Steven Naismith

[Walken]

We also have no academy players that look ready for emergency backup, Kennedy is probably the closest but doubt he is ready and he's on loan until Jan.

The only other options are Oviedo (injured and his best position is full back anyway) and Osman and I know how much you like that choice!

Henen could get close to the team at some point and oviedo can play there to at provide balance, it's an area that needs looking at though

 

[Eggs]

......hope he's rested for the England game.

 

[LinekersLegs]

I honestly dont think Browning would either be overawed by game time (his Derby appearances was like a duck to water), or that fans would heap pressure and abuse on him. Sometimes a manager just has to let a developing player in the team and ind their feet. It has echoes of Barkley all this under Moyes. Maybe not as pronounced, but same principle involved.

Martinez has no excuses if he wants to retain the shape of the team - he brought in McGeady and Atsu and has had Pienaar to choose from until recently. He has experimented though with bizarre formations and team choices and succumbed to using one of the wide places to include players he doesn't have the courage to tell to sit on the bench. Of course Mirallas' return will force him to make a decision, but we shouldn't be waiting on that. He should be bold but he's lacking in that.

Stones got a lot of abuse for his performance in last years derby, you honestly believe that if Browning had made his debut in the same fixture and been overun he wouldn't have got the same groans? Look how quick people are to write off Atsu and Robles.

Anyhow think his reluctance to play Browning more is the lack of protection he'd get from midfield and wing with our injuries.

 

[davek]

You play those fluid formations where everybody swaps round and sometimes it works perfectly and you look incredibly threatening as the defence doesn't know what to do with you. Sometimes it looks horribly disjointed and you play poorly. It happens. There were flashes of good play that maybe Martinez thought were enough to persist with it to see if it improved. It didn't and now the decision should be easier.

And a few of lads on an Internet forum calling something before a manager doesn't make the manager a bad one.

It just wasn't a difficult call to make though, that's the point being made.

As for flashes of good play: I dont remember an awful lot of that this season. There's been one or two impressive performances when they had to organise and get pressing, but I've seen very little decent football from Everton this season. Barkley's absence (then his chronic misuse on return) has been a massive contribution to that.

 

[caught]

r

 

[bluemangroup]

It just wasn't a difficult call to make though, that's the point being made.

As for flashes of good play: I dont remember an awful lot of that this season. There's been one or two impressive performances when they had to organise and get pressing, but I've seen very little decent football from Everton this season. Barkley's absence (then his chronic misuse on return) has been a massive contribution to that.

But then last season that sort of set up had worked out for us. Against City and Arsenal and others we were all drooling at Martinez changing up the forwards. This season when we've put those teams out we've been equally pleased, mostly. Retrospectively saying we all knew how easy this was seems a little unfair Dave.

 

[LinekersLegs]

Henen could get close to the team at some point and oviedo can play there to at provide balance, it's an area that needs looking at though

I'd forgotten about Henen which is a bit surprising given he takes even more selfies than Vellios did.

 

[Eggs]

Stones got a lot of abuse for his performance in last years derby, you honestly believe that if Browning had made his debut in the same fixture and been overun he wouldn't have got the same groans? Look how quick people are to write off Atsu and Robles.

Anyhow think his reluctance to play Browning more is the lack of protection he'd get from midfield and wing with our injuries.

...sometimes these youngsters have to come in because we are down to the bare bones, not usually ideal but I bet the likes of Browning is champing at the bit just waiting for a chance. If the call comes it's up to them to take it and make it hard for the manager to leave them out. It might help that the West Ham game is at home, RM might have to pitch him in.

 

[LinekersLegs]

...sometimes these youngsters have to come in because we are down to the bare bones, not usually ideal but I bet the likes of Browning is champing at the bit just waiting for a chance. If the call comes it's up to them to take it and make it hard for the manager to leave them out. It might help that the West Ham game is at home, RM might have to pitch him in.

Given Jags looks to have taken a knock think he might get a chance at CB. Where do you see him long term btw CB or RB?

 

[EverBlue86]

It just wasn't a difficult call to make though, that's the point being made.

As for flashes of good play: I dont remember an awful lot of that this season. There's been one or two impressive performances when they had to organise and get pressing, but I've seen very little decent football from Everton this season. Barkley's absence (then his chronic misuse on return) has been a massive contribution to that.

Martinez can do no wrong mate, the way he has ushered barkley out of the CAM position and hampering lukaku in the process has been a shambles it's very moyesque. Wish we had the bobby of last season back everything he touched turned to gold last season even the subs were always spot on.

 

[Dithering Dougie]

Martinez can do no wrong mate, the way he has ushered barkley out of the CAM position and hampering lukaku in the process has been a shambles it's very moyesque. Wish we had the bobby of last season back everything he touched turned to gold last season even the subs were always spot on.

It's not that he can't do no wrong it's just you've got to put everything into context, he's certainly not infallible but there's plenty of reasons why we've not flourished so far this season and the majority have been out of Martinez's control.

Fairs fair when criticism is due people have had a go, like with the pre season or signing an injured player but judging him like this after only a quarter of the season and having so many obstacles to over come is very harsh.

 

[L4Everton]

Pienaar played advanced midfield for South Africa and was good there at that. Barkley is in the frame for full fitness, Osman has done a job there, Mirallas when he gets back could be played as second striker (as he certainly has the pace) so all in all the forward line is ok.

 

[Scotty1983]

@davek is just furious he was shown up at not being able to spot a player.

I know mate it's hilarious. He was expecting Geads to "river dance" all over Scotland and it never happened, wee Naisy bossed it and its put him in a foul mood........splendid.

 

[LinekersLegs]

Martinez can do no wrong mate, the way he has ushered barkley out of the CAM position and hampering lukaku in the process has been a shambles it's very moyesque. Wish we had the bobby of last season back everything he touched turned to gold last season even the subs were always spot on.

Who would you have played out on the wing instead in the two games that Barkley played there - Swansea and sunderland.

Mirallas, Pienaar and Oviedo were all not fit and McGeady was already starting in the right.

 

[beachy]

Nais and Rom up front for me. Ross in a deeper role.