Despite nominally being a left-back, Leighton Baines was always likely to be a problem for Queens Park Rangers on Sunday. Adam Bate looks at how Mark Hughes tried to cope with the threat of the Everton player.
Tuesday 23 October 2012 09:55, UK
Adam Bate looks at how Mark Hughes deployed Park Ji-sung to stop Leighton Baines.
Everton boss David Moyes had been emphatic in his praise of Leighton Baines in his team's 2-2 draw at Wigan before the international break. The England left-back produced yet another influential performance and capped it with the equalising penalty late on. "Leighton was extraordinary for us," said the Everton manager. "At times he was unstoppable - he was that good. Leighton has been a big asset for us for a long time." Moyes added: "His performance was up there as good as anything. We needed it and he drove us on." Using the word 'unstoppable' is always a risk. Queens Park Rangers Mark Hughes would have been well aware that Baines is indeed a player that drives Everton on. And it was evident that he had given some thought to combating the threat at Loftus Road on Sunday. The QPR boss brought in Junior Hoilett for Shaun Wright-Phillips in a change to the team that had lost 3-2 at West Brom in their previous Premier League game. But the switch saw Park Ji-sung move to the right flank - up against Baines. The phrase 'defending from the front' may seem trite but Park personifies it. "Ji plays always for the team, never for himself," said former boss Sir Alex Ferguson. "He's never been an individual and he's always been able to identify and execute the roles we give to him. He has tremendous ability to tackle, which is strange for a forward. Ji's a fantastic tackler." Ferguson was often keen to use Park in the biggest games for Manchester United and it was clear that Hughes had earmarked his captain for a key role in stifling Baines. And while the 31-year-old may not have the energy that was once a hallmark of his game, he achieved that feat better than any other player has this season.Date | Opponent | Successful Passes, Final third |
20/08/12 | Manchester United | 10 |
25/08/12 | Aston Villa | 26 |
01/09/12 | West Bromwich Albion | 15 |
17/09/12 | Newcastle United | 18 |
22/09/12 | Swansea City | 25 |
29/09/12 | Southampton | 15 |
06/10/12 | Wigan Athletic | 25 |
21/10/12 | Queens Park Rangers | 9 |