Kant

After twenty-six games in 03/04 we were sixteenth with twenty-six points and finished the season seventeenth.

Here we go again, Billy Bullshit lays the entire blame squarely on the shoulders of Lukaku, his poster boy Martinez was the one who paid Big bucks!
 
This is the ' Has Martinez got it wrong ? ' thread.
 
Most of the woes associated with Everton FC this season are down to Martinez, he decided to go to the world cup as a pundit, he sets out the pre-season routine, he made the signings, he picks the team, he decides the tactics.
 
It's been mentioned above as to how last season was just the opposite to this one, the Moyes factor has to play a part.
 
Sure we are still in Europe and I'd love to win it, and to be honest we can, but it's league football that is the life blood of any club.
 
We aren't just having a bad season results wise, our fooball at times has been awfull, I kinda feel sorry for the players, Gibson can play through balls, Barkley also, so stop with the side ways tip tap, that's pretty sometimes but we have two of the best over lapping full backs in the country so use them.Coleman thrives on that type of football, a goal in Europe and Man of the match against Liecester, so mabye things are slightly on the improve, but there's so much more to get right.
 
Can Martinez change things, that was the question, I think he needs to take a long hard look at himself this summer, he has the players to change things, some really good young players.
 
He has Fuc%ed it up this season, but I think he has a chance, but he needs to be honest with himself and admit his mistakes.If he can't, then 1/3 of next season will show us.

Was talking to a mate yesterday, an Ipswich Town supporter, I asked him if he had seen the games on Sunday. He saw both and said the difference between the way Everton play and the way Southampton and Liverpool played was light years. He couldn't believe how slow Everton were in passing the ball and getting the ball forward. In contrast, both Southampton and Liverpool passed the ball at pace and got forward quickly at every opportunity. There have been some posts on here about opposition teams 'parking the bus'. They don't park the bus, its just that we are so slow in building an attack that they have plenty of time to get all their players behind the ball. This retaining possession is fine but as Guardiola said 'there is no point in retaining possession if there is no shot at goal at the end of it'.

New to the forum as a member but been following for several yrs and am a season ticket holder in the Paddock.
On the Lukaku issue the problem as I see it is that he likes the ball at his feet, facing goal so he can run at defences... That is when he is at his most effective, example ....Arsenal last season.
Unfortunately Roberto plays him as a hold up striker and he just doesn't have the tools for this despite his obvious physical attributes.
I know all the arguments he is only 21..... He can't trap a bag of cement etc... I actually believe he will live up to his undoubted potential and prove to be a good signing for us.
 
Howard; he has cost us at least 10 goals this season with silly mistakes, dropping catches, miscommunication with his defenders and fumbling shots. He should be dropped for Robles who after a shaky start did look very good indeed and should never have been dropped to the bench.
 
I am also frustrated at our shape, lack of movement and desire to win the ball back when we lose it... why we constantly play 4:2:3:1 is beyond me! We need width and players playing in their preferred positions not central mids playing wide.
 
This all points to a stubborn manager who is either unable or unwilling to change, I like Roberto and really want him to do well but even his press conferences are now starting to grate me.
In his defence though, yesterday he made the double change early in the second half which did improve us and lead to us going one up only for us to be undone by more mistakes from Howard, who should not have been playing!.
 
I don't belive it is time for a managerial change at present as I genuinely believe we will be ok, I do think though the summer will be a time to reflect on what has gone wrong and maybe then change, I am just fearful Roberto could be following the same clueless route that Mike Walker took!!

Maybe I'm optimistic, maybe it goes with the moment of the day, but I think that this Premier League season will be not particularly good and that the club are now focusing on the EL. I would use the season to evaluate the season and get ready for what should be an important transfer window next summer. To be realistic, there are better teams out there in the EL to win it than us and in the PL there are worse teams to fear for relegation.
 
 
Long term thinking, it's quite clear what needs to be done.
 
Groom Barkley (who has all the potential to become the next big thing, but has to figure it out, especially his decision making, and I'm not really sure he'll make it to the next level)
 
Groom Lukaku (who has the potential to become a world class striker if he manages to find consistency and composure. Again, he's 21, and footballers develop massively, not all of them were superstars aged 18. Lukaku reminds me of a young Fernando Llorente because of the potential and the inconsistency, but he's much better than the Spaniard was when he was young.)
Acquire a new core. Slowly but steadily, Distin and Osman have been replaced by Stones and Besic/Naismith. There will be more tough work to do, and by tough work I mean to either replace a solid ageing performer for a young lad with potential making mistakes or seeing the old performer do his thing and watch the effects of time make him become unreliable. Next in line: Baines, Howard, Jags.
 
Sell for value and replace Mirallas, neither will be no easy feat. Hopefully ship McGeady out somewhere too.
 
Find a reliable keeper. If Martinez trusts Robles then it's the right time to play him, as Howard's time seems to be finished here. If he does not trust Robles, then play him to see what he can do. But what Martinez does now not not only does not make sense, it's also costing points.
 
And finally, find an assistant that takes over the set pieces defensive strategy and overall defending strategy!

When we don't play 2 proper wingers we lack cohesion and lack balance.
 
If the rest of this season is to give us anything it must be a settled couple of systems and a settled spine of the team.
 
We know Mirallas is off, as is Distin, Alcaraz, Kone, Pienaar, as well as loan signings Lennon and Atsu and if we are lucky McGeady. Use the time to identify 3 wingers, a centre-back, a keeper and a striker for next season.
 
I still trust Martinez and believe he can take us forward.

I really don't get the problem with Hibbert. He's been great. People were saying he was finished after the Swansea game. He doesn't look out of place at all. However, agree he's no Coleman.

He makes the right runs and gets into good positions, but his decision-making is absolutely atrocious. It's not as if he even gets it wrong with a dangerous ball. He just gives it away in a bad spot. I don't even know how he accomplishes this.
 
In other news, Barkley looks gassed.

Also, someone needs to teach McGeady not to completely give away the pass he is going to make every fucking time.

McGeady has been in good positions to break, he's not doing much wrong, just needs a bit of luck.

Liverpool have signed a player in origi. Will be very good.

You can just hear the disappointment dripping off the voices of the announcers every time McGeady needlessly loses the ball.

"And Aiden McGeady just gives it away far far too easily" to the surprise of no Evertonias

Not much is being said about Ross Barkley's absence.
 
This is £50m player missing from our ranks.
 
Yes we are making defensive mistakes but perhaps that wouldn't happen so much with Ross in the side (i.e. not giving the ball away, they have to drop deeper etc).
 
He attracks defenders to give Lukaku more space etc etc

Don't panic yet, folks. If we're in the same position after the next 3 or 4 matches when we have an easier run-in, then we can show real concern. I've been appalled by some of our defending as well as certain players' individual performances but this is Everton, we're used to slow starts (minus the past two seasons), and I think things will start moving in a better direction if we can avoid further injuries and some of our current injured crop returns.

I don't think a 2 yard pass across the back four qualifies as an accurate long ball to be fair

I would play Besic and McCarthy together - Barry seems leggy.

In my opinion, these are the reasons why the team is 17th at the moment:
 
- Awful preseason (yep, we all saw it coming), which may be the reason of...
1- The loss of form of the pair Jagielka - Distin.
2- Central midfield pair is not on the best form: the pairing Barry - McCarthy was excellent last year. However Barry is either getting old too soon or not in the best form at the moment. McCarthy was incredible last year, adding consistency, fluidity to the team and pressing the opponent midfielders like there's no tomorrow. This year he's allowing more space to the opposition, that allows them to think and execute.
3- Bad start of the season (one more win and we would not be discussing this, the team would be mid table)
 
There are other factors related to the summer transfers and the squad:
- Lack of depth in attacking midfield positions: last year the team had a fully healthy Pienaar, an energetic loanee in Deulofeu, Mirallas and McGeady, plus Osman being used in the left. I did not count Oviedo because he is a left back and he only played two games as a winger before his injury. This year Pienaar has been injured, Deulofeu is not here and Atsu does not bring the same abilities the Barça played had, Mirallas is currently injured but he's been part of most of the start and McGeady is not doing anything particularly impressive. Osman's legs are gone, unfortunately. Why Eto'o or Koné do not feature more on the wing is something to ask Martinez.
- Lukaku lacks hunger: I would not know how to describe it better. The man does not fight like each game can be his last game in football, it's not that he looks disinterested, but he is not dominant and he was brought to be dominant.
- Barkley and Coleman got injured (both key men).
- Tim Howard's disastrous start of the season.
- Difficult games played so far (Chelsea, United, Liverpool, Arsenal). The loss against Palace hurts.
- Extra games in Europa League for a small squad (yes, there are 25 professional footballers in there, but they do not possess the same ability).
 
There have been also some positive points:
- John Stones playing like a full England international should play.
- Right backs: Tyias Browning looks ready for the first team. Tony Hibbert is a professional footballer -somehow I had forgotten that-, he is ready to contribute and although he has never been a world beater, now he is needed.
- Besic looks like, after some time to bed in, he can be useful.
- Eto'o always scores goals when given time.
 
 
All in all, I have the feeling that unless the team has a massive drop of confidence and starts playing nervously, it should get on a winning run and improve its fortunes. Tim Howard can't drop clangers every two games, Lukaku will score even by accident, Baines will link up well with Pienaar again and McCarthy will get back to full fitness. Barkley, with all his flaws and mistakes, is a player that can win a game in a single moment, and he is missed at the moment.
 
For the record, a team that is now playing Champions League football in the Spanish Primera Liga is in relegation positions, with (almost) the same squad and with defensive problems and confidence issues (Athletic Bilbao).
 
Football never stops surprising me, how things can change so much in one summer!

£18m

Positives: Browning was good, he looks ready and it's time to give him a chance. Stones looked great and Jagielka looked good too.
 
Negatives: Barry was awful, Besic insecure and McCarthy not physically ready yet. McGeady does not track back and there was a play when he left the team exposed, and this needs to be addressed.
 
All in all, Pienaar, Barkley and Coleman are integral parts of this team, and McGeady, Osman or Hibbert are not first teamers, so I would say the team needs to keep improving, raise the defensive intensity (huge concern to see them so relaxed and not challenging the wingers when they cross) and get the starters back.
 
Eto'o needs more involvement IMO too, he looks sharp and ready.

Ahaha Wenger said we were destroying football for loaning ROM in last year, he's just paid £6m for loaning him!!! Ahaha fucking bell.

I think we should have snapped up Dier under Spurs noses. 4 million could be a bargain. Looked strong in defence against Liverpool yesterday. (I know they conceded 3 and could have been more but was one of their better players).
 
Anyway back on topic - I would love us to go for Nastasic on loan for the season with a view to buy. Would be a great addition to the squad. Coleman, him, Distin and Baines would be a quality. Plus Jags could mentor him as well. Can't see it happening though to be honest. Would be surprised if we pull this one off. Saying that who would have thought we could sign Lukaku and Eto'o.

I agree with you. But that's not me.
 
I thought about it...Stones is capable. Alcaraz struggles to stay fit. So with the extra games in Europe, I don't think we have enough at CB. We need one more reliable solid player. Doesn't need to be a world beater, but reliable is a must.

PLEASE. DO. IT. (I somehow feel he is out of reach financially, but we can dream).
 
Stones and Nastasic would be an excellent CB couple for the next 5 years.
 
You don't get young CBs PL ready easily, and we know this one can be good.

I just dont get it! If jags or distin get droped the player i want coming in is john stones!!
 
He played almost every game of that long unbeaten run we went on last year.
 
I do also beleive that our two at the back will improove its not allways about throwing money at it to fix the problem we need to work with what we have internally.