Martinez concerned over Jagielka injury

This isn't necessarily bad news, wouldn't mind seeing a centre half who can dominate in the air when the ball is in our box as Funes Mori seems capable of.

If he won't change the keeper this is the next best thing. But he is changing the keeper, isn't he? Isn't he?!

Nevertheless, let's look on the bright side. I was more than impressed by the play of Funes Mori who seems to get better every game. I think we have a very good one there who seemed to add more than a spark to the Blues game today. It was after Jags was subbed Everton came alive because of his speed onto the ball and his heading ability. Must congratulate the Everton scout who saw him and advised his signing. And at such a low cost, compared to many others.

As I watched this game unfold, I was not on my own as well after angry Evertonians venting their frustrations at another feeble wimpy performances from Barkley, please someone buy him from us and take Lukaku for free or we owe you at least.

Please leave us, Barkley Lukaku and Howard... please, please, please.

Love Jags, but pro patria Mori looks a good one. And Barry missing. I think midfield needs reshaping anyway. But I'm not Roberto.
ps: Gerard scared the shit out of Arsenal today.

Whilst it gives Funes Mori and others an opportunity to impress, I want to see Jags back in the heart of the defence as soon as possible. He is a real leader and a good defender who often puts his body on the line for the cause. Unfortunately, the same can't be said of his colleague in goal.

I include the Rooney goal; if he stays stood up he saves it same as today. He throws himself to the ground, why I don't know, you have to stay upright for as long as possible!

Oviedo also has to come back. Also Barry getting sent off will force Martinez to try something different. That worked( when Barry was suspended) last season, remember. We actually won a few games, and looked better, until Martinez brought Barry straight back into the team.

The trick now is to get Howard suspended. Then Martinez would have his hand forced. Or maybe the trick is to get Martinez out. Or both. And take all the deadwood with them. Jeez-u-s Christ we have some rubbish players on the payroll.

Get well soon, Jags. But maybe just as cover.

I predicted that we would hold our own for half an hour before imploding and we duly did. I didn't expect Deulofeu to start, so credit to the manager for that, but when is Martinez going to learn that not being offensive enough early on, only means we end up chasing the game?

Our defensive set-up doesn't even work, so why not set us up to attack and put the opposition under threat from the off?

I also think, though Jags will never be the best passer in the team, he does lead by example and we may miss him more than some think.

All that said, pleased to see Funes Mori coming on and looking confident.

I'd been feeling more positive about the manager until the last two games but suddenly we're looking flat again. Can someone tell Coleman it's okay to cross with your first touch?

Well it may only be a matter of time with the way he charges out studs up tackles instead of doing what he should and using his hands. Any opposing players / managers will have noted how to get him sent off.

The guy is a liability to the team, I can forgive a goalkeeper making a mistake, but once it becomes clear that he makes mistake after mistake after mistake combined with complete cowardice, then it becomes unforgivable.

It is time for Howard to head back home, the quicker the better in my opinion. If he plays this Tuesday night, Martinez has lost the plot!

Funes Mori and Stones will be fine together but, if one of them gets injured too we could be struggling. We need Baines back to bring some experience if nothing else as Galloway has been impressive.

The Tinkerman altered our formation with his front 3 yet again, but still didn't create much. Why he bought Lennon is a mystery... the guy offers nothing, runs round a lot, but creates nothing.

We have a lone striker and two wide men with pace, so you would surmise that our game plan was to break quickly from defence. But far from it our build up is slow with more sideways and back passes that starts our possession.

The plain fact is RM is not up to the job. Many said our start was hard... well, it's not as hard as West Ham's but leaving that to one side, we now have on paper a run of easier games starting with Norwich on Tuesday. So the next 5 games are crucial to our season; poor results in these games might see the end of RM.

His problem is decision-making... he has made the wrong decision so many times, and it is these things that have cost us.

He is reluctant to come off his line, for whatever reason, and we have paid the price again.

It is time for him to be dropped and Robles to be handed another chance, and we need to go shopping in the January sales.

As for Tim Howard, well he's well and truly finished imo. In fact, I thought we should've gotten rid of him after he dropped the ball against Blackburn all those years ago. He costs us at least 10 points per season and if we had had a decent goalie yesterday we could've won that game. Roberto needs someone, or something, to force his hand and use this "extraordinary squad" he thinks he's got.

ps: Unlike some, I believe Del and Ross were excellent yesterday and had Arsenal in a panic on a few occasions.

Ross Could get in any team

I understand that many think Ross isn't a great tackler or lacks defensive nous but isn't that the point of having two defensive mid-fielders? Add to that the constant calls for James McCarthy to be more attack-minded and it would seem we want every player in the team to be brilliant at both aspects which is asking for a great deal and very few players have the ability to do it.

The job of the manager is to get the best out of each player in the team and play to the individual strengths of those players in a formation that is designed to win football matches.

Jags is a good defender but his distribution is dire. Aside from the 3rd goal he set up for Man Utd, it was on evidence again yesterday. Wouldn't be a problem if Martinez didn't insist on playing this incessant keep-ball in our own danger area but he does and he won't change.

On that note, how come the players can't pass to each other when the entire philosophy of this manager is to dominate possession all over the pitch? What do they work on in training? Sure as hell isn't passing a football.

That said, I have a feeling that them missing may get us closer to the team is really like to see us play which is:

Howard (I prefer Robles but not likely)
Coleman Stones Funes Mori Galloway
Besic Cleverley
Deulofeu Barkley Kone
Lukaku

Or possibly Mirallas for Kone if playing a team likely to push up.

That seems a more balanced team to me with more hunger and aggression which is something we have sorely lacked lately.

Hopefully Tim Howard will be given a long break. Also with Barry out, McCarthy can play in front of the back four; he was superb for Ireland against Germany, playing in his natural position.He's not an attacking midfielder, and the flack he's getting is a bit unfair.

Why would you try and win the ball with a sliding tackle when you can slide in and get hold of the ball with your hands?

Why would you stand on your line and do nothing instead of coming and taking everything in front of you like you should?

I think it's because he is afraid of getting hurt and that makes him a coward in my books.

You can look at football matches all over every weekend and you will see goalkeepers doing BASIC GOALKEEPING STUFF.

We all know he can stop a shot, because 90% of the time it is straight at him. How many times have you seen Howard come through a crowd and let whoever needs to know, this is the way it's going to be, if you come near me?

How many goals and points has Howard cost Everton with what – bad decision-making?

He needs to be dropped now; let Robles have a run in the team and gain a bit if confidence.

I think it is far too early to form a judgement on Funes Mori. Deulofeu is good in flashes, often taking 2 or 3 defenders out of the game, but is very poor at covering the defence. I watched a situation where he tracked back with Alexis and then just stood and lost him completely as Alexis ghosted into the box totally unchallenged. I think you can only afford one maverick player like this so we cannot have him Barkley and Mirallas in the same team.

Also, I wanted to say the criticism of Barry and Lennon is totally uncalled for. Barry showed Ross how to play under pressure and for me was our best player.

Get fit soon, Jags, we need your leadership and ability.

I don't think we played particularly badly against what is a very good Arsenal side, we could easily have won that game with the chances we created. I think what let us down is what always lets us down: poor areal defending and even poorer keeping.

My question, however, is that, with Jags out, if Baines is coming back into the squad soon, do we want Funes Mori, or Galloway to take Jagielka's place? Personally, I'd like to see Brendan have a go in his natural position; he reminds me of Stones in the way that, if there's a player running at him, I don't feel the need to worry whatsoever. His downfalls are all when he's going forward; but, going back, he's incredibly talented.

I'm past moaning about the game as I'm forever moaning about the same issues. Arsenal are a cut above us an we haven't got the balls or the know-how to make up the difference of quality in anything else.

Tim Howard has been a great keeper for us but last season proved he needed replacing, the fact Martinez did not address that issue is a major concern as Robles is no better.

For all you who said we have had a good start, think again. We are the same shabby team from last season and we need big changes to our style of play or management to save the season or I fear we will see a repeat of last season.

As good as Jags is, he'll never suit Martinez's game plans. He's performed really well on and off since Moyes left, but even in his best game he's never in his comfort zone.

I'm not even going to start on Howard. Jeez.

Funes Mori will now come in and probably do a much better job than Jags, so I'm not worried at all by his injury. Browning and Galloway are also there as back up.

Barry is only out for one game and will be straight back with McCarthy after that.

Main issue is the manager and his system. The latter will only change once the former has gone.

We want players willing to try things and take risks, otherwise we'll be boring, predictable and completely un-threatening.

Conversely I find the criticism of McCarthy for exactly the opposite strange. It's like we want our flair players mucking in and our workers taking people on.

We're never happy are we? If the expectation is a team of players who can bust a gut, throw themselves into challenges, cover huge distances and yet still have the necessary burst of pace to take on the defence, then we'll be disappointed. The human body doesn't work that way.

Why do you have to go to the extremes of mentioning them two?.... I have enough sleepless nights with my young one teething.

The problem people have is that they DO understand how good they are and are therefore doubly frustrated when they play shite!!

Also the word "coward" is being used and argued against. The man may not be a coward but his goalkeeping is definitely cowardly.

This goes way back to 2008 when the little Eddie Murphy impersonator out jumped Lescott with this fucking dope rooted to (in fact fucking behind) the line and did his pathetic star jump defence.

The size of him, he should be clearing every fucker out and collecting the ball easily. He's is a shithouse when it comes to this type of cross and, no matter what anyone says, the evidence has been there for over 7 years.

On topic, we will miss Jags, as he is a great reader of the game and a great tackler.

His injury could have been avoided if that cunt Mason had blown for the foul on Galloway just before it happened... fucking Mason... don't get me started.

Okay, that's my swear quota used for this week!

So Mike, presumably it is too much to hope for them being constantly dangerous without mistakes, poor decisions and frustrations? You know, like genuinely top class players.

ps: Scott Gemmill scored a worldly volley with the outside of his boot at St James' Park. Don't lump him in with Pembridge please. You could have said Naismith.

If they were as good as you want them to be right now, we'd lose them pretty sharpish. You basically want Ronaldo and Messi and can't handle anything less.

If you are happy with players who have bags of talent but can't play without mistakes, poor decisions and frustrations then you deserve a team full of Imre Varadis and Peter Beagries.

I have to disagree with you on the CB issue. You say you'd like to see Galloway 'given a go' there in preference to our record defensive signing, full Argentine international, Ramiro Funes Mori. To me, that sounds rather a naive way of looking at the situation.

We're talking about the Premier League, not some Sunday league team. You don't just 'give someone a go' at this level. You go with your best players, with experience and ability and I think most would agree that Funes Mori is too good to be a permanent bench warmer.

I have a feeling he may prove to be Roberto's best signing (not that he's made many great ones), and gives us a superb option at CB. My only worry is that he comes in, plays superbly while Jags is out, and is then relegated to the bench again as soon as Jags is fit again.

As much as I love Jags, his reintroduction to the team has to be gradual, as it takes time to build match fitness. Plus, if Funes Mori is as good as I think he may turn out to be, we could end up losing him to one of the top Spanish or other European clubs if he doesn't get sufficient game time with us. His international career is just beginning and he needs to be playing regularly to keep himself in his national coach's plans.

Phil Jagielka is coming to the end of his international career, and time will soon begin to catch up with him, so for me, it has to be Funes Mori and Stones in central defence and let Roberto sort out the headache when we have three top class CBs fit and ready to play again. That's the time when he may need to show some smart coaching ability and use rotation, something he's talked about in the past but always said we didn't have that luxury like the wealthier clubs.

Now, in this one position at least, he has that luxury and time will tell whether he uses it or just returns to his old 'favourites first' policy. This is not being disrespectful to Jags, who I admire greatly, but is merely a realistic look at the future. We have to move forward and need younger legs in order to do so in the long term.

That is one of Ross's worst qualities, he seems to just give up and then does a little jog towards the goal.

I don't expect him to be the best defensive midfielder but I do expect him to make a little effort to get the ball back after losing it.

How young/old does a player have to be before I can feel frustrated? This is Barkley's 3rd full season with us, shouldn't we start seeing some improvement on his weaknesses? Or maybe just stop touting him as great until he is.

It's not that Barkley will read your comments, but other Evertonians will and feel emboldened to express their narky frustrations and are more likely to respond negatively. Every straw contributes.

Are you telling me you don't think Barkley has improved this season? Look again sir, he has.