Leighton Baines

[mkrudden]

No. It tells me that he's some sort of sacred cow and they wont challenge him to do his defending job or drop him.

Koeman wants to pack in having a go at Barkley and start pointing fingers at senior players like Baines and Coleman who cant do the basics of their job...but at least Coleman can still get forward and do one part of it still.

Or.......?

 

[davek]

Or.......?

It's not by design surely? No manager(s) would wish for FBs to expose their own team to incoming crosses.

 

[mkrudden]

It's not by design surely? No manager(s) would wish for FBs to expose their own team to incoming crosses.

Well someone as ruthless as Koeman isn't going to indulge any player if their faults outweigh their positives. There are still more positives than negatives with Baines so he's still important.

 

[earl_barrett]

He's 28 this summer and his stats this season are worse than Baines's

Hmmm he is in an inferior team however, and that needs to be taken into account. We do need to look for a long term options at left back, but who would we tempt to join us who'd improve us? On a similar note, do you think Chelsea would sell Ake in the summer? He'd be good for us I think.

 

[davek]

Well someone as ruthless as Koeman isn't going to indulge any player if their faults outweigh their positives. There are still more positives than negatives with Baines so he's still important.

He's shot, mate.

If he's a starter for Everton next season you'll know that ambition is very limited.

 

[mkrudden]

He's shot, mate.

If he's a starter for Everton next season you'll know that ambition is very limited.

or...

There are other priorities

Like a CF / LM / 2x CB / GK

 

[Papa Shango]

or...

There are other priorities

Like a CF / LM / 2x CB / GK

At he very least we need LB cover.

 

[DanEFC92]

Leave Leighton alone you horrors

 

[davek]

or...

There are other priorities

Like a CF / LM / 2x CB / GK

We really shouldn't need another two CBs if he'd spent the cash wisely last summer.

I confess I wanted Williams too, but Koeman gets paid a lot of money to get these decisions right and he hasn't worked out.

We cant operate with both Williams AND Baines in the backline as it means we are hanging back and not getting up the pitch pressing as a unit...which is presumably what this manager wants.

 

[mkrudden]

We really shouldn't need another two CBs if he'd spent the cash wisely last summer.

I confess I wanted Williams too, but Koeman gets paid a lot of money to get these decisions right and he hasn't worked out.

We cant operate with both Williams AND Baines in the backline as it means we are hanging back and not getting up the pitch pressing as a unit...which is presumably what this manager wants.

I absolutely agree however I'd say the solution isn't to discard Baines and Williams, instead we should be looking to bring in a top dog CB to go next to Williams. Don't forget mate, this is a Euro semi-finalist - not to be sniffed at.

We get a lightning fast CB in next to him who doesn't have the positional sense as a beagle puppy (Funes Mori) and we have a back four that should be able to cope with everything within reason.

To me, and i'd never profess to knowing more than Koeman, we should have gone 3-5-2 against Spurs. That would have allowed Baines to have an advanced starting position to try and negate against Walker at source. If Baines was ever beaten in a foot race - not a stick to beat him with given Walker is lightning fast - we would have had a further hurdle for him with the left sided CB coming out to stop him.

Instead we flooded the centre of the park to accomodate Barry who, as much as I love him, is never the man to play vs Spurs with Alli / Dembele / Kane / Eriksson all buzzing around him.

 

[orly]

Quotes from our Manager @banno - a man you rightly laud for his honesty, remember:





So which one is it my mate? Koeman takes no messing and would bin Baines if he was as guff as you're making out...

or...

something else?

Savage vaulting, even cross-theme

 

[davek]

I absolutely agree however I'd say the solution isn't to discard Baines and Williams, instead we should be looking to bring in a top dog CB to go next to Williams. Don't forget mate, this is a Euro semi-finalist - not to be sniffed at.

We get a lightning fast CB in next to him who doesn't have the positional sense as a beagle puppy (Funes Mori) and we have a back four that should be able to cope with everything within reason.

To me, and i'd never profess to knowing more than Koeman, we should have gone 3-5-2 against Spurs. That would have allowed Baines to have an advanced starting position to try and negate against Walker at source. If Baines was ever beaten in a foot race - not a stick to beat him with given Walker is lightning fast - we would have had a further hurdle for him with the left sided CB coming out to stop him.

Instead we flooded the centre of the park to accomodate Barry who, as much as I love him, is never the man to play vs Spurs with Alli / Dembele / Kane / Eriksson all buzzing around him.

The backline is a big problem area in games against the best teams. Perfectly adequate against 13/14 other teams, so if we retain this lot we know what the ambition is.

Spurs have those two CBs who can really get them out of trouble and FBs like Rose and Walker who know how to defend - taken together it all gives them flexibility. We have to be looking at that as a template, and that means getting shut of Baines and probably minimizing Williams' place in the team.

If we are ambitious that will happen. If not, Williams and Baines will continue to hold down their places.

 

[Papa Shango]

I absolutely agree however I'd say the solution isn't to discard Baines and Williams, instead we should be looking to bring in a top dog CB to go next to Williams. Don't forget mate, this is a Euro semi-finalist - not to be sniffed at.

We get a lightning fast CB in next to him who doesn't have the positional sense as a beagle puppy (Funes Mori) and we have a back four that should be able to cope with everything within reason.

To me, and i'd never profess to knowing more than Koeman, we should have gone 3-5-2 against Spurs. That would have allowed Baines to have an advanced starting position to try and negate against Walker at source. If Baines was ever beaten in a foot race - not a stick to beat him with given Walker is lightning fast - we would have had a further hurdle for him with the left sided CB coming out to stop him.

Instead we flooded the centre of the park to accomodate Barry who, as much as I love him, is never the man to play vs Spurs with Alli / Dembele / Kane / Eriksson all buzzing around him.

To be fair Hal Robson Kanu is a Euro Semi finalist too.

We don't need to bin off either Baines or Williams. They are fine players and good squad men. We need more options.

 

[mkrudden]

The backline is a big problem area in games against the best teams. Perfectly adequate against 13/14 other teams, so if we retain this lot we know what the ambition is.

Spurs have those two CBs who can really get them out of trouble and FBs like Rose and Walker who know how to defend and taken together it all gives them flexibility. We have to be looking at that as a template, and that means getting shut of Baines and probably minimizing Williams' place in the team.

If we are ambitious that will happen. If not Williams and Baines will continue to hold down their places.

I'd say if we go out and get (and I am plucking out names a la Football Manager here so feel free to laugh me off the forum):

Rooney
Hart
Mahrez
Strootman
Koulibaly

Then we'd be showcasing some serious ambition. Wouldn't you agree?

 

[mkrudden]

To be fair Hal Robson Kanu is a Euro Semi finalist too.

We don't need to bin off either Baines or Williams. They are fine players and good squad men. We need more options.

Agreed although it was widely reported that their stars at the tournament were Williams, Bale and Ramsey. Although - the goal Robson Kanu scored was particularly boss.

Agree with you though, these players need supplementing not binning.