off the boil and Leighton always made Pienaar look twice the player as it gave Pienaar the ability to link up with a driving force down that side of the pitch. So when Baines isn't on form, Pienaar looks relatively ineffectual as he hasn't got the game to drive with the ball in possession and threaten himself like Mirallas can do on the other side.

I agree, but at the same time Mirallas loses the ball twice as much when there's options on and doesn't link anywhere near as well with the rest of the team, so there's pros and cons to both types of player. One of each does me.

Tubey · February 22, 2014

Azzurri said:
I agree, but at the same time Mirallas loses the ball twice as much when there's options on and doesn't link anywhere near as well with the rest of the team, so there's pros and cons to both types of player. One of each does me.

Think if Pienaar is having one of "those games" where it's just not working with Baines then he needs to be hooked off quicker as we can't do anything about Baines. So McGeady or Deulofeu at the hour mark, which to be fair is sort of what happens. But if either of those two show form then I don't think Pienaar is an automatic starter any more.