Antolin Alcaraz

[Sennott Street]

“It was important to have continuity in the back four that kept a clean sheet on Sunday and that is the reason.”

So why was Howard right back in the side if continuity in keeping clean sheets is so important?

 

[Kendall's Dream]

Evertonians were angered that John Stones was not recalled to the starting line-up after recovering from a virus but Martinez says it would have been a “risk” to throw him back in at the deep end.

“Antolin has the experience of playing in Europe before and John is a young man and sometimes we need to give him the right game to compete for his place,” Martinez said.

“We are now looking back at the game and it is very easy to say ‘this should have been done’ but you need to allow football to make the decisions.

“Antolin and Phil had created a very strong partnership in the previous two games and after keeping a clean sheet against Newcastle there is no need to dislodge that.

“Second, since he had the virus John has not played any football so it would be a major, major risk to throw him into a game of that intensity with the last experience he had away from home in Europe when he got sent off.

“It was important to have continuity in the back four that kept a clean sheet on Sunday and that is the reason.”

Martinez added: “Antolin had to deal with too many actions that we, as a team, didn’t stop well enough on Thursday night.

“I don’t think defensively he had a poor game, I think as a team we put our defence and keeper under immense pressure because our defensive performance as a team wasn’t up to standard.”

Stones, 21, learnt of his omission from the England senior squad in the build-up to the Europa League game in Kiev.

The £3m signing has, instead, been included in the under-21s party for their games with Czech Republic and Germany later this month.

“I had a chat with John,” Martinez said.

“John is a very mature boy and knows he needs to concentrate on Everton and performing for Everton will give him success for England. I have no concerns over that. It is allowing John to have an introduction to games that allow him to have a more of a control of the situation rather than going into a knockout phase which is something he has never experienced before.

"Antolin has had that in his career. He has played in the World Cup, the Europa League and has played in many situations like that and his experience is valuable.

“It is very unfair to highlight him when it was a very poor defensive performance as a team.”

--

Yes, the defense was a disgrace yesterday, as was the majority of the team.. but Alcaraz was by far the worst of the lot.

I'm just baffled.

Of course Martinez chats wham in his interviews but he definitely knows Alcaraz had a very poor game, he just refuses to say that in public. Why would he say it in public? Completely against his philosophy. Starting Alcaraz wasn't a mistake as we never really had another option. The mistake was he never played a 3 man midfield to help the defence. Absolutely gutted about the performance and score, but Martinez knows he went wrong and will learn.

 

[yelyah]

but Martinez knows he went wrong and will learn.

He's done a great job learning this season

 

[dannyboy]

I was asking who's worse than Alcaraz and someone said Per Koldrup. I was too young back then, how bad was him?

At least he was weeded out pretty quickly. This clown seems to be hanging around, scandalous if he's here beyond the summer.

 

[Kendall's Dream]

He's done a great job learning this season

To be fair, he has been stubborn but also changed things. Its took him far too much time to change certain things but he has in the end. Hopefully we won't have as much problems next season and we can go back to being boss.

 

[chicoazul]

Remember when he played one good game and then Chico vaulted everyone who'd ever dared to be critical of him because he was obviously world class.

Good times.

Its the game bro. Tag me in on you and I'll destroy you systematically over the course of time.

 

[hktoffee]

Release Alcaraz at the end of season. Don't extend his contract.

 

[Allezfan]

Its the game bro. Tag me in on you and I'll destroy you systematically over the course of time.

LOL, you got enchanted by a pretty boy fancy south american with his stepovers and moody eyebrows and missed that he can't actually play football.

 

[chicoazul]

LOL, you got enchanted by a pretty boy fancy south american with his stepovers and moody eyebrows and missed that he can't actually play football.

LOL @ U projecting.

Not that I would urge anyone to read it but the bit about Alcaraz in my preview for the Kiev game might interest you

Yeah that's right, you can't ever hope to reach that level of acute soccer insight you utter biff.

And everything else just game.

Now outta my way of I'll make you look like a bish rar here and now.

 

[Moomin]

LOL, you got enchanted by a pretty boy fancy south american with his stepovers and moody eyebrows and missed that he can't actually play football.

He can play football, he just can't defend for toffee. That's why Wigan played three at the back to compensate for him being out of position all the time.

 

[Pat's Van]

Of course Martinez chats wham in his interviews but he definitely knows Alcaraz had a very poor game, he just refuses to say that in public. Why would he say it in public? Completely against his philosophy. Starting Alcaraz wasn't a mistake as we never really had another option. The mistake was he never played a 3 man midfield to help the defence. Absolutely gutted about the performance and score, but Martinez knows he went wrong and will learn.

he's got some unwavering faith in Alcaraz though mate, I don't know why like

I knew before he was our manager that he'll take Alcaraz with him wherever he goes, and I said so on here

can't quote it coz it's locked...but here's some links..

https://www.grandoldteam.com/forum/...all-reaction-here.56438/page-163#post-2012586

https://www.grandoldteam.com/forum/...all-reaction-here.56438/page-231#post-2015885

https://www.grandoldteam.com/forum/...all-reaction-here.56438/page-210#post-2014269

 

[chicoazul]

He can play football, he just can't defend for toffee. That's why Wigan played three at the back to compensate for him being out of position all the time.

No all the international caps he got for Paraguay are jarg.

He actually can't play football, from the man on the Internet.

 

[Kendall's Dream]

he's got some unwavering faith in Alcaraz though mate, I don't know why like

I knew before he was our manager that he'll take Alcaraz with him wherever he goes, and I said so on here

can't quote it coz it's locked...but here's some links..

https://www.grandoldteam.com/forum/...all-reaction-here.56438/page-163#post-2012586

https://www.grandoldteam.com/forum/...all-reaction-here.56438/page-231#post-2015885

https://www.grandoldteam.com/forum/...all-reaction-here.56438/page-210#post-2014269

Fair play mate. Think he has that faith in Alcaraz because he suits his style. He is a ball playing centre back and despite him forgetting how to defend yesterday, the past games he's played, he's done some alright passes and that's what Martinez likes.

Needs to get binned off in the summer or if he stays, then he needs to be 4th/5th choice behind a new signing and a youth player.

 

[Allezfan]

No all the international caps he got for Paraguay are jarg.

He actually can't play football, from the man on the Internet.

Typical fancy dan foreigner, does alright in some god forsaken jungle when noone puts a tackle in but up against real english men he whilts like my erection after half a pint.

 

[chicoazul]

Typical fancy dan foreigner, does alright in some god forsaken jungle when noone puts a tackle in but up against real english men he whilts like my erection after half a pint.

Hahaha. You've just kidnapped my default position and rendered me useless.

You win this time Batman.