bluenosetoffee

It was a good game up until the penalty. I do think though if Barry didn't make the tackle Chamberlain would have been able to square it off anyway. I'm not saying the person would have scored but there was a chance. The scoreline flattered Arsenal but we have our chances we just needed to take them. What a chance for Barkley to make it 2-1. It would have been a different game if you got that in. Unfortunately it was a loss but concentrate on the league now and get a good finish to the season.

Martinez brings positivity to an Everton team. He has come out and we will need to spend in August if we are in Europe as it takes it toll on players. Moyes attitude would be there is 11 games left and a lot can happen from now to the end of the season. Least Martinez is talking about Europe and not playing down our chances. http://www.liverpoolecho.co.uk/sport/football/football-news/efc-analysis-how-roberto-martinezs-6768565 "Roberto Martinez confirmed his status as the Premier League’s great game changer on Saturday" I have always rated Martinez and wanted him to be manager. Even I didn't think we would be in the position we are now though. I predicted a 10th place finish as I thought it would take time to adapt to his style of play but straight away we have played well. COYB!

This is going to be a hard game no doubt about that but with Arsenal playing Munich on Tuesday you could see them resting a few players in case of injuries. (Lets hope so anyway) . I would start with Gerry on the right and Mirallas on the left.

Just a quick one (this might be a stupid question), Suarez had in his contract that 40,000,000 was his buy out clause. John Henry has come out and said it himself as well. As Arsenal bid 40,000,001 and it was in his contract can they take legal action against Liverpool for not letting their player talk? Or is it that even if he does it doesn't matter as it is the clubs decision still...

This is a friendly. His final 23 haven't been decided yet. He could still take Barry and Adam Johnson.

I have always rated Naismith. Hard worker and does well for the team. Everybody seems to be jumping on the band wagon now because he has had good performances. I guarantee you if he has a couple of bad games a lot of people will be wanting him dropped....

Gerry for me. He got the ball in the box time and time again. Sometimes he lost it but tracked back quite well. Intercepted Nolan, otherwise it would have been one on one. Even when he did lose the ball he didn't let his head drop and he gave the defenders trouble time and time again.

I do know what you are trying to say but at the same time Messi and him are the best two players of my generation. I was watching the City and Barca game and Messi didn't look anything special and I think also that Messi is more reliant on his team mates than Ronaldo. Messi is a good passer, quick and is good with his feet but when you have Iniesta and Xaxi. (Arguably the two best passing players at the moment) picking out through balls, chipping it over defenders then you are bound to score. With Ronaldo whenever you see him play he is more going at it alone. Yes he does get the passes but in terms of passing style. The way Barca play, against City they didn't panic on the ball and was patient and it paid off but Messi was nothing special in that game at all. In my own opinion I think that Ronaldo is a better player than Ronaldo. I have never seen Messi score a 40 yard goal multiple times and manage to get his national team through against Sweden mainly by himself. Messi is a brilliant player don't get me wrong but being at Barcelona flatters him a lot. Ronaldo is a brilliant player also but he doesn't work in a team as well as Messi does. Always tries to go at it alone.

He was rubbish...Slower than Rio Ferdinand on a bad day. Plus injury problems.

I think Barkley played cr@p. It was like playing with 10 men when he came on the pitch. I don't think there was a moment where he didn't lose the ball or give it directly to the opposition. I am not saying Barkley isn't a good footballer because he is, no doubt about that, when he normally plays it is like we have 12 men on the pitch with his energy, strength and awareness but against Chelsea he didn't perform well at all. Osman played quite well in the CAM role, he was getting shots away, passing it well. Probably one of the better games I have seen him play in under Martinez. It is a hard defeat to take, it isn't even the fact that we lost that is hard. It is that we lost it in the 93rd minute of the game. 2 more minutes, 2 more flipping minutes!!

We are a lot better than we were than when Moyes was in charge. Moyes did a lot for Everton and transformed our team to what it is today but with Moyes in charge we were never consistent enough for my liking.... When Moyes was in charge there were games where we played absolutely brilliant, then there were a lot also where we played absolute garbage. Hoofing the ball up field and didn't look like scoring.... With Martinez it seems as though even if we do lose a game, draw or win we are playing the same football week in week out. Possession, passing and pressing football. Now when I get frustrated it isn't because we are playing rubbish and hoofing the ball it is the fact we can't get the ball in the back of the net when having possession....

Big Dunc has joined Everton's first team coaching staff. He will now perform a key role in Martinez's back-room team alongside assistant manager Graeme Jones, first-team development coach Dennis Lawrence and goalkeeping coach Inaki Bergara. http://www.itv.com/news/granada/update/2014-02-20/duncan-ferguson-joins-everton-s-coaching-staff/? http://www.insidefutbol.com/2014/02/20/roberto-martinez-backs-duncan-ferguson-for-future-managerial-role-after-everton-promotion/128387/?

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I really do believe if he got more game time as a striker he would flourish. When given an opportunity he doesn't panic, so calm and collective. I also think that he should be more of an impact sub, we have seen what he can do when coming on against Villa and Swansea (changes the games). When we need somebody to run at the defense then he is our man. Good player in my opinion.

I have only read people say he hasn't been as good since joining on a permanent deal back from Spurs. When he first came back on loan he was great, it was like he never left. Him and Baines linking up play again and striking fear into the opposition defense. Then when we got him back from Spurs on a permanent deal his form dipped a little (I still think he was a quality player by the way and he gave a lot to give to the team when coming back). Martinez doesn't use the Baines and Pienaar link up play very often (we don't seem to have the need to rely on it as much). It used to be that teams would closely mark Pienaar and Baines and for a while it didn't work as teams were so heavily marking them both. Now we have Coleman and Mirallas who are both linking up play very well and that has given time for Baines and Pienaar to find their rhythm again and they have started playing like the old pair again. Regards to Pienaar, I think he is still a decent player. Good touch, can cut inside the box, holds up play well and tracks back when needed. So I have no problem with Pienaar, I think people used to, but I think this was because we were relying on him and Baines to much and like I say teams defended well and it looked like he couldn't kick a ball as the opposing team would intercept every ball and make good tackles. I rate Pienaar, always have, always will.

If I am glad we are playing Arsenal. We play a similar style of football. Against Liverpool it would have been tough as they have the pace in their team. Arsenal on the other hand don't, they have Walcott and Chamberlain but apart from those two no pace. I think we can take the game to Arsenal, play a high line and just attack, attack. We played well against them at the Emirates and finished 1-1. Let's hope we can do them again.

That's what I mean, give him a chance like he had against Villa and he will score. He intercepted against Swansea and there was no panic on his face. As soon as the ball left his feet he knew it went in and started celebrating. I do think he is a hard worker and do believe he should be left in the strikers position but he won't get ahead of Lukaku or Traore, unfortunately. Even though I think if you gave Lukaku those two chances he would have fluffed them the way he is playing.

So sparking the debate again.... Naismith in a striker position? - looks a handy player, he knows where he wants the ball to be played and give him an opportunity he will take it with both hands. I have always rated Naismith, I think he is a hard worker, will always run and go for the tackle and never lets his head drop. When he came on against Villa he changed the game and also when he come on against Swansea yesterday. A goal and penalty. He seems to be coming into his own in the striker position and is full of confidence at the moment. He is good backup for Traore and Lukaku and has a good finish on him. When he first came to Goodison he seemed to snap at chances and panic a little. Now when he has the ball he doesn't panic, passes it well and can score a goal. Yesterday was a hard opportunity to take, I think if you put Lukaku in that position the way he has been playing recently he would have kicked it against the goalkeepers hands. Tidy finisher and hope he gets more game time,

I have always rated Naismith and have said he is a hard worker. Being on the wings doesn't suit him, he needs to be in the central striker position. His movement against Stevenage and Villa was great. Getting in the box, allowing Pienaar to thread the ball through. If you give him an opportunity he will take it with both hands. Naismith changed the game when he came on and well done to Martinez for the tactics.

There seems to be more players this season who are getting concussion than there has ever been before.....Or is that just me

So is this basically U21 but with more teams? Does that mean every team in the premier league have to field a under 21 team..... 20 teams in the B league?

This thread makes me angry! 3 points better off than last season. If we played Crystal Palace and won we would have been 6 points better off with the same amount of games played than last season. Lukaku 9 goals 5 assists isn't a bad return and he has been injured for 3 weeks now. If he played in those matches then who knows he MIGHT of got more assists and goals. Traore - Monaco paid 15 million for him on the 4th January. (I know they have a lot of money anyway but lets see how the lad does first before having a go at not having a proven goal scorer). You complain that we don't have a Sturridge, Suarez or Adebayor (I do not know why you put Adebayor in the equation, great talent but boy is he one lazy footballer). I would rather Lukaku than Adebayor. Lukaku always gives it his all when I see him play. It has been one season with Martinez in charge and so far he got Barry on loan. (GREAT move). Gerard Deulofeu loan. (Has the potential to be a brilliant player). Lukaku when he first come in was scoring for fun, he has hit a spell where he hasn't been scoring but come on, Suarez has scored 1 in 6 games but has got assists. Lukaku got 2 assists in 2 games before getting injured in the Liverpool match. Ok one of them just bounced off his head but still. Yes - we lost against Spurs but we didn't deserve it to be honest. We had our chances but never took them, we played well in my opinion and Spurs know that they were lucky to win. We are never going to attract brilliant players like Suarez, Aguero, RvP. We have had a few minor slip ups but the season isn't over yet!. Liverpool didn't strengthen in January, either did Spurs. Yet they can bang 3 goals against Fulham and 4 against Newcastle. Martinez strengthened in the areas he thought we needed, RM (McGeady), ST (Traore). Defense is good enough till the end of the season and Traore hasn't even kicked a ball yet. So come on, lets see how we do come the end of the season before judging. If we finish 6th and get into the Europa league in his first season I would say that was a positive result. Obviously I would want to be in the champions league but if we get into the Europa that is a job well done too. Stop being so negative! Liverpool were top at Christmas and have dropped down the table and now they are only 4 points behind Chelsea. Every team has a patch where they slip up. COYB

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It wasn't really a mistake. It just wasn't our day that's all. Traore isn't 100% fit so what would be the point of playing him and risking him getting injured. Last week he put Barkley off for Pienaar at half time and then put Stones who was a RB off for Naismith. Them two substitutions made the difference. We were unlucky against Spurs. It should have been a draw. Everton had 3 shots on target whereas Spurs only had two. Unlucky but lets bounce back with a win against Palace.

Yeah I can see what you mean. Gerry who never passes the ball anyway and tries to get past his man every time and 8/10 fails and Barkley who will go for glory at the edge of the box when the easier option is passing to the wings..... When Gerry comes on Lukaku doesn't try anymore. Every time I have watched a game and Gerry comes on, Lukaku stands there outside the area instead of being in the box because he knows he won't pass the ball. Barkley, gets the ball on the edge of the area. Team mates shouting for it, go for glory, over the bar.... Both have the potential to be great players but my god are they greedy players....