Martinez pleased with 'maturing' Barkley

We all know Barkley has lots of talent, let him produce it at a steady pace, no sense in gushing over him when it obviously didn't.

Señor hyperbole strikes again. How does this help Ross or Everton?

But that's our Roberto, one good thing and 10 bad and he'll pump up the former and ignore the rest.

He talks some shit!!!

I blame Martinez partly for his demise as sticking him on the left last season bloody ruined the lad's confidence. When are people going to realise that the boos ringing around Goodison are not directed at the players but the piss poor insepid philosophy from the manager and jokers in the boardroom.

Seriously, good to see Ross looking lively. Long may it continue!

If his awareness of what is around him, attacking or defending then we will have a good player maybe even a great player but that side of his game does let him down.

Let's hope this goal gives him the confidence to shoot more outside the box as he does have the talent.

Personally I'm not overly concerned what Martine says I just hope Barkley performs well this season unlike last. Two great shots, one great cross and hopefully he's getting his mojo back.

On a brighter note, they all can only get better, but that's more wishful thinking.

Please, stop blaming players who don't put a tackle in... or don't go to ground to tackle... just because they used to do this! It doesn't mean they're not trying or lazy or can't be bothered! The game is changing... and players are adapting to a different playing field.( they are being coached and thinking differently!)

Just saying...people moaning because players don't tackle... now hopefully some supporters will also look at the game with a slightly different "slant" to the game and you'll know... one reason why this, "sometimes" does not happen. Tackling normally is a last resort.

He has got more in his locker than Frank Lampard. What makes Lampard valuable is his decision making (times his run), economically with the ball, doesn't take too many touches, but always shoots the ball with precision.

But Barkley can run with the ball, shoot with either foot. He reminds me of Gazza actually, but better built, less confident though i.e. Gazza keeps going, even when he makes a mis-pass.
And Gazza didn't really come of age until after Italia '90, when he was about 23 years old. Before that, he was seen as a prodigious player who was 'daft as a brush', fancy Dan who took the mickey out of players, but little end result.

Barkley can be that. Its whether we are patient enough to see that happen, and whether Martinez is prepared to let him off the lease a bit more.

Coleman was booked for a perfectly good tackle on Saturday and yet Deeney got away with a yellow instead of a straight red.

Important though Saturday's goal was, I saw little in Rosses performance that improved on his form during the intervening time. The lad is possessed of a great physique, a terrific shot but absolutely no football intelligence. Playing him every game to see if he can suddenly gain that attribute will do nothing to exit the slough our team has wallowed in for the last twelve months.

He is a player who seems to be a magnet for over statement - at both ends of the spectrum .

I think a big issue for him, and our other midfielders , is who to pass to when there are so few options and so little movement .

That the system does n't suit him seems a bit of a theme on here and I'm not sure who else it suits.

I just don't happen to think so.

The way the game is evolving it will drive more people away than attract them,especially fans of my age or era.

Excellent point about the reduced effectiveness of tackling in the game.

Only, it's really not a recent innovation. I recall 20 years ago the Repuclic of Ireland losing a play off game with Holland for Euro 1996 and the Irish players lamenting in bewilderment afterwards "they didn't tackle us!" The Dutch closed down and shepherded the Irish players, but they didn't dive in recklessly.

In the interim years many a foreign coach and player have echoed their own bewilderment at the British game's continued fascination with a full blooded tackle. I think it was no less a figure then Pepe Guardiola who said tackling is a last desperate resort which results because your team have lost control of the game play.

The British football viewing public still demand and enjoy a blood and guts challenge. I number myself in that group, but I also recognize the rules and their application by refs is outlawing many aspects of previously acceptable challenges.

The game has and will continue to evolve and we need to adapt accordingly.

So whilst calls for a mean hard bastard kicking anything that moves may satisfy a primordial desire in many of us, it is not the direction football is headed.

Now a few vocal hate-to-lose bastards who gee up both our own players and rile the opposition, I wouldn't say no to...

Everton players send stray passes all over the pitch from the first whistle until the last, they dilly dally on the ball, delaying the decision who to get shut to before shunting it back to whoever's behind them, the majority of them back off opposing players until they reach the edge of our box and then think 'hmm, maybe I should throw a belated challenge in'. Such sloppy, stilted play is endemic throughout the entire side, yet with Ross it's seemingly taken as conclusive evidence that he's nothing but a Benny from Crossroads headed lazy bastard.

I was delighted that he scored a screamer on Saturday as he's clearly a confidence player. He needs that willingness to try something different that resides within him to be resuscitated. Last season it went into hiding as he sought solace behind the simple, safety first option. It didn't do him, or us, any favours at all.

I recognise I've been guilty of over eulogising the player but the slamming of him is ludicrous - and damaging . He was n't great on Saturday but did several good things and despite what several reports have suggested , recorded impressive ball retention stats .

These may or may not be important to you , they 're a part of the picture and if he's going to get called , let's do it fairly .

My point is wider than our little conversation Phil - just to be clear .

This is his third season as 'the guy who should never be omitted' and, sadly, he is exactly at the same level (usually) as he was in his early days. Yes, he may be a good 'impact player' but, for sure, he ain't going to be an all-time great. Sadly.

I hope he proves me wrong but I wish he'd hurry up about it !

I thought that this was quite an insight. Last season Roberto had him playing in different positions trying to think and become the complete player. Whereas his strength is operating by instinct, and he needs to be given free rein to do as his instincts tell him.

Our manager seems to have in his head some blueprint of how the game ought to be played, and often seems to try to fit players to that model. Whereas what is required is fitting the tactics and style to the strengths of the players.

It's easy being an armchair manager, I guess.

A manager is not going to get into a "I'm right you're wrong " scenario with a football pundit on live tv.
Definitely got to get a look, talk sport are doing a programme on Everton tonight at 9 with Collymore - that should be interesting .

For all his many faults, Colly does seem to have a soft spot for Everton - maybe because we desperately tried to sign him when he went to the RS.

(Sorry for mentioning about us trying to sign someone decent)

Phil, Charles might have went over the top when he called Ross's pass stunning, but read his post again because I'm sure you will agree with everything else he says at post 20.

I've watched Ross and he's way too short on self-confidence and even arrogance. He and Martinez need to be forced to watch videos of Alan Ball, the ultimate Everton "No.10" (and yes, I know Hursty wore that number!) and then, maybe, at last, Ross will see the way forward....

Or does he really have to go elsewhere to develop under a manager with know-how?

I suspect RM sees him ideally as his No.10 - certainly he has preferred him over Naisy since early this year - and if he cannot be accommodated in that role he has insufficient guile to be included elsewhere. Perhaps that scorcher last Saturday will have persuaded the manager that his money may be better spent on the return of Lennon - yet another right winger !

And, by the way, Talk Sport now hinting that Evans is a done deal so the shopping is all but over !