Baines: Playing in midfield stimulated me
Everton left-back Leighton Baines says that playing in midfield this season has stimulated him as he liked trying something new.
The England international played in a central midfield role against Hull City and Newcastle United and says that he enjoyed the experience but he was learning on the job as he hadn’t even trained there before he was put there.
“Roberto told me on the day (that I would be playing there).
“It was fine and we did it at Hull in the second-half. It is brand new and it is about getting your bearings. I am used to playing in a position where the game is in front of me so it is new but it’s not something we had been working on or have been. I’m not sure if it will come up again in the future or not, I’ve no idea really, but I don’t mind.
“I enjoyed the experience. I am always stimulated by that sort of thing and trying something new.
“But that is all well and good but if you’re not doing it well then you don’t want to be in there.”
Baines added: “When we had briefly spoken about it he saw it as something I could potentially do.
“I ended up setting up a goal for Kevin (Mirallas) with a forward pass and I think that is what he was thinking and together with me having that degree of defensive intensity, because I am used to getting to people.
“You can see where the logic is with it but it was a case of learning on the job.”
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