Baines eyes free-kick duties

[Mein blut ist blau]

http://www.premierleague.com/page/Headli...53,00.html

Leighton Baines has warned Everton team-mate Mikel Arteta he now expects to take his fair share of free-kicks.


The Toffees' defender staked a powerful claim for free-kick duties with an inch-perfect effort in the 1-1 Barclays Premier League draw at Tottenham Hotspur.

Baines' 17th-minute goal at White Hart Lane on Saturday was one of the best dead-ball strikes of the season, the left-back managing to get his 20-yard shot up and down over a wall containing the 6ft 7in Peter Crouch.

However, Baines would almost certainly have deferred to star midfielder Arteta had the Spaniard not been missing with a groin strain.
Arteta looks set to be fit for Saturday's match against Stoke City and Baines acknowledges his recall would mean a return to playing second fiddle in the free-kick stakes.

FAIR SHARE
But the 25-year-old is ready to make more of a case for himself to take them if they are better placed for a left-footer to hit.

Asked about the current arrangement, Baines said: "I don't know if there is an understanding as much as he just takes them.

"When we get over it, we discuss it, and Mikky ends up taking his fair share and I take a few as well.

"I wouldn't say either of us are massive specialists, so if one of us says we really fancy it then we leave it to each other. But hopefully I'll be able to take a few more."

Baines' goal on Saturday was his first in the league for 14 months and only the eighth of his entire career in all competitions.

"I've not scored a lot of goals but when I have scored they have tended to be memorable ones and that's another one for me really," he said.

"It was very nice for me to see it come down and end up in the back of the net and I'm very pleased with it."


And so he should,variety is the spice of life,as they say

[The Bastard]

Baines should be taking the corners as well, Arteta can't get it past the front post - same as Beckham, the most over-rated 'dead-ball specialist' in the world.

[Mein blut ist blau]

(10-25-2010 12:11 PM)The b****** Wrote:  Baines should be taking the corners as well, Arteta can't get it past the front post - same as Beckham, the most over-rated 'dead-ball specialist' in the world.

I was gonna make the Arteta for Everton /beckham for everyone comparison.......although in fairness to 'teta,he does "delegate" at times.

[Ryan]

Baines corners looked much more dangerous against Spurs.

[Lumbo]

Arteta's inability to get the ball past the first man is frustrating but the fact that Baines scored his first goal in 14 months (he's taken plenty of frees in that time), isn't the answer. We should do a double loan deal on beckam/Donavan.

[The Bastard]

You're on speed.

[Lumbo]

I was very drunk last night