Oztoffee

We are suffering from a grandiose idea that our players are something special. A look at any TV fixture will tell you that most of the team are average and some slightly more so, some slightly less. There is not one stand out player that we could say truthfully (without the blinkers on)that is top class. Attack, midfield or defence most of our team are at best second tier against the likes of City and Chelsea players. Yes, I know that we're not able to afford the top players, so why do so many on here expect those sort of performances? Very few of Everton's side ever play at their full potential, most only a few times a season. Most players have average games and the odd stinker, unfortunately the stinkers happen when other players have their stinker too. Result...pick any game this season against a lower-placed side. Some players play at a constant level, Stones for instance who hardly puts a foot wrong. Baines and Coleman however are great players on their day, but cracks are showing in their games, Coleman is in and out of form and Baines often looks like he'd rather be somewhere else. We need some wholesale changes, either of players or attitude to achieve anything remotely resembling a good team. Shit, even the likes of Stoke and Swansea have better attitudes than Everton and there would be few supporters of this club who would say thet either of them were better teams.

You said everything I wanted to say....only better.

In what way Paddock?

Oh dear! I fear that Rom is a 20 mill plus version of Anichebe. As all have said, his ball control is atrocious, at least Anichebe never suffered there. Rom is playing back-to-goal like Anichebe did and just pushing the ball back to where it came from. He has little vision and a complete lack of awareness of what's going on around him. As a goalscorer he's excellent but getting no service so finds himself as "the man on the wing" pushed out by defenders who know exactly how to play him and unseen and forgotten by his team mates. He knows how to score goals and little else and has little to contribute to the team. A player that cost 5-6 mill could fill his shoes easily and do a better job too. Martinez needs to find a way to get Rom into the game to give us 11 players instead of the 10 and a passenger that we currently have. That said, the whole team attitude, shape and tactics need a comprehensive overhaul. Martinez needs to step up next year....10 games tops to see whether he can cut it.

Sorry guys, I'm about to join "the Barkley is crap club". Many on here are calling to play him for an extended time to give him confidence. Against Sunderland he was virtually absent for the whole of the second half apart from giving the ball away on a number of occasions when he was too slow to look for a pass, or he looked for a pass and didn't pass and got caught. He was marginally better in the first half when he didn't get caught in possession so much but didn't go forward at all and when he had the chances too, he stopped, looked around and took the ball backward. Will someone please tell me why we should play him when there are young players in the club who certainly could do no worse? Honest to god I've seen West Cheshire League lads who would acquit themselves as well if not better. At least they'd be trying to achieve something rather than just hold possession (which Barkly isn't doing so well at anyway). Look I'm no expert here, just a guy who has watched football for 60 years and I know a good player when I see one, but I don't see one there. I see someone who's so afraid to make a mistake, he creates them himself and hasn't got the vision to try to penetrate a defence without falling over spectacularly and stupidly claiming a penalty.

Did I see the same game? Yes we were all over them like a rash, but FFS you still need to want to win, and we didn't. We were ineffectual in their penalty area nobody wanted to run at them, nobody seriously had a good attempt at trying to penetrate the bus they parked in their area. And most of all, Sunderland were the more entertaining side. We were dire and made Sunderland look good. We only came to life after their first goal, why do we do this all the time? We coast along at half speed and half-arsed until we're one down and then we come out to play....too F'in late! We don't play like that against the better teams, we're in from the kick-off: so why do we play so crap and seemingly without a plan against the lower-ranked sides? I'm so over this shit, Martinez makes Moyes look really good. Don't tell me it's the players' fault either, it's the manager's job to motivate the team and here he has failed as nobody else has who has managed the blues. Sick as a dog over this shit. My wife says I should support another team(!) I can't do that but this crap they're dealing out will send me to an early grave. I'm 68, so I can't afford to watch any more of this half-inspired, sideways, don't give a shit attitude by players who are paid way above their talent.

I think that those who oppose his going should look at the bigger picture. If Roberto stays you have to understand that if we're relegated (and it's quite possible) we play in the Championship. The TV rights from the Prem are lost. We couldn't afford to pay the players the same as they are now and would probably lose 8 or 10 of the squad. On that basis we'd be in the second tier for a considerable time and perhaps end up like many of the 2 seasons up and one down teams like QPR, Palace and Hull. So be very careful how you look at this question, it's the whole immediate future of the club at stake here, not just "give Bobby a go until the end of the season". There may not be a next season (in the Prem)or for some time afterwards. Would you bet your house on the premise that Bobby will pull us through? You're asking the board to do just that. LOOK AT THE BIG PICTURE>>>>PLEASE!! I'm voting YES!

Yeah and he was relegated in the same season. The end of season may be too late to stop the rot....we could be playing in the Championship next year! If we're gonna let him go, it has to now!

If any on here think that we are not in a relegation battle they are sadly deluded. Sure, we are 6 points ahead....that's 2 losses. Will we win or draw all our remaining games? I think it's unlikely: FFS we can hardly string 2 0-0 draws together and the teams below us? We used to say "Villa, there's 3 points in the bag", it would be a brave man who would bet on that these days. The teams who are immediately above us were also targets for ridicule for years, West Brom, Palace and Newcastle. How far have we fallen?

Just read that a little too fast. Could have sworn you wrote 'I already have 2 big trannies'. Conjured up a lot of pictures in my mind I can tell you....good or scary depending on your point of view I guess!

Having left Merseyside in 1974 and not seeing anything of British football until FoxSport was operating here from about 1996 or so, I've not seen any of the bad years of the 80's when were really relegation fodder. Are the Blues better now than then? Of course I realise that the players are much better/faster etc now, but I feel that today's side are not playing together and they are certainly not entertaining to watch in any way. I remember someone on here at Martinez's signing saying that we'll concede lots and score lots, but it will be great entertainment! Sorry, 1 out of 3 is pretty poor. What think you all? Better or worse than the 80's?

Agree with much of what you say. McGeady was quite dangerous yesterday I thought. Don't understand why he went off to be replaced by Pienaar who did practically nothing, indeed spent a lot of time back-passing. He certainly hasn't recovered the form he had before he went to White Hart Lane and his injury has made him an average Championship player at best.

Finally back to something like his old self. I like it.

Extremely wasteful of opportunities today and gave the ball away.......I lost count at 12! TV commentator hit it on the head really..."when he scores it's easy to overlook his many shortcomings. It's just like papering over the cracks". Too true.

Thought he has a good game today. Thrown in at the deep end and out of position, he fitted in well considering. Worth a start at Krasnador for sure.

Glad I at least made the bench. If not, I would have had to go into the U-21s I wouldn't have got onto the paddock before kick-off. By the time I got on, they'd all be heading off for half time and we may just pass like ships in the night when they come out for the second half. At least my reputation will be intact.... never lost a game with me on the field

I thought we would do this one. Even with changes. I thought there was more than enough in that starting 11 to get 3 points. But I guess this weekend shows why the Premiership is THE No.1 league in the world....West ham 3 - Liverpool 1, Spurs 0 - WBA 1, Leicester 5 - Utd 3...and this. It's going to be another tight run for most of the season. Seems as though it was destined to be one of those weekends.....no excuses though, by and large we were crap. I honestly thought we played with more verve and determination at 1-3 than at any other time. It makes me wonder how much real effort is going into EVERY game and if not, why not? Is there a smilie for shooting a large cannon- ball like object at the team sheet? Sure as hell should be! I feel sick at the pretence of some team members. How in God's name do they stand up straight and not look sheepish when they pick up their meagre pay packets? They should at least offer to pay it to a deserving cause, because sure as eggs is eggs, they don't. Rant over...................................................................................................................................................................................................for now!

How can this be? The window is closed until Jan. If it were true how would it work?

Never really liked him that much, but my judgement is clouded somewhat by who he's played for. Certainly a good acquisition if it ever came about. He looked like a fish out of water for Citeh yesterday, not in terms of ability more as being a straight worker rather than a flashy member of an even flashier team.

OK for some. FoxSports is not showing any of the games here. In previous seasons only some of the knock-out ties have been shown. Otherwise Europa coverage here is abysmal, no media coverage whatsoever, (unlike CL) so I'll be relying on the pass-by-pass reports on ToffeeTalk. COYB!

I agree, and welcome back Bryan. If Unsie thinks he's OK, then he's OK. I liked the look of the lad as soon as he arrived. An aside, I hadn't known until a day or so ago that Oviedo is also a town in northern Spain. (should that be in the 'useless information' thread?)

All in all a good result, but I fear we would have lost against a better side. For the last 15 mins we sat back as usual and let them into the game. Coleman especially let the left wide open and W.Brom should have taken advantage....and they did. It was only their inept finishing that saved us really. Mirallas didn't track back which was the start of the problem, we just made it easier for them by standing off 5 yards or more and giving them the opportunity to cross. FFS I was coaching 10 year olds not to do that. It happened so many times I thought it was part of the match plan in latter part of the game! 2-0 was a fair result on the day, but we have a shit-load of work to do yet in defence and tracking back. Glad to see McGeady has heeded the message in that respect, leaves Mirallas really I guess!

yes, he could. But he didn't did he? I don't give a shit how the goals are scored.....just score them. Naismith has proved he can do it very regularly, whereas Barkley hasn't (as yet)!

Absolutely right. Played well tonite and made the difference at the back when he came on. Looked more like his old self.

Thought he did OK though....not out of his depth, just out of position! TV commentator reckoned he looked tired. I didn't notice it myself until then....4 games into the season and still not match fit? The game changed when Jags came on, he really looked fired up and looked more like his old self.