Newty82

I guess we can all agree on us wanting him to do something, don't we? We really want him to be this player that we had heard about. If it comes down to attitude, we'll not a lot can be done. Why do these flair type players have attitude? Always seemed to be the way when playing school/local football...the ones with that bit of skill and flair were right cocks!!!

Bring on Chelsea!!! Another 90 minutes is another step closer to full fitness. All the questioning of tactics, subs etc is a bit daft this early in the season. We lose intensity? Fitness. We lose concentration? Fitness. We make mistakes late on? Fitness. We get slack marking, tackling, tracking late on? Fitness. All the little errors that peeps are pointing out in the closing stages of the last 2 games all point to lack of fitness. I'm not trying to be a smart arse (go on, someone say it!), but it's so obvious that we are not 90 minute fit as a whole team. So at the moment, for me, everything else is irrelevant. If it's still happening in 5 games time, then I'm a worried man. To start suggesting that the tactics are wrong or that we can't defend under Martinez(or close out teams/whatever term you want to use) based on 2 games is wrong. Again, look to last season rather than 2 games. 15 clean sheets. A record for us that over the last 20 years that has only been matched once (95-96) and beaten once (2008 I think).

Haha haha!!! Brilliant!!!

Interesting that Martinez said afterwards that we ran out of energy and it became a feeling of wanting the game to end (from the players that is!!!). Also interesting that he said we played very well for 80 minutes. He sounded a bit more disappointed then usual when talking about the energy thing. I think he knows we need to up our stamina. So really, our challenge to Martinez shouldn't be about subs, line ups etc but it should be about 'what are you going to do to get us up to speed for a full 90 minutes?' I can't remember them being all over us for the entire 2nd half. They were the overall better team in the 2nd half, and Giroud made a massive difference for them. We certainly faded out quite quickly around 70 odd minutes. The struggle really started around then.

I still think he can do something for us. He will frustrate like these out and out run at em wingers do, but he can deliver. If not, well he cost fuck all so never mind.

Naisy for me. The wee bas'tad never stopped! He must have been the most fouled player on the pitch today. A real pain in the arse for them lot. He's just what we need in that team...Bit of old school determination and controlled aggression. Just wish he had more pace!!!

By the way...go back through the threads to years gone by. Or search your memory. In the previous era, I remember I always told my mates and anyone that would listen that the most annoying thing about the then Everton way was that you could guarantee that if we were winning after 70 odd minutes, we'd start sitting deeper and deeper and clinging on. A hell of a lot of times it just did not work. It's worth remembering.

Gutted. Absolutely gutted. I'm not going to use the powers of hindsight to say this should have happened or that should have happened. So and so should have done x, y but not z. It's false. The only thing I will say is that I thought the team tired alarmingly. I believe firmly that we need more match fitness. More real pace Premiership stamina. I always say that pre season results don't concern me. But I do remember feeling, after reading some reports from you boys in pre season, a bit concerned that we weren't looking sharp enough. We need need to get up to pace. No doubt we've all played footy or another stamina based sport. You know it's easy when your fit and fresh. Every pass is easy. Then you tire, and the mental side of it goes downhill quicker than anything. Slow to follow your man, every stroke of the ball is labored, every tackle too late. That's just how we looked later on today. The plus side is that it's another 90 minutes of tempo football played. It's a fair point gained (doesn't feel that way!) and when we were fresh, we were the dogs bollocks. Onwards and upwards. (End note...its early days but I'll be keeping an eye on Jags n Distin. Time to start bleeding the next gen in more???)

Lukaku is on the right??? Anyway, yeah, I think Kev has a bit of freedom to roam today.

I thought mirralles was? Missed the first few mins. Although kev has now gone back to the middle? Pah, I dunno. Anyway.....GREAT GOAL!!!

How does it not make sense to bring ossie on? If you brought one of the wingers on, you'd have to swap more around. Which is more unsettling early in a game.

Ha! Strangely, he's the only one I could think of...although that's because my 15 year old step son is a baggie!!! I hope he fucks up royally!!!

I totally get the doubts about teams sussing us out. And I'm curious on that one too, not just at the back but all over. That's my test for Martinez. But that's to be judged in months and months time, not after one game. The mistakes made are basic communication errors as you gents have pointed out. That's down to the players, not Martinez. They need to sort it out. I'll be concerned if it happens game after game. And pre season doesn't count for me. Man Utd had a brilliant pre season. Then look. I can't at all buy into any comparisons to previous era's or previous teams. Because the stats n facts don't stack up. And I can't buy into last seasons defensive record being a fluke or luck. You get that once in a while, same as you do with bad luck, but not over a whole season. 3 top posters there...Pad, Matt, Rom...but I'm swimming against you on this one!!!

It's funny how you can get really good highly rated coaches step into management and fail. It's happened to a few. Although the names escape me just now. Bizarre.

Hang on. Are we saying that this back line can't play how Martinez wants them to play, based on the Leicester game? Or based on last season? Because I don't get it. Our back line was the one of the best last season. 3rd best record. And 4th most clean sheets. The same back line conceded more and kept less clean sheets under Moyes. So in which way is it less stable, less able to perform??? I enjoy how we play. It's proper football rather than the traditional 'boot it out' that you hear up and down the country at every kids game. Admittedly, it gets a bit hairy at times. And mistakes happen. But it's effective. Most of the time.

That's the one!

I actually though we would start this way tbh! With Coleman out, but wasn't sure who would play the right wing back role. Anyway, from that clip it was a defensive fuck up and one of our gems, Stones, will learn from it when he watches it back.

Ai. Just saying what I can see on the video. Looks like Baines has pressed on. Distin has shifted over. Jags has drifted over. Coleman has temporarily stepped into the back line. Stones is on the right. Looks like as Baines is coming back, Coleman steps out. Stones then drifts over and leaves his man unmarked...who scored!!!

BBC has it the other way round??? You never know really!!

Just watched this back umpteen times. At first it looks like stones, jags and Distin only. But then you see Baines move back into the left position as he back tracks. Coleman look like he is ahead of the back line.

Other way round isn't it???

From all your comments...was anyone watching the same game as the other?!!! Just shows the diversity in opinions. Anyway, just glad the season is back! Thank to fuck for that!

Spot on. Always think the newly promoted teams are really tough in the early part of the season. Tried streaming this game but they all pissed me off. So did it the old skool way...Toffeetalk, BBC app and sky sports on TV!!! Seems like a proper game of 2 halves. Looking at the stats, and what you boys say, did we actually create in the 2nd half?! Shame we had some quality on the bench that wasn't used sooner. Doesn't feel like 2 points dropped for me, just a typical opening game for us.

You're far too rational! I just took it at face value.

Haf's being a proper fan...air all your views on a player, but once he's in give him your full backing. Also Haf, you touched on something for me. The signing of kanchelskis! That was one of my favourite moments as a fan do far. He scored 17 goals didn't he?! Then got sold again...One of my worst moments!!! But that was the Everton way under Johnson hey? Anyway, looking forward to this season. Do we have that 20 goal a season striker that we have gagged for since Kanchelskis (a 'winger', but ya ' know!)?