Leighton Baines vs Hull?

[Goat]

How much is enough? How many mistakes does he have to make in order for the sun to stop shining out of his arse? How long does he play like a 3 legged donkey in order for him to stop being god?

All good players have dips in form, do you stick with them untill the dip passes? Do you give them a kick up the arse and hope it shakes them back to life? Do you drop them to the bench and give some1 else a try?

So many questions, so many different views. Heres mine, Lescott has been pretty dire so far this season, if it was Phil Neville im sure 99% would want him shot, rather than dropped, no player is bigger than the club, the team, the squad, every1 must be picked on merit and frankly Lescott doesnt deserve a game, anybody that says he does is just being silly. Im not saying Baines deserves a game also, cos he has also been a bit [Poor language removed], so in that case Valente must come in.

Moyes has already opened the door for changes, he has the perfect excuse with 2 games in a week. Now is the time to make changes, rest some ppl, let them get there heads together. Im not saying Lescott has become a bad player, im just sayin that on current form he doesnt deserve a start and i mean current form THIS SEASON, not last.

Hes a big enough man to see that hes made mistakes and hes a big enough man to not sulk if dropped/rested. I like Lescott a LOT, i would be mad not to, but sometimes things have to be done for the benefit of the team and i think sitting out a game would also benefit Lescott.

 

[neonleon]

if this was newcastle they'd drop lescott, sack moyes, get keegan in, sell yakubu, vaughan and anichebe for three foreign players no-one has heard of and then wonder why they finished 15th.

Lescott needs support. anyone can look like a freakin tactical genius saying drop lescott as he's had a few duff games.

kneejerk reactions are not the hallmark of a good manager, let alone football fans.

you fair weathered lot.

 

[Arteta2391]

Yes let Baines attack down the left flanks!

Lescott has been to slow lately and is starting to lose his confidence sadly..

 

[Cal]

Did you watch the Liverpool games?

He tore Aurelio and Dossena apart from start to finish, he looked very impressive in my opinion.

Not exactly hard is it. They're both absolutely [Poor language removed].

 

[micknick]

For those people who say to keep Lescott in the team- at what point should he be dropped if he carries on playing this way? 5 Games? 10 Games?

 

[Gazdalf]

Play Baines, give Jo a rest/kick up the ass, and at the end of the day. Baines should be playing and doing what he was hired for. Running the left. I think Lescott is fantastic, but he is a central Def that can cover left. It is not his primary role. He should fill the gap that Baines opens when he runs the line. Simple football.

I just thought I would quote myself.

I am not jumping on Lescott, I think he is great. But every player, (no matter how good they are) goes through a bad patch occasionally, and a game or 2 on the sidelines normally helps them mentally. Benching him for the Hull game will frustrate the hell out of him and his professionalism and hunger will have him chomping at the bit for the Derby. He will be up for that match so much he will be unstoppable.

 

[ToxtethBlue]

For those people who say to keep Lescott in the team- at what point should he be dropped if he carries on playing this way? 5 Games? 10 Games?

Give him a half decent run in one position atleast. He's switched between two positions. Left back is his best position, he's had one bad game (Standard) and one good game (Stoke).

Baines had three games before he was dropped, give Lescott one more game to prove his worth.

 

[onceabluealwaysablue]

Im sorry but watching baines in action against portsmouth he was worse than lescott against standard liege sorry but baines is no where near the quality of lescott

 

[Robert Jarvis]

And considering my views on Lescott as a full back you are not saying much about Baines. But we do need a proper LB.

 

[Goat]

Well ive said it before, but i honestly dont think we have a best back 4. Im fairly confident in all of them playing @ the back whether its Joey, Super PHIL!, Lescott,Jags, Valente, Baines and erm possibly Hibbert.

I ofc have a prefered back 4 and that would be Baines, Lescott, Yobo, Neville, but i honestly dont mind which of the 7 plays, i just think that Baines and Lescott have been given a run and they have both dropped a few clangers, it doesnt make them bad players, but on merit, Nuno should now get a run.

 

[wabisabi]

'Depth in the squad'.. 'Competition for places'.. what does all that mean if you just stick with the same 11 week in week out?

Lescott is clearly off the pace so far this season. The idea that he 'needs a break' a few weeks in is kind of ridiculous. He's just lost his form (for whatever reason) and is playing badly.

His errors in marking/positioning are part of the reason we now face the possibility of an early exit from Europe. His entire game looked uncertain and lacked confidence. This absolutely needs to be looked at and addressed. How, is up to Moyes.

Personally I feel Lescott will discover his best form as a central defender. He is a quality player so can adapt to different positions but I think there are questions around his technical ability at LB. I also think his heart is in central defence. Perhaps his recent displays are the beginning of this issue arising. Why not open competition for CD places between Lescott, Yobo, Jags and let Baines and Nuno compete for the LB slot. I think that would provide really healthy competition for places and encourage the raising of each players game.

Baines in LB for the Hull game.

 

[teppic]

4 games in to the season! 2 mistakes is not enough for me to want him dropped.

i wonder how most would feel if moyes plays him against hull, we keep a clean sheet and he scores a trademark 'mountfield' goal.

i guess this thread would just gather dust..

 

[Vim Fuego]

4 games in to the season! 2 mistakes is not enough for me to want him dropped.

i wonder how most would feel if moyes plays him against hull, we keep a clean sheet and he scores a trademark 'mountfield' goal.

i guess this thread would just gather dust..

Agreed.

He needs to restore his form and confidence,and he'll only do that by playing.

He needs to concentrate on defending and maintaining our defensive structure, bombing forward ahead of time thus exposing the left hand side of our defence is not the answer to his and our problems at present.Keep it tight and most of all, keep things simple.

 

[Neiler]

I am fairly certain he wont be dropped for this game, if he is to be rested it may be in the game in midweek.

Moyes has said that he will play half the season and centre half and the other at left back. I expect Baines to move on shortly, even if i dont want him to.

 

[neonleon]

Agreed.

He needs to restore his form and confidence,and he'll only do that by playing.

He needs to concentrate on defending and maintaining our defensive structure, bombing forward ahead of time thus exposing the left hand side of our defence is not the answer to his and our problems at present.Keep it tight and most of all, keep things simple.

finally some sense.

Everyone saying that Lescott should be dropped or his natural position is centre half etc. (it may well be but it hasn't looked like it so far)

Lescott has started this season thinking his natural position is an attacking left winger, or playing just behind yakubu. Its his defensive duties he's been shirking in his eagerness to get on the ball and attack.

He needs to calm down and stay back a bit more, especially against teams like standard liege that have some of the fastest players in europe.

Once he does that he'll rediscover his mojo if it ever really went away.

I get the feeling that ashley cole, patrick evra etc would have had their hands full and [Poor language removed] up once or twice against that standard team.

all of a sudden he's a donkey we need to drop - to punish him into being a better player.

it just aint so, and 64% (its gone up) now think he should be outside the starting 11!!!!!

Dear People who voted, Baines is not as good a SOCCER player. Valente is steady but unspectacular. we will win more games with Lescott, we did last year, we will again this year.