Just when you thought it was safe to go back in the water...

Peter Carpenter 14/02/2016 25comments  |  Jump to last
Sometimes I wish I didn't like football and could spend Saturday afternoons gardening or shopping and be completely oblivious to football. Actually, if I had to watch a Tony Pulis team, I would do that, or throw myself off the roof of the stand. But that's beside the point.

What went wrong this time, just as we seemed poised to make a move up the table? The goal... okay, we missed a defensive header and the ball looped over the keeper, who hesitated fractionally as if expecting someone on the back post to clear (hope that's not held against him in selection). But there was no-one there. Why not? If we bring all 10 back for corners, surely we can spare one of them for the post? Maybe we just don't practice defending corners?

It left us with the job of breaking down their 14 centre-backs. Lennon seemed to be the key, going past his man at will but nothing came of it. Why do we always seem to pick out a defender from the bye-line? Look at Payet for West Ham against Norwich – he got to the line, looked up, pulled it back to a midfield player running in from deep... James McCarthy, this should be just your thing, where are you?

That was the key – width. Play as many centre-backs as you like, they won't like to be spread out wide and they won't like fast players running at them. And having players arriving late from deep positions is another good way to break down neanderthal defences. When Lukaku moves out of the middle, who moves into the space he vacates? No-one.

When we had got to half-time without scoring, changes were needed – but why keep two defensive midfielders on when they clearly weren't required? Cleverley seemed to me more likely to contribute going forward and gave a bit of structure down the left. No problem if his replacement was going to be Mirallas, the man tipped to play a big part in the remainder of the season. But Kone!

Mirallas would have stretched them down the left just as Lennon was doing down the right. Kone can't do that left attacker/advance midfield whatever-it-is role that the manager favours. We didn't once get to the bye-line down the left. Poor Kone, the crowd aren't helping a struggling player, groaning before he even touches the ball.

Deulofeu coming on was fine for me, but for Lennon? Lennon actually got to the bye-line to cross, Deulofeu didn't, he cut inside repeatedly, just where the neanderthals wanted him to go. When things aren't working, do something different – Deulofeu down the middle might have scared them.

Talking of doing something different – we never do. Even the corners. Oviedo took some good in-swingers but, apart from one header by Funes Mori, they were all headed clear. It took until about 75 minutes before Deulofeu had a go.

And maybe a short corner for a change? We just tried more of the same throughout and it never worked. We didn't even throw a centre-back forward and lump it for the last few minutes like most teams would do. Is that too ugly for our manager?

The last substitution? Well, that was different. Only his mum would have put Osman on at that stage. What did the manager think Osman had a better chance of doing than Mirallas? Mirallas is this season's Distin. I feel sorry for him and wish him luck at his new club.

We had no Plan B. We did nothing different when it clearly wasn't working and our substitutions only made it worse.

I would like Martinez to succeed but he makes it so difficult for himself sometimes... Time for a spot of gardening.

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Christopher Dover
1 Posted 16/02/2016 at 07:31:15
I look at ToffeeWeb a number of times each day, hoping to see the announcement that our manager has resigned, been sacked or gone to China for a big money move. None of which has or is likely to happen this season.

All the articles have the same theme and most on here agree with them. I could live with it if I knew he was going at the end of this season but nothing is certain apart from if he keeps playing the same way we will be fighting relegation next season.

So many have said it, the hope kills you until you reach a point of not caring, born out of total frustration that nothing changes. Even a win at Bournemouth will not help, it is a terrible thing to say but I would take a defeat if it means he goes.

Who comes in? Don’t know, people way above my pay grade make these decisions but we are going nowhere as it stands and change must happen.

Phil Walling
2 Posted 16/02/2016 at 07:46:36
With a top-half finish in prospect, gates at sell-out level, and a takeover in progress, Roberto is going nowhere soon – regardless of Cup results!
Steve Hogan
3 Posted 16/02/2016 at 08:32:22
It's staggering the number of ordinary, but very literate punters on this website who can identify the fatal flaws in the Martinez 'masterplan'.

Whilst I respect his academic (two degrees) and full UEFA coaching qualifications, he's got it very very wrong at the moment.

We are slowly running out of games to rescue this car crash of a season, clinging on to faint hopes of glory in the FA Cup will soon end as (Bournemouth apart), an unkind draw in the next round will put us all out of our misery.

I feel some sympathy for the players, despite some poor individual performances, they are playing a brand of football, accompanied by poor tactics, that is clearly not working.

Overpaid and pampered they maybe, but their not mugs, the better ones will be looking for pastures new in the summer, with a line of suitors with deep pockets ready to take them off our hands.

Meanwhile, the 'mad professor' carries on with his project, seemingly unaware of the widespread anger and disappointment at the underachievement of the most talented bunch of players we've had in years.

Steve Guy
4 Posted 16/02/2016 at 09:22:13
We can all see the flaws. Surely the players see it too and need to get together and sit the manager down and explain these basics to him. Get him to explain his logic for the substitutions he is making.

It's getting bad when even Joey Barton is worried.....

Mike Hayes
5 Posted 16/02/2016 at 09:55:30
We are all of the same opinion on Martinez and venting our frustrations at the games we should have won, points lost, bad substitutes either the wrong player or the wrong time but this man is far too stubborn or too stupid to see what we have been seeing from really his first season in charge which was his second.

The players had the Moyes mentality drilled into them which meant us finishing 5th. Season 1 (2) finished 11th with lowest points tally and season 2 (3) heading in a similar direction - down. Unfortunately this could go on for the remainder of his contract - we have just got to cross everything and hope we come out of this hole intact.

I have voiced my opinion about Martinez - never wanted him from the start - we are reaping what’s been sown - let’s just hope it’s not as bad a harvest as it looks
Phil Walling
6 Posted 16/02/2016 at 09:55:34
Yes, Steve, but as the man has said, we must be patient as he is only half-way through his project.

I suspect its final phase may see us in the Championship – the Football League one – not Uefa's!

Peter Carpenter
7 Posted 16/02/2016 at 10:08:25
And we are a new team so we’re not underachieving.....

Aaaaaaahhhh – please help me, someone!

Andrew Cunningham
8 Posted 16/02/2016 at 10:38:32
Top half Finnish. With this squad it should be top six minimum!

Christopher Timmins
9 Posted 16/02/2016 at 10:45:33
What I find so hard to take is how soft the team now is and everyone knows it. If Leicester were playing us on Sunday even with 10 men we would have found a way to cough up a goal in the 6th minute of extra time.
Peter Barry
10 Posted 16/02/2016 at 10:55:42
None of Roberto's teams has ever done defence. Plan B! Plan B! Martinez's teams don't need no stinkin' Plan B.
Trevor Peers
11 Posted 16/02/2016 at 10:58:44
No doubt there will be more victories this season, great I look forward to them. The pressure will then come off Roberto, his fanatical admirers will make sure of that.

The question marks over his ability will quickly resurface though, simply because defensively he hasn’t got a clue.

More home defeats in the Premier League will follow. That’s when the wheels fall off, tactically.

Niall McIlhone
13 Posted 16/02/2016 at 11:05:22
Peter: you make a good point about midfielders arriving from deep.McCarthy is giving us very little at the moment in forward areas, but I guess he’s only following orders. Just look at Spurs and how advanced their midfielders get?

I suspect that sometime, somewhere, RM will establish a successful team, but sadly, his playing philosophy is just inadequate for the English premiership. Bobby might do better to manage in China, Japan or the Middle East where the (slower) pace of the game lends itself more to his style.

As things stand, Bobby appears incapable of adapting to the opposition, we all knew exactly how WBA would set up shop, but still he persists on picking two DM players when it’s clear that we’d have benefited from setting up on a 4-4-2 ...but no, not Bobby. Everton’s problem is compounded by the fact that expectation levels are now rock bottom for home fans.

Despite the two wins prior to WBA, I was never confident going in to the game, as Pulis is a past master of pulling out results like this. It is no wonder that this mood translates into a lack of atmosphere at Goodison, as really, there’s often not a great deal to get excited about, it’s all so painfully predictable-lots of possession, not enough end product, and a harum-scarum defensive set up.

Maybe we will beat the Cherries, and maybe we will get a home draw in the FA Cup quarterfinals, but for me, we have little or no chance of winning it because we don’t have the nous or the desire, either on the pitch or at Finch Farm. Roll on the takeover.

Ray Smith
14 Posted 16/02/2016 at 11:34:19
RM has his head in the sand and, does not appear to have any advisors that he is prepared to listen too.
His arrogance is such that until he is sacked we are in for more of the same. BK will stick by him through thick and thin. Any new owners will allow RM half a season at least, by which time that’s another mediocre season gone.

I have supported Everton for over 50 years and will continue to do so. However, I see our best players leaving for pastures new, that actually qualify for Europe, rather than promising too! Please tell me I’m wrong. The current situation has caused me to put my thoughts into the public arena (first post).

Tony Hill
15 Posted 16/02/2016 at 11:53:55
We should not easily assume that the takeover is going to happen at all. It is following a characteristic Everton trajectory: initial build-up, long period of nothing, half-baked ending when it's too late. It's what we do best.
Linda Morrison
16 Posted 16/02/2016 at 12:03:51
I think, regardless of the result of the takeover, the issue is with the manager. Martinez cannot manage a squad of players, picking the right team to have the best chance of beating the opposition. I am afraid that he needs to go – and sooner the better...

I honestly thought that with the new additions this year we would be aiming for the top 4 at least and that was before the collapse of Chelsea and Man Utd.

I just think that when Moyes had Arteta and the rest he only needed a striker. With Lukaku we would have won the league.

Barry Pearce
17 Posted 16/02/2016 at 12:07:00
All articles I read on TW are measured, and most I agree with.

To me the consensus is that Martinez is not fit to manage our great club. Which I do agree with. Stats over his tenure here prove we are treading water at best.

Anton Garvey
18 Posted 16/02/2016 at 12:47:54
I like thousands of Evertonians gave Martinez the benefit of the doubt but enough is enough. Mirallas – did you throw your gloves at him? it should have been your boots, you won't need them while he’s the Manager.

A few months ago Cleverley set up Lukaku (who scored) with a 40-yard pass; he was immediately taken off... I'm beginning to wonder why Kenwright won't sack him but we said that about Walter Smith... here’s hoping!

Dean Peamum
19 Posted 16/02/2016 at 13:04:16
When your club has been run like a circus for the last 20 years, who better to manage the team than a clown?

The wheels fell off this wagon last winter and this season it seems like déjà vu. We’re seven points better off after 26 games than last season and one place higher. Whoopee-do.

I’m not even arsed to be angry anymore as nothing will change unless new owners take over, probably Billy (not so) Smart or James (not so) Chipperfield.

I’m off for a cup of Coco.

Philip Yensen
20 Posted 16/02/2016 at 17:16:52
It’s everyone's duty to defend high up the field or at the back. Lukaku should be the only player not chasing back; most of his work is to find space and making run after run. Looks bad on him most of the time because we don’t give him the ball earlier enough and get bodies in to support.

Bollocks to the manager, work your socks off, run up and down the pitch – not in little triangles going nowhere.

Brian Mahoney
21 Posted 16/02/2016 at 18:57:12
I wouldn’t mind having Koeman as our next manager. Two seasons on the trot he’s sold his best players but has managed to replace them and they are still up there challenging for a Euro spot.

He seems to know what its all about i.e. defend well, keep clean sheets and still play attractive football.

Michael Polley
22 Posted 16/02/2016 at 21:22:03
The guy has no Plan B, and is clueless in his substitions.
Eddie Dunn
23 Posted 17/02/2016 at 09:14:23
Niall, 13. A home draw! I will be hoping to be drawn away! (If we beat the Cherries...)
Harold Matthews
24 Posted 19/02/2016 at 16:18:45
Unlike Koeman and Pochettino, Martinez is not likely to buy a giant defender anytime soon because that's not his game. He likes swift ball players, all out attack and possession. It didn't work with Wigan, it was never tested in the Championship but the Swansea fans loved it in Division 1.

Right now, Everton have scored more goals from open play than any of their rivals. Their fans know that, on chances created, it should even be a lot more. A whole lot more.

Martinez doesn't do clean sheets. He doesn't set up for them. If they happen that's great but they're not important. West Brom had one corner and one goal but we created enough chances to win easily. That's the only way our boss sees things. Why practice defending corners when they only cost us half a dozen goals a season?

Actually, why practice defending anything? With McCarthy and Barry sitting in front of Jags, Funes Mori and Robles, he knows we'll rarely concede more than the good chances created at the other end.

Well that's the idea. That's the way it is supposed to work. Despite .the giant tree trunks in the Baggies defence, he reckons we definitely created enough chances to win and he's probably right. 2 or 3 of our 34 shots should have hit the net.

You score 2. we'll score 3. In the end it all comes down to clinical finishing. We create loads of chances. If we put them away we win.

City and Arsenal are similar but they have world class keepers. They also have tall lads who can get their head on the ball at set-pieces.

We've been in a mess for more than 18 months but Martinez continues to believe we are a whisker away from glory.

I'd like him to try his system elsewhere but it ain't gonna happen. He'll strengthen with more fire power and keep on talking.

Andy McNabb
25 Posted 20/02/2016 at 01:45:26
I know it’s a bit dramatic, Peter, but I think I have answer to your problem.

We emigrated 15 years ago and I can honestly say, the 11-hour time difference means my garden has never looked better. I sleep through the agony of most matches and only awake to hear the bad news.

The downside is having to watch the A League ’live’ but my sanity levels have definitely improved.

Eric Myles
26 Posted 20/02/2016 at 03:21:50
We didn’t have 34 chances to score, though, did we, Harold? We only had 6 shots on target, shots that are not on target are never going to score goals unless they get a lucky deflection.

What we need is for our players to be creating more real chances by getting more shots on target.


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