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United boss Fergie wants £15m Baines over Cole... And here's why - stats show Leighton is Europe's best left-back
By Sami Mokbel
PUBLISHED: 17:45 EST, 26 November 2012 | UPDATED: 07:12 EST, 27 November 2012
Sir Alex Ferguson will revive his interest in Everton defender Leighton Baines after conceding defeat in his move for Ashley Cole.
The Manchester United manager has made the acquisition of a new left-back a top priority, despite the capture of Alexander Buttner in August.
Everton star Baines heads Ferguson's list and Sportsmail has discovered why.
The England star, 27, is the top performing left-back in European football (since August 2012) - according to evidence revealed today.
He is No 1 in all categories except tackling. But who needs to tackle when you're such a potent attacking threat?
Fergie favourite: Everton and England left-back Leighton Baines (right)
Stats provider Opta have ranked Baines first in three out of four categories (see table below).
TOP LEFT-BACKS IN EUROPEAN FOOTBALL (since Aug 2010)
PLAYER Games played Mins played Assists
Baines, Leighton (Everton).........84.............................. 7560..............................15
Cole, Ashley (Chelsea)...............81........................ ......7163..............................10
Alba, Jordi (Barcelona)................70..................... ........4868.................................8
Lahm, Philipp (Bayern)................78........................ .....6919.................................8
Evra, Patrice (Man Utd)................84............................ .7280.................................6
Clichy, Gaël (Man City).................71.......................... ...6255.................................6
Fábio Coentrão (Real Madrid)...24.............................1575..... ............................3
PLAYER Minutes Played Chances created Mins per chance created
Baines, Leighton................7560...................... ....191.......................................39.6
Fábio Coentrão..................1575................... ..........21...................................... .75.0
Evra, Patrice........................7280............... .............85................................... .....85.6
Cole, Ashley........................7163................ ............76.................................... ....94.3
Lahm, Philipp.....................6919.................. ..........71...................................... ..97.5
Alba, Jordi...........................4868.............. ..............47.................................. ....103.6
Clichy, Gaël.........................6255................ ............53.................................... ..118.0
PLAYER Games Crosses Crosses per game
Baines, Leighton.....................84................... ......514........................................6 .1
Clichy, Gaël..............................71............. .............220.................................. ......3.1
Lahm, Philipp..........................78............... ...........206.................................... ....2.6
Evra, Patrice.............................84............ .............215.................................. .......2.6
Cole, Ashley.............................81............. ............197................................... ......2.4
Alba, Jordi................................70........... ...............131................................ ........1.9
Fábio Coentrão.......................24................ ............39.................................... ....1.6
PLAYER Games Tackles Tackles per game
Clichy, Gaël.............................71.............. .............204.................................. .....2.9
Cole, Ashley............................81.............. .............216.................................. .....2.7
Evra, Patrice............................84............. ..............221................................. .....2.6
Fábio Coentrão......................24................. ............63.................................... ...2.6
Alba, Jordi...............................70............ ...............144................................ .......2.1
Lahm, Philipp.........................78................ ...........155.................................... ...2.0
Baines, Leighton...................84..................... ......164.......................................2. 0
Baines' performance in Saturday's 1-1 draw with Norwich was also monitored by Opta and these heat maps (below) show how the Everton left-back touched the ball much more than his England rival Ashley Cole did against Manchester City on Sunday - and he did so in more advanced areas.
Baines received more possession than Cole and he did so in the final two-thirds of the pitch.
Baines v Norwich: The more intense the colour (red), the more touches Baines took in that area of the pitch
CHELSEA GOAL MAN CITY GOAL
Cole v Man City: No red colour for Cole shows he was in possession far less than Baines and in much less advanced positions when he did get the ball
Ferguson remains keen to replace Patrice Evra - and as revealed by Sportsmail last month, joined the race to land Cole, whose contract expires at the end of the season, from Chelsea.
But it is looking increasingly likely that Cole will team-up with former boss Carlo Ancelotti at Paris St Germain ahead of next season.
Old king Cole: Ashley Cole, 31 (right), challenges for the ball with City's James Milner, who kept the Chelsea full-back relatively quiet on Sunday
WHY BAINES MAY BE THE PERFECT FIT FOR FERGIE...
Aside from being an outstanding defender, he is also Everton's chief creator of chances and the best set piece taker at the club. Everton, simply, cannot be without him. The same might also be true for England.
When Baines started progressing for Everton, the dearth of talent behind Ashley Cole meant it was inevitable he would one day get selected for national service but now Baines looks like he belongs.
Significantly, he knows it too.
The confidence and belief he has is reflected in the way he is performing.
His left-foot is like a magic wand, bending and fizzing in a succession of balls to Everton's forwards.
And United are reviving their interest in England international Baines, a player they spent much of the summer courting.
Ferguson felt Everton’s £15million valuation of Baines was a price too high, but the Old Trafford club want to re-open negotiations with the Toffees.
David Moyes will be loathe to lose the 27-year-old, who has been one of Everton’s players of the season.
But a big enough offer could be enough to tempt the Goodison Park club into selling the impressive defender.
Meanwhile, Moyes is lining up a move for former Sunderland keeper Craig Gordon.
The Scot has been without a club since his Stadium of Light contract expired over the summer.
Moyes wants competition for current first-choice Tim Howard, and has contacted the 29-year-old’s representatives regarding a free-transfer.
England expects: Baines (far right) and Ashley Cole (second left) join Theo Walcott (left), Wayne Rooney (centre) and James Milner on international duty last
Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/foo...#ixzz2DSU2QVIp
Follow us: @MailOnline on Twitter | DailyMail on Facebook
United boss Fergie wants £15m Baines over Cole... And here's why - stats show Leighton is Europe's best left-back
By Sami Mokbel
PUBLISHED: 17:45 EST, 26 November 2012 | UPDATED: 07:12 EST, 27 November 2012
Sir Alex Ferguson will revive his interest in Everton defender Leighton Baines after conceding defeat in his move for Ashley Cole.
The Manchester United manager has made the acquisition of a new left-back a top priority, despite the capture of Alexander Buttner in August.
Everton star Baines heads Ferguson's list and Sportsmail has discovered why.
The England star, 27, is the top performing left-back in European football (since August 2012) - according to evidence revealed today.
He is No 1 in all categories except tackling. But who needs to tackle when you're such a potent attacking threat?
Fergie favourite: Everton and England left-back Leighton Baines (right)Stats provider Opta have ranked Baines first in three out of four categories (see table below).
TOP LEFT-BACKS IN EUROPEAN FOOTBALL (since Aug 2010)
PLAYER Games played Mins played Assists
Baines, Leighton (Everton).........84.............................. 7560..............................15
Cole, Ashley (Chelsea)...............81........................ ......7163..............................10
Alba, Jordi (Barcelona)................70..................... ........4868.................................8
Lahm, Philipp (Bayern)................78........................ .....6919.................................8
Evra, Patrice (Man Utd)................84............................ .7280.................................6
Clichy, Gaël (Man City).................71.......................... ...6255.................................6
Fábio Coentrão (Real Madrid)...24.............................1575..... ............................3
PLAYER Minutes Played Chances created Mins per chance created
Baines, Leighton................7560...................... ....191.......................................39.6
Fábio Coentrão..................1575................... ..........21...................................... .75.0
Evra, Patrice........................7280............... .............85................................... .....85.6
Cole, Ashley........................7163................ ............76.................................... ....94.3
Lahm, Philipp.....................6919.................. ..........71...................................... ..97.5
Alba, Jordi...........................4868.............. ..............47.................................. ....103.6
Clichy, Gaël.........................6255................ ............53.................................... ..118.0
PLAYER Games Crosses Crosses per game
Baines, Leighton.....................84................... ......514........................................6 .1
Clichy, Gaël..............................71............. .............220.................................. ......3.1
Lahm, Philipp..........................78............... ...........206.................................... ....2.6
Evra, Patrice.............................84............ .............215.................................. .......2.6
Cole, Ashley.............................81............. ............197................................... ......2.4
Alba, Jordi................................70........... ...............131................................ ........1.9
Fábio Coentrão.......................24................ ............39.................................... ....1.6
PLAYER Games Tackles Tackles per game
Clichy, Gaël.............................71.............. .............204.................................. .....2.9
Cole, Ashley............................81.............. .............216.................................. .....2.7
Evra, Patrice............................84............. ..............221................................. .....2.6
Fábio Coentrão......................24................. ............63.................................... ...2.6
Alba, Jordi...............................70............ ...............144................................ .......2.1
Lahm, Philipp.........................78................ ...........155.................................... ...2.0
Baines, Leighton...................84..................... ......164.......................................2. 0
Baines' performance in Saturday's 1-1 draw with Norwich was also monitored by Opta and these heat maps (below) show how the Everton left-back touched the ball much more than his England rival Ashley Cole did against Manchester City on Sunday - and he did so in more advanced areas.
Baines received more possession than Cole and he did so in the final two-thirds of the pitch.
HEAT MAPS: Show Baines and Cole in possession at the weekend....
(The more intense the colour - dark red the most intense - the more they touch the ball in that area of the pitch)
EVERTON GOALNORWICH GOAL(The more intense the colour - dark red the most intense - the more they touch the ball in that area of the pitch)
Baines v Norwich: The more intense the colour (red), the more touches Baines took in that area of the pitchCHELSEA GOAL MAN CITY GOAL
Cole v Man City: No red colour for Cole shows he was in possession far less than Baines and in much less advanced positions when he did get the ballFerguson remains keen to replace Patrice Evra - and as revealed by Sportsmail last month, joined the race to land Cole, whose contract expires at the end of the season, from Chelsea.
But it is looking increasingly likely that Cole will team-up with former boss Carlo Ancelotti at Paris St Germain ahead of next season.
Old king Cole: Ashley Cole, 31 (right), challenges for the ball with City's James Milner, who kept the Chelsea full-back relatively quiet on SundayWHY BAINES MAY BE THE PERFECT FIT FOR FERGIE...
Aside from being an outstanding defender, he is also Everton's chief creator of chances and the best set piece taker at the club. Everton, simply, cannot be without him. The same might also be true for England.
When Baines started progressing for Everton, the dearth of talent behind Ashley Cole meant it was inevitable he would one day get selected for national service but now Baines looks like he belongs.
Significantly, he knows it too.
The confidence and belief he has is reflected in the way he is performing.
His left-foot is like a magic wand, bending and fizzing in a succession of balls to Everton's forwards.
DOMINIC KING
And United are reviving their interest in England international Baines, a player they spent much of the summer courting.
Ferguson felt Everton’s £15million valuation of Baines was a price too high, but the Old Trafford club want to re-open negotiations with the Toffees.
David Moyes will be loathe to lose the 27-year-old, who has been one of Everton’s players of the season.
But a big enough offer could be enough to tempt the Goodison Park club into selling the impressive defender.
Meanwhile, Moyes is lining up a move for former Sunderland keeper Craig Gordon.
The Scot has been without a club since his Stadium of Light contract expired over the summer.
Moyes wants competition for current first-choice Tim Howard, and has contacted the 29-year-old’s representatives regarding a free-transfer.
England expects: Baines (far right) and Ashley Cole (second left) join Theo Walcott (left), Wayne Rooney (centre) and James Milner on international duty last Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/foo...#ixzz2DSU2QVIp
Follow us: @MailOnline on Twitter | DailyMail on Facebook
Paul Marin -19 is one thing, 20 is a whole other matter. It gets even worse if they win the UCL. *groan*. 
05/18/2011.MU fans naah cough, but all a unuh a vomit?-Lazie 1/11/2015
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