Jagielka: Players must shoulder part of the blame

But here’s a fact for you: If we didn’t have Rom’s goals then we would be in serious trouble. The players and the manager have let us down bigtime this season and last.

I do hope we win the cup. But it won’t take away from the bitter taste of disappointment that I feel when I look at our league position. Starting next season, no one’s position should be safe at Everton.

I agree with Big Neville, that RM needs to invest in a proven defensive coach to see if he can turn the tide. If not, it’s adios amigo...

There’s a lot riding on the remaining games for RM.

Also it looked through the game we were mixing it up a bit more than usual, playing more long balls up to Rom (not sure if there are any stats to back that up, that was just my impression). Hopefully we are becoming a bit more tactically flexible, and not so predictable to play against.

Here is our captain saying that the manager takes his share of the blame... presumably for his decisions during the game. I honestly don't think I've seen a player do that before.

Maybe with the new owner coming in, there has been a power shift away from Roberto and he is being made more accountable for his record at GP. That would be a welcome change if it were true. The remaining fixtures should determine Roberto's fate.

It’s great to be going to Wembley but we can’t afford to lose at home to Arsenal on Saturday given how poor our home record has been plus the fact we are slipping down the table further.

We can’t have a terrible end to the league season just in case we don’t win the Cup. We are hinging this season on Cup success now but if we don’t win it then it becomes a shocking season again doesn’t it?

Win the FA Cup and I’ll be happy. 21 years is a looooong time. It’ll mean the world to our young fans.

Would it gloss over the cracks – no. But it would be fantastic to feel a winner again – and to see an open top tour.

I hope Man Utd win the replay. They are demoralised and shite. The Hammers would be tougher. Still, we’re favourites come what may.

I wouldn’t be happy with finishing 14th but I’d take it for one season of Cup success.

I would class that a season to look back on rather than finishing 10th and losing the Semi or Final.

Nobody wants to remember a season like that, yet everyone wants a trophy, I don’t care what club you support, everyone wants silverware.

It’s high time Everton ended this drought and a new generation saw what it was like for an Everton player to lift the FA Cup once more.

I think we still have to take the league seriously and be professional though for the reasons I state in my first post, we can’t guarantee Cup success so we need to keep our levels high in the league.

We don’t want to finish 14th with no trophy.

But that's not the offer is it? It's not a trade off. It's not like we've particularly been sacrificing the league for the cups.

14th and a cup would feel great. Better than 7th or so and another year with no trophy. But it won't particularly represent progress.

It's a sensitive subject with many fan's preferring league positions over a trophy but for me the only league positions I'd ever accept are the top 4 and the only position I would take ahead of a Cup would be finishing 1st.

Against Chelsea, he had Deulofeu warming up, but after Lukaku scored,on came Stones and Besic instead, a complete change in Martinez mindset, changing to a defensive mode.

No defensive coach can make any difference. We have to go to a 4-5-1, when seeing the game out. You can do it in a matter of seconds.

Not enough evidence yet to say that’s changed.

Does anyone know who Deulofeu was coming on for?

I too would be content finishing in a lower league position providing we win the cup.

I think once we win a cup our team is capable of pushing on next season challenging for top 6 as well as the cup competitions (which would include Europa League) if we win the cup.

An average of two points per game for the rest of the season and a cup win would prove to me that a more professional approach has at last somehow burrowed into the tiny mind of our touchline charley with the folded arms.

It could be the likes of Jagielka or Leighton Baines last opportunity at winning some silverware and having a medal to look back on.

It was a shame long term servants like Tim Cahill, Mikel Arteta, to name a few never got a winners medal at Everton.

I hope Jags, Baines don't miss out.

I was about to go bonkers on Saturday when I saw Gerry being readied to come on. So I won't hold my breath that this will always be the case.

We will never know (thankfully) who was coming off for Deulofeu on the 70th minute but, as I mentioned, a change should have been made a lot earlier. I was hoping for maybe Besic for McCarthy or Barry and maybe Deulofeu for Lennon. I gazed at the bench for almost 20 minutes without seeing any sign of a change. This is worrying!

Currently it’s a 50/50 split between players and manager, last week it was all Rom's fault for not converting his penalty.

I love Jags but I am wishing he would button it as far as his media comment go, whilst actually gaining a voice on the pitch when the players need him most. He also needs to speak to referees more as at times I struggle to see our captain involved during any major talking points.

Look at Kompany at Man City, Terry at Chelsea, even that clown Henderson at the Red Shite, all have something to say about everything the ref decides on. It’s always been the way with the successful clubs like Man Utd, Chelsea and Arsenal in the past plus Gerrard spent more of the game next to a ref rabbiting his ear off too. Williams at Swansea is at it, Noble doesn’t shut up at West ham, can’t help but feel we area bit to nice in that department.

I've always thought the cup should help a team push on in the league and I expect us to gradually start climbing the table now.

Only one game, but winning breeds confidence, and a good run in the league, will surely prepare us better for the semi final in April. Let’s hope so.

Only hypothetical I know but how can anyone say they'd be happy with that? Is it a case of being just passed caring this season?

Away from home the players do look more relaxed and are cheered on by vociferous support from 1st minute to last, at home it's not quite the same atmosphere is it?

Then consider last Saturday a great atmosphere and a great performance for the team. The team and manager need out support.

We have reached two semi finals this season and we are still in with a chance of a top half finish, hardly a disaster, if we win the cup then it's been a highly successful season

The home support was brilliant on Saturday, because from the get go, Aaron Lennon got stuck in and like last season it rubbed off on the fans and players alike.

This stinks of a Billy boy chat to his captain. Lose to Arsenal and the bomb will start ticking, lose to the red shite and it will explode.

Oh and don't give me any excuses about rearranged games just before the semi. If were ever in Europe again you have to be prepared for two games. No excuses Bobby, win WIN WIN . Come on Everton fans make every game like the Chelsea game so that the players and manager cant blame us.

The problem lies amidst multi-cultural, multi lingual cross communication in a heightened tension situation. The only rational solution is to follow the example of rugby union with technical supports as appropriate and various options such as sin bins, time outs etc to be considered.

Also there must be a higher standard of referring across the board. it should be as elitist a job as playing with only the best being used. Same applies also for linesmen, probably more so as they seem to make more critical off-side errors than is reasonably acceptable. The referree and linesman working relationship needs to be re-evaluated in consideration of the massively increasing availability of technology and commercial interests attached to football (and many other sports . . . . . . )

Everyone wants a level playing-field (in theory) but a major issue is the confrontational nature of the coverage. Without the confrontational aspects then the lively, interesting debates that emerge are potentially lost, and with it some of the drama and the entertainment factor is reduced. Obviously there must be a good balance.

However arguing or hassling the referee is not the answer. It's like encouraging people to queue jump, or accept the logic that the squeaky wheel gets the oil. Where on earth is the intelligence in that, to say nothing concept of the of good behavior.

In this argument think Everton are miles ahead of other teams trying to respect a code of behavior and I applaud and support Roberto 100% in his stance. What has upset him and a majority of Evertonians, is the emergence this season of a statistically embarrassing gaffes by the custodians of the game which on retrospective analysis have massively benefited the media favorites and therein lies another dimension of the problem.

No quick fixes in sight yet but please do not take the simple minded short sighted bigoted option. Leave that to the Redshites, Chelski and Kevin Nolan. Thankfully it is not the Everton way, nor should it be.

It stinks, like I pointed out on another thread last week. You will be applauded and given pats on the back but little else.

William, I love your world because it is my world as well but that world is long gone, unfortunately.

Dave Abrahams, it is annoying the way players feign injury to get fellow players booked. Also the way they scream in refs' faces. Unfortunately, if you don't do it, you are treated worse, decision-wise, than the teams that do it.

It pains me to say it, if you can't beat them you have to join them.

Personally, if offered the following today;

- 17th place in the league
- FA Cup win
- New manager in the summer

I’d gnarl off whoever’s arm is doing the offering.

League for us is over and done with, whether we finish 10th or 15th is neither here nor there (other than prize money). Grand scheme of things it counts for fuck all. Main thing is to at least give the paying punters at GP something to cheer about from now till May – as well as the cup of course.

A cup win would finally mean we can dust off the trophy cabinet and gets us into Europe at the same time (not important for some on here but is for me anyway).

The FA Cup semi-final is a while off; let's see what the manager and players can pull off against the Arse. There’s no real pressure on the players in the league anymore so it wouldn’t surprise me if we get a result.

Mind you, I do see a future for the increased technology aspects as the full impact of ’Aps’ and such like are bound to come in soon.

Also the instant play back for the off-sides must be close, and I suspect micro-chipped balls (the leather variety), and players boots will be possible too. A more sophisticated version of goal line technology if you will...

I’m all for the future, with technology able to reinforce the old school values!

Paul, it would have to happen for a good length of time, before I think lessons have been learned, but a better defensive shape, is a good place to start.

Do think we suffer offensively, when we play Cleverley out wide, but the alternative, doesn't work, and hopefully now, the manager knows it.

Finally, I do hope we turn the triangle round, and let Barkley, and Besic, play in front of McCarthy, this Saturday. If we have good shape, in the wide positions, I'm sure this will work, and what a sub Gerry will be, once the game is stretched.

Yes, William, it was great while it lasted and I too long for yesteryear and the the much higher standards that prevailed in those times In most aspects of life.

We are unbalanced on the left of the three behind the forward. Mirallas looks the best bet out of the squad, but as you know he has one good game in three.

And the same true for all the other close draws and defeats that we have suffered. If it was Man Utd, Everton or Liverpool of yesteryear, commentators would be saying that they always play right up until the final whistle has gone... and what a great team they are.