Roberto Martinez discussion

[Dymak]

But who is actually calling us top 4 contenders?

People who refuse to accept that we are a mid-table side. And then you have to ask just how good the best side in 30 years actually is if the best it can do is finish in mid-table? My point is that the team still requires a lot of strengthening, and that the current set up isn't good enough.

 

[Zatara]

Need a new keeper...give the defence some confidence. Or play Robles...With Howard nothing changes even if hes not at fault directly for goals i just feel the defence dont trust him.

The need for new personnel is clear, it's almost embarrassing bringing on Gibson or Naismith or somebody whilst claiming to be top four contenders. However something also needs to be done about our inability to defend corners or crosses, otherwise we will continue to drop points and finish mid-table

 

[Stutheblue]

He recognised that we couldn't defend the corner (again). But whats being done about it? New and dominant keeper - no. Commanding centre back - no. Therefore we're always goint to be vulnerable at set pieces and the opposition know it.

 

[neil999]

don't think barry,kone,howard, mori would be starters in a top four team, money is the issue again...

 

[Saint Domingo]

Some of the dumbing down of expectations to excuse mediocrity is embarassing. Perhaps the club were right when they dropped Nil Satis from the crest.

 

[hktoffee]

he's got us playing much better football this season, but he needs to starting getting the team to grind out results.

No good playing boss football if you can't win, we're everton, not swansea.

A win is the most important thing. Absolutely Aaron we need to grind our results now. We will see the picture clearly after the Spurs game in January. At this rate this is not good. Poor draws three in a row.

 

[Dexter]

It's just so frustrating, feels like we're only going to have this team for a short amount of time and we're not doing anything with it. We've got a striker that's scored 15 league goals and we've only won 5 games.

That is the problem only Lukaku and Deulofeu are contributing with goals, we need goals from ACM and left wing, if the players there arn't scoring we need to bring people in who will

 

[DanEFC92]

He's been here two and half seasons and has constructed the best team in two decades. Not much to wonder about there unless he totally wastes it by slumping to a sub 8th place finish for the next two seasons.

Lets be patient with this feller. He's obviously a man with a plan that looks to be going very well. It's fractions off at the moment. We're in the best position we've been for years and years with this man in charge. It's unthinkable he could be refused the chance to see his efforts through.

Very few are actually asking for his head, mind.

Bit of a strawman argument.

 

[The Mighty Quint]

I moved the goal post just as you did. What's his win percent as a whole? Why move the goalposts?

Davek just said it's 46% overall, but the defensive shape married with attacking football Moyes had schooled them into has long gone, Martinez took over a very good squad that were well drilled in defensive duties, I put down a fair bit of Martinez first season to what Moyes left him with.

He's now upped the attacking threat and totally bummed out our defensive shape, and we've ended up with 31.5% out of 54, 33.3% out of 15 this season.

If this continues Martinez is not the one for us, I see no sign whatsoever he is trying to get us more solid at the back.

If we don't get CL this season, Lukaku and Stones will be gone in the summer, 100%, we need to keep this squad together, and Martinez is letting it slip by without any nounce of how to stop the rot at the back which would see us in the CL spots at the end of the season IMO.

 

[Saint Domingo]

don't think barry,kone,howard, mori would be starters in a top four team, money is the issue again...

Money is the long term issue. At the moment we're nowhere near the infamous glass cieling. When team selection, tactics, fitness and team mentality are sorted then we can moan about money.

 

[chicoazul]

Some of the dumbing down of expectations to excuse mediocrity is embarassing. Perhaps the club were right when they dropped Nil Satis from the crest.

Who had NSNO at 1630?

Congratulations.

 

[Zatara]

Mori is just adapting and we wont see the best of him till next season...

The other 3 you named are in the first 11 and we also need a quality bench...

Takes time...even with money.

don't think barry,kone,howard, mori would be starters in a top four team, money is the issue again...

 

[navidson]

You dont get to the top of the table with less than 11 top quality players in a squad.

 

[LouReedwalkonthewildside]

 

[Zatara]

I cannot see how this squad is good enough for the top 4 over a season.

Theres like 8 quality 1st eleven players there.

Davek just said it's 46% overall, but the defensive shape married with attacking football Moyes had schooled them into has long gone, Martinez took over a very good squad that were well drilled in defensive duties, I put down a fair bit of Martinez first season to what Moyes left him with.

He's now upped the attacking threat and totally bummed out our defensive shape, and we've ended up with 31.5% out of 54, 33.3% out of 15 this season.

If this continues Martinez is not the one for us, I see no sign whatsoever he is trying to get us more solid at the back.

If we don't get CL this season, Lukaku and Stones will be gone in the summer, 100%, we need to keep this squad together, and Martinez is letting it slip by without any nounce of how to stop the rot at the back which would see us in the CL spots at the end of the season IMO.