Season › 2016-17 › News Baines wants to restore 'Fortress Goodison' Lyndon Lloyd Saturday, 3 December, 2016 7comments | Jump to most recent In a wide-ranging and in-depth interview with the Mail's Ian Ladyman, Leighton Baines talks about Everton, the image of modern-day footballers, music, his new hobby of photography and his hopes of making the Blues' home somewhere for opposition fans to fear again. He also explains that his biggest regret is that the club hasn't been more successful during his decade at Everton but that there is still time and he hopes to earn a contract extension next summer. Reader Comments (7) Note: the following content is not moderated or vetted by the site owners at the time of submission. Comments are the responsibility of the poster. Disclaimer Oscar Huglin 1 Posted 05/12/2016 at 15:14:55 Good stuff. Alan McGuffog 2 Posted 05/12/2016 at 15:29:30 And this would have been when exactly? Tony Abrahams 3 Posted 05/12/2016 at 15:59:01 I also hope you get a contract extension, Leighton. I think you are playing well enough, but you have very high standards to attain too, and for this reason, many people are saying that you are past your best.Getting on you might be, but you still amaze me with your energy, and you even managed a great clearance with your head that stopped a great chance for Man Utd in the first half yesterday.Once we went to a 4-4-2, and you had somebody to play with, I thought you offered us loads more going forward, and I thought you and Gueye were the players who tried to press most, to interrupt United's possession game yesterday.Not much loyalty in football anymore, and even less it seems genuine nice guys. This might have cost you in the past with regards to international caps, but who gives a shite about playing for England anyway? Just stop the fucking cross, will yer, Bainesy lad! Gary Russell 4 Posted 05/12/2016 at 16:34:29 I've always been quite shocked by the adoration of Leighton's defensive skills. He's a left midfielder if anything, and all this talk of being the best left back blah blah is fucking deluded. Nice guy and all that, he is not and never has been a top defender. His demise is getting obvious as the weeks roll by. He wont put his body on the line or get close to his mark and shadows without effect. Gone, history. That's my feeling. Talking of which, feeling needs to be brutal sometimes and hanging on to sentiment is not what it's about. Respect is a two-way deal... players sometime need to stand up and say, "Shite, that's it, I'm not up to it anymore." Not an easy ask when ya making in one week what most of us make in a year. Trevor Lynes 5 Posted 08/12/2016 at 17:16:35 I honestly believe that Leighton could replace Barry as a defensive midfielder. He is still quite quick, always very fit, and is an intelligent player. If we signed a left back with experience and pace I reckon Baines would thrive playing further forward.Perhaps Holgate is another who would benefit from a 4-4-2 system. If we play Valencia up front with Lukaku in this system I reckon big Rom would benefit. Unfortunately Barkley is proving an enigma as none of his managers seem to know either his best position or the way to get the best out of him. I would see him more as an impact sub as his stamina is suspect.I would like to try Coleman, Williams, Jagielka and Holgate in defence with Deulofeu, Gana, Baines and Mirallas in midfield and Valencia and Lukaku up front. Subs would be; Robles, McCarthy, Funes Mori, Barry, Barkley, Davies, Lennon and young Calvert-Lewin in the wings waiting his chance.At present the manager has very few alternatives to the starting team with absolutely no potency up front if Lukaku is tightly marked. Without Lukaku firing regularly we are very limited. Barry is becoming a bit of a liability with all the yellow cards. Damian Wilde 6 Posted 10/12/2016 at 13:29:17 Baines is average. Paul Kossoff 7 Posted 12/12/2016 at 02:06:05 Baines is not the player he was, he's slowed down, doesn't close attackers, let's the crosses come in while he does that puny ballet twist with his leg in the air. Contract extension? No, sorry, Leighton, not this time, and on your way out, take Jags and Williams with you. Add Your Comments In order to post a comment, you need to be logged in as a registered user of the site. » Log in now Or Sign up as a ToffeeWeb Member — it's free, takes just a few minutes and will allow you to post your comments on articles and Talking Points submissions across the site. About these ads