Leighton Baines
- Thread starter ::sonny::
- Start date
It's not hard to figure out, is it? Evra, despite his weaknesses, is a better player than Baines. If we're going to spend serious money it should be on someone to take Evra's place, not be his backup.
It's mental.If Evra gets injured first game of the season what do we have? Evans has played there but is not a left back. Fryers looks like he might be off and Blackett hasn't played a minute of first team football.
Well he plays for united, has better hair so obviously he is better.
I think Baines is a good player to be honest. I'd be very open to other options mind...
It's a crazy crazy statement. Fabio has shown the grand some of nothing barring a few sporradic good performances mixed in with poor ones (to be expected from a youngster) and the ability to spend most of his time injured.
He's nowhere near in the same class as Baines.
Not to say he wont be or couldn't be and alot better...but that's all maybes.
Baines is 27, Fabio is 22 next month. Fabio may not be as complete as Baines is but he has the potential to be a lot better. He's composed on the ball, tackles well and more often than not has good positioning. Signing Baines will only keep him out of the team for another season.
It's all maybes but it will never happen if he's not played there for us.
Its been said before but I think people are overating Baines here, especially defensively.
If Evra gets injured first game of the season what do we have? Evans has played there but is not a left back. Fryers looks like he might be off and Blackett hasn't played a minute of first team football.
Agreed. I wasn't even one of Evra's big critics, but it seems like the club agrees with what others were saying all season.
I think Baines' problem is just that he is a Volkswagen instead of a Ferrari. I wonder how many would have been keen to sign Gary Neville if he hadn't come through the club.
I agree Baines doesn't set the world alight, but he is solid and English. And on occasions his left-footed set pieces do dazzle.
I see him out and about in Formby quite often. Next time I see him in Waitrose I'll ask him.
It's not what you said though mate. I agree that Fabio has plenty of potential and could go on to be a fine player for us. He could also spend another season injured and go nowhere. He could also not fulfil his potential for a number of other reasons. You are correct...Baines is in a different phase of his career...but that's not the point. Fabio has proved nothing yet.
Who do you propose we sign by the way? Evra is our only recognised left back for next season. He gets injured we're in trouble. Do we sign someone who is not as good as Baines to compete just in case Fabio turns out to be good?
You think he has the potential to be lot better because he plays for us. He hasn't done much too show that kind of potential. Plus you didn't even use the word "potential".
You said he is just the better player.
No point in signing Baines. SAF justs need to make a decision on Fabio or Fryers. We are always going on about how great our youngsters are, and how they always get a chance under SAF, well we have 2 here both waiting for a chance, and yet we are allegedly looking at Baines! Wtf?
Yes he is decent, but hardly a great. He is 28, with no CL experience. Why buy him at all, why not just give Fabio or Fryers a go? It is hardly as if Evra is pulling up any trees. We will not be losing that much defensively by dropping Evra for the odd game and giving one of our highly rated youngsters a chance.
Makes me piss sometimes, when Fabio and Rafael were bought everyone was spunking over us being 'set for the next 10 years'. Now people want us to buy Baines instead of giving him a proper run in the team. Madness!
Yes he is decent, but hardly a great. He is 28, with no CL experience. Why buy him at all, why not just give Fabio or Fryers a go? It is hardly as if Evra is pulling up any trees. We will not be losing that much defensively by dropping Evra for the odd game and giving one of our highly rated youngsters a chance.
Makes me piss sometimes, when Fabio and Rafael were bought everyone was spunking over us being 'set for the next 10 years'. Now people want us to buy Baines instead of giving him a proper run in the team. Madness!
If Evra gets injured first game of the season what do we have? Evans has played there but is not a left back. Fryers looks like he might be off and Blackett hasn't played a minute of first team football.
You're right. Of course the ideal scenario would be to have a young, but very talented leftback as backup. Someone with plenty of potential, but at the moment still quite raw. If only.
and it wont happen if his injuries continue. He can't stay fit for five minutes. Which is why rafael is so much further on in his development.
Am i out of the loop here? Fabio is going on loan isn't he? Or have i totally missed something? Is he staying? Regardless a loan would do him good if he plays and can stay fit.
Fryers is stalling and not sure if he wants to sign?
Run in the team?? He's forever fecking injured!
I think some underate him as well.
That being said I was comfortable when they were talking under 10 million. The figures since aren't justifiable to me.
Fabio needs a good year under his belt in Portugal where he can be guaranteed regular games.
Without matches he won't mature like Raphael has, and with Evra ahead of him he isn't going to get those matches at United.
Young players can have a bad match and suffer a dip in form. That's why they need a regular place in the team to build up confidence and good habits.
Baines by contrast has tons of match experience. What he is able to give, he can be relied on to give. In a pinch he could provide a proper fullback on the right side if we get tired of playing Jones and Smalling out of position or if Raphael picks up another knock.
Without matches he won't mature like Raphael has, and with Evra ahead of him he isn't going to get those matches at United.
Young players can have a bad match and suffer a dip in form. That's why they need a regular place in the team to build up confidence and good habits.
Baines by contrast has tons of match experience. What he is able to give, he can be relied on to give. In a pinch he could provide a proper fullback on the right side if we get tired of playing Jones and Smalling out of position or if Raphael picks up another knock.
Fryers may not be good enough, and honestly how much have we seen of him?
Would you throw Fryers at Anfield if Evra breaks down ? Of course not. We really need quality cover for Evra.
He's good, but I just don't see the point in him at United. He's not as good as Evra and he's almost just as old.
Wouldn't you stall if you knew you were never likely to get a game. Fabio has been there years and has never been given a chance even when fit. Only the odd CC outing, but never a decent run.
Well that would be silly, Evans would go to LB, he's done it before. We should definitely look to bring in someone who is young and is willing to play second fiddle to Paddy.
Yet here he is about to go out on loan.....! If he is injured as often as everyone makes out, why would anyone want to take him on loan in the first place.?
For me he is going out on loan to keep him happy and give him games, because another year playing understudy to the increasingly unimpressive Evra, will probably see him wanting to leave. It would me, in his shoes.
If someone is playing out of their skin every week, you hold your hands up and try to improve, but it seems no matter what anyone else does, or how poorly Evra performs he will still be picked.
That's not good enough because Evans played LB for NI in a defensive set up.
Well this is the point, we have two young and willing players waiting for a chance that doesn't look like it is coming anytime soon.
Give them a few games here and there and they just might be able to gain enough experience to actually provide reasonable cover for Evra should he get injured.
Never playing anyone but Evra would leave even experienced players struggling for match fitness in a game like that. If SAF rates them, then he should play them, if he doesn't, get rid and sign someone who he is willing to play.
In the summer everyone loves to play the young players and develop the young players. We are all looking to make next season better with what we've got already.
During the season when we play the younger players in Carling Cup matches or due to an injury crisis and United's form drops, then everyone complains that the club didn't prevent this from happening by bringing in proper cover.
They may call for Gibson to get his shot all summer, but one average performance in October and everyone will be calling to get rid of him.
We put our faith in Cleverley last year, and we suffered in midfield until Scholes came out of retirement.
Nah, I say get some cover at fullback. We have 7 or 8 top class attackers, but we are short on experience at the back since O'Shea and Brown left.
During the season when we play the younger players in Carling Cup matches or due to an injury crisis and United's form drops, then everyone complains that the club didn't prevent this from happening by bringing in proper cover.
They may call for Gibson to get his shot all summer, but one average performance in October and everyone will be calling to get rid of him.
We put our faith in Cleverley last year, and we suffered in midfield until Scholes came out of retirement.
Nah, I say get some cover at fullback. We have 7 or 8 top class attackers, but we are short on experience at the back since O'Shea and Brown left.
No we didn't suffer in midfield because we put our faith in Cleverley, we suffered because we let Hargo, Scholes and O'Shea go, had serious concerns over Fletcher, and Anderson and Cleverley are injury prone, yet we chose not to buy a midfielder. That's why we suffered.
If you think we are short on experience in defence after O'Shea and Brown went. How short were we of experience in midfield, with all the problems there?
We don't need cover for Evra- this is backwards thinking. We need a quality left back and Evra needs to be the cover. Evra is past it he is a ball watcher - I dont think anything is wrong with him physically but it seems he just plays half assed - he is out of position so often.
Little bit harsh on him, but I have to agree. People calling for Rafael, Fryers, Evans for LB are nuts
Well Fabio is injury prone just like Cleverley, so you've made my point.
If you put your faith in a young player to fill a need, you better be sure he can do the job.
I don't think we lacked experience in midfield last year. Fletcher, Carrick, Giggs, Park and Anderson were all vastly experienced with plenty of trophies and big match performances between them. That's for two CM spots. The club was looking for a player like Sneijder who could offer something a bit different rather than trying to replace Scholes in my opinion.
Across four defensive spots this year we have Evra, Vidic, and Rio as experienced players. Two veteran squad members in their 30s, Brown and O'Shea were subtracted a year ago. Smalling and Jones were added along with a young goalkeeper. The twins remain young and undisciplined at times. Evans should be experienced, but he had a disastrous season a year ago and still showed a few hiccups this season as well.
In defense we have lots of talent and youth, but relatively less experience than in recent seasons. It has showed on the pitch especially with Vidic and Rio out for periods.
In midfield we had and still have some very experienced players in their prime years. What we lack is the sort of linkup play between the midfield and attack that a younger Scholes provided or the sort of tempo-raising midfield play maker that Scholes has been in his prime.
A 26 year old Baines is an improvement on the 29 and 30 year old Brown and O'Shea who weren't always natural fullbacks, and he can potentially succeed Evra if there is a further decline in form. Furthermore he is experienced and reliable, left-footed and English.
Have to say I agree with this. Despite being the greatest player in the history of the universe up until two years ago, Evra really needs to be fighting for his place at this point.
Brown and Oshea were not good enough anymore/injury prone, stop kidding yourselves. We need a very good left back.
As I see it United could use some quality in midfield and some experience in defence.
Kagawa improves a 4-5-1 in Europe. Someone like Modric would be nice.
Baines would help calm things down defensively, although they might roll the dice on Nathaniel Clyne being ready to make the step up this season.
Kagawa improves a 4-5-1 in Europe. Someone like Modric would be nice.
Baines would help calm things down defensively, although they might roll the dice on Nathaniel Clyne being ready to make the step up this season.
If they are ready and good enough, they will play. Simple really.
Rafael, Evans, Welbeck, Cleverley.. Smalling, Jones..
Exactly. If they show they deserve it we play them. Clearly Fabio's development has stalled and hence why Fergie put all his trust in Evra. The loan will be to accelerate his development giving him guaranteed football. As such, a LB is needed for cover/to challenge. There aren't many out there good enough to play at the standard required and Baines is one of those few.
I'm willing to be corrected on this, but I'm not sure where he gets this rep from. He's good linking up with Pienaar when they go forward, and the structure of Everton's team is designed to not let concede goals in so naturally any player in Everton's defence has decent stats, but from watching the guy I don't see a calm, defensively sound full back.