Gwlad

That's probably more of a promising sign for Roberto because the people who comment on Facebook and like other people's comments are quite often complete numpties, to put it politely. I wouldn't make a judgement based on what you see on Facebook about how much of the fan base are still on his side. The atmosphere at Goodison has been tetchy lately but that's nothing new.
 
The fans need to sod off with having a go at our own players in the middle of a match though. Fair enough if someone's wandering around scratching their balls but if it's Howard trying (even if he's being shit) to catch a cross or a 21 year old lad trying to follow the manager's tactics just a little bit too much to the letter, it's not exactly going to help having the crowd on their back.
 
As for the "top 4 vs a cup" comments, the actual quote I've seen is that the club have a better chance of keeping your Lukakus and Stones' if we finish in the top 4 than if we win the League Cup, and anyone who disagrees with that needs their head checking because all these players seem to care about these days is moving to a Champions League side so that they can play in 4-6 underwhelming ties against FC Basel, Ludogorets and the occasional Barcelona or Bayern Munich each season.

Fantastic performance. Energy, passion, intensity, skill, we deserved to beat one of the supposed big boys. Besic was immense, Barkley showed he's a final decision away from being frightening, Lukaku even before the goal showing why he is currently perhaps the hottest property in the country. And we even defended pretty well! (Bar a break away goal, a stonewall penalty not being given and Aguero missing a sitter...)
 
So the question is... if we can produce that in a cup semi final, why aren't we taking the Premier League by storm? That's the benchmark now, anything less is unacceptable.

I think if he didn't chat so much tripe (or bury his head in the sand) fans would be a lot more forgiving. But he comes across as unwilling to acknowledge problems.

I would far rather we had Butland in goal but we can only choose from those players contracted to the club. At the moment, based on form, the best 'keeper is Robles.
 
He certainly isn't the Messiah and may turn out to be a 'very naughty boy' (Python fans will understand) but it is time for him to be given the chance to make the number one position his own imho.

I feel that we have let Naisy down, he has given everything for the cause and is IMO better than Kone. Be really sad to see him go.

Its a non-starter (pun intended) to even contemplate this. Howard will always start, regardless of how inept he has become. Robles should tell EFC and Martinez to suck his balls and get transferred to a team that he can actually play for. Waiting for Howard to get an injury in order to get some pitch time? Fucking pathetic. His career is going nowhere right now, so why would he want to jeopardize this any further?
 
Martinez will lose our best players if we stay mid table, and with Howard in goal that's where we will stay. He is shooting himself in the foot, and that may bite him in the ass at some point if the powers that be actually begin to open their eyes to this situation.
 
Obviously three clean sheets in a row isn't good enough for Martinez. The guy is becoming a fucking loon in my view. The sooner we dump his ass, the better. Easily a top 4 team with the right management.

Martinez is very good attacking manager as we can see with how many goals Everton have scored this year already and if we could defend we would be top 4 now. Everton need to address only the defensive side of our game and that has to start with the coaches, whatever it is they are relaying to the players is clearly not good enough, the players in the back 4 have bags of ability and are more than capable of producing clean sheets, (need a leader in there).
 
For me investing in quality coaching staff is as important as investing in players, so bringing coaching staff from Wigan with Martinez which guided Wigan to relegation is strange to me, Kenwright see potential in Martinez as a manager and that is all that should have come. Everton before Martinez were a solid defensive side lacking in attacking creativity at times but Martinez does bring this to Everton and it worked in his first season as the defensive ethic was still in place and it had us all believing but over time the defensive solidarity diminished as coaching staff which come with him have put their mark on the team, better defensive coaching staff need to be hired.
 
Super frustrated with Everton against Stoke yesterday. I am a big fan of John Stones he is top quality but making a lung in the box like he did when the angle was all but lost to Arnautovic to score only leaves the potential for the ref to give a penalty regardless to the slight touch Stones managed to get on the ball. I have lost all confidence of Howard in goal these days, so many errors which are costing use dearly.
 
Anyhow i just wanted to air some thoughts of mine as I'm super frustrated as we all are.

I don't care if he touched the fucking ball or not. Once again, we get ahead and throw it away, our game management is amateurish at best.
 
I seriously do not believe Martinez is the right man to take this team forward. We did exactly the same last season, he has learnt nothing. And for those of you who are saying he can't be blamed for individual errors at the back - yes he can. That is what coaches do, they coach players to improve and cut down on mistakes. We are a liability at the back under Martinez, he hasto carry the can for that, plain and simple.

Tut Tut! Don't you put all the games on the family calendar?

This.
 
Can't get the smile off my face, absolutely f'king astonishing. Not felt like this since we got two injury time goals to beat Spurs.
 
What a feeling, what a header, so cleverly done .

We're going to get spanked

There is that, maybe Mr Martinez needs a chairman who isn't all lovely and cuddly like dave and bill.

are you for real, who else would you rather play then? no changes as per usual martinez other than kone out for lennon or naismith.
 
you would take a draw? cant belive that what a joke if were all accepting a draw with newcastle. its win or nothing for me, what good are these draws doing to the points tally? rather lose trying to go for it and attack than try to bore the opposition into a mistake bypassing it slowly around the halfway line whats that about.
 
most frustrating time to be an everton fan i can remember, we actually have the team to challenge aside from the fact everyteam is beating one another we have missed out big time on getting our club on the map this year

Why is it required to give him to the end of the season? The writing is on the wall NOW. Results are not good enough, and unless changes are made, EFC will continue down this path of mediocrity. Its not good enough, plain and simple. Unless its already too late, we will lose Stones, Rom, Ross, Gerri, etc. Why would these lads want to play for a non-champions League team that consistently hovers about the 10th place region on the table? Loyalty and love for the club only goes so far, and with the prospect of greener grass being dangled like a carrot in front of their noses, how can you blame them? THEN where will we be on the table when we lose the talented young stars of this team? I believe the end of the season is way too much time for Martinez. Get results over the Xmas period, or make drastic changes starting with a new manager.

We done that last year, the team encouraged a more direct approach and we seen an improvement. Unfortunately Martinez has gone back to his old principles. He's had his chance, but is to emotionally attached to tippy tappy. He's used the same eleven for four games in a row with the same tactics and we we keep getting the same result. He's mad.

One win every three games says it all. Martinez talked about making us a Champions League side when he came here. His win record the last season and a half is the kind of form that has you looking over your shoulder at relegation.
 
I've got two points. One, Martinez has assembled a young, vibrant, exciting squad, he has them playing attractive football and has earned us a lot of admirers. He deserves credit for that. But unless he can add a bit of steel and nous, unless he can get this young, exciting side winning, the best players he has at his disposal will leave and we will be looking at a situation like the early 90s again when a very good squad fell apart before it had a chance to do anything.
 
Second, Martinez is five years behind the pace tactically. His mantra about possession just isn't true - teams have worked out how to counter tica-taca and are winning without bossing possession (look at Leicester). The most effective teams are playing a high energy pressing game in their own half and moving the ball with pace going forward. We lack bite and organisation at the back and look pedestrian with the ball. We have the players to switch style - Barry and McCarthy are perfect for squeezing space in front of the back four, and we have more than enough pace to play much more direct. All that is lacking is Martinez's unwillingness to evolve, underlined by his flat refusal to play two wingers.

Eddie Howe.

Seen it before with Distin. Deal with it Roberto, you're managing a top side.

Out inability to finish off teams is worrying me. We are battering teams but drawing.
 
I think that is a fundamental bit of mismanagement by Martinez. He should know how to close out a game and also should be working 24x7 on how to defend bloody set pieces,
 
It should be exciting but we are mid table still...

I agree wholeheartedly. I think our failings this season, just like last season, are Roberto's failings. Inability to close up shop and keep a lead, inability to defend set pieces, no plan b, not defending as a team, not closing down the opposition, our players generally not being up for it, ineffective use of the squad, etc. But, some suggest throwing the baby out with the bath water. Some suggest selling some of our best players or making giant changes in our squad. Some see players as wholly inept while I see problems in execution and planning. Some see our club as a sinking ship. I just think we need to keep cooler heads about all of this as fans.

And we see time and time again managers with money to spend assemble a great looking squad and do nothing with it.
It's a crying shame, and even worse for us because we don't have the resources that we can throw another 100 mil at the manager to rectify the season.
This is his 3rd season and we are seeing the same mistakes week in week out.
I know it's easy to sit here and say this in hind sight when it's not my job on the line, but really...
What can happen in the dressing room at half time (Bournemouth, Boro & Norwich) that can change how we play so radically? And then there is nothing done (subs or change if radios) to try and alter it.
It's exactly the same as the start of last season. How can we be a season and a half on and still be doing the same thing?
Thankfully enough of the players are in much better form than they were last year of we'd be....
Imagine if Lukaku wasn't scoring and Barry, Coleman and Kone were playing like last year, I'd be losing my mind.
 
Rant over quite simply we are to good for these results and I do not see Martinez being able to change.
I hope I'm wrong!!!

3 drawers in a row means he needs to change something. Mirrallas needs to play. Kone needs a rest and Barkley needs a kick up the arse

This. Last three games have been against shit teams who we have dominated yet still failed to get a win. Six points dropped, if we had won them we would now be top five.
 
Mid table finish this season i fear, ninth or tenth.

We are hopelessly out of sync. What has Lennon done to never get in? What has Kone done to never get subbed out?

I think we should let sleeping dogs lie. Rooney has three years left or so on a 200k a week deal. Then his transfer fee would be around £15 mill. Not happening. Nor would I want it. My memories of Rooney should remain that. I was in the park end when he scored against arsenal, I was in the main stand when he made his debut against Spurs. I stopped playing football after that because I thought what's the point when a 16 year old can do that? I want a young vibrant team, not that I think Rooney can't add to us but at what expense?