Everton Further Depleted by Baines Injury

Everton were only able to register a first-team squad of 18 (out of a possible 25) players. Their financial crisis has seen them sell their best midfielder, Mikel Arteta; their starting striker, Jermaine Beckford; and sell or loan bit-part (but experienced Premier League campaigners) Yakubu and Yobo.  Now comes the news that Leighton Baines is out of the England squad with a hamstring injury and Victor Anichebe (who would stand to inherit Beckford's place) doubtful with a groin injury.

This could put immediate pressure on new arrivals Royston Drenthe at left back (rather than his expected left midfield), and Denis Stracqualarsi at striker.  As I mentioned below, Aston Villa @ Everton is probably a stay-away fantasy match. However, it might be worth an investment in the respective club's defences as a drab stalemate seems a likely option.

Season Preview - Everton

Quick Reminder, Real Life

Stop me if you’ve read this before but Everton didn’t start out the season particularly well. Shocking, I know. This time around, it took them a little longer to revert to being a top half team but they got there eventually with a late charge up the table well after there was any chance of them challenging for a Europa Cup spot. Still, they finished 7th in the table which is something for a team that hasn’t spent much money on their squad in a few years. Throw in the injuries to key players like Mikel Arteta, Marouane Fellaini, and Louis Saha (although the latter’s frequent absences can hardly be considered a surprise at this point). Of note during the season, Leighton Baines continued to be exceptional going forward while being a very solid defender on the left. Tim Cahill did what he always does with a brief injury interruption. Jermaine Beckford took a while to adapt to the Prem but ended the season with solid goal numbers that belied the reputation he earned early as “in over his head”. Finally, Seamus Coleman moved into a more regular starting role - split between right midfield and right back - and played pretty well.

Quick Reminder, Fantasy

Baines was an absolute stud with 5 goals and 11 assists and a ton of phantom points for the formats that count those sorts of things. Coleman was the unquestioned value play in the squad since he was listed as a defender but played in midfield more often than anywhere else increasing his chances at both attacking and defending points. Quietly, Osman had a nice run of starts in a more advanced role and good fantasy production late in the season that reminded us that he can be a valuable player if injuries provide an opportunity for regular starts. On the down side, Tim Howard (incredibly inconsistent as a fantasy keeper) and Arteta (not as productive as he used to be and still just as expensive) were disappointing to fantasy managers who fondly remember better seasons from both in the past.

Summer Changes

Analysis: Ba to NUFC

While Jeremy is our resident NUFC supporter, he is out of pocket this week so I'm going to take over with my thoughts on the transfer of Demba Ba from WHU to St. James' Park.  Taken as a move by itself, there is little to do other than like it a lot.  NUFC is desperate for strikers and Ba was very effective over the second half of last season at Upton Park.  If he can stay healthy, I don't have any trouble seeing him match the goal total of the man he is, in essence, replacing - Andy Carroll. 

What could go wrong with this move? A couple of things:

Baines a target for Manchester City

...while Alexander Kolarov has convinced few so a new left-back might come in, possibly Leighton Baines.

What a strange, strange statement. I wonder if it gave Football365.com the same pause to write that as I took in reading it?

Don't get me wrong - Baines has been great the last few years (and before that it was his play at Wigan that got him the big move to Everton in the first place). But a move to Manchester City is dictated by so much more than football. Is Baines really the sexy signing that will catapult City through the Champions League? I just can't imagine the brass at City are looking to Baines to solid up the team.

Not that they shouldn't... I just can't imagine that they would.

Season Preview: Everton

Overall Outlook - I'll start the preview with the fact that I like Everton.  They have a quality team that tries to play entertaining football.  They manage their team within a budget that is supported by the revenue the club can generate.  They have a few of my favorite players in Tim Howard and Mikel Arteta and gave credibility to Landon Donovan's career which previous had "big fish in a small pond" written all over it.  It pains me to say this but last season was about as good as it is going to get for Everton in the current Premier League climate.  They'll likely finish somewhere between 6th and 9th depending on how Liverpool, Villa, Citeh, and Spurs perform against talent and expectations.  The chances of them taking the next step up the table when even a player like Donovan is out of their financial reach seems pretty slim.  Basically, expect more of the same from Everton unless something dramatic happens.

Samuel signs on with the Trotters

Jlloyd Samuel has become Sammy Lee's first signing as Bolton manager after the left-back agreed a free transfer from Aston Villa.The 26-year-old defender will join the club on July 1 on a four-year deal.

Is this the end of the Ricardo Gardner era? Or another situation where Jloyd finds himself struggling to get a place in the side? Before his injury problems, Jlloyd was a very productive fantasy defender. The blog is hoping that he can regain that sort of form, though we're surprised that Bolton was his destination.



I guess this makes Baines to Newcastle ever more likely. Unless Bolton were resigned to losing the Jamaican international to the Barcodes. Hmmmm.... This is how transfer rumours get started, you know?