September
10

The Watchlist – Leighton Baines

Filed under: The Watchlist - Posted by: Paul

It somehow seems strange writing up a Leighton Baines Scout Report at this time of the season. Typically, we have to wait till the second half of the campaign before Everton embark on one of those resurgent runs so synonymous with the club under David Moyes but this time round, the Toffees have been quick out the blocks:

Baines, as always, has been one of the chief protagonists. With a clean sheet, assist and five Fantasy Premier League bonus points across his first three Gameweeks, the left-back’s form reflects his side’s surprise start, with Moyes’ men registering wins against United and Villa before a temporary blip at West Brom last Saturday. According to club captain Phil Neville, the Toffees’ fine form is down to a change in pre-season build-up by Moyes – whatever the reason may be, it brings Baines onto our radars ahead of a kind upcoming run of games for the Merseysiders.

Looking at the season ticker, Everton have, arguably, the strongest run of fixtures over the next couple of months, right the way through to Gameweek 13. Investment in the Toffees’ assets looks a definite tactic to consider, then, with (NEW, SOT, LIV, SUN, NOR) all rolling up to Goodison, while trips to the likes of Wigan, QPR and Reading all offer the potential of points.

Pricing also falls in Baines’ favour this time round. The left-back had a relatively average season by his own high standards last term, producing four goals and a couple of assists – bearing in mind he returned five goals and 11 assists in the 2010/11 campaign, it’s fair to say his attacking output took a significant dive. As a result, his starting price dropped from 8.0 last season to 7.0 in FPL, while in the Sky Sports game, his cost of 7.1 looks good value.

Already, we’ve seen Baines’ creativity supply chance after chance for his team mates – indeed, no other player in the Premier League currently matches him for goalscoring opportunities provided. With a share of corner kicks, in addition to being first in line for free-kicks and penalties, he offers far more than just clean sheet potential – with the likes of City and United failing to produce returns at the back, any highly priced defender who offers the potential of attacking returns looks all the more appealing in the current climate. If Nikica Jelavic or Marouane Fellaini can apply the finishing touches to Baines’ consistent left flank delivery, a bandwagon seems almost inevitable.

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paul

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  1. RD84
    • Reputation Level: Scout

    Hows this for a WC RMT

    Bego/Foster
    Reid/Rangel/Cuellar/Jenkinson/Rafael
    Hazard/Michu/Maloney/Cazorla/Guthrie(possibly Sterling)
    RVP/Tevez/Ade

    Would probably have 0.2-3 in the bank by the end of the week.

    Concerns: Midfield light and Jenkinson and Rafael not the greatest long term prospects...

    1. Caine & Co.
      • Reputation Level: Scout

      Baaaaaaaaaaaaad imo. Too crap defence, too expensive front, too mid

    2. PlayUpPompey
      • Reputation Level: Scout

      Looks good, I'd prefer Torres over Ade, Maybe swap Rafael to Gibbs and a 4.5 def for Jenkinson.

    3. Jesus of Navasreth
      • Reputation Level: Scout

      Good side, needs a bit of tweaking for balance. Rangel to Newcastle 5m, Rafael to Gibbs, Jenkinson to 4.5 or 5m with a good CS chance. Ade to Fletcher or Lambert or similarly or lesser priced strikers, possibly Petric, Pogrebnyak and keep an eye for Holt to start scoring.Maloney and Guthrie to Sterling and Nolan/Ramirez/Pienaar ( didn't work out your budget).

  2. Paolo Di Laernu - low rep r…
    • Reputation Level: Scout

    Repost because I am bored.

    The definition of boredom: Me thinking about putting a word between the abbreviated team names in FPL to make a well-known commonly used phrase.

    Can anyone guess what it is?

  3. GARETH BALE WELCOME TO MANC…
    • Reputation Level: Scout

    - NEW POST -

  4. mazzarscar...the wholy trin…
    • Reputation Level: Scout

    do you think fletcher is worth the 1 million over lambertYAY or NAY first five ..........

    1. Tommyboy
      • Reputation Level: Scout

      Nope

    2. taubstar
      • Reputation Level: Scout

      no

  6. De Gea Bar
    • Reputation Level: Scout

    Evening lads, WC team almost complete but a couple of decisions to make before I submit. Do I go for Maloney/Guthrie in mid considering performances so far and upcoming fixtures and which def shall I go for with same reasons in mind when I have £5.8m/£6.4m left over with one of the aforementioned mids in?

    1. Jesus of Navasreth
      • Reputation Level: Scout

      Depends on rest of your side. Go for Nolan/Ramirez or 6m range mid and 4.5- 5 m def with CS potential. Cuellar you might have already, Wilson is very decent for 4.5 m and good CS shout for most home games and a fair few away v so called weaker sides.

      1. De Gea Bar
        • Reputation Level: Scout

        Thanks mate. Nah, I don't have Cuellar and he wouldn't entered my thinking. Apart from the price and the fact, yes, he's in an occasionally solid back line esp. at home, I don't know why people are going gaga for him.

  7. Saint-Dutchie
    • Reputation Level: Scout

    So guys three weeks in....this is my team, thoughts?!

    Vorm / Davis

    Betrand / Jenkinson / Baines ( Demel / Clyne )

    Hazard / Kagawa / Michu / Toure ( Kacaniklic )

    RVP / Tevez / Petric

    Thanks.

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Scout Picks

Team of the Season 2012/13

  • Jääskeläinen
  • Baines
  • Vertonghen
  • Zabaleta
  • Davies
  • Walcott
  • Mata
  • Michu
  • Bale
  • Suárez
  • van Persie
  • Evra
  • Cazorla
  • Benteke

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    9 GMT »

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Hot Topics

Next Six Ticker

The Watchlist

Goalkeepers

Player Club Factors
No Change Hart MCI B, Vs
Up Cech CHE B, Vs
Up Robles WIG C, Vs, £
No Change Lloris TOT C, Vs
No Change Foster WBA C, Vs
No Change Vorm SWA C, Vs
No Change Mignolet SUN B, Vs
No Change De Gea MUN A
Up Boruc SOT B, Vs, £
No Change Jääskeläinen WHM A
No Change Begovic STO C
No Change Howard EVE A

Defenders

Player Club Factors
No Change Kompany MCI B, Vs, Rest
No Change Vertonghen TOT A, Vs, Rest
Up Luiz CHE A, Vs, Rest
No Change Baines EVE A
Up Boyce WIG C, Vs, OoP
Down Bassong NOR B, Vs
Up McAuley WBA C, Vs
Down Johnson LIV B
Up Jones MUN A
No Change Sagna ARS B
Up Huth STO C
No Change Cuéllar SUN B, Vs, £
No Change Rangel SWA C, Vs
Up Clyne SOT B, Vs, £

Midfielders

Player Club Factors
Up Bale TOT A, Vs
No Change Mata CHE C, Vs, Rest
Up Walcott ARS C, OoP
Up Hazard CHE B, Vs, Rest, Inj
Up Maloney WIG B, Vs, £
No Change Y Touré MCI B, Vs
No Change Silva MCI B, Vs, Inj
No Change Fellaini EVE C
No Change Coutinho LIV B
Up Morrison WBA C, Vs
Down Cazorla ARS C
No Change Snodgrass NOR B
Up Kagawa MUN B, Rest
Up Walters STO B
Down Lallana SOT C, Vs
Down Sissoko NEW C

Forwards

Player Club Factors
Up Tevez MCI A, Vs, Rest
Up Koné WIG B, Vs, £
Down van Persie MUN A, Vs
Up Sturridge LIV B
Up Lukaku WBA B, Vs, Rest
Up Benteke AVL A
Down Aguero MCI B, Vs, Inj
Up Rodriguez SOT A, Vs, £
Up Defoe TOT B, Vs, Rest
Down Lambert SOT C, Vs
Down Rooney MUN C
Up Carroll WHM A, VsX
Up Ba CHE C, Vs, Rest
Down Berbatov FUL C
Up Cissé NEW B
Down Remy QPR B

Selection Factors

A, B, C Current Form
Vs Favourable Fixtures
VsX Unfavourable Fixtures
Rest Rotation Risk
Inj Injured/Returning from Injury
OoP Out of Position
£ Potential Bargain
Sus Suspended/Near Suspension

“I love to attack and I love to go up front...It is a little more difficult than when you are playing centre-back. If you play the way that I want to play, I think my influence is better as a left-back. For the team, it is best that I play as a centre-back. I like to bring the ball out. You need to move the game quickly, and that is one of my qualities as well.”

Jan Vertonghen outlines what he feels is his best position for Andre Villas-Boas