Do we like Baines in Mid Field?

[bicycleheader]

I´d like to see more of it, I think when we as a team are playing better he will get in positions at times in games, and with more options, that we will see why Martinez thinks he can play in the centre. He has an eye for a pass and a shot from open play that we don´t see enough of. On top of that his pressing was very good.

Somebody mentioned that he is not a left side mid, well he wasn´t played there as far as I could see. Wasn´t it Barry in front of the defense, with McCarthy and Baines more advanced?

If Garbutt looks okay at LB, which I think he has, I can see Baines as being a good option NOW to be honest. More mobile than Barry (not hard, I know) and with more nous and consistency than our other options when it comes to what he actually does when on the ball.

 

[Andy McGurk]

I think the 2 main reasons baines looked lost for most of the game was because of eto'o and Barry. We all know eto'o isn't a left winger so Baines doesn't know whether to help or stay put, so played crap until Mirallas came on. Likewise if baines does play there again it can't be with Barry, otherwise you get 2 barrys getting in each others way, there's no balance and let's be honest, Barry is naff right now. You need a right footed player Alongside him.

Like someone said already though, wait till preseason before trying it.

 

[Tree13]

Yep. There are times to try things and there are times not to.

When the team is patently low on confidence would seem to be the worst possible time.

Unless of course you have so many senior central midfielders unavailable through injury or illness that SOMEONE has to play "out of position". This was the case against Newcastle, and is likely also to be the case in the next game too. The alternative is to alter the formation.

 

[marty mcfly]

I think the 2 main reasons baines looked lost for most of the game was because of eto'o and Barry. We all know eto'o isn't a left winger so Baines doesn't know whether to help or stay put, so played crap until Mirallas came on. Likewise if baines does play there again it can't be with Barry, otherwise you get 2 barrys getting in each others way, there's no balance and let's be honest, Barry is naff right now. You need a right footed player Alongside him.

Like someone said already though, wait till preseason before trying it.

I would love to have seen it tried with Baines and McCarthy/Besic and Barry either dropped to the bench or playing as LCB.

We need to improve our distribution from the back and our offensive passing from midfield and I think that may help.

 

[faddy the blue]

No, I'd rather try to make Oviedo a CM since he is more dynamic and has that ability to adapt. He has a decent left foot as well. Baines is a solid defender and crosser. He has earned the right to be amongst the best LB in the PL if not the world. No way he should be moved to CM unless its an emergency.

 

[RFUS]

Bit early to judge, surely? Even players playing in their normal positions looked lost in the last game.

Do you think Barry went from a LB to a top CDM in one game?

Definitely has the attributes to succeed there, just needs to work on it and maybe play in a game where we have some kind of understandable formation.

 

[Toffeelover]

When Leighton Baines first came here was he not played now and ten in midfield by our EX?

 

[sageyefc]

He looked better in there second half today, get McCarthy next to him when hes fit

 

[Blue Truth]

I like.

 

[madkiwi]

We have three class left backs.

Meanwhile in the centre of the park...

McCarthy is injured
Barry is an walking accident
Bešić is an accident in waiting
Gibson who?
And some youngsters...

I think it's obvious where he's needed.

 

[The Esk]

I only saw the last few minutes of today's game and for me he looked our most effective player when playing in an advanced central midfield position.

 

[Goat]

If hes a midfielder im slimmers world slimmer of 2015.

 

[L4Everton]

Baines in midfield is a sign things are going very badly for us. Very badly indeed. He could be as good as Maradona but in a side as limp as ours it is an indication of it's frailty not that some master stroke of playing staff realisation is heralded.

 

[RFUS]

Definitely a lot of potential.

The problem is that now isn't the best time to be trying these things out, is it? The players playing in their normal positions look clueless, so putting a veteran LB into the heart of your midfield seems risky.

However Baines at CM and Oviedo/Garbutt at LB sounds a lot, lot better than Barry at CM and Baines at LB.

 

[ProZ]

That ball to Lukaku (that he missed from 6 yards) was Pirlo esc.