Report From My Seat: West Ham (H) Goodison was not a happy place at the end with voices of anger raised. Out of the ground and down Spellow lane the anger and animosity toward our present manager reached levels I have not heard before and it seemed unanimous. This is not a good situation with the FA Cup game at home looming. The faithful are turning. Ken Buckley 06/03/2016 33comments | Jump to last Everton 2 - 3 West Ham United We all gather in the Room of Nonsense for a couple of bevies and a footy chat. This focused on the man who has invested in our club and how things might pan out. We had some wild chat of how things are going to change for the better and some fanciful names of players that will now be attracted toward us. This conversation was the focus of the day plus the delight of the news that season tickets had been decreased in price... with only the arrival of the team via the electronic wizardry of the mobile phone to interrupt it. Stones in and Barry out caused some wild guesses regarding formations.With all this to take in we hardly noticed Spurs and Arsenal drawing 2-2. Time for the walk up on a chilly day but all roads led to Goodison and conversations with those we found ourselves walking along with made us soon forget the chill. Most were expecting a tight game with 2-1 to the Blues being the favourite score. The fan zone was belting out the music and the fat van dishing up the fast food. Goodison road was awash with expectant fans taking photos. Z-Cars rang out and the handshakes of goodwill took place and we were to attack the Park End first half with the Hammers having the kick off. It was soon apparent that we were playing three at the back with Stones to the right, Jags central and Funes Mori left. Coleman and Oviedo were our wing backs with Barkley and McCarthy our midfield two leaving Mirallas, Lukaku and Lennon our primary attackers. We started well enough and with WHU winning only one of their last nine away matches I felt reasonably confident. This confidence was bolstered when from a well taken corner by Barkley the ball came out to McCarthy on the edge whose shot was both spectacular and true had the keeper tipped over at the last second, in the same passage of play Stones was hauled to the deck for a clear penalty but such is today's refereeing there is no such thing as a foul in the box from a corner or other set piece. We were having the better of the exchanges and just before the quarter hour mark Lukaku got onto a good ball from Barkley and rolled his marker cut inside and shot across the keeper hit a post and this time rebounded into the net. Rom lapped up the adulation sweeping down from the terraces with waves and hand claps. Next it was Barkley who took a ball on his chest and in a seamless movement swivelled in mid -air, connected well and the ball flew toward top corner unfortunately for him and us the keeper got a hand to it and diverted the ball over the bar. That brought a gasp of awe from those assembled. I was enjoying the game and with Lennon and Lukaku causing all sorts of problems for WHU makeshift back line the expectation of another goal was on everyone’s mind but then on 35 mins Mirallas who had been previously booked for a dive foolishly as well as unprofessionally cleaned out Cresswell in a tackle and our Ref Mr Taylor of Cheshire showed yellow quickly followed by red. I did wonder if he may have given him his last warning if it had not been for the odious Noble in his face Gerrard and Terry style. Come on the ten men was what we were left with. Stones went to right back as our present manager went 4-4-1 and we saw out the first half with just scares from a Payet free kick given away by Jags on the edge, a WHU penalty shout and a sharp save from Joel to deny Emenike. H/T 1-0 The chat centred on how well we played in that half but the sending off had put all in nervous mode. I heard a few saying ‘I hope Bobby does not cock this up’ I wonder what those fans felt on the final whistle? The teams re-appeared after the break and Stones had been sacrificed in favour of Besic presumably to assist McCarthy in the mid-field hunt and destroy department. Although it looked 4-4-1 Lennon had license to maraud with Rom which was a good ploy as they certainly needing watching as was demonstrated just ten mins into the half. Lennon popped up on the left and exchanged passes with Rom at some speed which got him between two defenders, in on goal and coolly slotted home to set the ground alight. A two nil lead — erm we have been here before with eleven men now it’s with ten. We were sort of celebrating going two ahead with a dose of apprehension. Ah the mind and world of the Evertonian eh. We were seeing a Rampant Rom though. He was like a charging bull with some finesse as bullied and harried their rearguard aided and abetted by the livewire Lennon. Their performance was helping the defence too as they could not go gung-Ho for fear of a swift counter from the deadly duo. I thought we were coping well with a man short and from one of our attacks Besic drove for the box and was tripped, outside said the WHU players, inside said the Ref and duly awarded a pen. Oh joy! 3-0 and surely all over as Rom never misses. Ah he did and players and crowd look and sound deflated but this only lasted a few minutes and we got back to how we were playing which was working for us as the players had settled to a rhythm that was holding WHU at arm’s length. Then with some fifteen mins to go the manager took centre stage by taking off Lennon and sending on Niasse. Now that did not go down well with the faithful especially as he did not looked distressed in any way. I was a bit non-plussed as by swapping the hard working Lennon with a striker that hardly knows the club or his team-mates and given the situation we were in made little or no sense, well not to me anyway. The players seemed unsure with this change as the out balls were not where they were before and our new man seemed to give no clue as to where he was supposed to be playing or for that matter what he might do, it didn’t look right and I was worried along with about 36,000 others. That worry was not misplaced as in the final twelve mins we shipped three goals and this after Rom after his penalty miss had kept his head up and got through one on one with the keeper and as he slotted past him the keeper’s leg diverted the ball away, just think that could have been four. The subbing of Lennon had been music to Bilic’s ears as he made a double sub of his own and sent on attackers now that the Rom Lennon partnership was gone and Niasse showing nothing of a threat. WHU now sent in cross after cross for the heads of Carroll and Co three of which were fruitful. Firstly Antonio won header by out jumping Funes Mori then heading home. WHU get a corner and Sakho was in between Coleman and Funes Mori and netted. 2-2... The manager took off Rom and sent on the ailing Barry as a few thousand fans left the ground and they missed the final misery when a ball was merely floated into our box and seemed to elude all our players and leave Payet free to despatch. Hey Ho... lost at home again – how many more of these games can the matchgoing fan take? MotM ----- Lennon / Lukaku Goodison was not a happy place at the end with voices of anger raised. Out of the ground and down Spellow lane the anger and animosity toward our present manager reached levels I have not heard before and it seemed unanimous. This is not a good situation with the FA Cup game at home looming. The faithful are turning. Still as fans all we can do is let feelings be known and let the club owners whoever they are make a decision. The atmosphere is getting toxic and that is not good news for anyone – especially the players who can’t be unaware of the unrest. I have hated writing this as it is not the Everton I want to be writing about. Still I will be back next week and giving my support to the team and just hope that things have been sorted in one way or another to give us a little look at Wembley again. Whatever happens – UP THE BLUES Share article: Reader Comments (33) Note: the following content is not moderated or vetted by the site owners at the time of submission. Comments are the responsibility of the poster. Disclaimer John Raftery 1 Posted 06/03/2016 at 17:52:08 Well described Ken. How much more can the match going fan take is a good question. Not very much, I think. Our home record is heading towards the worst in terms of victories since 1949-50 when we recorded 6 wins and 8 draws in 21 games. It was slightly worse in our first relegation season, 1929-30, when we had 6 wins and 7 draws. We will do well this season to reach 6 wins at Goodison. Steve Davies 2 Posted 06/03/2016 at 18:08:12 Good article Ken. The atmosphere is getting toxic. When we get dumped out of the cup then maybe BK will do something. He is supposed to be an Evertonian after all.COYB Dean Adams 3 Posted 06/03/2016 at 18:14:02 SteveNo need for knee jerk reactions!! Paul Hewitt 4 Posted 06/03/2016 at 18:31:23 Yesterday must be the final nail in Martinez’s coffin. To chuck away a 2-0 lead once is forgivable, but 3 time's is bloody unbelievable. Let’s not for get Norwich away and Stoke at GP.7 Home defeats (so far) is also unacceptable. Let’s just hope the new owner gives Martinez his P45 at the end of the season. Though he should have got it yesterday. Jim Bennings 5 Posted 06/03/2016 at 19:08:40 Basically for two years, not just this season but for TWO years, our home record has been utterly rank awful. In Martinez first full season of 2013-14 we lost two of our last three at Goodison, last season hell knows how many we lost but I know we only recorded seven wins from nineteen. This season we are even somehow worse, FOUR wins and SEVEN losses with a mega goals against column of 26. It’s sickening knowing that Goodison was for year’s nationally known as one of the hardest venues to go and win for any opponents, it was the bedrock of the small success built on David Moyes good league finishes. These days I absolutely hate watching Everton at Goodison, it’s a woefully predictable experience of failure that is always delivered. Do I expect anything to change next Saturday? No, I no doubt Chelsea will have a hard game on Wednesday night against Paris but we will as per usual assist them with our amateur school playground defending and gift them at least a replay or worse the passage to Wembley by 7:30pm on Saturday evening. It’s a no longer a fortress Goodison, it’s a disused abandoned ruin that visitors just simply stroll through unchallenged and take what they need. Sad sorry times. Patrick Murphy 6 Posted 06/03/2016 at 19:20:21 Jim (5) It’s Everton’s inability to win matches rather than being serial losers which has undermined our season, Man City, Man United and Liverpool have all lost the same number (8) of league games although admittedly not as many defeats as the Toffees on home soil. Ironically had the Blues managed to take a point in each of those seven home defeats we would be sitting in seventh position 1 point ahead of our nearest and dearest and only five points behind Man City in fourth place. A strange campaign indeed but I don’t think that Roberto has what it takes to win enough football matches and that is the main reason I don’t think he should be given another season to get it right. Dean Adams 8 Posted 06/03/2016 at 19:28:55 It takes the pain out of a ground move though!! Dennis Stevens 9 Posted 06/03/2016 at 19:31:35 I do find it difficult to believe that Martinez was supposedly a defensive midfielder. Although I’d like to see him succeed, I’m now of the belief that he can’t do so on his own. He needs a right-hand man to use as a sounding board & to help him get the defence properly organised. Failing that, perhaps Martinez should call time on his managerial career & maybe look for a role as Director of Football, which may well suit him better. Pete Ward 10 Posted 06/03/2016 at 19:41:34 Enough is enough. We have the squad but not the manager! I think we will struggle to keep our best players, even with the new investment. Anthony Garvey 11 Posted 06/03/2016 at 19:53:33 What can we say about this Manager? How long must we listen to his excuses? He blames the referee, the penalty miss, anyone but himself. I sit in Upper Bullens alongside a man and his young son who come from Worcester – they come up ever game, hail, rain or shine, in a Minibus... we're well supported and we deserve better. Peter Mills 12 Posted 06/03/2016 at 20:02:44 Ken, thanks for taking the time to write your report, despite hating doing so. I suspect many of us have felt the same about making posts on here over the past 24 hours. Paul Holmes 13 Posted 06/03/2016 at 20:07:56 Just looked at the table after Sunday's results – we are 12th, absolutely shocking considering the players we have. Would we swap many of our players for the teams above us like West Brom, Southampton, Stoke, West Ham and even Liverpool? The answer is Koeman, Bilic, Klopp (not so much Pulis, but he does a steady job with what he has) are top class managers with average players. Martinez is an average manager with top class players! We need to take a leaf out of the teams above us. Bill Gall 14 Posted 06/03/2016 at 20:14:12 Why do people constantly go on about "IF" we had done this and "IF" the ref would have seen this, and "IF" the manager had played this player we would be near the top??? Wake up and smell the roses, the league does not lie, we have just dropped to 12th place below West Brom, managed by someone who is hardly top of our list.It is not only our manager who is responsible but the baggage he brought with him called coaches with one of them supposed to be head of performances (what performances)?"IF" is usually a mention of the past and there is nothing we can do about it, so stop using it as excuses, and let's hope our new shareholder and chairman except what is happening, and do something about it. Dave Abrahams 15 Posted 06/03/2016 at 20:21:26 There is usually a hub and plenty of noise as you come out of Goodison after a game. Yesterday there was a hush, with angry drawn faces, people walking together heads down not saying, knowing really what their mates / partners were thinking and not wishing to intrude on the misery they were feeling; very sad and eerie.'Our present manager.' Ken, I wonder how many times you will write that and mean Robbie? Not too many I hope. Thanks for another great report. Amit Vithlani 16 Posted 06/03/2016 at 20:32:11 Ken, your heartfelt anguish is felt keenly. I can't remember a report of yours where such anxiety has been so evident. Surely the end is nigh for Roberto Martinez? Brent Stephens 17 Posted 06/03/2016 at 20:33:40 Dean #8 "It takes the pain out of a ground move though!!"Maybe not if the team and fans are told where it is but Roberto given a different address each home game. I'm trying to laugh to stop my crying. Dave Ganley 19 Posted 06/03/2016 at 21:43:03 Thanks for the report Ken. I always look forward to your post regardless of the result, however, your somewhat subdued report this time round somehow sums up how most of us feeling right now. For the first time in a while, I was actually enjoying the game right up until the point at which Lennon was taken off. Tired he may have been, but surely no worse than Ross, who could barely raise a jog and Rom who was similar to Ross. Lennon actually still looked full of running when needed. The balance went completely and instead of celebrating a wonderful win, full of grit, determination and not a little skill, we went home full of ire and indignation at how we managed to completely mess up yet another game we should have strolled to a win. All the good work undone in yet another period of madness. The lessons have not and never will be learned.To be honest, the atmosphere has been pretty toxic at the ground for quite a while now, due entirely to moments like we witnessed yesterday. I am no longer excited about going to the game and haven’t been for quite some time. The disappointments are too frequent and the (yesterdays game being the recent exception) lack of urgency during games have completely knocked the stuffing out of me. Conversely, walking to the ground yesterday we were discussing the cup tie next week and how we couldn’t wait for it (mainly due to our complete and utter dislike for the rent boys) but leaving the ground yesterday, even that had been diluted. Hopefully by next week, my sore wounds will have healed a little and we will be up for it again as it will be a shame if we don’t create a nasty atmosphere for the arrogant chavvy west cockney scum. Our manager surely can't survive this latest shambolic game and hopefully we will be welcoming a new start with a new manager who actually knows what he is doing in the summer.As to next week, I shall roll up more in hope than anything else, but above all, hope that we can stick it to the undesirables from west London.As you say Ken, up the blues regardless Danny Broderick 20 Posted 06/03/2016 at 21:49:28 The manager’s game management is just not good enough. I want him to succeed if I am honest. But you can’t just ignore the defensive side of the game and expect to succeed. Sometimes, you just have to put the brakes on and see the game out. This has been happening all season. Why on earth he brought on an extra striker for a midfielder, when we were 2-0 up and down to 10 men, is beyond me. I honestly think that is the worst sub I have ever seen. I still can’t believe it. He should have been bringing Barry on, or Baines, to shore the midfield up and see out a 2-0 win. I would have been disappointed with a draw, never mind a defeat!!I have to say, though, that I thought the players were fantastic. They put in a hell of a shift with 10 men. It wasn’t obvious that they had an extra player for most of that match, which is a credit to the team. We lost this because of that sub, which left us over exposed at the back. When will Martinez learn? Paul Kossoff 21 Posted 07/03/2016 at 00:51:16 Danny 20, exposed at the back? Do you know how many Everton players were in the penalty area when West Ham scored the first goal? TEN, Second goal Eight, third goal seven.We may as well have had wheelie bins placed as defenders, they possibly would have stopped one of the goals.Lukaku and Niasse were both going for a stroll up the pitch as the W Ham player was crossing the ball for there first, obviously thinking, ’oh defending is not my job’. I’m no longer a fan of Martinez but you can’t allow for incompetence from the team. Don Alexander 22 Posted 06/03/2016 at 03:01:22 I've nowt against Eddie Howe, he's done very well at Bournemouth, but the time he spent at Burnley wasn't so good and he's said it was just because he and his family couldn't settle "oop north". They're southerners, he says, so even we ain't attractive to him if he was being honest.The sad fact is I can't think of one British manager with a record of achievement who impresses me. I don't pretend to know of a young foreign one either other than Diego Simeone, but I'd never even heard of Pochettino, Koeman (as a manager that is) and they've done well, as has Flores at Watford (and he won the first Europa Cup too).What I do know is that if the new owner of our club, assuming there is a new owner of course, wants to make one penny in profit on his investment he just has to get rid of the basket case chosen by our, er, esteemed chairman. Anto Byrne 23 Posted 07/03/2016 at 03:12:04 Gary Neville is my choice as the next Everton manager for what its worth. Knows the game, intelligent and mentored by the best in Ferguson. Also a defender but plays the game the right way. Gary Russell 24 Posted 07/03/2016 at 07:37:31 Why is the FA approval of Moshiri shares taking this long? Not a word about it anywhere... Michael Evans 25 Posted 07/03/2016 at 07:38:15 '.. present manager' Sometimes just two words can sum up that the clock is ticking for RM. I used to be a regular at Goodison but my parents and Aunt died and I would find going on my own too sad. Sitting here typing this in leafy Shropshire, I would just like to state how sorry I am for those amazing loyal blues who turn up for the games only to have to endure this rubbish. What must add insult to injury is the patronising BS coming out of our 'present manager' mouth after the game. You lost the fans RM when you assumed that they could be fooled all of the time. Steve Harris 26 Posted 07/03/2016 at 07:38:57 Gary Neville!!!!! Horrible Manc with a self-confessed hatred of scousers?? So is this based on how marvelously he told everyone on Sky how teams could have prevented conceding a goal after the event or is it based on the great start he’s made to his managerial career? We’ll have someone suggesting Jamie Carragher next!!! Erik Dols 27 Posted 07/03/2016 at 07:49:03 Neville??? Are you serious? Besides from what I think of him personally, he managed to win only one of seven home matches in the Spanish league so far. With a team that finished 4th last year. How would he be an improvement over Martinez? Jim Bennings 28 Posted 07/03/2016 at 07:53:04 Gary Neville? – never, no way, not now or ever. The money at this club should be used to attract a top manager, at least someone with Premier League managerial experience not a TV pundit or sentiment reason like Duncan Ferguson. We need a top proven manager with contacts and knows what the hell he’s doing. Colin Glassar 29 Posted 07/03/2016 at 08:05:35 Good question Gary, I've been asking it myself. As for Neville, why? Because he talks a good game on the telly? No thanks Ian Jones 30 Posted 07/03/2016 at 08:35:10 Hi Ken.Good report as ever. Only thing I would like to add is that I think it was Oviedo that passed to Lukaku for the first goal. Thought I should credit him. :)Also Besic’s reaction to getting the penalty at least showed us he is passionate about playing for Everton. Possible captain material. Re Lukaku’s penalty. I appreciate he has scored the majority of his penalties if not all while with Everton but for me, his pens lack conviction. You never quite know whether the ball will reach the goal. Much rather have someone who is going to put his foot through the ball at bit more like Ross Barkley’s first against Newcastle although perhaps not quite like his second penalty. That’s for when you are winning the game.Slightly off topic and I think it’s been mentioned before about Martinez not really consulting anyone when he is on the side of the pitch but my Father has been told by a fan who attends the game and sits close enough to the ’dug’out’ that it seems to be Graeme Jones who does most of the talking on the bench and seems to be in charge of the subs. There doesn’t appear to be much consultation with Martinez. That seems odd and not correct. Perhaps others have noticed this... Sam Hoare 31 Posted 07/03/2016 at 08:56:58 Almost 30 games played this season and we are in 12th. Below the mighty West Brom. Not good enough.Who knows where this team might be under a Bilic or Ranieri. Its certainly no worse than Leciester or West Ham's.Fed up with it now. Anto Byrne 32 Posted 07/03/2016 at 08:58:35 OK, not Gary Neville then. Oh might as well keep the clueless one we already have. On another note, I can't see Mirallas ever getting another run out: two reds already and only a handful of games. Didn’t West Ham want him or was it Spurs? When we get dumped out of the FA Cup this weekend, will that signal the end of the line or will the board still back him and for just how much longer? Is Pienaar injured again? Iain Love 33 Posted 07/03/2016 at 20:53:36 Only read your reports, Ken, I like your take on games, second only to being there.I can’t see Martinez going before the summer although, whatever happens between now and then, he needs to go. Ray Robinson 34 Posted 08/03/2016 at 15:29:41 Nearly always totally agree with your reports Ken but must pick up on your thoughts re the Lennon substitution. He was clearly knackered (justifiably, I might add) - Martinez's folly was not necessarily taking him off but who he brought on for him.Like you described, the overwhelming numbers around me in the Park End have had enough. It's time for Martinez to go. Kevin Johnson 35 Posted 08/03/2016 at 19:38:42 He’s on borrowed time now. Lose on Saturday, he’s finished. Add Your Comments In order to post a comment, you need to be logged in as a registered user of the site. » Log in now Or Sign up as a ToffeeWeb Member — it's free, takes just a few minutes and will allow you to post your comments on articles and Talking Points submissions across the site. About these ads Find out how to browse ad-free and support ToffeeWeb © ToffeeWeb