Blues stumped by resolute Baggies

West Brom go ahead off a corner looping in at the far post, Blues unable to penetrate in 80 minutes of resolute defending

Michael Kenrick 13/02/2016 154comments  |  Jump to last

Oumar Niasse is still waiting for his first appearance after training all week
Everton 0 - 1 West Bromwich Albion

Everton were unchanged as they went in search of what would be a fourth consecutive victory against West Brom this afternoon. But plans were set awry with an early goal against off a corner and it was classic parked bus defending from the visitors.

Joel Robles continues in goal while Tim Howard is deemed fit enough to make the bench; John Stones remain sidelined but there is still no Oumar Niasse in the matchday squad, with mostly the old guard on the bench – no opportunities for any young talent coming through.

Everton kicked off and played pass the parcel at the back for the first minute before starting to apply some pressure in the West Brom area, Lennon and Coleman looking particularly lively, and winning an early corner that Foster gathered on the second attempt.

Sessegnon was caught by Oviedo but the free-kick was booted clear by Gareth Barry. Everton then probed again, Barkley playing in Oviedo for a good feed that had Foster down sharply at the near post. But when possession turned over, Everton were standing off the visitors rather than pressing.

Chester was judged to have caught Lennon but Oviedo curled the free-kick in too hard, beyond everyone. Lennon was being a terrier scampering at the West Brom defence and trying to force errors but McClean won the Baggies first corner, headed on by Olsen and forced in at the far post by Rondon as the Everton defenders ball-watched the looping header that left Robles stranded, with no-one on the post to head it away. Painful goal to give up.

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The goal enlivened the visitors, who continued to press forward, pinning the Blues in front of their Park End goal. Barkley got forward but was dispossessed. The Blues pressed a little better but Cleverley lost possession and then Lennon had to play back into his own half as the bus was parked in front of them, denying space. A good run in by Cleverley and feed to Coleman won a corner that Oviedo delivered well enough but West Brom broke and Lennon gave away a foul.

Gareth Barry played a superb ball through to Lukaku who turned well and crossed for a glancing header that Coleman did not get enough on. West Brom doing their best to waste time on every stoppage as Goodison fumed. Jagielka ran forward and played a pinpoint pass to Lukaku's feet but it rebounded with force rather than being controlled by the big man. Everton attacked with more energy, Lennon crossing well but Jagielka's follow-up from distance was wayward.

A great give and go by Barkley saw his shot deflected the wrong side of the post and Funes Mori was there off the corner to power in a header that was blocked away off the line. Fine footwork from Lennon won another corner delivered well by Oviedo. A ball falls to Lennon whose shot cannoned up and almost curled in over Foster. Then Coleman's cross was taken well but his power drive from a narrow angle flashed off target. Really good pressure from the Blues but they looked open when The Baggies finally broke out, Rondon hitting the side netting.

The tremendous pressure resumed and Ross Barkley curled a lovely snapshot goalward with Foster well beaten but not the post, as it bounced agonizingly back into play. A tremendous curling cross by Cleverley smacked into the angle, and yet another fine Oviedo corner from the right causing havoc but Lukaku was unable to control his difficult shot.

Lennon and Coleman danced through to threaten the goal but a knot of three defenders contrived to block his efforts. Trying to work the ball in with repeated probing but it was Lukaku again, with another ball played directly to his feet with back to goal and he bizarrely fired it backwards, straight to a West Brom player who almost set up Berahino for an opposition attack.

Lennon produced more brilliant magic to dig out a cross fro Barry to head goalward. That won a corner that again was delivered superbly by Oviedo but the B;ues could not fashion a clear chance at the far post.

Hostilities resumed after the break, Blues still struggling to break through or make a clear opening, Coleman lashing in a shot that hit Lukaku. A free-kick saw McCarthy's follow-on shot blocked. Ref Oliver finally booked Fletcher for taking too long on a free-kick. McClean was then booked for a late tackle on Coleman that looked a lot worse than it really was... all helping to fire up the home crowd.

McClean clipped Lennon but Oviedo's cross from the free-kick was too low, more shots blocked before McCarthy's low shot was straight at Foster. McClean was then wisely replaced by Brunt. In a rare tactical change, Martinez replaced Cleverly (who had been a spark for the Blues) with Kone to partner Lukaku. And he looked to set up Lukaku but again the ball bounced off his feet; however, he did lay off a chance that Barry powered inches over as the Blues pressed and pressed with no reward.

On the break, Rondon played in Brunt for a strike across the Everton goal that looked more dangerous than it was, Robles covering it well. Another potential breakout by WBA forced Barry to hold back Berahino at the price of a yellow card. And off the free-kick, Barry again used his body cleverly to thwart Dawson.

More persistent attacking came to naught for the Blues, shots being blocked repeatedly as they sought a way through to goal but with no avail. Lennon again forced a corner, but the defence held solid as Victor Anichebe came on against his old team in place of Rondon. An Oviedo shot almost crept through, then Lennon made way for Deulofeu, some of the crowd not appreciating the departure of Lennon. Foster booked for more time-wasting.

Deulofeu won another corner and Barkley tried to screw it goalwards. Deulofeu then ran at WBA, played in Coleman for the cross that went over Lukaku and seemed prime for Kone behind him, but the ball was headed weakly at a defender. A great cross from Deulofeu, played back to Barry who tried to pick his spot from 5 yards but Olsen blocked it.

Evans seemed to slice Coleman down in the area but not given as he got ball as well as man. Osman then replacing James McCarthy. Brunt lunged in on Deulofeu but the set piece was again solidly defended away by the intransigent West Brom defence, with Everton perhaps guilty of making extra pass after extra pass, rather than dribbling in or firing off more shots whenever possible.

Barkley was finally set up for a golden chance from the 18-yard line but spooned under it and it flew high and wide. Deulofeu won another corner on the right, and powered it into the mix well enough but no end product as the West Brom defence refused to yield. Osman's clever feet not clever enough to keep a looping volley down and on target, as the 4th official signalled an additional 5 minutes.

The attacks continued, Barkley barged over, then heading over a nice looking cross that should have been buried. Kone then crossing right in front of Lukaku, but no attempt on goal, Everton's attacking prowess had totally met its match, leading to Everton's sixth home defeat of the season.

Scorer: Olsen (15')

Everton: Robles, Coleman, Jagielka, Funes Mori, Oviedo, Barry [Y:62'], McCarthy(78' Osman) , Cleverley (58' Kone), Lennon (68' Deulofeu), Barkley, Lukaku.
Subs not Used: Howard, Baines, Pienaar, Mirallas.

West Bromwich Albion: Foster [Y:76'], Dawson, Chester, Olsson, Evans, Sessegnon, Yacob, Fletcher [Y:54'], McClean [Y:55'] (57' Brunt [83']), Rondon (72' Anichebe), Berahino.
Subs not Used: Gardner, Myhill, Pocognoli, Pritchard, Sandro.

Referee: Michael Oliver

Kick-off: 3pm

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Reader Comments (154)

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Oscar Huglin
1 Posted 13/02/2016 at 14:18:16
Good on you Bobby, stick with your form players.
Danny Halsall
2 Posted 13/02/2016 at 14:20:39
What is happening with Oumar Niasse, we shell out £13.5 million on him and still no sight or sound, not even in the matchday squad.

That is not to say that I don't have confidence in the players we have in the lineup, but how is it that every club who signed somebody on deadline day has had them in and around the squad and we haven't? Is this still down to a hold-up with his visa?

Chris Gould
3 Posted 13/02/2016 at 14:36:14
No, Danny, it'll be down to fitness. Also, we have a lot of quality on the bench, so no need to rush him until he is ready.
Tomos George
4 Posted 13/02/2016 at 14:46:08
Very offensive bench. No cover at centre half apart from Barry. Hope there's no injuries in that area.
Chris Gould
5 Posted 13/02/2016 at 14:53:05
Pulis has set them up to have a go. Two strikers and a couple of attacking midfielders. I'm surprised, hopefully that will play into our hands.
Phil Sammon
6 Posted 13/02/2016 at 14:54:29
Stupid comment really, Danny. He's not match fit and we have absolutely no need to rush him. Obvious really.
John Graham
10 Posted 13/02/2016 at 16:48:08
Oh yes. Lots of quality on the bench and no need to rush him. If he can put the ball in the net get him in the team now.
Jim Scales
11 Posted 13/02/2016 at 16:52:37
The word frustrating doesn't quite cover it does it?
Teddy Bertin
12 Posted 13/02/2016 at 16:58:36
Sod off West Brom.
Peter Jansson
13 Posted 13/02/2016 at 17:01:29
Martinez did one thing right. That was putting the winning team on the table.

However, how come we play a crossball strategy against West Brom? Yes we are under 0-1 and the have 11 men in defense (total crap football). But obviously.. when our advantage against West Brom are not in the air... why do we keep on playing the ball sideways left and right and crossballs instead of trying to pass in it the middle?

I think Mirallas should have been on the pitch instead of Kone.

Hopeless.

Gavin Johnson
14 Posted 13/02/2016 at 17:01:55
Typical Everton... Just when you think you’ve turned the corner.
Mark McLoughlin
15 Posted 13/02/2016 at 17:02:57
68 cup final all over again
Andy Crooks
16 Posted 13/02/2016 at 17:02:58
We are in a pattern of being consistently unlucky. It seems to me to beyond luck. It just happens time after time and it is ultimately down to the coach and his utter ineptitude.


Mark Daley
17 Posted 13/02/2016 at 17:03:37
You just can't be surprised. EFC will always let you down. What did I do in a previous life to come back as a Blue?
Dennis Ng
19 Posted 13/02/2016 at 17:04:43
You create your own luck Andy. How many shots did we get off and not 1 goal? Kone over Mirallas (and perhaps Niasse) is unbelievable.
Craig Fletcher
20 Posted 13/02/2016 at 17:05:21
There is one stat from the game which sums it up for me.

Everton 14 corners, WBA one, and they score from their only one. If Martinez wants a reason as to why it's crucial to practise attacking and defending set pieces, that is it. Regardless of how many corners /free kicks we had, we just never seemed to pose a threat (Funes Mori aside).

WBA's game plan is horrible viewing but it's effective in its simplicity. Burgle a goal, then defend for your lives.

Conor Skelly
21 Posted 13/02/2016 at 17:05:33
Typical typical Everton under Martinez. I can't really fault the team today as they all tried. All except one. Lukaku should be embarrassed. Robertos subs were terrible. Lennon off for Kone? I don't care what tactics he's trying to use, taking off our best player for kone was insane. Put lennon on the left if you want to bring Gerry on. Ultimately though it was one of them games. We had 35 shots at my last count.
Tom Roberts
22 Posted 13/02/2016 at 17:08:00
It makes me laugh that some people are worried that we might lose our star players...

Newsflash: We don’t have any.

The league table does not lie.

Craig Fletcher
24 Posted 13/02/2016 at 17:09:44
Conor, Kone replaced Cleverley, it was Deulofeu who replaced Lennon. I get your point though. Personally for me, Mirallas for Cleverley should have been the first sub, and maybe Kone for McCarthy, as WBA presented virtually nil threat going forward.
Anthony Jones
25 Posted 13/02/2016 at 17:13:51
Lukaku's recent interview springs to mind.
Roger Sunde
27 Posted 13/02/2016 at 17:15:21
With Lukaku's form dipping and Barkley unable to hit the target, this was the sort of game we needed a goal from Barry, McCarthy or anyone else really.

But that happens – too few and far between with Everton; disappointing.

Tony J Williams
28 Posted 13/02/2016 at 17:15:40
Soft that... lost the game the second he brought Kone on. Fuck off, Martinez
Phil Davies
29 Posted 13/02/2016 at 17:16:35
Martinez’s tactics are simple: whoever we play, we play the same way. Whether it’s Arsenal and they dominate possession or West Brom and they stick 11 men behind the ball, we’ll play the same way.

I understand you don’t change a winning team, but there was no need at all today to be playing with one winger, one striker and two defensive midfielders against a team that would have been happy with a 0-0.

Barry, McCarthy and Cleverley; choose two – not all three.

Mirallas should leave to save his own career because when Kone is permanently picked before you something isn’t right.

Lastly Coleman has been awful lately, his shooting has been poor, and crossing is just woeful.

John Roberts
30 Posted 13/02/2016 at 17:17:35
I knew this result was coming especially after two good wins, it’s been the pattern of last few seasons. Our mental strength is what has been missing and Martinez hasn’t got the qualities to install it. Mr Nice Guy, in my opinion.
Jay Harris
31 Posted 13/02/2016 at 17:18:09
If ever a game proved that Martinez is not fit to manage Everton Football Club, this was it. If you can't out-think and out-tactic a depleted West Brom side that has just lost the last 5, you don't deserve to manage a Premier League club.

To take the best man on the pitch off was stupid enough but to bring Kone and Osman on when we are crying out for someone like Mirallas to run at their defense and who can score goals is absolutely demented. This one-trick pony hasn't got a clue and is determined to get rid of anyone who thinks differently.

A nailed-on 3 points to close the gap and take us back into contention... instead of which, we will find ourselves below Liverpool, Stoke and Watford. Ruined my weekend again, Roberto.

Barry Jones
32 Posted 13/02/2016 at 17:18:52
Kone for Cleverley?????? Mindblowing. If anyone it should have been Mirallas. Taking off Lennon was also insane. He was causing all kinds of problems and would have continued to do so for 90 minutes.
John Parker
33 Posted 13/02/2016 at 17:20:02
Out-thought yet again by Tony Pulis.

People getting carried away after wins against the mighty Carlisle and Newcastle and a Stoke team in a slump – how on earth do you take off our most attacking threat for that joke, Kone???

Once again, phenomenal, Roberto.

Colin Davidson
34 Posted 13/02/2016 at 17:20:17
Clueless subs by Martinez: McCarthy was redundant as we didn’t need two defensive midfielders, especially once they scored and parked two buses. Pienaar should have been on for him with Cleverley into the middle, to give us something more down the left as well as Lennon, who didn’t deserve to come off, down the right.

Mirallas is a goal threat, not Kone. Not enough effort from Lukaku. Where was Niasse? Also I thought we had dumped inept defending at corners?!

I'm tearing what’s left of my hair out after that...

Amit Vithlani
35 Posted 13/02/2016 at 17:20:34
Don Hutchison on TV summed it up for me.

We played very well were were extremely unlucky. However the poor home form this season and a banker against an out of form side makes it a bitterly disappointing defeat for the supporters.

I would go further and say everytime we pull away from mid table we fall over and get sucked right back down.

Unlucky or not, Martinez record is beggining to set a pattern. Mid table mediocrity. He cannot seem to consistently push us on.

Phil Sammon
36 Posted 13/02/2016 at 17:20:45
Craig 16

And you know what, Oviedo's corners were excellent all night. Every last one of them went in the mixer.

I recall some wise TWer quoting Martinez regarding set pieces and the likelihood of them resulting in goals. He added, 'Yes, but these stats are all based on teams who actively practise defending set-pieces'.

Wise words, I thought. Martinez is skewing the stats to suit his bewildering 'philosophy'.

Mike Hayes
37 Posted 13/02/2016 at 17:23:45
Everton are reaping what they sowed – you employ a loser, you get a loser's mentality who says clean sheets aren’t important? Can’t play form players or keep the same side or make tactical changes when the same side can’t cut it.

Terrible substitutions, terrible tactics, but Pulis always parks the bus and can’t attack. Get rid of both Martinez and Kone asap before we end up as Championship fodder.

Jeff Armstrong
38 Posted 13/02/2016 at 17:24:57
I really do believe Martinez is a bit dumb. He never tries anything different during a game with the players on the field, or with his subs: bring Gerry on but put put him on the left, bring Mirallas on instead of the usual Kone trick, which tme and time again DOES NOT WORK, play Mirallas through the middle for 20 mins... Osman FFS??

Martinez never, ever, has a trick up his sleeve where he moves the chess players around a bit to try something different. Leaving Barry and McCarthy on and taking Lennon off was really going to help in the chasing of a goal, wasn’t it!! Seeing as Lennon has scored more in the last 3 games than our "defensive axis" has in 2 years.

Yes, Martinez definitely is dumb!

Ray Said
39 Posted 13/02/2016 at 17:32:23
So that was a winning run of two whole games... phenomenal stuff!
Craig Fletcher
41 Posted 13/02/2016 at 17:36:58
We just seemed to run out of ideas. Agree, Jeff, something, anything different towards the end of the game could have helped. We could even have moved Funes Mori in as centre-forward if we were going to persist in crossing from the flanks. He could have got that all-important knock-down for Lukaku or Barkley.

It's not that we played badly, but it was all very one-dimensional and reasonably easy for a Pulis-managed side to defend against.

Jamie Barlow
42 Posted 13/02/2016 at 17:39:19
34 shots and Martinez gets the blame? Ha ha.

Paul Hewitt
44 Posted 13/02/2016 at 17:41:38
I think it’s more about his subs, Jamie. Very poor today.
William Cartwright
45 Posted 13/02/2016 at 17:43:49
For me that was the most shocking match of Roberto's tenure. So many comments posted have hit so many nails on the head:-

2 defensive midfielders when West Brom were to shy to play outside their own half.

Taking off Lennon who was playing a blinder and the most threatening attacker on the pitch.

No defender on the back post for the corner.

Geri with the guile to make a difference to break through the West Brom defense should have been brought on at half time and he together with Lennon would have caused real trouble.

Kone before Mirallas ridiculous

Ossie before Mirallas ridiculous.

We have now lost 6 times at Goodison, often to substandard opposition and I include Manure in that bracket.

The poorest game management I have ever seen. This when a victory would have seen us close down on the top 5. Roberto has done wonders in improving the playing staff on paper but on the pitch it is a different story. I wonder what the pressure on Roberto will be like when the Yanks come in. I doubt if they will put up with much more of that bloody nonsense.

Marlan Govender
47 Posted 13/02/2016 at 17:50:51
Poor subs at the of the day. Osman at the end and not Mirallas... even with Niasse, Besic and Stones coming back, Bobby will still find a spot for Osman.
Paul Olsen
49 Posted 13/02/2016 at 17:52:40
We had 15(!) blocked attempts today. About the average Ross makes every game. It is an obvious problem, we are too slow when attacking. Ross is the biggest culprit, always Running wirh the ball at feet, slowing us down and making us easy to defend against. Then again, this is what Roberto is aiming for.
Bill Gall
50 Posted 13/02/2016 at 17:52:41
If Martinez learnt anything from this game it should be ,yes set pieces are important and should be practiced and also a good organized defense can win you the game. As has been stated the only form of attack we showed today was play wide and put the ball in to the middle. This failed today with the size of Albion's defenders, and we had no plan (b).

Mirallas must suffer from the same problem that Distan had. terrible way to treat a player after saying he is not for sale, and was an important player for the team.

Chris Wilson
51 Posted 13/02/2016 at 17:54:32
Yeah, but Jaime; 34 shots, 14 corners and Foster didn't break a sweat.
Paul Olsen
53 Posted 13/02/2016 at 17:54:45
At this point, our problem is not concerning who is subbed and who starts. Our problems are due to our style of play.
Mike Hayes
56 Posted 13/02/2016 at 18:00:49
Just listened to a fan on Radio Merseyside who sits by the dug out and says it is Graham Jones who makes the substitutions – not Martinez.

He says he witnessed the dugout, including Big Dunc, shake their heads in disbelief... particularly today's bad subs.

So make of that what you will, considering they (Martinez and Jones) were both at Swansea, Wigan and now Everton.

John Daley
57 Posted 13/02/2016 at 18:01:07
I can't even muster the energy or motivation to try and moan about anything. I just feel...pure frustration. It's kind of my default mode after home games these days it seems and it's like someone is slowly squashing any remaining enthusiasm I might have for the game right into the ground.

Our home record is just an embarrassment at this stage.

Frank Rice
58 Posted 13/02/2016 at 18:01:27
What has Mirallas done to upset Martinez. Kone is not a Premiership forward and Leon is at the end of a very good career but he's no longer effective at this level.

Why take off our best player - Lennon

Bit unlucky today, but too easy for a determined defensive Pulis team.

Martinez again falls short


Mike Powell
59 Posted 13/02/2016 at 18:01:38
School boy defending again why did we not have a player on the back post again ,10 year olds defend better than that
William Cartwright
61 Posted 13/02/2016 at 18:05:42
Jamie, 34 shots and nothing that really threatened their goalkeeper except Ross hitting the post. The flighted cross from Cleverly that swerved onto the bar was also a teaser but not a real effort on goal.

Their goalkeeper was hardly troubled throughout the game. I also thought Olsen was brilliant for them.

What is it about Everton running out of ideas around the penalty area? That's where you need the skillful creative player who can set-up the 1 - 2's and the stand offs, the cheeky chips and the back heel stuff to create the space for others to move into.

Fair respect to West Brom who came with a game plan, probably the only one they could with the players at their disposal. And there is the difference. Roberto has built up a great squad, but he does not have the ability to formulate a "a game plan" at any time. He has a philosophy, which he sticks to, which sometimes works and sometimes does not. The fact is it does not work most of the time. Hence the appalling games to wins ratio.

His failings are becoming really visible now and it is going to be a depressing run in to the end of the season where we will be lucky to break into the top ten.

Peter Cummings
62 Posted 13/02/2016 at 18:07:17
WBA played a tough 2 hour cup game mid week and scraped into the next round on pens,yet they were able to come to Goodison score.park the bus against an, admittedly rampant, Everton for over 80 minutes, until, as usual, Martinez gave them the points with absolutely suicidal subs,nuff said
Danny Broderick
63 Posted 13/02/2016 at 18:08:56
I saw a stat after about 70 minutes which showed our top 3 players in terms of shooting. Top was Coleman, 2nd was Ross, 3rd was Funes Mori. That sums us up for me - most of our shots are not really chances, they are shots lashed at goal from our right back, or pot shots from outside the box

I didn't think Lukaku was great today, but again, he is fed on scraps. I can't remember us creating a proper chance for him, despite our 35 shots or whatever.

The players did their best today, but yet again we have started slowly, and given away a poor goal. That gave them something to hang on to. I am also baffled why Martinez will not use 2 wingers on the pitch at the same time. Faced with compact opposition who are parking the bus, you need to make the pitch as big as possible to carve them open. Why he brought on Kone and not Mirallas is beyond me...

John Davies
64 Posted 13/02/2016 at 18:11:14
When are we going to get shot of this arrogant, condescending, up his own arse, bullshitter of a manager? This prat has a record of continual under-achievement.

Read somewhere that Inter Milan want him. GOOD. Fuck off, Martinez. You are totally out of your depth and nowhere good enough to manage our beloved Blues.

Great December & January, Lukaku. Done jack shit since. Lazy. Any chance now the transfer window has closed that you might get your arse back in gear?

David Connor
65 Posted 13/02/2016 at 18:14:24
It has just dawned on me when Martinez came out with the statement about the players being scared of playing at home. It is Martinez who is scared to play at home and the results back it up.

It's all well and good knocking the ball about and scoring good goals in front of 5,000 travelling fans – we want to see them do it in front of 37,000 home fans. He needs to shake off his negativity at home or the fans will hound him out.

And at this moment in time, I wouldn't give a flying fuck if he got the sack tomorrow. He is far too negative not only with his slow play tactics but also with his mind-numbing substitution decisions. The man needs to wise up or fuck off....

He said this team is on the verge of something special. What the fuck is that all about? Midtable mediocrity.... The man lives in cuckoo land... Fuckin' beam me up, Scotty!

Bill Gall
66 Posted 13/02/2016 at 18:14:33
And Chelsea will only be 2pts behind us and they were supposed to be having a horrific season, oh that was before they fired their manager.
Tony Hill
68 Posted 13/02/2016 at 18:16:07
John, (40) and William (41) sum up my feelings. It was predictable that against West Brom we would struggle for pace and incisiveness with our essentially defensive midfield formation. Yes, Lukaku was poor but we didn't get beyond them in the second half and only really managed it through Lennon in the first. We just do not move the ball quickly enough and the need for creativity is glaring.

This is a manager who cannot react accurately or imaginatively during games. I have listened to his explanation for Lennon's substitution and it made no sense at all beyond some waffle about tiredness, of which I saw no evidence. He also said that you can control performance but not the result. That sort of garbage is why he has to go.

Tom Magill
69 Posted 13/02/2016 at 18:16:37
Well said, John Daley, I agree with every word.

It ruins the weekend for me.... not many good weekends this year.

Darryl Ritchie
70 Posted 13/02/2016 at 18:17:04
Obviously a work in progress...still. West Brom was a puzzle we were unable to solve.

Strange subs, I must say. I could see Cleverley coming off, but why put in Osman? Is Mirallas banged up or something? Lennon should have stayed on.

The sight of Ossie going up for a header in the box, and being bounced around like a pinball was comical. Sad but funny all the same. Rom was invisible.

.

Peter Jansson
71 Posted 13/02/2016 at 18:19:22
We need to be able to play with a different system than the Martinez's 4-2-3-1! It simply not good enough. When meeting teams like West Brom like today, we need a totally different system in our back pocket, to change strategy when needed.

We had maybe 30-40 corners and crossballs together and we were not even close to scoring. NOT EVEN CLOSE! It is pretty clear to me then that the tactics did not work.

Think about this. Lukaku is on top by himself against 4 West Brom players all the time biting his ass. How would you expect him to score a header?

Come on for fuck's sake! Today we could have finished the game 3-4-3 or whatever, a much more offensive strategy than the same old shit. We should have tried to play the ball in the middle with more manpower there.

Mr Martinez, you need to change a defensive player to an offensive player to really boost things on the field. It does not help taking Lennon off for Deulofeu. They could have been on the pitch both of them together with Mirallas and Lukaku up front together. In central midfield we could have Barkley and Osman, Barry, Cleverley. or two of them, playing either 4-4-2 or 3-5-2.

Paul Olsen
72 Posted 13/02/2016 at 18:20:49
Danny. A £28 million striker with a £50 mill pricetag should be good enough to carve out a chance or two on his own. Especially when 80% of the game was played inside their half...

He was beyond poor today. What top striker would come from a game like this without a single meaningful attempt on goal?

Keith Glazzard
73 Posted 13/02/2016 at 18:22:46
What is Kone for? On for Cleverley? To put two up front? No, to keep the same shape. Absolute bollox!

We had Deulofeu and Mirallas on the bench – although Cleverley is more likely to create or score than McCarthy in my book – if someone had to be exchanged. And Coleman had nothing else to do all afternoon than attack. Lennon to left-back, Deulofeu on up the right. But oh no, if it ain't broke, don’t fix it.

We lost... against shite opposition.

John Pickles
74 Posted 13/02/2016 at 18:22:59
Unbelievable we didn’t win today, unfortunately it happens to a Martinez team this season way too often.

Baffling substitutions, the game was crying out for Mirallas. What has he done that is so wrong?

Lennon was superb, always thought we might score when he was on the pitch.

Why is McCarthy such a poor goal threat and why doesn’t a coach get him to work to improve on that part of his game?

And why do I always end up sitting near to the bloke who keeps yelling ’Handball!’ every time the ball bobbles free in the box?

Andy Crooks
76 Posted 13/02/2016 at 18:26:11

We have a major, but not insoluble, problem right now. We have our best squad for a long time coached by the shittest coach in our history. For those who see him as blameless today I would only compare his coaching efforts today with those his performance in the appalling 3-0 loss at Southampton the Christmas before last.

That was the worst performace by a coach I have witnessed at any level in my life. He is useless beyond redemption and,in my view it is shocking that he earns a living in football. Another night of missing MOTD because I cannot bear listening to one more cretinous word that comes out of his mouth.

Jim Bennings
77 Posted 13/02/2016 at 18:29:16
Our home form is completely rank shite under Martinez.

7 wins from 19 last season

4 wins at home so far this season, arguably won't even win 7 this time.

But to be honest, I couldn't care less now because the league campaign is now a dead rubber.
Every time we have a chance to push on and pressure those above us we fuck up.

The Bournemouth game next Saturday takes on extra significance now, lose that then you really have to question how long the manager has left.
Yes we had two good wins last week but it's been a season of dismal letdown culminating in endless failures to beat bad teams at home.

You have to be honest, once these Americans take over, you can't see these putting up with a season, or even half season of mediocrity anyway.

Alan Bodell
78 Posted 13/02/2016 at 18:30:31
All this against a team with injury trouble that played and struggled at Peterborough 72 hrs ago, at half time I reached for the phone for a bet and thank fuck the odds were shite else the bookies would have cleaned me out.
Phil Walling
79 Posted 13/02/2016 at 18:32:29
We have won 8 games out of 25 and have lost no less than 6 at home. The manager and many of the scribes say we are a phenomenal work in progress and even Pulis says 'Everton are very good side.'

We expect too much, it seems.

John Keating
80 Posted 13/02/2016 at 18:33:32
Think how many times this season this thread has been repeated almost verbatim
We will get the usual excuses.
We will get the usual posters on here telling us how unlucky we were, stick with Roberto, we are so close to being the complete team.
Maybe the next match will be our "Oxford" moment - again !

Maybe, possibly, by some small chance it might just be that the manager is not fit for the job ?
Maybe the manager hasn't got the tactical nous to beat teams like West Brom, to make telling substitutions, to change tactics midway through a game.
Maybe we can be unlucky once or twice but this is getting monotonous.
We really are a shit team and getting booed off was well earned

Paul Kennedy
81 Posted 13/02/2016 at 18:33:44
Well, it's Everton – we never do what's expected.

I would settle for just beating the Red Shite – nothing else is going to happen this season!!!

Ray Roche
82 Posted 13/02/2016 at 18:33:53
I've said this plenty of times on here, Martinez has one "system" and if it's not working he doesn't know what to de, hence the like for like substitutions. Like for like will never change a game, he must do something to change our shape and our tactics but he hasn't got a clue.
Jim Bennings
83 Posted 13/02/2016 at 18:38:49
I've said many times before, it's all well and good banging the drum for this so called great talented squad, well the results suggest otherwise.

Now that is either down to the manager for not getting the best out of them, or maybe the players aren't quite as good as we think they are!

If it is the manager then he must leave sooner rather than later.

There's no getting away from the fact we can't go on a substantial winning run, we are incapable at Goodison, our home form rancid.

This manager must take responsibility.

Kunal Desai
85 Posted 13/02/2016 at 18:40:05
A couple of successive wins never meant that Martinez had changed, he hasn't and never will which is why his contract must be terminated in the summer. I can't wait for new owners to come in and kick this fool out.
David Pearl
86 Posted 13/02/2016 at 18:40:36
Sunderland, Watford, Stoke & Everton accumulator =
the blues cost me £2,000.
Its all my fault for backing the blues!! So don't blame Bobby...

Except of course for shit subs and not having the nous to change the shape of our attacks.

You cant really defend the fact that we have lost 6 home games this season. I like RM, he has built a good squad but we play much better away from home. We have the talent and exciting possibilities but game management is not just about holding on when we go ahead... its also about being able to view the game and make changes on the fly. Disappointing to say the very least... more so that we could of been just 3 points off Utd in 5th with a win... Plus I would of gone on holiday!!

Colin Hughes
87 Posted 13/02/2016 at 18:45:28
Worst home form since the nineties. Wouldn't mind if it was all top sides winning here but Stoke, Swansea and West Brom since Christmas is unacceptable. Clearly Martinez hasn't a clue how to change a game and week in week out at home we concede from a corner or cross into the box.It won't change undefeated him and we are only heading for a mid to bottom finish again.The first thing these yanks must do,if they take over, is get shut of him.
Steavey Buckley
88 Posted 13/02/2016 at 18:49:11
It was a day when Lukaku could not shake off his defensive markers and make any impact. You would have thought under these circumstances, with Everton in total control over WBA, who were easily outplayed against Peterborough during the week, Martinez would bring on more attackers in the shape and form of Mirallas and Deulofeu and keep Lennon on. No, he brought the ineffective Kone and Osman on instead. I know it's easy looking on from the sidelines, but a more adventurous manager would have gone for broke. Did Everton really need the three of McCarthy, Barry and Cleverley on the field after WBA parked the bus?
Frank Kearns
89 Posted 13/02/2016 at 18:49:35
Too much dithering on the ball, or unnecessary extra touches, allowing West Brom to close the gaps we worked so laboriously to create, milliseconds count against The Pulis Defence, we need to sharpen up.
John Moore
90 Posted 13/02/2016 at 18:52:47
Fuck sake, how many times have we seen this, Martinez doesn’t know how to play against teams that are organised and come to defend, he’s got no plan B at all. I don’t know the answer cause I was asking for some quicker crosses into the box all game but them big grocks would have eaten them up all day probably, but I want a manager who knows how to break these teams down and this clown clearly doesn’t.

We’d play exactly the same way if we had Bournemouth at home or Barcelona away and every manager in the league knows this, we could have played another hour and still not scored, and I don’t know what the fuck he’s thinking about taking off the only player who was actually getting behind their defence and replacing him with like for like. No plan B and god knows what he sees in Kone, he’s not good enough for this level. I’m boring myself now, that’s enough from me.
William Cartwright
91 Posted 13/02/2016 at 18:53:14
Robles was not commanding his box for the corner nor could he backpedal quickly enough. If that had been Tim in goal the knives would have been out again! The simple fact is a defender on the back post woul almost certainly have been able to deal with it. Hey ho another 3 points lost etc . . . . .

It reminds us that the head coach (I wont say manager as that implies wider responsibilities) is far and away the most important person at the club. He orchestrates the moves, the mentality, the motivation, the team spirit, the strategies, the team selection, and so on. He is the numero uno power broker for the teams success or failure.

We seem to have a manager who has an almost sinister, two faced aspect to his nature. He is a real creature of extremes. First Distin, then Mirallas have been banished. At the same time Howard and Kone have been cossetted. Why do you behave like this Roberto? It is inconsistent, it undermines the team's performance and pulls the Club downwards.


John Daley
92 Posted 13/02/2016 at 18:54:09
Andy,

The most annoying thing about Martinez (for me, at least) is that the guy is clearly nobodies fool and there is the makings of a very good manager in there somewhere, but he (for whatever reason) flat out refuses to adapt his methods in the face of overwhelming evidence to the contrary.

(Whatever happened to his early stated aim of the team being able to play multiple formations and switch at a moments notice when a game demands, by the way?)

It seems almost as though so much has been made of his purist 'philosophy' of how a game should be contested, that he's talked himself into a corner he can't creep out of without losing face.

We all know there is a good team...a winning more-often-than-not team...wrapped up in this squad. All it should really take is some sensible adjustments and fine tuning to get a mini-revival underway because there is higher quality personnel there than the performances of the last two seasons suggest.

However, it's the seeming refusal to recognise and accept that not only is everything not fucking rosy, it went past that a while ago to the point where it's now smelling rancid, that is the main stumbling block.

If he hasn't seen it by now, he isn't going to. He drove past his Damascus moment months ago and left it stood on the side of the road, mouth wide open, screaming 'Roberto! Come back!!'.

Paul Ellam
93 Posted 13/02/2016 at 18:54:21
These kinds of results are a quick way of losing players like Lukaku, Stones, McCarthy etc.
We are a top 6 team who have become used to mid-table life.
And once those players go we really will be a mid-table team...or worse!
I am weary of us dominating teams only to throw chances away and let them steal points from us.
It is a horrible pattern we have developed and we look no closer to changing it.
Tony Hill
95 Posted 13/02/2016 at 18:56:08
We are likely to be 11th after tomorrow. Doesn't that say it all really?
Jim Bennings
96 Posted 13/02/2016 at 18:59:06
Martinez is ok with his substitutions when we are ahead in a game but actually making game-changing substitutions when chasing a game is a massive weakness of his.

Today the changes should have been Mirallas for Cleverley (not because Tom was poor, he wasn't but Mirallas a threat).

Then I'd have brought Deulofeu on and played him in the MIDDLE in place of Barry or McCarthy.

I'd have left Lennon on because he was giving that lad nightmares.

By taking Lennon off for Deulofeu all Martinez did was go like for like, he can't change a game by mixing things up by bamboozling the opposition.

John Keating
97 Posted 13/02/2016 at 18:59:06
Please Roberto, I am sure you are an honourable man....walk and leave us, please.
Darryl Ritchie
98 Posted 13/02/2016 at 19:00:22
For those that say Rom just doesn't get any service. We put 55 crosses into the box. He just didn't want it today.
Christopher Marston
99 Posted 13/02/2016 at 19:04:02
He has to go
Mike Archibald
100 Posted 13/02/2016 at 19:06:14
The saddest thing about today's result was it was inevitability... We were Pulisized.

Just one win for the Blues all season against a current top-twelve side (unless Chelsea win tonight) and no Europa League excuses paints a sorry picture. We have a manager who prefers style over substance and a team with a soft centre. Enough said.

Andy Mack
101 Posted 13/02/2016 at 19:06:15
Strange subs to change a game, we were a lot worse than before the changes, Lennon was star man? Put Del or Kev on the other side and see what happens! I hope the new lad, Niasse, gets as turn out or at least Kevin as opposed to Kone next weekend, really, what is the point of Kone is he any better than Victor?

Poor display, and our home form is shocking, I'm glad we're not in the bottom three already as we'd never pull out of it.

Bournemouth could finish our season infront of the bright lights of the Beeb. How sad is that?

Tony Hill
102 Posted 13/02/2016 at 19:06:25
Darryl, he may be carrying an injury but I agree he's not with it at all at the moment and hasn't been for a while. Amid the gloom, we shouldn't lose sight of how excellent Lennon was again, not only in getting past his full back but in his exemplary chasing and closing down. No wonder he was taken off.
Brin Williams
103 Posted 13/02/2016 at 19:16:12
I may be wrong but Martinez never appears to consult his team of trainers - he just stands there arms folded and only seems to get animated when we score a goal and then his arm goes up in the air and his knees wobble!!

Why doesn't he sit on the bench with his hench-men and discuss the way forward instead of standing there on the touchline like a limp prick giving the whole world the impression that he is in full control of the situation when in fact he hasn't got a fucking clue what to do for the best.

I give up, I'm absolutely pissed off and vow never to get too excited - after all what is there to be excited about, watching some twat like Pulis giving us one up the back end. What next?

Jim Bennings
105 Posted 13/02/2016 at 19:17:58
Does Niasse really need to be match fit to come on and throw himself about for the final 15 minutes of desperation?

We may say we don't need to rush him but on today's evidence and Rom's lack of form maybe we do need.

Si Cooper
106 Posted 13/02/2016 at 19:23:38
Where is 'sin miedo' when you need it? With half an hour to go I thought the manager simply had to go all out for the win.
Personally would have liked to see Deulofeu and Lennon attacking from both flanks and I think a case could have been made for Mirallas in a similar vein, but Kone was miles away from my thinking. Unlike some I don't think he is useless but what he is good at, in my opinion, is bridging the gap between attack and midfield when it is real end to end stuff because he is capable of linking play up. Not what we were deficient in today.
Similar thoughts on Ossie as the last throw of the dice; we needed pace and a willingness to shoot at goal, not more patient attempts to open them up.
Graham Murphy
107 Posted 13/02/2016 at 19:30:49
No sure if anyone else has checked this stat out but thought I would share it, as follows:-
We officially, according to the BBC had 34 attempts today and score no goals. I have checked the top 4 divisions in this country and the next best attempts stat was Plymouth (23) who won 3 nil and after that it was Sunderland (21) who won 2 - 1. It just shows how abysmal we were today!!!
Mark Wilson
108 Posted 13/02/2016 at 19:31:44
All week long I felt it, the optimism, the hope, this was a season that, amazingly, suddenly looked like it really could be turned around. We went into the game with the huge incentive that a win would see us just 3 points off fifth place. We ended it with a pathetic defeat at home, one of many, and watched as our manager gave yet another embarrassing impression of a rabbit caught in the headlights. He froze, refused to change an approach was clearly failing and made some of the worst decisions around his substitutions I have ever seen from an Everton manager.

I admit it I was absurdly naive to think that we could turn this season around. We have become a club that thinks it's ok to lose if you play pretty, have more shots than the opposition and are "hard done by".

Seriously, it's become a mantra, a way of managing the team. Results ? Ha, we laugh in the face of defeat, it's not the losing that counts it's how much passion you had.....

After the game you'd have honestly thought we had won listening to the usual drivel from a manager who is a lovely guy in everything other than his ability to manage a game. "The result was hard to explain" he said....not half as difficult to explain as your substitutions Roberto. Here's the thing....2nd half, ten mins in, nothing's changed. You take Tom C off and bring on Geri, he and Lennon swop wings and you also take Barry off and bring on Mirallas to sit just behind Lukaku.....you force West Brom to adapt to a different tactic but you run at them from both wings and have a strong presence in the box. Nope you don't. You bring on Kone in the worst form of his life then later Osman and the team continues to try, yes, but everyone can see that West Brom's tireless defenders don't have to alter anything from their plan, and it works. Game Management, we just don't do it.

That stat re 34 shots is as misleading as Tim Howard's "famous" World Cup effort where the opposition simply kept blasting shots directly at him. Today we hardly tested their keeper. We were unlucky with the two shots that hit the woodwork but honestly, it was a lot of half chances and promising runs fizzling out into, well, nothing.

Yes I'm gutted. This was a crucial game. I've heard mention that we have as a kind a run-in as we have had in this league....but then today was meant to be part of that wasn't it ?

I'm angry with myself for getting exited after two wins. How bloody stupid was I. This manager may be the nicest guy we've had in the hot seat but he's also the weakest for a long time, he's stubborn because I genuinely believe he has no real plan b.....it's a form of arrogance I fear that belies his gentle and decent nature but then I find myself thinking he brought on Osman today just to put two fingers up to the crowd and that makes me feel a bit lost as to where the club is going under his Mgt.

Don Alexander
109 Posted 13/02/2016 at 19:32:09
Just as soon as I saw nobody on either post at their one and only corner my heart sank. It doesn't matter who's in goal if you leave the poor sod with the total responsibility never to fail when coming for a cross, allied to having to save whatever comes his way from just a few yards out should the opposition, especially an opposition such as "land-of-giants" WBA, manage to beat our less beefy defenders to the cross. The responsibility for the set-up is the manager's, end-of, and he provably, repeatedly doesn't give a shit.

This amounts to gross misconduct. Gross misconduct earns you the sack.

Tony Hill
110 Posted 13/02/2016 at 19:32:56
Yes, this is a manager who has shrunk in his approach since his first season. We have had no consistent run of wins since the last quarter of 2013-14 in fact, and now you just know that we will lose after a few wins or when there is something at stake.

We need someone who will rip up that pattern and overthrow the sense of inevitability. What is tiring for most of us is that we can have no trust in the team/manager and their determination to fight against the averages.

Phil Walling
111 Posted 13/02/2016 at 19:33:33
Jim @ 92 ; The last two and a half seasons have shown that Bobby has so much faith in his system that if it's not working it's the players who are falling short and thus have to be changed. Thus always the like for like substitutions rather than a change of approach/shape.

This flaw in his make-up was at the core of my reluctance to support his appointment two and a half years ago, knowing that he has always been like this in that any team he manages is forever 'a work in progress'. Just ask the fans of Swansea and Wigan.

Graham Mockford
112 Posted 13/02/2016 at 19:38:13
I've missed three games this season.Sunderland, Villa and Newcastle.

I think maybe I'm a jinx. The last 13 home games I've been to W1 D4 L8.

Fuck me it gets no easier.

Kim Vivian
113 Posted 13/02/2016 at 19:48:15
I'm not actually sure why people were thinking we had turned the corner following our previous 3 games.

Newcastle - utter shite (currently 5-0 down against 15th placed Chelsea (before the start of this game). Luckily for us their finishing was out of our book or we would have had a few red faces, and helped to the win with 2 penalties and a bit if a chancer from Lennon albeit a good goal.

Barnsley some 50 places and 2 leagues below us - 3 -0 nil is really the very least we should expect.

Stoke - Great goal from Coleman, another penalty and a defensive fuck up well capitalised upon by Lennon.

So not a lot of sensational winners there.

Now I do believe we are on the cusp of much better things although days like today really do knock my confidence back, and much though I wanted to see the green shoots from those last three games, and as delighted I was at the respective results, I have had a continuing nag that we really did not WIN those games so much as the opposition losing them - if you get my drift.

Today was the opposite - West Brom did not win that match - we lost it. I was watching on the eplsite stream while at work annd commented once on the forum to say it looked like the stream was running in slow motion such was the pace and urgency of our play.

We should have battered them on the score sheet. Sure they defended well and they must have been creased having played a 2 hour cup tie on Weds night.

There has been plenty of (justifiable) criticism of our defence but what is happening up front? We just do not seem to be able, or want, to drive that killer thrust into the penalty area, and decide to pass around the edge of the box giving our opposition time to get behind the ball, if not organised but, like,weight of numbers and all that! To use a bullfight analogy we seem to be like the matador playing around with his cloak, entertaining his crowd and toying with his bull but never actually proving the coup de grace (or whatever the Spaniards call it). And I think our estoque (that's the sword by the way) which in toffeespeak is called Lukaku, is being seriously blunted partly by defenders and partly by his own mind when it does come to the final cut. Hopefully Niasse can provide a much needed additional threat alongside Rom and dilute the attention that Rom is getting from defenders right now. Stick two men on him and we seem to be screwed.

I thoroughly hope we can repeat the previous 3 results over the next couple of games, progress in the FA cup and for goodness sake find our scoring boots and get back on track and WIN games.

The substitution we weird today ( who would expect anything else) but it was the players who failed to win this match - not RM who (leaving subs aside, and by then iy should have been irrelevant rather than desperate). Somehow by playing some good football they managed to let us all down.

Rant and subjective impressions over...I am just left a bit confused by it all really. Might look different in the morning in the cold light of day but for now I just can't get the gutted feeling out of my stomach.

(5-1 now - FT - and Chelsea up to 12th I think. )

Julian Exshaw
114 Posted 13/02/2016 at 19:49:26
I totally understand the frustration felt by fellow Evertonians tonight but, as I mentioned earlier on the Live Forum, how many teams have really outplayed us this season? This is my problem with us this season and my continued reluctance to always blame RM. I strongly beleive that we are not far away at all . Yes, our record at home is terrible but we can't compare this to our truly dark days under Mike Walker or Walter Smith, now that was bleak! As for today and bringing on Osman, I think RM thought it needed more clever quick thinkers doing one-twos around the box (of which Osman is adept) than adopt a battering ram approach. Martinez is not faultless but he is still learning. How much longer can we allow him to learn at our club? That's for the more knowledgeable to decide. Whatever happens, he is here until the summer.
Clive Rogers
115 Posted 13/02/2016 at 19:57:59
Playing with four essentially central midfield players becomes a problem when we go a goal behind especially at home. Three of them have one goal between them all season. Baines should be playing for me. Oviedo offered nothing going forward today down the left and his free kicks were poor.

As an observation, Lennon very rarely crosses the ball in the air. Five times he beat his fullback inside the box, but all his crosses were along the ground and cut out easily.

Peter McCann
116 Posted 13/02/2016 at 19:59:58
Supporters always have differing views on football and players and that’s the beauty of the game. However, was there anybody (and I mean anybody) in the crowd today who would say to Roberto they were really good substitutions?

Tell you what, Bobby, we are losing the match – let’s leave Mirallas on the bench and bring Osman on... Hey, get that Kone bloke on and leave Kev on he bench – that’s a good one.... That Lennon looks good... let's get him off before he does any damage.

It’s bonkers!!! I really don’t think anyone would have agreed with him today apart from his staff who sit on the bench simply to agree with him. I would love to invite him to my house tonight to share a bottle of vino and ask him man to man what on earth was going on in his head when he made those calls today. Bobby it’s an open invitation....

John Daley
117 Posted 13/02/2016 at 20:00:10
"I think maybe I'm a jinx. The last 13 home games I've been to W1 D4 L8."

Don't blame yourself Graham. Somehow, somewhere and...err...somewhen, Evertonians must have surely pissed some higher power off en masse.

Tony Hill
118 Posted 13/02/2016 at 20:05:35
We must pay what it takes in the summer to get a seriously talented number 10. I make that a higher priority than a keeper and we all knew it would be the main problem, didn't we, back in September? If ever there was a game that demonstrated this massive deficit in the team then it was today's.
Peter Lee
119 Posted 13/02/2016 at 20:08:22
West Brom are desperate for points and Tony Pullis will keep them up, unfortunately he made a start against us.

We all knew that they would defend as they did but the gift of a goal made it much more difficult.

TheyÂ’d have taken a point but, given the control that we had through most of the game the 12/15 minutes after conceding aside, at 0-0 they would have made more than a token effort at holding the ball up at the top of the pitch. That would have given us a little more scope going forward.

So, first of al,l we again concede a goal from a near post corner. IÂ’ve said it before but our best jumper other than the two centre-backs needs to be in front of the near post for all dead balls. I think that would be Lukaku. At that corner he was miles beyond the far post marking nobody when the ball came in. Doing what he was told I presume. Two things. If we have someone ahead of the near post the opposition have to think differently and our defenders and goalkeeper have a smaller area to think about defending.

The consistent failure to do that is down to RM. It isnÂ’t a reason to sack him though.

Other than that we carved out loads of half-chances and a touch of luck would have changed the game.

I do have one criticism of RM in the way he managed the game today however.

If Cleverly wasnÂ’t injured, he was having a fine game up until then, playing Kone was about changing both shape and tactics. I rate Kone but today his major assets, keeping the ball and hitting a blue shirt with it, were missing. RM acknowledged as much in bringing on Leon Osman and putting him were Cleverly was.

Daft as it might seem Osman for Kone would have made sense at that stage but the elephant in the room for me all day today was Ross Barkley. Instead of Kone for Cleverley IÂ’d have switched in either Leon Osman or Gerard Deulofeu for RB.

Years ago when I played regularly, one of the old heads used to scream at midfield players fannying around and tell them to stop “chewing” the ball. What he meant and we all understood, was the ball needs to be moved quickly on, and in some respects it doesn’t matter where as long it’s to your own shirt.

The number of times in todayÂ’s game and in many others that RB takes a ball moving quickly from L to R or vice versa and chews it for 2 or three touches before moving it where it should have gone first time is infuriating. Against teams defending en masse this is absolutely inexcusable.

I always thought that Steven Gerrard was a selfish player because. When in range, he would always look it see if he had a shot on before deciding to pass to someone else. Perhaps he could have been excused to some degree given the success that he had with that approach. Ross is a long way from SG sadly.

On another thread I have explained why I would select Cleverley, Lennon and Funes Mori before Mirallas, Deulofeu and Stones. I would switch either of the first two of the three into RBÂ’s spot provided that they demonstrated a will to get back into the middle of Barry and Mc Carthy once we had lost the ball.

We remain a work in progress.
Clive Rogers
120 Posted 13/02/2016 at 20:20:12
Darryl #98,

Our crosses today were awful. Most were just lofted aimlessly or along the deck (Lennon) and easily cut out.

Andy Crooks
121 Posted 13/02/2016 at 20:24:46
Julian # 114, at what point will you stop thinking we are really close? When will his defenders realise that we will always be on the verge of being special. I would ask his defenders two questions. Answer yes or no.

Is Martinez the best coach we could get for the good money we pay?

Was today a good tactical show from the coach?

Richard Reeves
122 Posted 13/02/2016 at 20:33:13
I don’t know what’s more depressing – the substitutions today or the prospect of seeing Kone on the teamsheet next season.

That’s twice recently where Martinez has made changes during the game and made it worse. Talk about shooting yourself in the foot – he blew the damn thing off – he one remaining from the Man City game.

Why can’t he play Mirallas on one side and Deulofeu on the other? Or keep Lennon on with one of these two for the other side. Kone struggles as a centre-forward but we all know it’s his best position, he’s no winger.

I sometimes think Martinez tries to look like someone who knows better than the average fan by bringing on players in positions that most of us wouldn’t think about so that, if it worked, the pundits would be raving on about how difficult it is to read him and how much of a tactical genius he is to do what no-one thinks about doing... but, for me, he looks like having a mental block and is stubborn as fuck. A real shame because he has got some good ideas particularly in building a team for the future and at times we play some great stuff.

As I’ve mentioned before, he’ll be known as the idealist who set up the building blocks for the next manager. I hope I’m wrong and he does succeed in challenging for a top four spot but I can’t see it; there will always be a reason and if we qualified for the Europa League it will probably be that next season, but realistically there’s little to no chance of that happening.

Mike Berry
123 Posted 13/02/2016 at 20:39:42
Taking Lennon off was beyond any doubt insane. The left hand side of the attack needed mending. Baines and Oviedo working together would have interesting. Traffic Kone instead of Mirallas? Taxi for Martinez?
Bill Gall
124 Posted 13/02/2016 at 20:42:46
Julian Are we not a professional football club with a squad of players that not only have players with years of experience in the league but also have represented their countries from youth to the full international team. If the answer is yes why do have a manager that supporters are saying he is still learning.? This is his 7th season in the premiership and if he is still learning, what did he learn the other 6 seasons.

No the manager has a set of blinkers on and can only see one way and if it does not work he is unable to change. He may have a philosophy that may work eventually but I do not believe he should be paid the amount he is supposed to be earning by learning at our expense. His game management still leaves an awful lot to improve and he still can not see it.

Tony Hill
125 Posted 13/02/2016 at 20:46:39
Clive (120), I agree that a number of Lennon crosses found no-one but that calls into question the movement and availability of our front players, notably Lukaku. Lennon did put in one excellent aerial cross which was not exploited and he put in another half-and-half to Barkley who wasted the moment.

I would have thought anyway that we have more pressing problems than Lennon's final ball. You're right though that if he can add top delivery to his performances then he will be worth at least twice what we paid for him.

Eugene Ruane
126 Posted 13/02/2016 at 20:52:12
Frustration (obviously) but the debate(s) about 'this player or that player?' (or this sub or that) I'll skip.

It doesn't make much difference to me who the players are right now, because there's a lot more wrong than mere selection.

Basically, if there is a plan, a proper long-term 'how to play winning football' plan, it absolutely isn't working and until the manager/coaches,/players/club accept that (and endeavour to change it) questions like 'Lennon or Deulofeu?' are (for me) pointless.

If there's no acceptance of our real problems (and consequently no attempt to fix them) I guarantee that the side will continue be regularly out-muscled*, will continue to switch off, will continue to exhibit the type of smarts/guile needed to break down two banks of big grocky defenders (ie: fucking none) and will continue to be second to second balls**

* when 4 stone 2Ib, 3' 9" Osman was brought on today, to help us smash the grocks, I laughed.

** there is something particularly depressing about seeing an opposition centre-half head-butt the ball from his box, to the middle of the field and for it to be constantly picked up by a member of his fucking team.

Colin Malone
127 Posted 13/02/2016 at 21:15:39
Roberto, without £100 million players, Plan A is not going to work.

I was a pro Martinez until those substitutions today. UN-FUCKING-BELIEVABLE!!!!

Ross Barkley is no Peter Beardsley, he is no Paul Merson. The lad is getting the ball and looking for the Hollywood pass, which he is capable of. But as a Number 10, your target is that union bag.

Ross, have a word with Peter Beardsley. Rom, get your head out of your arse.

Scott Robinson
128 Posted 13/02/2016 at 21:37:43
Hear, hear, Eugene @126. It's either we can’t score enough goals or score any goals at all. Either way, the system isn’t working.

People say they have worked us out, well that maybe true... so everyone has had the majority of the season to work out Leicester City and they keep on winning.

Read today’s Independent article on Mahrez and see how effective management is described. None of this beautiful football, possession based philosophy that clearly does not generate results in the English game.

There is not a winning mentality in this team and that for me is enough for this manager to go. I desperately want RM to succeed, but the continued lack of momentum and consistent results with a "top 4 or 5" team as Pullis admitted as much is a damning indictment on the management.

Tim Locke
129 Posted 13/02/2016 at 21:42:12
That's the magic 70 points total lost. 68 is the current max which means winning every game left. Have to accept 55ish is realistic. This is another average season with quality players.
Harvey Miller
130 Posted 13/02/2016 at 21:50:17
The goal was absolute disaster, where was our left back?

In the good old days, it was pretty clear that the left back was guarding the left post when defending a corner. Against an organized team willing to defend, we never ever have a chance under Roberto Martinez because he does not know and does not want to know.

Clive Rogers
131 Posted 13/02/2016 at 21:57:44
Tony (#125);

I think it is worrying that, even when Lennon is in his top form, there is still little end product.

Mark Rimmer
132 Posted 13/02/2016 at 22:30:29
I was at the match today, and the sad thing is, when they got their shitty goal, every fan knew we wouldn’t win the match. The general feeling was a draw, but definitely no win. One guy even tore up his betting slip as soon as they scored, he had Everton to win.

We got beat by West Brom at home – not many other teams can say that. Martinez will get a few more league wins this season and a half-decent cup run which will keep him in a job. But the team next season will be a bit weaker, but not much weaker, so it will be the same shite.

Steve Guy
133 Posted 13/02/2016 at 22:33:56
I hope the new owners have a plan and I hope it doesn't involve RM being our manager next season.

Americans are big on game stats and any new owner looking at RM's record last season and now this season will surely hand him his P45.

Tony Abrahams
134 Posted 13/02/2016 at 22:40:45
Clive, it's very worrying. A five man midfield, one of them Lennon, crosses the ball. Three out of the other four, very rarely get in the oppositions box, which leaves Barkley and Lukaku, against seven of eight defenders.

We do better away from home because it suits our style, with a quick counter attack, but when teams come to defend, we don't get enough bodies into the oppositions box.

Lennon has either scored or created in his last three games, possibly both, but if players don't attack the front post, or sometimes don't even get into the box, it makes defending so much easier for your opponents.

Jim Marray
135 Posted 13/02/2016 at 22:53:21
Some people on here mentioned the fact that we hit 34 shots; however, that is only half the story. Of those 34 shots, only 6 were on target. Against Swansea we had 20 shots, 2 on target. Even in games we win, our on target percentage is often less than 50% of the shots we hit.

I said before and after Martinez was appointed that he was not the manager for Everton FC and the evidence was there for anyone to see if they just bothered to do the research. The outcome we are currently seeing was foreseeable when he joined the club.

I hate saying "I told you so" but, right now, I just want our Chairman and Board to be honest with the fans, accept they have made a mistake, and take steps to fix it. Maybe the Americans will see sense and do just that.

Jim Bennings
136 Posted 13/02/2016 at 23:04:06
I seem to recall Lennon putting a few decent crosses (both high and low) in today, especially first half but the fact remains no fucker wants to get on the end of them (think back to Deulofeu's three laser guided gems against Swansea just begging for someone on the end).

As someone pointed out, there's only Barkley and Lukaku who ever get in the box and neither are really great at attacking high crosses anyway.

Derek Thomas
137 Posted 13/02/2016 at 23:11:46
Shock Horror 1; Pulis drills team to play ’rope a dope’ 101.

Shock Horror 2; Martinez drills team to play like dopes.

Shock Horror 3; Blues players totally buy in to managers game plan, to the extent of improving on it by aimlessly putting in crosses to no one, not attacking the crosses that somehow are OK, trying to walk the ball into the net, deciding not to make their 'keeper MotM with poor shooting.

Jim Hardin
138 Posted 13/02/2016 at 23:29:17
William Cartwright,

Shhhh. Many on here will still be blaming Howard for the goal. You are correct though, Robles was caught out. He didn’t cover himself in glory with his awkwardly turning and then falling forwards into his own goal. However, just as I would have said that Howard wouldn’t have gotten to the scorer, nor do I think Robles would have either.

Once again, as I have indicated last season and this season, it was a defensive error which left an unmarked man on the back post. I do not agree with a man on each post on a corner as this likely leads to a man advantage for the opposing team. If my GK wishes to use only one marker, it is always on the back post as this is the harder area to cover.

Even at 0-1 them, until the subs, Everton was doing everything but scoring a goal. I think the starting field players were fine. As for the GK, well it was a streak, as weak as it was, so fine. Guess the competition will be open again.

As for the subs, I still do not understand the Osman substitution. Not with Pienaar and Mirallas on the bench. As for Deulofeu, I will excuse his ineffectiveness as he really got clattered by one of the players, probably Yakob, and didn’t seem to be able to move freely after that.

One thing, our defense, even with the current players who started, while looking more organized, cannot hold a candle to West Brom in that aspect. They literally looked and moved like foosball players, staying linked and organized. Their mids, when the outside backs ran up, slipped into the defense seamlessly. I am sorry but their defending for the most part was a thing of beauty and something for which they might be envied by us. They seem to expect 20+ shots a game and today, they dealt with it very well.

Still I think points should be deducted for the damned "Boing! Boing!" what the heck does that even mean?

Andy Ellis
139 Posted 13/02/2016 at 23:32:54
That taxi firm John Moores used must have gone bust or is constantly engaged.
Ray Griffin
140 Posted 13/02/2016 at 23:35:50
Statistics show that approximately 2.5% of corners result in a goal & that includes goals scored from balls not being properly cleared initially.

As an ex-defender, there are a few simple rules I learned to properly deal with corners:

1) Position a defender on both posts;

2) As a defender, you only have to do enough to put off the man you’re marking winning the ball, ie, block, jump in front, challenge etc;

3) Anything in the six-yard box belongs to a competent goalkeeper.

Corners are easy to defend. Everton are the exception to the rule and the only reason I can think of as to why they are so bad is that they don’t practice them in training – whose fault is that?

Gary Heywood
141 Posted 13/02/2016 at 23:56:40
If the opposition decide to go defensive and your pass, pass, pass football ain’t getting through, then just change your bloody tactics. Sit back a bit, let them come on to you a bit and then counter attack. Christ we have the players to do that: Lennon, Deulofeu, Mirallas and Lukaku.

Stupidity big time today.

Patrick Murphy
142 Posted 14/02/2016 at 00:28:34
Julian (114) You wrote: Yes, our record at home is terrible but we can’t compare this to our truly dark days under Mike Walker or Walter Smith, now that was bleak!

In Walker’s 16 Premier League games at Goodison, his team managed to win 5, draw 7 and lost just 4, not magnificent admittedly but any worse than our current manager's recent record?

Walter Smith was in charge for 72 league games at Goodison Park and he managed just 25 wins, 28 draws and 19 losses. The fact that Walter's and Mike’s home records are even being touted as a comparison says quite a lot about the current situation.

Louis Van Gaal has come under immense pressure because the Old Trafford faithful feel that they have under-performed at home, funnily enough they have won two more games than Everton have at Goodison Park, and they have only been beaten twice at home compared to Everton’s six defeats and this despite having played two less home games than the Toffees. It’s totally understandable that Roberto’s position as manager is being questioned by some fans given our failure to win too often at Goodison.

Gavin Johnson
144 Posted 14/02/2016 at 02:57:48
Fans who pay their hard earned money to watch Everton have the right to voice their opinion on the performances of any player.

In the case of Tim Howard, a few descenting voices could well be wrong but not when it runs into the thousands which was the result when this forum recently posed the question on whether Tim Howard should be Everton Goalkeeper.

It’s not about taking sides. I shouldn’t think there’s any Everton fan who wants Howard to make his ubiquitous cock-up during a game. This was demonstrated by the praise he received in the 0-0 draw at Man City recently when he played very well.

Joel didn’t play amazingly today and could have probably done more for the goal, as could the defence. It would have helped if Oviedo was near the far-post too but he went missing in action. Joel deserves his run in the side. Today was on the back of 3 clean sheets. When was the last time Tim Howard managed to do that?!

I would hope we buy a keeper in the summer who’s better than either of them.

Peter Gorman
145 Posted 14/02/2016 at 03:11:33
"If you were any good, you'd be out on the field."

Always amused to see this sorry attempt at logic.

As I am no good at plumbing and I hire a professional, do I have to remain silent when I watch the pipes start pissing and leaking?

Dave Lynch
146 Posted 14/02/2016 at 03:28:35
I have been watching this game for 50-odd years, as have a lot of other lads on here, and I know a decent keeper when I see one.

Precious Timmy is not a decent keeper; Robles, unlike Howard, has not been given the chance to prove he’s a decent keeper. The sooner he’s back across the pond, the better.

As for telling him to his face, a couple of thousand fans in the Gwladys Street do so nearly every game.

Jay Harris
149 Posted 14/02/2016 at 05:01:42
Robles was not at fault for the goal.

Fumes Mori should have done better but we should have had a man in front of Olson.

The real fault lies with our manager who does not believe in practicing defending corners.

Mike Oates
153 Posted 14/02/2016 at 10:27:10
Where was Lukaku today, did he win any headers, did he put any pressure on the West Brom centre halves. For a 6ft plus, 15 stone monster he 's actually poor using his strength particularly on winning headers. He also lost Rondon for their goal, stood ball watching. Mind you where was our man in front of Olsen and where were our post men !

I could understand the Kone substitution, if he went as a double centre forward with Lukaku to put pressure on their mid defence, but he came out wide left - and surely Mirallas would have been a better choice or even Deulofue wide right and Lennon wide left , or even a double left sided substitution with Pienaar and Baines coming on instead of Cleverley and Oviedo.

We have no serious plan B when they come and park the bus , our best games have tended to be away when they come at us and we counter attack, but Goodison wouldn't allow that set up and Martinez needs to change from his beloved 4:2:3:1 set up for teams we all know will come and set up the brick wall.

Brent Stephens
154 Posted 14/02/2016 at 10:40:00
Gary #141 "Sit back a bit, let them come on to you a bit and then counter attack."

But why would they come at us when they are 1-0 up?

Aidy Dews
157 Posted 14/02/2016 at 12:13:01
William Cartwright #61, good post.
Aidy Dews
158 Posted 14/02/2016 at 12:27:20
Tony Abrahams #134, very good points there about a lack of bodies in the box when we're on the attack and that our system and style of play suits playing away better. Couldn't agree more.
Aidy Dews
159 Posted 14/02/2016 at 12:47:05
Can't agree with some that Joel was some what at fault for their goal. Like someone else has said, we should of had 2 people on Olsson seen has though we were man marking on the corner and had no one on the posts. Also the loop on that ball from Olsson's flick on, Joel could of had Howard on his shoulders and jumped for it and still got nowhere near it it looped up so whickedly! But there should of been someone on that back stick to clear it. To not do something so simple against a team that do work on set pieces a lot to hopefully gain an advantage and get goals in games is criminal, everyone knows that West Brom are a danger in the air!

But for me the big problem was, was that we kept on trying to play the same way the whole game to no prevail. Not once did we try to mix things up in our play, we didn't look to go long or diagonally, not once did we try anything different to try and unsettle that West Brom rear guard, we kept on doing the same things and in the end it was comfortable for West Brom. Martinez as no plan B or C and isn't open minded about changing tact during games when plan A isn't coming off and in the end it's going to be his down fall!

And the subs, well, I think everyone has covered that one!

Dave Richman
160 Posted 14/02/2016 at 14:19:37
Let's accept - for now - that we DO have our "Best Squad Since The 80s" .... I think most will agree, so look at the following:

We finished 11th last season and bang on track for something similar this season.
6 home defeats in 14 games
Chasing a game at home, we send on The Ivorian Stuart Barlow, and a 35 year old central midfielder who has zero pace nor strength, against a team full of behemoths.

I've seen some other things on the net today, quoting things like 'We have conceded more goals at home than any side in the Top 5 leagues in Europe'. A flimsy statistic, but you can't deny that we've conceded a shitload of goals.

So if we do have the 'Best Squad Since The 80s', then the problem clearly lies elsewhere..... any ideas?

On another note.... The Russian winter break happens every year, and this year is no different. Their season resumes on 5th or 6th March - in other words less than three weeks from now. Do all players in that league just completely let themselves go, and end up so grossly unfit that they are unable to play for months? Or do they (or at least, the majority of them) behave like professional athletes, and maintain a level of fitness where they can pick it up within a couple of weeks, and hit the ground running when the season resumes?

Just wondering what the story is with Niasse

Frank Crewe
161 Posted 14/02/2016 at 14:29:09
We had two Ferrari's in the garage but RM wheels out a couple of clapped out Morris Minors.

Every time we're struggling against a massed defense instead of putting on a second wide player he goes for poor old Kone. He inevitably fails to make any impact and has more scorn aimed at him.

RM needs to be gone and take Kone with him.

Brian Mahoney
162 Posted 14/02/2016 at 14:33:59
Jim Hardin,

I might be mistaken but that annoying "boing boing" song originates from them being a yo-yo club they were forever getting relegated but would "bounce" back the following season.

Max Murphy
163 Posted 14/02/2016 at 15:00:10
I watched WBA during the week playing 120 munutes against an unfortunate Peterborough United. WBA were so bad, it was hard to tell which team were in the lower division. They were absolutely dreadful. Foolishly I thought Everton would take then apart.

But when you have a manager who brings on Osman and Kone, leaving Mirallas on the bench, then the outcome was predictable. I have given up on Everton, the manager and the boardroom.

Paul Kossoff
164 Posted 14/02/2016 at 15:05:55
I said before the game to go 4-4-2 and ball over the top of WBA's slow flat back line, you know, mix it up a little and surprise Pulis. But, surprise from RM... noooo, we stay the same every bluddy time.

I really hope if we do get bought out that Martinez and his lot are let go, because with his footballing ideas, we are going nowhere.

Jamie Barlow
165 Posted 14/02/2016 at 15:28:32
We didn't lose because of Martinez's subs. We lost because the 10 outfield players and the 3 subs couldn't finish.
Paul Kossoff
166 Posted 14/02/2016 at 15:36:53
Peter Lee, with all due respect, if we had you as Everton manager we would be standing still in the same bog we are in now. You rate Kone? You would have taken said rated player off and put on heavyweight centre mid Osman?
My God neither player should be anywhere near Goodison never mind on the pitch.
Kone is best at holding the ball and finding a blue shirt? from the wing? Instead of Mirallis? Nuff said.
I do dispare.
Paul Kossoff
167 Posted 14/02/2016 at 16:01:43
Jamie, We probably lost because of the fucking clueless deluded twat in charge, and that means his style of play, his players, and his substitutes. We lost because of Martinez, all fucking day long, I'll take a chill out powder now and calm down.
Kim Vivian
168 Posted 14/02/2016 at 16:16:00
Keep banging on about how shite W Brom are, and how we should have battered them but just looked at the table and realised - they're only 3 points behind us. 19 on goal difference but all the same -f'kin'ell.
Jamie Barlow
169 Posted 14/02/2016 at 16:41:15
You need to Paul because we didn't lose because of Martinez. Martinez put out a team that created a chance every 3 minutes. We had over 30 shots. Nothing wrong with the tactics or team he put out. The subs he made were maybe wrong but that's just opinion and they should have done more when they came on whether they were right or not. They didn't do enough. We created enough chances to win two games. Not Martinez's fault those highly paid clowns couldn't hit a fuckin barn door.
Trevor Peers
170 Posted 14/02/2016 at 16:48:47
Calm down Jamie, your love affair with Roberto is still in safe hands, unless we are sold he might continue for a few more years yet.
Think of all those home defeats still to come, your unbelievable.
Jamie Barlow
171 Posted 14/02/2016 at 16:56:43
You're
Patrick Murphy
172 Posted 14/02/2016 at 16:58:17
Trevor (170) I'm not that certain that Mr Martinez will remain in the job for a few more years as Ian Doyle in the Echo writes :

It's not a new phenomenon. But there was real ire when Arouna Kone was the first called from the bench and later Leon Osman was introduced as Kevin Mirallas remained unused.

With the club edging ever nearer a takeover, there's no guarantee any future owner will have the faith Bill Kenwright has in the Catalan.

Everton have won only four of 14 home Premier League games this season, and only 11 of the last 34 in the top flight since beating Manchester United 2-0 in April 2014.

Patrick Murphy
173 Posted 14/02/2016 at 16:59:29
Jamie (171) Are you a love affair? : )
Jamie Barlow
174 Posted 14/02/2016 at 17:06:51
No, but I am unbelievable.

I have no love affair with Roberto. I can see the things he's done and does wrong and said so many a times on here. Pisses me off how you get lumped with a stupid fuckin tag because you disagree with some of the bollocks that gets put on here.

Peter Lee
175 Posted 14/02/2016 at 17:54:41
Paul, your entitled to your views, its all about judgement and opinion after all. In terms of Mirallas we differ. I can count the number of good 90 minutes he's had on the fingers of one hand. He is a selfish and indisciplined player and a great one for the sulks. Not my cup of tea at all. Cheers
Trevor Peers
177 Posted 14/02/2016 at 18:35:29
It’s got to the stage where even in the remote chance that all of our failings at home were not Roberto’s fault.

And it was just a case of the players not carrying out his instructions properly. That you would, after three seasons, still need to change the man in charge just to see if it made any fucking difference.

Look at Chelsea, Reborn after struggling under the wrong man, and Jose really is a genius compared to our birdbrain. Roberto is the problem, home games will continue to be torture.

Michael Evans
178 Posted 14/02/2016 at 19:21:16
No Substance

No Guts

No Glory

Paul Kossoff
179 Posted 14/02/2016 at 21:01:02
Jamie, the tactics were wrong, the team was wrong, the sub’s were wrong, the manager was and is wrong.

At home against WBA who hadn’t won in five or scored in four, 4-2-3-1, two defensive midfielders and one striker against that shite? Come on, surely you can’t defend that.

Paul Kossoff
180 Posted 14/02/2016 at 21:04:48
Peter, please tell me, have we better players in he Under-21s than Kone and Osman? Please say we have, because if we haven't, then God help us.
James Marshall
181 Posted 15/02/2016 at 19:12:18
I agree with Jamie. Nothing wrong with the lineup - it was the same lineup that just won three games 3-0. The lineup everyone on here was crying out for him to start again - he did, we lost and now it's all of a sudden the wrong lineup......errrr......??
Gary Heywood
182 Posted 17/02/2016 at 03:19:48
Brent (#154),

Only truly great teams can just play one way and win consistently that way. That’s not Everton. We need to be clever and have a variety of ways to win.

Our pass, pass, pass football is predictable and slow and doesn’t work against a team that can defend and counter attack reasonably well. That’s why we are losing so many games at home.

That’s why we should have used a different game plan against WBA. Attack their weakness not encourage their strength. Sit back a bit, give them more possession and counter attack into the space behind their higher up the field and less organised defence. We have the players in abundance to play that way. The WBA game plan was to defend throughout, restrict Everton to 20 yards out and grab a goal when they can from a set piece or break away. They did exactly that and stupid Everton allowed them to play that way.


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