Martinez OUT. There i said it. (end of the season of course).

[toffee matt]

Catalan Clown Must Go.

NSNO

 

[WA Toffee]

I wasn't very impressed that we chose Martinez as manager in the first place, but he certainly proved me wrong last season. This season is what I expect from him, I just didn't see him as a top class manager.
But since he proved me so wrong last season, I am more than happy to allow him to see out this season without judgement and judge him on what he achieves next season. 2 out of 3 if you like.
And I don't mean 10 or 15 games next season, give him the whole season and then we will know what his level really is.

I have a feeling he is going to prove me wrong.

 

[Del]

As regards captain, i was more or less just putting it out there, have seen a lot of critics about Jags this year. I wouldn't regard him as being the most vocal ie John Terry type, looking ahead i think Stones would be an ideal candidate.

As regards wingers, giving the importance placed in a Martinez system, aside from Mirallas i don't think any of the others are good enough if we want to take the next step. Pienaar has been injured but i don't think he will ever recover to be the player he was. McGeady is awful, always has in my opinion and alway's will be.

I think all good manager's from the past can look ahead instead of looking back, Osman, Hibbert, Barry and Distin have all been rewarded for last season, now i know we wouldn't have got transfer fee's for any of these (maybe 1.5m for Ossie), but it would have enabled us to save circa 175k in wages per week. That would have gotten us 2 quality player's wages wise for this season. Ferguson had a great knack of selling player's at the right time, Ince, Kanchelskis, Keane, Beckham and Van Nistlerooy spring to mind, Souness left the shower over the road at his peak. Martinez has choices to make now regarding Coleman and Mirallas, both would fetch hefty transfer fee's, let's say £30 combined. Both are fan's favourite's but giving their ages 27 the time may be right to move them on. I could live with say Kieran Trippier from Burnley and Memphis Depuy and we probably wouldn't need to spend the £30m to achieve it, both are younger and it would work out for the better in the long term in my opinion. Seamus is my favourite player but will he achieve the height's of last season?? Doubtful

Yes and had 100s of millions to replace them

Imagine getting rid of Osman, Hibbert, Barry and Distin in the summer, We would have no chance of replacing all of those players and getting in more to strengthen

 

[deipnosophist]

As regards wingers, giving the importance placed in a Martinez system, aside from Mirallas i don't think any of the others are good enough if we want to take the next step. Pienaar has been injured but i don't think he will ever recover to be the player he was. McGeady is awful, always has in my opinion and alway's will be.

I tend to agree with you mate but I have promised @kithnou that I will watch McGeady closely from now on as @kithnou (whose opinion I value) reckons he's ace.

 

[Dithering Dougie]

It started way before that. I was at the Swansea game on 1st November and Barkley was wide left that day. And I remember expecting him to be as he had played there for the previous few games.

We had McGeady and Naismith on the wings that game, and before that Barkley had only started and played in two games Villa where he was central and Lille with Pienaar and McGeady on the wings, then Burnley where he was a late sub for Lukaku and played behind Eto'o.

The next game after Swansea was Lille at home where he didn't feature, followed by Sunderland away which he may have been on the wing I can't remember to be honest, but he was back centrally the following week with Naismith out wide and Mirallas against West Ham at home, dropped to the bench for the next game away to Wolfsburg but came on centrally and then came the Spurs game and the debacle with him and Eto'o swapping roles constantly then Hull which I've mentioned.

After that there's possibly Southampton and like I said Stoke (which I didn't see, so can't comment). So that makes it Sunderland, Spurs, Hull and possibly Southampton or Stoke.

Like I said originally not as many as has been made out and not since the turn of the year after it became clear he's not cut out for it, it was a short failed experiment that didn't work but we've been desperate for width because of injuries so I suppose it was worth a try in a kind of make do and mend way.

 

[blueblue]

Reading some posts on this thread I get the impression some people think RM may be asked to leave the club if things do no improve dramatically.

I think that people should realise that his departure is not on the agenda.
I think he will be given plenty of time to put together his team , after all it is largely a David Moyes team still although changing quickly.

 

[Dithering Dougie]

Ross Barkley has never played on the wing

Yeah I agree, he's been asked to play wide midfield cutting in but not as a winger in the truest sense of the word.

 

[bluenose_92]

The issue is quite clear really, we miss Leon Osman.

All other answers are void.

 

[Del]

People who choose to continually recall last season when things get rougher are pretty stupid imo.

Things aren't getting rougher though are they?

Results and performances are improving

Before that run of 4 defeats in Dec we sat in 10th only 6 points off 6th, Could it be we just had a really bad patch in those 4 games that has seen us drop in confidence and slip down the league

Before that run we seemed ok, Not great mind but some decent stuff here and there, Topped our Europa league group and had decent results against QPR/West Ham/Burnley/Villa/West Brom/Arsenal and a draw at Anfield

After that run we have drawn against City and Liverpool, Beaten an inform Palace side away and was narrowly beaten by the league leaders

Injuries to key players like Stones/Kev/Pienaar and Osman have not helped us and the extra 5 games we had played going into November would not have helped such a small squad

 

[davek]

Palace (unbeaten since Boxing day apart from when we beat them)
Liverpool (form team of the PL - unbeaten in 10 and winning 8 of them. Draw.)
Chelsea (Top of the table and best team in the league - needed a last minute fluke to beat us)
Conceded 2 goals in 5 games.

They do say timing is everything. A 'Martinez out' poll now looks a bit like someone standing at a station with their ticket held forlornly in their hand as their 11 o'clock train to Euston hurtles off down the platform.

Maybe next season lads.

Choo choo!

 

[squonk]

We had McGeady and Naismith on the wings that game.

Nope. Barkley was wide left. I was there.

 

[Khalekan]

This manager has made us all believe in our club again, he is not bothered about the opposition he focuses on us, we're as moyes was how can we stop the other team.

I would say the line up and tactics in both the derby and last night's game were aimed more at stopping the other team.

Many people on here have commented in fact about how similiar to Moyes he has been in those games.

 

[meagher94]

Palace (unbeaten since Boxing day apart from when we beat them)
Liverpool (form team of the PL - unbeaten in 10 and winning 8 of them. Draw.)
Chelsea (Top of the table and best team in the league - needed a last minute fluke to beat us)
Conceded 2 goals in 5 games.

They do say timing is everything. A 'Martinez out' poll now looks a bit like someone standing at a station with their ticket held forlornly in their hand as their 11 o'clock train to Euston hurtles off down the platform.

Maybe next season lads.

Choo choo!

lol

Great post. Although that train they've missed is heading to Wigan rather than Euston!

 

[Khalekan]

I reckon that unless we run into Spurs or RS we should win the EL. Then all this debate will be moot.

I wouldn't like to be playing Wolfsburg again.

 

[Dithering Dougie]

Nope. Barkley was wide left. I was there.

Have it your way, it doesn't alter anything it's still only 4/5 games instead of 3/4 like I initially said. The point is it hardly changes anything, yet people harp on about it like it's been every game when clearly it was either an experiment or out of necessity for only a very small amount of games.