Martinez: Next 12 games are crucial

As far as the next twelve games are concerned, I would bet on us taking 20 points – not enough to threaten the league leaders but enough to see a decent end of season place.

The manager's continued reverence of Howard is moving but, I fear, misplaced.

I am also pleased that Martinez went out to the USA and sold our club. Well done to him.

Once we establish ourselves at a realistic level, that's when we can start attracting real quality to take us to the next level. There is no shortcut to a good, respected and successful side, especially at Champions League level.

I'm all for the Europa League because I want us to win something. Getting anywhere near the quarter-finals of the Champions League is a million miles away.

The weakest and poorest performing member of our first team squad controls the captain. Surely the manager controls the captain?

Who is the leader in the dressing room?

Worst thing he could've done, mentioning Howard though for TWebbers, wonder if he did it on purpose?

They're both pretty funny and they made a name for themselves over here during the World Cup and now have a weekly show about the week's Premier League action. One of them is a Blue as well!

I'd add that EVERY 12 games in the season is pretty important to where you end up finishing, it's almost 1/3 of the season ffs! I'm also looking forward to peaking in Jan, just in time to we play Spurs (h), Man City (a) and Chelsea (a)... how about just focusing on the next game.

Tbh I wish our manager spent his spare time watching matches and scouting players rather than focusing on his own PR. Didn't read of any other top flight managers at the shindig. What about casting an eye on the players who aren't on international duty or the reserves or youth teams, rather than swanning about in the States.

Comforted to know Howard controls our Captain as well as the Baines and Stones – it's obviously reflected in the goals against column!

Cant wait for all these "easier" teams to start surrendering the points to us.

Top four ? . . Na, I think we'll win it

Is the Champions League unrealistic? It might be but if it fails, Europa League here we come! This gives the players belief that top four is not unrealistic.

If you think the manager is aiming too high. I think we are going to win the league every season... Just get my pills!

Is fucking right Bobby, set the bar at top four. These multi-millionaire players are happy to want a move to a "top four" side. It's about time they paid back the fans who support them through tick and thin. If they don't believe they're good enough, they shouldn't be playing for us.

Sick of a top 7 finish being hailed as a successful season. It's upper mid-table up to 5th place. Let's get some pride back in this great club of ours. 20 long years without a trophy. Goodison Park is not fit for purpose. Too many fans are prepared to accept bluffing liars running the club. WAKE UP BLUES!!

5th-7th is still achievable and realistic and should be the aim.

We are in a good position to attack the top four now.

Great to see a manager with positivity.

Arsenal are fifth in the home table but top of the away table with Man City top of the home league table and fifth in the away table.

Home and Away Tables

As has already been said on this thread, talk is cheap; what we really need to see is solid proof that this Everton team can go on a winning run.

If we can win 3 games on the spin or even something like 5 out of 7, then I might allow myself to get carried away.

It's hard to get excited because there are too many draws in matches we should be looking to win if we are serious about challenging the top clubs.

Beat Villa, Bournemouth, Middlesbrough in the Cup then take at the very least 4 points from the home game with Palace and the away trip to Norwich, I'd regard that as a decent haul in the build up to Christmas.

Please just turn the microphone off and win the League Cup.

That'll do for starters.

Man Utd are still in transition, Spurs and Liverpool are distinctly average, and we may be able to take advantage of Chelsea's problems. Let's have some positivity!

Silly to think of Howard controlling Jags, Stones and Bainsey. His mouth always stays tightly shut till the action is over. I'd be more than pleased if he managed to control his six-yard area.

Howard has driven me crazy over the years but he has also played some great games. Unfortunately his days are now numbered. Klinsmann has put him on the bench but the people who gave him a long and lucrative Everton contract will try to justify their decision by praising him to the hilt and playing him every week. Happy days.

Also, get your facts straight or read something else besides TW. Klinsmann said he is rotating both Guzan and Howard. Thus Guzan played our first qualifier and, now try to do the math: 2 GKs minus Guzan = 1, which is Howard for Tuesday's game.

And of course the next 12 matches are vital..... It's one-third of the league season, after all! First up: Villa on Saturday – COYB

I recall that the words had little effect on the actual results. If we can't find a way to despatch the likes of Villa, then top half is going to be difficult to get, never mind top four.

So the manager says the next 12 games are pivotal to our season, I do not see many disagreeing with that, it puts him in the same frame of mind as most on here so why criticise him for saying what most think?

The next game is very important, of course, we need to play well and beat Villa to gain the three points. Each "next game" is the most important, but he has put on record what most think about the up and coming games and as some on here have said it shows he has a target.

Best to aim for the top than go into the dressing room and say we will aim for sixth place isn't it?

He is the manager, like him or not. I am not his biggest supporter at times, the way he sets the team up, but we all know what he is looking for. After the next 12 games, then the judging on his performance will take place; until then we should all support him and the team.

Totally unnecessary (and, in your own words, "incredibly ridiculous") to try and twist a perfectly innocent and reasonable comment about Howard coming over all Chief from 'One Flew Over The Cuckoos Nest' when his team is under the cosh into an 'offensive' Tourette's sleight, simply to continue your one-man crusade against claims that Howard has been absolute gash for a good while now.

Harold is merely pointing out the disparity between Martinez's declaration that Howard dominates his defenders behind closed doors and the total lack of demonstrable control over those same defenders when it actually counts: ie, when said Everton players are out on the pitch, not pissing about on their phones in the confines of the dressing room until Top Dog Tim threatens to confiscate them and, totally exasperated, probably tells them to pull their socks up and 'stop acting like a pack of fucking kids' or something.

The fact you construe his words to contain even the slightest whiff of malice says more about your mindset than it does Harold's. You've made it perfectly clear over recent months that you won't let any criticism of Cabbage Patch Gloves get past you without pointing out how 'unfair' and 'uninformed' his critics are.

I particularly liked the recent one about the mass misunderstanding everyone else was operating under when they erroneously claimed Howard made mistakes, because they weren't really mistakes. Rather, it was a case of Tim acting in line with the (inadequate?) coaching he'd received earlier in his career and continuing to do what he'd previously been shown to be correct, even though it results in him conceding cheap goals constantly.

Well, Tarzan was raised in the jungle and taught to eat monkey shit with his bare hands, but that didn't stop it being considered the table manners of a right dirty bastard when he rocked up at the Greystoke estate and repeated the same behaviour. People didn't just say "Carry on Tarzan lad. We'll do our damnedest to put up with it and try and refrain from throwing up". No, they tried to correct his behaviour, by teaching him to use a fork and swapping simian arse droppings for a more socially acceptable shite substitute... such as a Fray Bentos Steak Pie.

So now, as well as not being permitted to bring up any goalkeeping errors (on the grounds of... err... it's not his fault, honest), people are not allowed to make reference to anything he might ever say, or refrain from saying, because any such comments could be automatically elevated to a bit of a dig at his medical condition? Absolute bollocks.

The truth of the matter is, you've set your stall out as a staunch defender of Howard to such an extent that you're seeing injustice and insult every time someone types his name and taking umbrage unnecessarily. You're being needlessly over-protective of your favourite... compatriot... whatever.

Seriously, if me, you and Tim turned up at a meeting of 'The Munsters Fan Club' and Tim suddenly started singing the theme tune from The Addams Family – dead loud like so everyone could hear – I (and I believe the vast majority of people) would just say "Tim! You've got your black and white sitcoms badly mixed up, son. You've made a MISTAKE". You, on the other hand, would probably come over all "I'm Spartacus!", start clicking your fingers and say "DUN DUN DUN DUN (snap, snap), DUN DUN DUN DUN (snap, snap) etc".

Jim (27) your intelligent notes are breathtaking.

Like or dislike him, our Tim is one of RM's favoured few and is undroppable. Mistakes don't seem to matter, our Tim will be ever present for the season. I think that's more to do with our manager than Tim.

This shite again?

How's about having the fuckers ready for fucking August?

Oh and Jim, give it a fucking rest with you, Harold's post has absolutely fucking nothing to do with Tourettes.

Mine, however...!!

Anyone with eyes and a brain could see that the start of our fixture list was challenging. We've come through it and now, and seven points off 4th place we are poised to make a run towards the top of the table.

Credit the manager for having the stones to aim high and say so publicly.

Also... for anyone who's not familiar with the Men in Blazers I highly suggest listening to their podcast. They are absolutely hilarious. Very cool Roger Bennett pulled his Blue strings and got Roberto there. Bennett is a massive Blue and has the "scouse wit" as I like to call it... Great duo, great product they put out there.

As an aside, I think Roger Bennett should have a "Blue Pod" and invite Kenrick, Lloyd, Eugene, John Daly, Glasstrodomus, and Paul Ferry as a six man round table. I'd project 6 million downloads...

Jim H. My comments on your favourite keeper are not deliberately offensive but yours certainly are. Such disgusting thoughts and accusations do not belong on TW.

Bear in mind we are 'starting ' that mission from NINTH spot so it will require one hell of a run to make up the leeway. Can it be done? Of course. Will it? Now that's a quite different question.

You really need to rein it in. Defending Tim flies against all reason in that he has been poor after a good start to the season. Personally I don't mind him coming out all bullish, I'd rather a keeper with confidence even if it may be misplaced. I would even go as far as to say some of the criticism is over the top and I have been on here and defended him. But he has not been good enough recently and there's only so long that can go on.

He will get longer to turn his form around, the manager's statements and actions show that. But he needs to.

Andrew Ellams,

I once discovered on a walking trip that Fray Bentos pies are very nice cold straight out of the tin. Mind you I'd been walking all day, the wind was blowing and the rain was coming down sideways so I couldn't be arsed making a fire.

Tim Howard WAS not as bad as some made out but, since the World Cup, he is not a keeper befitting a top 6 side and may well be the reason we don't make top 6 anytime soon.

Harold, I'm on the fence with Howard. I agree he's not playing well enough for us, but my question remains, who can we get? I doubt Martinez will dare to try and buy another GK without Howard retiring and it might cost an arm for a good one, unless we manage to steal another from Chelsea (Begovic).

On the same Howard-ish topic, I happened to have seen Croatia-Germany U17. That Semper kid looks good, too bad we're not going to be anywhere near getting him.

I am slightly unimpressed with people who make forecasts in general, but particularly in football, anything can happen on and off the pitch at any given moment and therefore looking too far ahead can often lead to missing important issues in the here and now. There is nothing wrong with stating that 'our aim is to win as many points as possible", "We hope to be competing for Champions League places at the back-end of the season" or "Each game is there to be won, no matter who the opponents, no matter which competition".

I assume that the next 12 fixtures take us up or near to the end of the January transfer window, who knows what may happen during the window if the results haven't gone as well as we all hope? Mr Martinez should realise that his profession is one of the most precarious and if things don't go well, he may not even be at Goodison in a dozen games time. I'm not advocating that he should be removed, merely reflecting the climate which surrounds football at the minute.

Please Roberto, get the players to play to the best of their abilities in each and every minute when you select them to play and the points etc will take care of themselves.

He is the most moderate, measured, knowledgeable and intelligent posters on TW.

He may be getting on in years but he is no-body's fool.

Stay in there Harold - tell it as it is mate!!

I came very close to actually pissing myself when I read that.

Quick as a flash, a man rushed over and said, "You can't park there! What's your disability?"

I replied, "Tourette's, you cant! Now Fock off!"

We all know how last season worked so let's hope history doesn't repeat itself as it has so far.

Here is a genuine question; do you regularly watch Tim Howard on a matchday in a Premier League stadium? Are you in earshot of him? If the answer to either of these is No, you should write a grovelling apology to Harold and then put your head firmly back in the sand.

While not getting too confrontational regarding your points about Howard - and you as well as Harold are entitled to your opinions - Harold is like TW gold.

I personally read every single one of his posts in earnest as I know I'll be blessed with seeing things in a different light; and if not different then still much better off having taken his points.

I call Harold the "Blue Magi of Merseyside". I've said this before and and been told by Harold himself to "behave."

But frankly there is no more intelligent, measured, and thoughtful contributor on this website.

If you take Harold to task, you're going to find a lot of people jumping (rightfully so) to his defense.

Besides that he's a closet Red Sox fan, so he should get a ton of leeway.

Cheers.

For God's sake, Mr Martinez, let the team play attacking football, take the shackles off McCarthy for one, and let the players go forward from the off.

Give us something to cheer, stop boring us to tears. A lot of us have had enough of this boring play which tries to pass as football... Robbie, it it stinks and will never satisfy those of us brought up in the game the way it should be played.

In fairness, the boss has shown tremendous qualities in the short time he has been here. He has shown he is not to be fucked with and is not for bowing down to anybody. He has also shown on occasion that he does have the tactical nous to serve it up to the best, but like the last guy, he seems riddled with fear.

I think a lot bought into his "No fear" rhetoric – especially after years of Moyes managing expectation... but the facts, the stats, the performances and the results –especially away from home – show he has so far been unable to walk the walk.

Much as I enjoyed the victory at Old Trafford two seasons ago, we have to put the result into perspective. We were playing against possibly the worst Man Utd side since they were promoted nearly 40 years ago. We've beaten better Man Utd sides than that and Evertonians have got to stop allowing him to dine out on that one result.

Martinez is clearly a smart guy, but he's beginning to make TGT look like Kevin Keegan. He needs to start rolling the dice at match time, not just in his pre/post match interviews

Howard's been crap and getting crapper for 2 years.

I too like most of Harold's posts but this one is ridiculous (red arrow me all you want). First, Martinez spoke about Howard's leadership and presence in the dressing room (something no current or former Blue has criticized) in praise of his being a professional and a presence in the locker room (contrary to the posters who complain about him just taking the money and unlike Ferdinand and other dressing room cancers in other clubs). Why was this an opportunity to bash Howard for something only the players and the manager know anything about?

Second, the clenched jaws reference to Howard is absolutely, to my mind, a derogatory reference to his condition. Clenched jaw, grinding teeth etc are symptoms or manifestations of the syndrome. The reference and words from the sage or mage are deliberate. I don't expect English posters to agree and I frankly do not care.

Criticize Howard for your opinion as to his play and technique if you must. Criticize him for not being a professional and fine servant of the club or for a condition he did not ask for and that is way over the line. Supporting such comments is too.

"I'm with Geoff and Paul T. One game at a time and let's start playing like a fast tempo quality outfit which doesn't keep giving the ball away.

Silly to think of Howard controlling Jags, Stones and Bainsey. His mouth always stays tightly shut till the action is over. I'd be more than pleased if he managed to control his six-yard area.

Howard has driven me crazy over the years but he has also played some great games. Unfortunately his days are now numbered. Klinsmann has put him on the bench but the people who gave him a long and lucrative Everton contract will try to justify their decision by praising him to the hilt and playing him every week. Happy days."

Tim keeping his mouth shut is a reference not to Tourette's but his lack of control of the penalty area, particularly when dealing with crosses that most feel he should come out and claim. He's a great shot stopper but needs to dominate (verbally as well as physically) a larger area in front of his goal.

Having said that, I agree he is a true professional and has been a great servant to the club and great advertisement for us in the US. Whether Robles is now a better option, I am not too sure, but I think this may be Howard's final season as our No 1.

Harold is talking about keepers calling / not calling when coming for crosses. Numerous posters all saw the comment the same way, yet you still reiterated the accusation that it was related to Tourette's. To repeat your accusation, even after being told it was not related to Tim's Tourette's, is offensive.

We're all Blues, and I enjoy reading all comments, whether I agree with them or not. I even enjoyed reading your comments on American keepers being taught to stay on their line – I don't agree with that style, but I liked reading your perspective on it.

I, like Harold and many others, would prefer a keeper who controls the entire penalty box rather than just his line. You're entitled to prefer a keeper who concentrates on blocking shots. But I think with a cooler head hopefully you'll realise you read far too much into a simple comment.

You seem to have entirely made up the 'clenched jaw' comment, because it isn't anywhere in Harold's post.

Totally misguided and baffling rant from yourself, Jim. Seek help!

I hope we can go on a run over the next 12 games and then hit peak form but fear it will prove yet another empty promise / soundbite.

"Nah - we're shite. The owners are crap, corrupt liars. I am rubbish but get paid loads for saying optimistic things and .....I ignore our customers"

As I sat in my chair 2 weeks later, unemployed but with some lads on a forum saying they respect me, I wondered if I had been that clever.

Wise up!

We just need to take the next step now. Play at a high tempo from the off get the early goal and push it home.

@Pete 42 – Martinez may well have had his pic taken with a few blues in the US but I'd much prefer our manager spend his time watching matches and/or our players training. It may be an international break but all of our players are playing somewhere, nevermind the ton of other scouting opportunities. He was also the only manager there.

From a pure football perspective, is this really the best use of his time? How about analysing recent Villa games in preparation for our upcoming match or watching a game involving some of the Villa players we'll be up against?

Martinez loves being in the media (World Cup commentary, Monday night SS 'analysis' etc) and can't help himself when a microphone is in his face.

Call me petty but it's not the off-season yet and there's plenty that can/should be done during an international break rather than swanning off to the US.

Keeping his mouth shut = reference to Tourettes????

I just wish that our manager would have the team ready for the start of the season and not keep on spouting out how we will be in our stride come December, January, February... it's a little late by then Bobby!

Hopefully McCarthy will get a boost from the qualification and start to get more adventurous, he certainly has been forward more this season. That blind pass to Kone was sublime.

"The faaacking faaacker's faaacking faaacked"

I was happy just reading other people's posts without commenting... but how you drew a parallel between keeping his mouth shut and Tourettes is beyond me. There is no way that remark was intended as a reference to his condition, it is merely your own paranoia. It is akin to saying that use of the word "blackboard" is racist.

I've never seen Harold be offensive to anyone, disagree yes, insult no.

So come on Jim, admit you made a MISTAKE!

Get a grip.

Then read Brian at (73)and consider doing what he asked you.

I'm sure as well that there are TVs and DVD players for Martinez to watch as many Villa games as he likes over there, it's not like he's buggered off mid-week is it!

As others have said, let's take it one game at a time and not worry what's ahead. After all, when has a game ever been won on paper?

So what do you want the manager to say in reply to the question? "We've a few crap players and we'll be lucky to get 10 points out of the next 12 games"? At least he sticks his neck out and doesn't talk about, "Let's get to 40 points first and see where it leads to"!

As to talk about us playing boring football, I'm sure RM would much prefer to be playing open attractive winning football. One problem with that is we have not got one or two 㿊m- 㿔m class players in the middle of the park. The team we have at the moment isn't a top 4 team; anyone thinking we are is kidding themselves, and laying themselves open to further disappointment. We are in the same position potential wise that we've been in for years: good but not quite good enough.

Let's face it, the money we can afford to spend on players we are fortunate to finish 5th - 8th'ish, in fact the majority of teams in the Premier League must wonder how the hell we consistently do it!

Martinez is going about attempting to make us a more successful side in the right way, in my opinion, by giving any young player that he deems good enough a chance in the 1st team, which in general has paid off big time.

Furthermore he's been adamant that our best players are staying at Everton because he knows it's the only way, this club can become a winning one once more. Criticise his tactics if you must, which is a matter of opinion of course, but in general I think he's doing a dam good job given the financial restrictions he's working under.

Incidentally, Jurgen Klinsmann (Howard's manager at international level) says the same thing – both must be seeing qualities and influence that we supporters are not, although a good many match-going Blues are clearly mystified on that score.

Regarding Jim's reaction to Harold's comments let's draw a line under that particular exchange. Further comments on that topic will be removed.

However, if Norwich were to go down again this year does anyone think that it might be worthwhile making a bid for Ruddy?

Harold - your posts are very knowledgeable and full of experience and insight.

I thoroughly enjoy reading them so don't be put off by criticism, even of it is well meant, but misguided.

Big 'if', but if we can get our defence in order, and if we can get a run of winning games together like we did in the 2013-14 season, anything is possible. Nothing wrong with those people who believe we should aim for 4th. Would we be ready to compete successfully in a qualifying round or two? I am not so sure.

As for Martinez going to the States, many of us complain that our club doesn't do enough to raise its profile, so any publicity must be worth something.

Off course, he could be here and treat his staff like they're of no effing use... it's called delegating, don't you know!