This is largely how Marcelo is used for Real Madrid, and is a great example of playing different roles within different (better) teams like I mentioned. Marcelo isn't expected to pump crosses in to the box or score free kicks, he's expected to drag players out of position and over lap, creating space and allowing other players to exploit the space.
THe thing that is embarrassing is, Marcelo DOES put crosses into the box and he DOES take freekicks, yes even when Ronaldo is on the pitch, Ronaldo takes the first 34, then Marcelo gets to take 3, then Ronaldo gets the next 34. Ref's in La Liga help.
Both you and Baz are both suggesting Baines doesn't know how to run the overlap and never does so for Everton, balls, that he isn't pacey, balls, that the only player he has ever crossed to in his entire career is Fellani... balls.
Fellani in his entire time at Everton really only played as a striker for PARTS of last season, he's usually in midfield, most of Baines crosses haven't targetted fellani, he's not a high scorer and hasn't been a high scorer in his entire time.
Just because Baines CAN put a ball on Fellani's head, doesn't in any way mean he's incapable of whipping a low ball across the box, or cutting inside and playing a one two. Baines has infact scored goals in open play and absolutely isn't limited to crossing from 30 yards.
I think the bigger problem here is not people who don't watch Marcelo play, but those who have only seen a few highlights of Baines and only remember the most recent season and the biggest games in which Fellani happened to score. Baines wasn't as good last season as in previous seasons for one thing and Fellani is pretty crap, despite utter domination in the box he fluffed half his chances and gave away freekicks unnecessarily when he had a great chance.
Anyone who actually has watched Marcelo consistently knows he shoots a lot for a left back(55 shots in his highest scoring season vs around 33 in Baines... who scored a few more in his highest season than Marcelo). He offers very little, his crossing is poor, he generally just blasts the hell out of the ball, sure sometimes he puts in the perfect cross but usually not.
EDIT:- also this "player x suits team Y" thing is as irritating as the "he hasn't played against the top teams because he doesn't play in the champs league". Firstly Baines and Marcelo play left back, they get forward a lot to support offensive and are expected to get back and defend every attack the opposition has that they are capable of... they play the same position. Some left backs pass the ball then run up the field, others run the ball up the field, they are still playing left back. likewise suggesting(with no proof at all) that Baines is incapable of playing at all differently(whatever it is that makes both players different, which is... nothing, running passing moving, marking, crossing, shooting, etc, etc) at another club when another manager asks them to play another way.
RVP joined Arsenal as a Bergkamp style build up player, he played mostly on the wings in his first few years, then more as a support striker and for 3-4 years has played as an out and out striker scoring more. Fabregas played 7-8 years as a central mid, and has recently been playing as a striker for club and country... doesn't currently != can't.
For me Baines suits Real more than Marcelo because he's better going forward and better defensively making him a much better left back.
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