A set of unfortunate quotes from Leighton Baines in a recent club interview have sent Everton fans into meltdown once more given frustrations at life under manager Sam Allardyce.
Fresh on the heels of Sunday’s social media antics concerning Morgan Schneiderlin – FANS MOCK EVERTON MIDFIELDER’S SWANSEA COMMENTS – APRIL FOOL’S GONE – his comments about his own form and how he felt the Everton players had shown fans their ‘desire’ in the Swansea draw, unfortunately, the club have gone and done it again, giving us a hot topic from Monday.
💬 | "@YannickBolasie has had a few good performances recently – he's set up a few goals and scored as well. He is someone you have to allow to go and express himself."
Baines on a new left-sided partnership 👉🏼 https://t.co/a1lQhryFx6 pic.twitter.com/3d7hQl8wHN
— Everton (@Everton) April 16, 2018
The interview in question – Click Here – saw Baines praise Yannick Bolasie for his performances since returning from a long-term injury. There was nothing intrinsically wrong with his words but with the current frustration for some amongst the fanbase, well it’s a red rag to a bull.
The main gripe came from Baines making comments along the lines of letting Bolasie ‘go and express himself’. But with five successive starts in recent times, the full-back was not wrong in saying.
“When you have that type of injury it is always going to take you a bit of time to get back up and running and get your legs back under you. He has started to do that and is someone I know, that if I give him the ball, I just have to support him from behind. He is good to play with. He is always a threat for us and keeps the opposition full-backs busy. He has had a few good performances, set up a few goals and scored as well.”
Baines also commented that with games under his belt his confidence would naturally rise and then we’d see the best of him once more.
Support for his teammate and on the face of it, perfectly sensible. For fans though, football is emotion based.
Hahahahahahahahhahahahahahahahahahah! Bring back Lookman
— Matt Vicary (@Vicaz22) April 16, 2018
https://twitter.com/evertonian1987/status/985812997812686848
I like the guy and it’s great how he came back from such a bad injury however he just isn’t good enough for what we need
— ian 🤠 (@IanPam7) April 16, 2018
Everton PR campaigns are so obvious.
— Harry Wallace 🇺🇦 (@BlueKnight1878) April 16, 2018
He must mean in training. Apparently the whole squad are world class in training yet about as good as a pub team when it comes to actual competitive games.
— Andy (@AndyNotSoHandy) April 16, 2018
Very diplomatic Leighton.
— Adam (@AdHunter1984) April 16, 2018
I just wish he would do it. Bolasie has the talent to do it so please show us what you've got. #EFC
— Peter Papadopoulos (@PeterPapadopo11) April 16, 2018
I'd like to see Yannick try a more simple approach as he can be a bit too clever for his own good sometimes. It's wrong for fans to write him off in this season of all seasons though, after returning from injury.
— UTFT (@GlumEvertonian) April 16, 2018
Those were the politer responses. Others weren’t as forgiving.
Me looking for bolasies good games pic.twitter.com/tQiCvEyNd2
— Liam Fitzpatrick (@LiamFitzy9) April 16, 2018
https://twitter.com/drewsergison/status/985802986843668480
https://twitter.com/joshjkellett/status/985837949181771777
https://twitter.com/Dean_Ferguson1/status/985861731657371653
Hahaha this has to be some kind of joke ????
— matt jones (@beanoefcjones) April 16, 2018
When? He didn’t even look like a professional football in the derby! We should of got Zaha! Yannick isn’t on the level!
— Tom Knox (@knoxie1985) April 16, 2018
https://twitter.com/vaughanieno10/status/985997729464750080
https://twitter.com/mikehEFC/status/985821700221698048
https://twitter.com/mikehEFC/status/985847141347348480
Jesus Christ.
First schneiderlin now Bolasie.
Both have been shite.— mark jones (@markyj1878) April 16, 2018
Just don’t tweet until next season please
— Liam ☭ (@LiamEFC8) April 16, 2018
With Bolasie certainly not back at his best it’s difficult to write him off just yet, but with feelings so high the club can’t keep giving fans ammunition as they will use it until spirits rise.
Everton are far from alone in misjudging the time of an interview but two in two days could be a new Premier League record.