Baines deserves England spot on merit

Leighton Baines is expected to remain as England's left-back for the upcoming internationals.

England face San Marino at Wembley on Friday and then travel to Warsaw to face Poland on Tuesday night.

Chelsea's Ashley Cole is expected to report for England duty this week, but he's doing his best to talk himself out of an opportunity to win his 100th cap for England.

Not just content with calling the Football Association a 'bunch of tw**s' following the recent John Terry racism case, he's since lashed out at former England captain Alan Shearer who spoke on Match Of The Day and gave his personal view that Cole should be suspended.

Cole retorted 'I want his opinion on bans for kicking Neil Lennon in the head. #GlassHouses.' a comment clearly aimed at an incident that took place 14 years ago, where Shearer was found not guilty.

But while all the talk is of punishing Cole by dropping him for England, recent performances enough should see Ashley Cole dropped in favour of Leighton Baines on form alone!

Obviously we're biased here, but its not just us Evertonians who are thinking among similar lines.

'Without a doubt, he's the best left-back in the league, He`s up and down all game, he provides great quality in an attacking sense and gets back and provides cover for his defenders.

"He`s the one player in their team you would target, When the left-back is their most attacking player, that shows you he must be doing something right.' Wigan Athletic captain Gary Caldwell told the Mirror.

He added: "He`s also in the England team. He played the last game when Ashley Cole was out and he`s pushing for that place again."

Everton gaffer David Moyes described Baines's performance against Wigan as extraordinary: 'Leighton Baines was at the heart of everything we did, I thought he was extraordinary.'

So will he continue to hold on to that England shirt come Friday?

The man himself said "I`ve been in and around squads for a while and started the last few games as well, which helps. I feel comfortable in the squad. Hopefully I can keep playing well for Everton and keep getting called up."

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