From My Seat: Aston Villa (A)

What most alarms me with Everton under Martinez is how many games we donÂ’t turn up for and become very quickly outfought; if anybody notices, more often than not whenever the opposition wants it more, we generally arenÂ’t up for the battle.

The fact is that, on way too many occasions this season, we have been outfought and turned in a performance where you think "we canÂ’t play as bad as that again". I thought that after Southampton and Newcastle in December, then Hull in January but itÂ’s happened too often. Our away form has been dreadful, our performances in away games have been dreadful and frankly we have got what we have deserved with 10 defeats.

I canÂ’t really see that much changing next season under a manager that seems completely clueless as to what his best team is or how to motivate them on a regular basis. The Manchester United game was the ONLY game all season where the application and motivation has been there from start to finish.

This is not what we would expect of a good keeper. CanÂ’t imagine Martyn or Southall being similarly rooted to the spot.

Now I love Bainsey but as a defender he is seriously lacking in many areas and he was at fault for both goals.

No wonder Hodgson much to disgust of this site is picking Delph instead of Barkley for England. He was pure class yesterday, defending, attacking, linking up play, he made McCarthy look a fool.

Barkley is as always by Martinez being hyped up far too much. Again Martinez this week talks about his world class centre halves and they both got roasted by Benteke. Martinez please keep the gob shut for once, we didn’t deserve anything yesterday and he tried to say we probably deserved a draw on our 2nd half performance – what claptrap.

At least Jags in his post-match interview said we deserved nothing, and that's what weÂ’ve got. I can't see Cleverley wanting to leave Villa for us next year, they are a young side going places under Sherwood, whereas we will still have too many geriatrics around.

I always felt Lambert was a Moyes disciple: dour, defensive. Sherwood has come in and transformed Villa with the same players. The only problem will be Sherwood himself who tends to implode after a year or so.

Lukaku has scored just ONE GOAL in open play since Hull at home on December 3rd!!! And that was the fluke at Crystal Palace.

That is bad news.

I really donÂ’t understand why Martinez tinkered with the side that beat Man Utd last week. Naismith is a thoroughly decent human being but doesnÂ’t warrant a place in the team. Mirallas chickened out of several challenges and looks as though heÂ’s mentally somewhere else already. As others have said, and even though I have been a supporter of him in the past, Howard is way past his peak and doesnÂ’t inspire confidence.

So the omens for next season do not look good. I have little faith in Martinez to correct things. Sorry to be negative but wasting good money and time on yesterdayÂ’s performance leaves a phenomenally bitter taste in the mouth.

Your most telling line for me was "Overall a disappointing day out – not because we lost but the manner in which we lost."

Evertonians forgive many things. Lack of effort and application is not among them.

I love your reports, but like a few other replies, HOWARD????!!!!

The first goal, he has got to come off his line and punch away – it was a high looping cross from way out. I don't blame him for the second, but there was another incident where Jags was about 4 yards out from goal and he had to concede a corner when any half decent goalkeeper should have been there and caught it. He reminds me of one of those goalkeepers on a stick where it's physically impossible to leave the line. Basically the defence is having to defend too deeply because they know that Howard does not come further than 2 yards off his line.

I agree with Ray (#9) on Lukaku's penalties and the tinkering. The penalties are awful and I wouldn't want to rely on him scoring when it really matters. Changing a winning side, to me, doesn't make any sense.

[Puts on tin hat.]

If you canÂ’t motivate the players to give their all for every game then, for me, he should not be there. The players need to accept their share of responsibility for the woeful season we have just witnessed; however, ultimately the manager supposedly prepares the players to take to the field ready to win a football game and yesterday was yet another example of dereliction of duty.

He even admitted it after the game by stating he was worried that this may happen!! FFS, this type of performance should be a complete surprise to him... he should have prepared the players to such an extent that he couldn’t envisage such a performance happening. Instead he stands there saying he half expected it... What is the fucking point of Martinez?? What exactly does he do? What does he practise on the training pitch? – because it sure isn’t football tactics.

Yet again, out fought, another goal conceded from a set piece, and a complete lack of heart shown from the players, resulting in a performance that made a bottom 5 club look like a world beater and making a piss-poor player like Cleverly look like Messi.

I said after last week's result against the Mancs that everyone should have a reality check and not go overboard about a winning run that only consisted of one decent performance and, to be fair, Martinez has heeded my warning to show you all exactly what he is all about. Inept, clueless and an amazing ability to fuck about with a winning team and turn it into a losing one.

I was prepared to give him a couple of months into the new season but now he can just fuck off as far as IÂ’m concerned and take all his backroom staff full of losers with him. He has reverted back to type and shown that there are only certain games (ie, big games) that he can get the players up for. I am terrified what heÂ’s going to do with our meagre amount in the transfer kitty and even more terrified with the prospect of more pointless tippy-tappy, mind-numbing irrelevant possession-based shite football we will witness next season.

I, along with many others, have renewed season tickets for next season and this was the first time I have ever thought long and hard about renewing... I donÂ’t want to be bored shitless again for the whole of next season by playing this passionless, pointless style of football that takes away all the joy and excitement that should accompany going to the game. He needs to go now before he has any chance to destroy the new season.

No need for a tin hat, I agree Delphi is far more productive at present than the shite we are subjected to on a near weekly basis!

Naismith is looking worse with every game, his clumsy challenges were lucky not to land him in the book.

Lukaku is a joke, and his penalty taking is horrible – he nearly fucked it up. His previous ones have been poorly struck too – not a patch on Baines.

I want to be the first to say bye-bye to big Rom. He is a 15-stone waste of space: poor touch, can’t jump, slow off the mark, and still gets caught offside too often. Cash-in pronto – along with Mirallas, who is the epitome of a luxury player. A pair of big-time Charlies!

Incidentally, I always rated Cleverley when he played for England: looked intelligent... mind you, Delph alongside probably helped!

He has been a slow developer, but last season and this he is showing what a good player he is.

Head and shoulders above everyone else on the pitch yesterday.

For the second goal, Howard would have been running out to collide with Benteke who had a run himself (thanks to Stones not marking him and picking up Barry instead), not standing stationary. You donÂ’t do that as a keeper because you will likely lose the ball trying to catch it. The collision will take you over so if you punch it away it will come back and you will be on the ground, assuming you can get a punch off before the collision. Third goal he was off his line or did you forget that?

Problem with the haters appears to be that they want a GK who can make up for all the flaws in the defense ahead of him. Do you really think Courtois isnÂ’t better because of the players like Terry, ahead of him not making mistakes in their marking? BTW, the players do have confidence in the keeper which is why they play the ball back to him even in tight situations.

Great read, Ken, thanks for the post! At least you got to see one manager who gets it right on the pitch. Too bad it was Sherwood.

Naismith and Mirallas arenÂ’t good enough to start; without Barkley and Osman we have no forward pass. IÂ’m surprised at Martinez changing it again especially as Osman has a great record against the Villa.

Baines watches the ball in, can see BentekeÂ’s run, yet doesnÂ’t put a challenge in; very weak defensive play again.

Added to this, Barry should be nowhere near the first eleven, Naismith is a tryer but unfortunately heÂ’s shite, and as for Champions League Mirallas, he is one lazy disinterested shitbag.

Why our phenomenal manager felt the need to rotate the team after SIX FUCKING DAYS since the last game is beyond me. He is way out of his depth. Way out,

I want a manager who demands this. Is that too much to ask for?

You are correct in pointing out that three England internationals failed in various aspects of their play, but it is a problem that has reoccurred, and if the keeper was to come out more to claim these crosses (the defenders would hear a shout and allow him more space to take the ball).

Perhaps Tim has been too used to having more protection in the past, with Distin taking so many headers.

In my opinion, Tim stays on his line too much and a bigger more imposing keeper (Robles) would worry an approaching striker, which puts off many a potential threat.

If I was the manager of a team about to play us, I would instruct my players to press us, to stop us bringing it out from defence. I would put my quickest mid-fielders up against Gareth Barry or bang balls over the top into our box with two chasing strikers.

Alternatively just go out to win set piece ball and watch us cough it up.

Why didnÂ’t Howard step off his line a yard or two before the cross was made? It would have given him a chance to go back if the ball came at the goal and given him an advantage if the ball was going towards the penalty spot. As the commentator stated on one occasion when Baines crossed from the wing to the penalty area, Given was ready to come out and win the ball as soon as it left his foot, and he did so among a group of players.

I am not a keeper but surely a fully international keeper is more aware that a keeper's job is not just stopping shots at him but to read the game and prevent shots fired at him.

Apart from that, he was just one out of the eleven that let Everton as a club down yesterday with that poor first 45 mins.

Brian Donnelly(12) - comparison with Howard and a Subutteo goalie with stick attached - perfect.

The 3rd Villa goal was typical of our season. We have possession near half way line and Jags passes all the way back to Howard, a clearance arrives 15 yards into the Villa half and Lukaku decides not to bother jumping with Vlaar, who has time to find a passer who splits our defence who canÂ’t track a runner. Plenty of basics to work on in training there - along with defending crosses and corners.

Pantillimon tried to catch a high ball landing about 14/15 yards out and collided with a defender. What about just asking for command of the 6 yard box for starters.

We have a very important summer coming up. The thing is, deep down, we all know there will be little change. That's the most depressing thing. Ken, thanks for your usual spot-on report, only thing is there was no-one worthy of a Man of the Match award, sad!!

I heard there was a Â’Kenwright OutÂ’ banner there but I canÂ’t confirm that.

Yes there was – at the front of the upper tier.

Some players were in full holiday kit: flipflops, shades, beach towels. Only problem was Shay Given and their defenders bagged the deck chairs and didnÂ’t have to get off them all game. How the hell we got 2 goals was as mysterious to me (and everyone around me); also why our manager waited over 70 minutes before making any changes.

Diabolical, the lot of them. Never mind stumping up 30 grand towards our away fans' West Ham tickets – just raise a fuckin sweat for us. Just imagine our support if they did !!!

Naisy is a great guy but starting him is simply throwing away the game. Vlaar missed an easy chance to put them up by two then Benteke did with the good ole beard handcuffed to his line. Changed to La Liga for an 8-0 blasting by Barca