Avinalaff

Martinez is proving to be a lucky manager.
 
That isn't a compliment. We need to rethink our strategy as we are starting to look more like Wigan than Everton.

So Daylight Saving Time screwed up my sleep schedule/alarm (damn it) and I missed most of the game. I was only able to catch the last 15 or so minutes and based on what I've read, we had a ghastly first half and a great second half. I read something about Distin and saw the wrap around Lukaku's knee on the bench, hope they are fit for next weekend and obviously for our derby in a couple weekends. If we had a crappy first half and a great 2nd half, then I can't really complain about getting a point. Could've gone 2nd that's true but we just need to start playing consistently in order to take a top 6 spot.

That first half was horrendous. I don't think we've played worse than that under Martinez. We played pass and move, except we couldn't pass and nobody was moving! We were lucky if we managed to put three passes together throughout that first 45 minutes. And when we did have the ball we couldn't get a thing going because no one was moving for the man in possession, so we'd invariably end up playing ourselves into trouble and inviting Spurs to press us even harder. We were unbelievably slow in everything we did and the difference between the two sides was stark. They'd get the ball and instantly they'd come at us, there was no fannying about, they stretched us all over the pitch, dragging us from one side to the other to create space. We'd get the ball, have to stop, have a look round, stay still still a few seconds longer, pass sideways or backwards and go nowhere. Another massive problem we had was that our two wide men were fucking shite at being wide men! The pair of them constantly drifted inside and left our right back and left back to be double teamed. Vertonghan had an absolute field day. It didn't help us going forward either because how do you create and overlap when there's no one there to make one?! They should have created far more chances than they actually did and we were fortunate to go in on level terms. But it did actually bode quite well; we were dominated but it was still 0-0 and we couldn't possibly play any worse than that.
 
Martinez must have tore them a new arsehole at half time because we looked far better in the second half. It still wasn't great but at least we had more energy in our play and we actually managed to create chances. Which were something I'd begun to forget! The real change in our play came when Barkley and Deulofeu came on though. In these two we now had players who were willing to drive forward with the ball and take the game to Spurs, rather than pussy foot around. These were the attributes we'd been crying out for and had been sorely missing from the first half showing. We were much the better side in the second half because of this and Spurs settled for the point quite early on in the half I thought, and I felt quite at ease in terms of worrying about us conceding. They only really wanted to break up our momentum by getting play stopped regularly and were only looking to play on the break. I was quite disappointed with that from a side that's spent so much and is supposedly looking to challenge towards the top of the league.
 
I'd have taken a point before the game and it probably was a fair result, and it's another clean sheet against a side with a lot of attacking threat. But, we must follow this up by beating Palace next weekend or this point won't look so good.
 
Lastly, the ref was dog shit.
 
 
Howard - His kicking was on the dodgy side but he also made a few good stops.
 
 
Coleman - He's not looking good lately is he? Today was no different. Apart from when he should have had a penalty he didn't offer much going forward (not entirely his fault) and my heart was in my mouth whenever he was defending.
 
Jagielka - I thought he was pretty solid today, much better than our last game, that's for sure. The only thing that was wrong with his play were those stupid aimless punts forward when there's no need for them.
 
Distin - His defending was pretty good today but whenever he had the ball at his feet I wanted to hide. Halloween's been and gone, Sylvain, so stop giving me nightmares!
 
Baines - Pretty invisible in the first half but I thought he looked closer to his attacking best in the second half, and a lot of our play came through in some way.
 
 
Mirallas - Absolutely awful. Did he do anything right? Every time he got the ball he lost it, he was as weak as a baby when challenging for the ball, he let Vertonghan have free reign to run at Coleman because he was nowhere to be found. He needs a kick up the arse.
 
McCarthy - I thought he started the game really well and won the ball back on two or three occasions early on. But then he got that booking, which I don't think was a booking, and he then disappeared from the game. But second half I thought he really stepped up and put a great performance in for us. He was all over the pitch, he used the ball intelligently and he got himself into space time and time again, he dropped back to receive the ball from the defence, his movement was top quality, he also put himself about despite being on a booking. My only niggle with him is that I wish he'd drive forward a bit more with the ball. Still gets my MOTM vote though.
 
Barry - Quiet but effective I thought.
 
Pienaar - I just wanted to strangle him tbh. In the first half I thought he shite, full stop, really. Second half he was more infuriating than anything. He did so well to get himself in really good positions time after time, but probably 9 times out 10 he'd fuck things up with an awful pass, or a stupid flick when a simple pass would do. It's all good and well to create an opening, but he's there to follow through on that, not completely mess it up. He's better than that and we wants players that are better than that.
 
 
Osman - His passing was waaaaaaaay off today. And he really struggled to ever really get into the game. Today is just further proof that he should be a player that only comes off the bench for us now, or starts games where we're likely to have a lot of time and space.
 
 
Lukaku - Service to him was pretty hopeless but I still thought he managed to look fairly good. He had to create things himself, but they just didn't work out for him. He won countless headers up there, and many more defensively as well. He used his strength well at times too. I hope his injury isn't anything serious because I fancy him to bag a couple against Palace.

Martinez is proving to be a lucky manager.
 
That isn't a compliment. We need to rethink our strategy as we are starting to look more like Wigan than Everton.

Martinez is proving to be a lucky manager.
 
That isn't a compliment. We need to rethink our strategy as we are starting to look more like Wigan than Everton.

Give him time. He's a good player with a strong track record. It's hardly his fault that he suffered an injury. I'm sure we'd all prefer that he take the time needed to recover fully. Personally, I pass along my best wishes to him and hope to see him back soon.

You're a deeply strange human being Dalziel .

You took the bate, Mastur Avinalaff.

Tim Howler
 
Seamus Bogeyman - Phil Jaggededge - Transylvania Distin - Late n pains
 
Leon Axeman - Gareth Batty - James Macabre - Ross Barking - Steven Spleenjar
 
Nikita Yellow witch
 
 

Tim Howler
 
Seamus Bogeyman - Phil Jaggededge - Transylvania Distin - Late n pains
 
Leon Axeman - Gareth Batty - James Macabre - Ross Barking - Steven Spleenjar
 
Nikita Yellow witch
 
 

Saurez, the beautiful butterfly !! I also can't afford the flowers that attract these wonderfull insects......but I do own an airgun, so watch out Saurez the butterfly, skirtel the slug, Rodgers the rat and Gerrard the nasty gnome.

I detect a web of deceit and conspiracy

I detect a web of deceit and conspiracy

I detect a web of deceit and conspiracy

Just been reading through the thread (was looking to see more on the Sturridge debate due to the quotes Tenacious posted) and I have to say that this is a brilliant post. I realise that not hating Suarez on here will be like shitting in someone's coffee, but I really don't think he's any worse than lots of others. I genuinely believe the racism thing got well out of hand and a very important issue became a game of one upmanship in the comparatively petty United-Liverpool rivalry. Let's bear in mind also that the other person in that incident was Evra - one of the biggest on the field twats in football, who ironically bullied Gourcuff at the World Cup because he was more well-off and educated than some of the other players - how's that for being prejudiced? Not that someone deserves to be a victim of racial abuse for that, but given Evra's character I truly believe he embellished the facts. He called Suarez a 'sudaco' didn't he? Are pejoratives based on nationality excusable now? He's certainly no better on the park than Suarez is, at least. The whole handshake thing was a joke as well considering Evra deliberately lowered his hand. Ferguson probably told him to do that bearing in mind what a cunt the old man is. The Ghana thing was unreal - I'd have done the exact same thing, and he didn't even have time to think about it. I actually admire him for doing that, although he should have went straight down the tunnel rather than celebrating Gyan's miss. That part was classless.
 
Suarez has done some pathetic things, such as some of his tackles at Ajax and biting Ivan, and he's certainly a problem individual, but the scapegoating and vilifying of him has been unreal. At Man United themselves, you've had Cantona, Keane, Giggs, Rooney, Elbows Van Persie, Young, Welbeck, Van Nistelrooy, Scholes etc. Some excellent players (and Young and Welbeck), but an assortment of players who've cheated, handballed, dived, deliberately injured opponents, surrounded refs and kicked fans. Then you have Rio missing drugs tests, Giggs's off the field behaviour and Beckham's narcissism. At Chelsea they have the likes of Cole, Terry, Ivanovic etc.
 
Just compare the reactions to Terry abusing Anton and Suarez and Evra. Terry's was clearly far worse, and there's no culture barrier there, but England's brave lion got away relatively lightly from the media. They were getting on their high horse about Suarez but condoning an Englishman being racist over a foreigner - how's that for irony and xenophobia? A bit like the people who condemn Suarez but probably think Prince Philip is a barrel of laughs. I mean you have British people - some of the biggest racists (until recently) and colonialists, home to the biggest, bloodiest empire the world has ever seen - now thinking we are in a position to lecture the rest of the world on tolerance simply because we've cleaned our act up slightly over the last half century. It's mental.
 
My overall point is that, yes, Suarez is a tit on the park and has done some reprehensible things. However, he's become a scapegoat and an easy target. He doesn't help himself but given that he has no history of degenerate behaviour off the field, perhaps he just loses it when he enters the park? No condoning that at all, but there's plenty as bad as him on the pitch as well as loads who are far, far worse off it. It's become a witchhunt.
 
As far as Liverpool players go I find him far less odious a character than Stevie Me. Not that that's a great endorsement for anyone but the point remains.
 
I expect to cop some abuse for this post but I stand by it.

I know this is going to upset some people (one in particular - Steptoe...) but the board have to be commended.
 
We had a 'fan to club' communications problem. They addressed it (Alan Myers - Who has been fantastic in my opinion)
We needed the 'right' guy to move our club on, from the very healthy foundations created by Moyes (Martinez - putting to bed many of my initial worries and 'gets' the club)
The club was outed for not doing enough for the match going fans (Retro day, Spanish day, Crest vote - little things that would have cost time and resources)
Club have been questioned when it came to attracting new, younger Evertonians (Family deals, Free tickets to U21's - which I have to applaud and I don't have kids. There were hundreds, if not thousands, at that U21's game, really nice to see)
Keeping our best players (Baines - Kenwright's resolve has gifted us with the worlds best LB for at least a few more months, whether we can hold out from United's advances, is a separate matter)
There's no current 'issues'. There's usually something 'wrong' or that people don't agree with but currently, there aren't any.
 
So, if there are any members from our B.O.D's, that happen to be reading this, I personally thank you for your efforts in recent months. It's been refreshing and enjoyable as an Evertonian and long may it continue.

I think strikers need to prove themselves in the Premier League before they can claim to be the best. Doing it in France or Spain, and doing it against the Prem defenders every week is a different kettle of fish.

Straight swap for Mata and Lukaku.

Sturridge reminds me of a race horse / stallion / call it what you will. He plays with grace and confidence, and I hate to say it but Liverpool have the best striking partnership in the Prem.

Our away fans are fantastic.

Suarez eating up the Prem again this year. Another 2 today already for him.

He said he had a drum kit. That doesn't mean he's a musician.

I think the cups should stay as they are, otherwise what chance does a lower league side have of Europe. We might benefit, but for the good of football, I think it shouldn't be to the detriment of other clubs.

I think we are missing a trick by not playing both Lukaku and Kone / Jelavic.
 
Kone might have missed a few chances, but he put himself in a position to get them. The same goes for Naismith. He got straight into the game and almost scored.
 
 
Sometimes the players you least think about are the ones needed to complete the puzzle.

I'm still smitten with this.