The Intransigent Mr Martinez

Also, the level of quality overall of his transfers is another.

I said so in pre-season, and was proven right, but right now all I care about is for Martinez to win the Europa League, or else he is gone.

It seems to me that the manager sees us playing in that Latin style where technically gifted players keep the ball and move it around the park unpicking deep set defences. Slow-slow, quick-quick, slow... a sudden burst of pace and blam!

We donÂ’t have the players to do it, so it wonÂ’t work, and we have to watch one-footed, technically average workhorses, bred on the physicality of English footy, clumsily try to emulate Messi, Xabi et al.

By the way, does anyone know #DancingMan? HeÂ’s a blue, was at the Emirates.

Carry on...

I am fairly reliably informed (pressmenÂ’s opinion!) that next season, however, he will be on notice to get off to a decent start (top half) else the axe will fall.

Enjoy the summer.

1. The lack of strong leadership, including from Martinez himself, which would have allowed us to ride the storm – Jagielka is hopeless as a captain; we had a demoralising start to the season and no-one was big enough to get confidence back in the team.

2. All tactical and selection issues are secondary to the trust which the players have in Martinez. There has been something amiss for a long time, it may stem from the bad start we had but I suspect it goes deeper and that a number of the players just donÂ’t believe in him or respect him. I accept that is speculation but it seems to me to be a fair inference given comments made by Lukaku, Baines and others from time to time and the general level of performance. I donÂ’t know the details of what has caused it but it has been toxic for us.

I think we will stay up, though we remain in danger, because enough of the players will see what is at stake for them, but unless RM can get them to support him long term then he is doomed.

I think he should go in the summer because I think too much damage has been done but Kenwright will give him next season, or a part of it, to get it right. That is the other problem, of course, we have a hammy Chairman who gushes and waffles rather like his manager and despite the view that money will talk through people like Green, there is precious little evidence of a Board prepared to take decisive action.

I just think that if his card is marked why donÂ’t they just get rid in the summer and give a new man the pre season and the transfer window?

They donÂ’t want to delay too long because thereÂ’ll be some decent managers available at the end of the season, not January.

ItÂ’s guesswork isnÂ’t it?

I have no doubt he always tries his best and he is a player I respect but he is not, in my view, a captain of EFC.

With all due respect to the pressmen you know, youÂ’ll know as much as them and most probably a lot more than them when it comes to Everton, but letÂ’s stay positive and hope they stay up.

We are a bit like the Titanic at the moment, the band is still playing, the Captain is all at sea, and there is a flippin big iceberg coming up...

One thing I will say is Steven Naismith has got of lightly in this article, and apart from the odd goal (DonÂ’t think he is in double figures for the season) he does not offer a lot. "Works hard", granted. But I never get excited when he is on the ball.

My point in relation to the article is . . . every attacking player this season seams to have been moved about by RM to accommodate Naismith. Rom played the Anfield derby on the wing to accommodate him, the current trend of the last few games playing 3 holding mids, and Ross Barkley is only 5 positions away from playing in every position for Everton at some stage this season for the sake of Naismith. So whilst everyone has Barry down as RMÂ’s little pet. I think his love for Naismith is stronger. I always think back to the Newcastle game at home last season when we were 3-0 up at HT. 2 Men sitting, 2 wingers (although one of them was Osman) and Ross behind Rom. We were outstanding. It was a balanced side. No one has suffered more this season than RB.

DonÂ’t get me wrong, Naismith is not the problem, first 6 weeks of the season he was the only one who looked like he gave a s*** but I would like to see him dropped and players playing back in their natural positions.

People have been saying since Dec. HeÂ’s got the next 2/3 game and If theyÂ’re bad=sack, but it never happened... the magic of a European Pot eh

So IÂ’ve admitted to my self that HeÂ’ll still be here past June...BUT, there Needs to be a vast improvement in July, Aug, Sept, and into Oct.. Coz if thereÂ’s more of the same, He hasnÂ’t got a leg to stand on.

Barry; I think he is a bit of RobertoÂ’s collateral damage here. prior to the start of season 13-14 IÂ’m sure he put himself and was put through a rigorous pre-season... all the better to sell himself and he did, despite, not much prior game time.

He got nothing like that this season where RobertoÂ’s hardest day was, according to Osman, like Moyeses rest / wind down day.

Pre season training is like money in the bank...the old short term pain for long term gain. I wonder how many others suffered from the softly softly approach. It certainly didnÂ’t Â’catchee monkeyÂ’ this season.

I for one canÂ’t wait to see the back of him, the sooner the better.

But all bets are off If we do win the Europa, because you can bet your life IÂ’ll be there to see it and sing the Roberto song with all the others.

Fickle and bitter both at the same time me, but thatÂ’s no surprise on the Everton rollercoaster

A great read which perfectly describes how weÂ’ve got to this point in our farcical season.

I have one tiny disagreement. I would say with his performance this season Martinez is not at square one - he is nearer minus five! I expect him to stay but I for one have lost well more than every bit of faith he nurtured in me last season.

Maybe not, but if weÂ’re to dig, work and scrape ourselves out of the shit weÂ’re in (and thatÂ’s what itÂ’s going to take), IÂ’ll take NaismithÂ’s lack of excitement over the Â’thrillsÂ’ provided be some of our more Â’giftedÂ’ players.

Right now, in the position weÂ’re in, with what we face in the next ten games, IÂ’d definitely take 5 more Naismiths over 5 more Mirallas..es...esses..es.

Naismith doesnÂ’t select himself and isnÂ’t the greatest player, but in every game he plays, he runs his blood to water for the cause.

He plays with boundless energy, hates losing even throw-ins, will give 100% wherever heÂ’s played and (because of this) he is consistently the Everton player I enjoy watching most.

Just surprised so many seem to think itÂ’s all new. Where have you been?

Superb. Submit it to a daily paper for consideration as a fanÂ’s view?

Bit worrying, Man Utd might poach him as their next manager – Oh God, please let it be so.

If Martinez is here next season then the board have to back him in the transfer market. They have to allow him to sell the players that canÂ’t work within his system, and allow him to bring players in that can.
This would be a massive gamble.

Can Martinez be trusted to buy the right players? Does he even know who these players are? He hasnÂ’t shown that he knows the type of players who can make his system work. He spent 28 mill on a player not in any way suited to it.

Backing him in the summer could be disastrous. We could see a mass exodus of quality players who canÂ’t or wonÂ’t play within his system.

With the talent Everton have on paper, there is no excuse for Martinez. You can slice up the season any way you like with ands, ifs, buts, and maybes... it all comes back to one thing: they are no better than the bottom club Leicester.

They have never once resembled the team of last season either in command of the game or commitment. Even in the Europa League games, they have looked less than impressive but somehow survived to end up with flattering scorelines.

Sorry, but Martinez has to go.

Naismith is the ONLY player to come off the pitch sweating! The only one who has shown any sort of passion and commitment. ItÂ’s a pity the other 10 useless wasters canÂ’t say the same else we wouldnÂ’t be in this position.

Exactly, Jeff. And Van GaalÂ’s record at Man Utd hardly much better than the ginger Scottish manager when he was there.

I want the manager to succeed and I want to give him time to do so but 28 points from 28 games is hard to take!

Just a minor comment but I donÂ’t agree with you saying Â’fact that English is his second language requires that linguistic license be afforded for words like "phenomenal", "perfect" and "pristine".Â’ The guy has lived and worked in the UK for the last 21 years so IÂ’m pretty sure he knows what those words mean. HeÂ’s (rightly or wrongly) extremely positive by nature and (in public anyway) never seems to notice anything wrong. Either the guy is keeping up appearances or he is genuinely deluded.

Looking back I honestly have absolutely no idea how he managed to take us to 5th last year. His insistence on ignoring set pieces, lack of time spent on defensive training, rigid formation, perplexing tactics and (with hindsight) questionable transfer dealings (by position if not player) all put together leaves me very worried indeed for the future as I cannot see BK getting rid of him unless the unthinkable happens (which I don’t think it will). He’s said countless times that he won’t change his philosophy – whatever that may be.

WeÂ’re basically in limbo right now waiting for safety to be assured in the Premier League and to be knocked out in the Europa League (letÂ’s not delude ourselves about winning it). Which all makes for an interesting summer re transfers:

● Alcaraz and Distin will definitely go
● Question marks hang over Howard, Garbutt, Oviedo and Mirallas (all either want to leave or will likely leave – in the case of Howard, I really hope so).
● Osman, Pienaar, Gibson, Kone and Hibbert are all contracted until 2016. I cannot see any other clubs coming in for them so assume theyÂ’re all here Â’till then.

I canÂ’t see any other players moving out unless we get good bids for them... so, with no real money coming in from transfers, itÂ’s up to the board to decide how much to give him. Assuming safety is assured, with the new TV deal heÂ’ll presumably get a decent wedge to spend (㿊M?) plus the wagebill opened up by those leaving.

Is 㿊M enough to get a creative midfielder, at least one centre-back and an attacking wide midfielder? Will it even make any difference if we do get these players if he maintains the same tactics? WeÂ’ll have to wait and see...

Despite the unrest, I can see the next few months basically petering out into not much on the Premier League, Europa League, transfer, stadium or ownership front; ie, business as usual.

There really is very little to get excited about at the moment – just the impending transfer or Cleverly!

Can you imagine if that happens? The entire landscape will change in an instant.

Whilst the disappointment of our damp squib of a domestic season will still remain, the seething resentment that has taken root over the last six months will suddenly disappear into the ether like a badly doodled cock & balls (with beady eyes, a giant gob and Â’Gerrard 8Â’ scrawled on itÂ’s shaft) after your six year oldÂ’s shaken up his Â’etch a sketchÂ’.

If Everton stay up, go on to win the Europa League and qualify for the Champions League group stages, Martinez will consequently be hailed as some sort of managerial maverick for blindsiding everybody whilst masterminding a back route into the big boys’ boudoir. 

Bin the long arduous league season off in favour of taking the lazy arse shortcut to your main prize? Why, THAT was the plan all along. He just couldn’t let anyone in on it before things had run their course.  

The greatest trick the devil ever pulled was convincing the world a way to win league games didn’t exist. 

To the untrained eye, he was an overconfident young fool failing to unclasp a bird’s bra-strap with one hand, but what the rubes failed to realise was that this embarrassing public fumbling was mere smoke and mirrors. All this time, the crafty Catalonian cocksman secretly had it streaming down her leg by using his hidden hand to strum the tune from ’Deliverance’ on her clit.  Sin miedo? More like sing minge-eo.

If we’re spending Wednesday nights watching Everton take to the field alongside big fish like Barcelona or Bayern next season, will anybody still be seething at the shite that muddied the waters whilst we spastically swam there? I’d wager not... 

We’ve tried and repeatedly failed at taking a tilt at it by being the Premier League’s plucky ’best of the rest’. Consistent challengers forever cockblocked by the usual top four tampons. That shit never got us anywhere... 

Reeling from repeated body blows week after week, hugging the ropes and only raising a fist to flatten a fancy European fairy now and again? Fucking way of the future that lad... and it took a visionary like Roberto to realise it... 

Would that be the truth, or would it simply be a case of the end goal being achieved through nothing more than blind luck following on from fortuitous blundering? 

Would the manager really deserve plaudits after seemingly freezing under pressure and failing to reverse a wretched run of results week after week... after week? 

Probably not... but, as Clint Eastwood snarled in his revisionist Western classic Â’UnforgivenÂ’, just before before blowing away Little Bill Daggett: "DeserveÂ’s got nothing to do with it".

Not only would winning the Europa League blow away our own Lidl Bill, it would also immediately install Martinez as the most successful Everton manager since HK Mk 1. The only one to win a trophy in 20 years of trying. The only one to get us to the group stages of the Champions League. The only one to do what he said heÂ’d do when he signed on the dotted line.

Shit, can you imagine? He’d probably get a brand, spanking new, ten-year contract out of it. 

As surreal as it sounds, stranger things have happened... 

This is the season that the Manager should be judged on as when you are playing well, as in the previous season, mostly everyone is happy and the manager gets very little criticism. The best way to judge a person is when he is under adversity; that displays his true character in being able to overcome the problems, and show leadership and confidence to those around him.

Mr Martinez is not showing strong leadership or confidence and his comments to the people who are knowledgeable in how Everton and its players are performing are, to say the least, baffling. You have to prove yourself at all times but more so when you are struggling and this is the time Martinez is failing.

Your surrealist ending is very Everton, which is why it shouldnÂ’t be dismissed out of hand, although deep down I think most of us feel that lifting the Europa League in May is probably very unlikely and the more I hear about Kiev the less I fancy our chances of progressing.

If we had another ten points in the bag, I would be championing an all-out assault on the European front, but we still need Premier League points to ensure our safety and from that perspective the EL could be a real handicap in the final stages of the season.

But we are Everton FC and at this stage we will in all probability end up with an unexpected scenario. I prefer the lifting of a trophy in May, with safety assured. IÂ’d even settle for safety without the trophy; itÂ’s the unthinkable scenario that has been giving me sleepless nights. The next ten weeks could shape what happens to the club in the next decade... no pressure there then!

I was never enthralled by MartinezÂ’s appointment which I thought was a lazy effort by Kenwright no doubt following a dinner with Whelan.

I thought a consistent top 6 side with a TV windfall on the way should have tried to attract a top manager with pedigree.

However, I doubted myself during last season until the end-of-season collapse and the farcical pre-season.

At that point, I realized Everton was too big for Martinez... in fact, even Wigan was too big for Martinez.

The optimist in me hopes that, outside of the week-to-week stress of play, Martinez can stop and take stock to learn from his mistakes; emphasize the good, eliminate the bad, and approach next season with a far more productive strategy.

The pessimist (realist?) feels like keeping him would just see us declining further.

He shows no adaptability or desire (ability) to learn from his mistakes. Even if we started next season well, I would be worried that heÂ’s unable to pick up a team on a downward curve. As shown from the fact that we have been on one for 10 months!

He seems a nice bloke and is no doubt capable of winning a trophy at a European club where things are going well but I donÂ’t think he has my faith any more at Everton. He has been weighed. He has been measured. And he has been found wanting. Next!

The old guard are on their way out, but the transition has been a shambles. I get the feeling Martinez doesnÂ’t want to upset the likes of Jagielka, Howard and Baines which may eventually cost him his job; he only has himself to blame for that. Top managers are not in the least bit bothered about who they drop if they are not producing on the pitch. I see this as a major weakness in MartinezÂ’s management style, even with a small squad such as ours.

Also, asking Jagielka and Distin to play like Gerard Piqué was always going to end in tears; you only had to witness Jagielka playing for England to realise he’s a defender first and foremost, that is the limit of his ability.

WeÂ’ve ended up playing neither keep-ball, nor a percentage Â’down the channelsÂ’ type game at present. We are also rudderless when it comes to leadership on the pitch. All down to the manager, IÂ’m afraid.

If Martinez wants to change our style to a more continental, passing side, he should have had the courage of his convictions to change personnel when required.

Worth a punt... yes. Worth all the pain? NO!

"returned to your account as you prepare for life in the Championship next season."

ShouldnÂ’t that be a collective Â’weÂ’ as in all Evertonians?

You often quote BKÂ’s thoughts as though you have spoken to him.

I wonder, where do you sit in GP, Phil?

McGeady, Atsu, Lennon, Gibson and Kone are all useless in my opinion, and the rest of the bench players are young and inexperienced. We need a whole squad clear-out in the summer but I am not sure if Martinez has the balls or the money to do this.

Not a gambler myself, Phil.

Tell you what though. ItÂ’s those punters who bet on us finishing 7th that I feel sorry for.

Money right down the brown ready brek bowl.

Bet theyÂ’d love to get their hands on the tipster who kept telling them it was Â’nailed onÂ’.

I love the phrase Â’championing an all-out assault on the European frontÂ’. The sad thing is, right now, it could read something like: "Roberto really must go for the jugular and jib off that third holding midfielder".

The man is so set in his ways, it's untrue. Also, I wish I had your optimism about staying up because I honestly can't see how we are going to accrue the points. The away games left IÂ’ve written off and the likes of Burnley Sunderland et al will do what the likes of Hull, Swansea and WBA did and make it so difficult for us. And we havenÂ’t got the nous how to break them down.

I’ll say one thing, though. You’ll see two totally different sides on Thursday and next Sunday and Sunday’s game is the big one. Yes, it’d be nice to get to the final – in fact, it’d be fantastic – but not to the detriment of the league form.

When one or two players are off-form, you can look at the players but when the whole squad is generally disinterested there is something wrong in the dressing room and the "famous" team spirit has been extinguished. I suspect that RM was trying to "end" the Moyes culture and threw the baby out with the bathwater.

As Moyes himself found out, you donÂ’t have time to make wholesale changes to a club and its culture. Moyesy ran everything and I am sure it was a culture shock for Roberto to see how much work he put in.

As far as the YOU are concerned, it certainly wonÂ’t be ME collecting that dosh or even dreaming of the scenario John outlined. We shall avoid relegation but, I suspect, still have to experience more suffering next season!

I can just see myself standing on my seat in Warsaw, shamelessly booming out "Roberto had a dream" only stopping to tell anyone who will listen that I always knew he would come good.

Fine Article, Lyndon.

I can assure you I do spend £KKKs at GP but I am merely the conveyor of the gossip rather than either its originator or directly in touch with the great man, himself.

I donÂ’t think I need to stress my feelings about Roberto. Unlike many, they have remained the same ever since his misguided appointment. But I donÂ’t wish to see us relegated, I can assure you!

Hmmm...well ok, if you say so.

Me - I have and do.

Not only that, I bet on them to win games and..stuff too.

First time I did it was the Wimbledon game.

Put more or less every bean I had on them.

Lost all my money and had (possibly) the happiest day IÂ’ve ever had in my life.

I did it for the Spurs semi and the cup final in 95.

Again - pure joy.

I thought this is weird ju-ju but ..tÂ’s working.

So applying the same complete lack of logic, I put a few quid on them (at the quarter final stage, then semis, then final) for the CL in 2005.

I watched the final in France with my mate and our girlfriends and at half time my mate said to me Â’you did it againÂ’

Ok it didnÂ’t happen and we both nearly spewed when they won it, but when I came back and was half way through getting "Yer sad bluenose twat, IÂ’d LOVE to have seen your fuckinÂ’ fa...." I showed my slip.

"Fucking hell - three grand?" (my second biggest ever win)

"Yeah, so gloat away nob and IÂ’ll enjoy the two weeks in Provence thatÂ’s going to buy"

Recently my bets have been sensible, basically like buying money - when I know, (I mean KNOW) weÂ’re going to get beat (ie: Stoke) my thinking now is just Â’Fuck it, thereÂ’s no bad ju-ju, just bad play, players and management - I know more about Everton than any bookie, so use that knowledgeÂ’.

ThereÂ’s very little in life that gives me more pleasure than an Everton win, but now if I think I can get something out of a loss, I will.

Oh and should the inevitable happen and Gerrard ends up punching the air at Wembley after scoring a 60-yard last minute winner in the final against Bradford/Reading, as horrible as that would be, I have taken steps to soften the blow (well..for me).

He seems completely wedded this season to a formation which isnÂ’t even whatÂ’s supposedly his preferred formation (not 3 at the back, which he supposedly prefers).

I also donÂ’t buy the argument that the players weÂ’ve got canÂ’t play a certain style of football. Phil Jagielka, for example, isnÂ’t being asked to make incisive 35 yard through balls or rampaging runs up the left wing; the defenders are being asked to pass the ball to a midfielder 10 yards away who can then (in an ideal world) do more with it.

He has a good (not great) squad of players, with some strengths and some obvious weaknesses. HeÂ’s disappointed me in his unwillingness to give youth a try; but to be fair itÂ’s always easier to try youth when things are going well then throwing them into a struggling team.

As Lyndon says, heÂ’s back at Square One. Possibly a little further back than Square One, because he doesnÂ’t have the anticipatory factor that any new manager tends to bring.

If he can make adjustments (and those adjustments absolutely wouldnÂ’t require an abandonment of basic principles of how to play the game) then a lot of the tools are there. ItÂ’s the degree to which he seems frozen this season and unwilling to make any changes that make me seriously worried about his ability to change during the summer.

Which Everton will turn up?

The midfielders face the defenders to receive the ball then turn to the touchline to pass it. If the midfielders do face the opposition, then they find the strikers are facing their own goal to receive it. The number of times the strikers have the chance to be on the half-turn ready to attack but then choose to face their own goal is so frustrating.

We have full backs who bomb on then turn back and pass the ball instead of trying to cross. If you are in trouble then return to the basics to improve. Martinez doesn't seem to get the fact that we are in the shit so return to the basics to improve.

RobertoÂ’s problem is that, after injuries etc force his hand, he goes back to Square One when the player is almost fit. I really believe that we would not be playing like rabbits in the spotlights if he had left Robles in goal until he dropped such a bollock that he himself had to be dropped.

Tim has, unfortunately, to a large extent been palpable for our current plight. He does not instil confidence in the defence, his distribution is pedestrian – and downright dangerous from a defender’s point of view – and he does not command his box. Dracula was less afraid of crosses than Tim for goodness sake.

No clean sheets in 11 for our Tim. Send him to the MLS at the end of the season with our blessings, Roberto, but Â’do a GerrardÂ’ on him before then, recognising he is too old, and does not deserve to be in the team. And if possible, get Gareth Barry some flying lessons so he can take him to the US in July!! Also get Baines or Oviedo in left midfield in front of the hopefully gonna sign Luke Garbutt.

Rant over, enjoy Thursday night, boys.

I'm running out of excuses with RM. All I can say is that I don't think he's the charlatan people have now been claiming for the last few months.

My concern is that something is evidently wrong with the fabric of the team – they've always lacked mental strength in important games but geeez they are so lacklustre (apart from Naismith) – it really is beyond belief.

My second serious concern is RM's transfer dealings – they have been pretty dire so far.

I hope we do as well as possible in Europe – I fail to see the correlation between being good and Europe and shit in the league. We have no other cup games... I think this just a poor excuse/explanation.

We were going nowhere under Moyes. I think Martinez biggest mistake was putting so much faith in Moyes players who now are over aged and on the decline. We need a squad of fresh faces who can play the style Martinez wants.

Southampton have proved that you can move forward even if you sell your best players. Get the players that suit your style and who want to play for the club.

It's a massive game and we have to not only win it, but stay cool while trying. I also feel we'll have to have scored (and not conceded) before 60 mins is up, as the longer we go without a goal, the more ratty the place will become which WILL affect nerves/concentration (0-0 with 15 mins to go and we'll all be sweating like Josef Fritzl on MTV Cribs).

We're at home, we're not playing a decent side, we have to win. (That said, should the worst happen and we come a cropper, I will be lumping on QPR the following week.).

Then again... pigs might fly.

Rom finds it hugely difficult to play with his back to goal, the left hand side has been a problem all season, no-one to stand in for Pienaar, and the decline of Distin and Barry. Even Tony Hibbert's contract extension was ill-founded. Much that I love Hibbo, he cannot be asked to replicate what Coleman does (or used to do).

Finally, the cardinal sin in all this has to be Howard. We finally got some stability as Robles settled down without a spectacular turnaround but then Martinez reverts Howard back to the side. As Lyndon says, a massive massive error by Martinez which has seen us go back to vulnerability and regular goal-conceding. If we are honest, it's been a succession of poor judgments all season.

The point about Martinez's future is open to debate but I wrote on ToffeeWeb last week that I believe he has until the Man Utd game to be in charge next season. Secure the valuable points by then or on that day and BK will keep him in place. Go into May still in trouble and he's a dead man walking.

I will take my seat at GP on Thursday night for the Kiev game but I expect, like many others, my mind will wander towards Sunday when I will return for what will be the bigger of the two games. It shouldn't be but unfortunately it is.

Liked your post mostly. But what is the Martinez style precisely?

It hasn't existed this season, and he has no one to blame but himself.

Southampton are a different case. The replacement manager is arguably much better than his predecessor, the current Spurs incumbent.

I for one admit also that I was not thrilled at getting a manager who had just relegated a team but the deal was made and we had no alternative but to give the man a chance.

To his credit, the team responded and we were all relishing the second season and maybe the ''second coming''. Alas it wasn't to be as we have all painfully witnessed.

The scary thing is that the team hasn't really shown anything to suggest that they were coming out of the slump at any time as I do firmly believe it has been a season long problem.

As suggested earlier, the Europa League games results have not really reflected the way those games may have gone save for some luck and stops by Howard. Outside of the back four, only Naismith has shown the commitment and tenacity in almost all his games which should have been an influence to his teammates but hasn't.

It's going to continue to be a struggle to get some results over the next few games to put them in a position of comfort. Seriously one cannot envisage Everton being good enough to win the Europa League.

Sad to say but I donÂ’t think heÂ’ll get axed whatever the results are from here on in. Kenwright has had many an opportunity to get rid and hasnÂ’t because he is fecking useless as the system the team is being asked to play.

All roads lead to the Championship.

ps: Good article Lyndon.

Right now, I am tangled in a web of betting on the bottom five. If I back Leicester, they will win and I donÂ’t want that. I can, and have stopped Burnley. I, with a well thought out couple of wagers could get Steve Bruce sacked. I saw off Harry, with my belief that the "New" Joey Barton would get QPR on a run. The problem now is that how will all this affect Everton?

I will sum up my betting skills with Derby on Saturday. Has anyone ever watched the Football League Show without knowing the scores and waiting on a bet. HereÂ’s the talk over commentary. "It looked all over for Birmingham but who would have thought....." Not fucking me.

Anyone else kicked in the guts by Annie Long today?

Fuck the moderates. Get rid of the Manager, Chairman and the bloodsucking board... NOW!

Great article, Lyndon, covering most points, but here's a few more...

Remember RM celebrating at the Wigan homecoming with the FA Cup with a rousing rendition of "Championes, Championes". Who's he kidding? – I thought. Now, I hear and read the various comments, such as the "Howard having a great season", "our lads were tired", "McCarthy is still growing" etc plus the non-answer to Henry Winter's question about finding a way to win a la Mourinho or Rodgers. In any walk of life, if your manager was coming out with such 'insights', he would straightaway lose respect and trust and with it that extra 10% needed to be successful. We are not even close to getting that extra 10%.

The passing game is breaking down this season with a lack of options for the man on the ball, primarily due to a lack of movement by midfield and not having a target man. The lack of movement is often caused by a lack of confidence and players hiding as a result.

The lack of options is also due to the playing of players out of position as mentioned. Naismith is a player who can play off a front man and we have seen him do his best work making good runs in and around the box. He would be the first to admit he is not a scheming midfielder like Pienaar, yet is expected to play that role. Sadly, he gets a fair amount of stick on TW, but I think Martinez is responsible for every pass he gets wrong. A definite square peg example. Likewise, Martinez informed us when signing Eto'o that he was a very clever player in the box, yet he played him wide and in midfield.

Jags is another who is getting stick for his lack of leadership qualities. I am sure he would prefer someone else to be captain, but he tries his best to lead by example, with his last ditch defending, (mostly) throwing his body in the way of shots, than by berating referees and teammates à la Roy Keane. Maybe, he is just too nice to do the Phil Neville shouting and pointing.

Jags was tying his laces on the half-way line unaware that Mirallas-gate was happening. How could he have anticipated what would happen? Maybe Baines should have insisted that he take it. A strong captain would be nice, but we just don't have one in the squad. Is Messi a captain now? Don't see him doing any pointing, just leading by example, but in a different way.

Martinez has changed our system to a 4-3-3 in recent games, but for this system to be successful, the midfield players must be constantly moving and clever, getting forward and showing for the ball when we have possession. When was the last time anyone saw an Everton player running hard and taking opposition players out of position to make room for others? It just doesn't happen. 4-3-3 worked perfectly with our Holy Trinity where each player was a rounded midfield player, whereas we have a trio of defensive midfield players, who seldom if ever get beyond the striker.

Like most posters above, I hope for a new manager to spend what little we have wisely during the Summer. Only McCarthy can be considered a success so far and even he is capable of much better, if he was released from his shackles more often.

I don't think I have seen any professional player with a consistently poor first touch as Lukaku's. He still has the ability to sneak the goals we will need to stay up and would possible be better if paired with Kone, who does know how to make intelligent runs. I think we need to see more of Kone.

Now, where's me prayer mat?

Please may I be wrong.

There is a school of thought that the "Roberto" way has not been sussed out yet in Europe but if we get past Kiev I will be pleasantly surprised.

If you cant see he is turning us into a carbon copy of Wigan then I pity you.

I don't really think our performances are based on us being "sussed" at all, to be honest; they're based on poor performances on our part. If, as is accused, sussing us equates to "sit back and defend and then hit them on the counter", then we'd have been sussed within about six games of last season.

I don't buy that all the teams in the Premier League needed all season to work out the vastly complex nuances of our play to come up with that approach, and it wasn't until this season that they could change things.

Newcastle (H) -1, QPR (A) - 0, Southampton (H) - 0, Swansea (A) - 0, Burnley (H) - 3, Man Utd (H) - 0, Aston Villa (A) - 0, Sunderland (H) - 1, West Ham (A) - 0 , Spurs (H) - 0.

Giving us a grand total of 33 by the end of the season. That may or rather may not be enough for survival. I also predict we will be out of Europe in the next round.

At least this time we have the good news that Cisse is out and the Barcodes are pretty much safe so won't be scrapping hard for every ball. I think we'll get something from the game but feel it'll probably be a draw.

Regarding the rest, I doubt youÂ’re far wrong.

Looking at the home fixtures, I can only see us beating Sunderland, maybe Burnley. We could pick up the odd point here and there, but I've seen nothing to suggest we will go on a run between now and the end of the season.

I wanted him gone after Hull away but I reckon we are stuck with him until the end of the season at the very least.

What I do know is that, if Martinez doesn't change the style of play, we will go down, it's just not working. We could win with a good score against Kiev but that will not guarantee a victory on Sunday, the Premier League games after a Europa League match have shown this; maybe it will change this week.

I am going to use Eugene's gambling system logic for making things not happen (if you know what I mean). I think your prediction of our final points tally is correct.

The Naismith point in some of the early comments is one I've been trying to raise in a few discussions. I love Naismith, and want him involved and around, he is not the problem, but him playing every minute of every game, no matter what, is. He is basically a 12th man, a great squad rotation player or substitute, and used properly could be a huge asset. Martinez seems to have become a master of acquiring assets and failing to use them properly. This is true of Lukaku playing with his back to goal, Atsu sitting getting splinters on the bench despite officially being 'Africa's best player' and Barkley playing in wide positions.

But the headline sums up the key point. Martinez has to learn that he needs to adapt and change. He hasn't got the eternal truth about football and everyone else is wrong, but he seems to genuinely believe he has.