Baines

[neonleon]

Not had a chance to go to a game for a good while due to funds and being in London.

Can anyone tell me how Baines has looked, especially defensively.

Seems like he's doing well, judging by the clean sheets - I always liked him going forward.

Can he challenge lescott, or lescott push yobo or jags out so that he can retain his first team place?

what do you think?

 

[Dom1878]

He isnt too good defensively - however he's great in attack - he doest rely on Pienaar or Arteta (like Lescott) as much, and isnt afraid to run at the defence. His crosses are great too...I dont think he is a Left back, i think he is a LWB - where he can attack abit more. He should play in that position in a 5-4-1 really...

 

[ToxtethBlue]

Baines has been good of late. Excellent defensively and he always gives us an outlet down that left hand side. His crossing’s been a bit hit and miss by his standards but even then his link up play with Pienaar has given us so much down the flank.

Defensively he’s been strong but to be honest he hasn’t been tested a lot, mainly down to our composure. We are keeping the ball so well that the fullbacks are being exposed as much. When a team does attack us Neville and Arteta cover Hibbert and Baines well. Earlier in the season (when Baines played) Jags and Rodwell just weren’t doing that. Keeping the ball is key though, if you keep the ball you’ll do less defending. It’s as simple as that really.

I love his energy, it always gives us a lift. He’s just up and down all day and him and Pienaar especially are so positive and so creative. I think we have potentially a lot of lazy players on our books so having players like that is refreshing.

If we are too hurt Liverpool in the next two games coming up then I think it’ll come from Baines and Pienaar down that left hand side. What can I say, he’s a 5 a side player.

 

[neonleon]

Baines has been good of late. Excellent defensively and he always gives us an outlet down that left hand side. His crossing’s been a bit hit and miss by his standards but even then his link up play with Pienaar has given us so much down the flank.

Defensively he’s been strong but to be honest he hasn’t been tested a lot, mainly down to our composure. We are keeping the ball so well that the fullbacks are being exposed as much. When a team does attack us Neville and Arteta cover Hibbert and Baines well. Earlier in the season (when Baines played) Jags and Rodwell just weren’t doing that. Keeping the ball is key though, if you keep the ball you’ll do less defending. It’s as simple as that really.

I love his energy, it always gives us a lift. He’s just up and down all day and him and Pienaar especially are so positive and so creative. I think we have potentially a lot of lazy players on our books so having players like that is refreshing.

If we are too hurt Liverpool in the next two games coming up then I think it’ll come from Baines and Pienaar down that left hand side. What can I say, he’s a 5 a side player.

quality info fella. Can't say I agree about the potentially lazy players - but maybe if you explain more I'll get your point - wouldn't think Moyes would stand for anyone not grafting, its one of his plus points.

I'm sure the crosses will get back on track the more first team footy he gets, but its good to hear he's improving a bit defensively - I remember seeing Moyes' face when baines tried to take it past a player only to gift it to the opposition.

we'll need both to keep the ball and be able to defend and fight for it back in the next two matches. Hard to play one touch possession football in a derby with mad tackles flying in.

Be nice to see Baines get a goal - seem to remember from his wigan days he's got a half decent long shot on him.

 

[Brownie]

Baines has been good of late. Excellent defensively and he always gives us an outlet down that left hand side. His crossing’s been a bit hit and miss by his standards but even then his link up play with Pienaar has given us so much down the flank.

Defensively he’s been strong but to be honest he hasn’t been tested a lot, mainly down to our composure. We are keeping the ball so well that the fullbacks are being exposed as much. When a team does attack us Neville and Arteta cover Hibbert and Baines well. Earlier in the season (when Baines played) Jags and Rodwell just weren’t doing that. Keeping the ball is key though, if you keep the ball you’ll do less defending. It’s as simple as that really.

I love his energy, it always gives us a lift. He’s just up and down all day and him and Pienaar especially are so positive and so creative. I think we have potentially a lot of lazy players on our books so having players like that is refreshing.

If we are too hurt Liverpool in the next two games coming up then I think it’ll come from Baines and Pienaar down that left hand side. What can I say, he’s a 5 a side player.

PLEASE SIR NO.

 

[ToxtethBlue]

quality info fella. Can't say I agree about the potentially lazy players - but maybe if you explain more I'll get your point - wouldn't think Moyes would stand for anyone not grafting, its one of his plus points.

I'm sure the crosses will get back on track the more first team footy he gets, but its good to hear he's improving a bit defensively - I remember seeing Moyes' face when baines tried to take it past a player only to gift it to the opposition.

we'll need both to keep the ball and be able to defend and fight for it back in the next two matches. Hard to play one touch possession football in a derby with mad tackles flying in.

Be nice to see Baines get a goal - seem to remember from his wigan days he's got a half decent long shot on him.

I'm looking more towards the likes of Saha, Yakubu and Fellaini. Players who aren't going to run around all game. Not criticising them, that’s just the way they play.

I think I went a bit over the top with "so many", I'd say we have a few like every team. Players like Pienaar and Baines just lift everyone because of there energy and hard running. Maybe it’s just his pace, it certainly seems to liven up our play.

 

[Brownie]

I'm looking more towards the likes of Saha, Yakubu and Fellaini. Players who aren't going to run around all game. Not criticising them, that’s just the way they play.

I think I went a bit over the top with "so many", I'd say we have a few like every team. Players like Pienaar and Baines just lift everyone because of there energy and hard running. Maybe it’s just his pace, it certainly seems to liven up our play.

It's a combination of pace, fitness, agility, size and desire. I bet you Baines and Steven P enjoy running around.

 

[ToxtethBlue]

It's a combination of pace, fitness, agility, size and desire. I bet you Baines and Steven P enjoy running around.

Does Pienaar have pace?

 

[neonleon]

I'm looking more towards the likes of Saha, Yakubu and Fellaini. Players who aren't going to run around all game. Not criticising them, that’s just the way they play.

I think I went a bit over the top with "so many", I'd say we have a few like every team. Players like Pienaar and Baines just lift everyone because of there energy and hard running. Maybe it’s just his pace, it certainly seems to liven up our play.

I've noticed that, yakubu and saha when fit seem to be effective at scoring goals - so I'm not so much arsed if they run around like AJ did or not.

Fellaini does seem to jog about - but I think its more his continental style - we are not used to seeing someone who plays like that.

I think a few years he'll be one of those players that can set the tempo of a match, with simple accurate passes and ball retention - without the need to be sprinting around constantly.

 

[Neiler]

Baines has been great hes been steady at the back if not spectaclar, i feel the left hand side is always going to be a chink in the armour largely due to the fact that Moyes likes to use his full backs to provide attacking width, i feel left full is more vulnerable then right as we have more quality their with Baines and Lesscott and as such players look for them as an outlet more then they do with Hibbert and Neville, leaving us more vulnerable on the left i feel.

Hes a great outlet going forward, praticularly because hes a good intellegnet footballer and has the quality in distribution to back it up, the timing of his forward play could be improved on and he can improve as a player.

I think its important to note, that our clean sheet record has improved drasticly since Arteta has moved in from the wing to, which would suggest that Ossie and Pienaar protect that weakness better then having Arteta out there.

It should be intresting in the next few weeks as i beleive Lars (remember him) isnt far of being in the first team sqaud.

 

[Brownie]

Does Pienaar have pace?

He has enough to think to himself that he's fast. That's what matters in five a side.

 

[Brownie]

Baines has been great hes been steady at the back if not spectaclar, i feel the left hand side is always going to be a chink in the armour largely due to the fact that Moyes likes to use his full backs to provide attacking width, i feel left full is more vulnerable then right as we have more quality their with Baines and Lesscott and as such players look for them as an outlet more then they do with Hibbert and Neville, leaving us more vulnerable on the left i feel.

Hes a great outlet going forward, praticularly because hes a good intellegnet footballer and has the quality in distribution to back it up, the timing of his forward play could be improved on and he can improve as a player.

I think its important to note, that our clean sheet record has improved drasticly since Arteta has moved in from the wing to, which would suggest that Ossie and Pienaar protect that weakness better then having Arteta out there.

It should be intresting in the next few weeks as i beleive Lars (remember him) isnt far of being in the first team sqaud.

I would be over the moon if Lars turned out to be a quality player.

 

[ToxtethBlue]

Baines has been great hes been steady at the back if not spectaclar, i feel the left hand side is always going to be a chink in the armour largely due to the Fact that Moyes likes to use his full backs to provide attacking width, i feel left full is more vulnerable then right as we have more quality their with Baines and Lesscott and as such players look for them as an outlet nmore then they do with Hibbert and Neville, leaving us more vulnerable on the left i feel.

Hes a great outlet going forward, praticularly because hes a good intellegnet footballer and has the quality in distribution to back it up, the timing of his forward play could be improved on and he can improve as a player.

IU think its important to note, that our clean sheet record has improved drasticly since Arteta has moved in from the wing to which would suggest that Ossie and Pienaar protect that weakness better then having Arteta out there.

It should be intresting in the next few weeks as i beleive Lars (remember him) isnt far of being in the first team sqaud.

True, mainly because Osman and Pienaar are workhorses. They cover the most ground in our team according to Dave Billows (fitness coach). Even with AJ and Carsley in the side they where covering more ground than both of them. Just shows how much they give us on and off the ball.

Arteta also works a lot harder in the middle, probably because he’s got more responsibility in there defensively. All round it gives us good balance.

 

[Dejan79]

He's got a sexy left leg

 

[kenada_blue]

He'll get dropped for the derby's if Yobo's fit. That's what I think anyway. Safety first from Moyes...which genreally means sit back and let them come.