Roberto Martinez discussion

[dannyboy]

I wonder how much time the team works on defending. Honestly from the way we play you'd be inclined to guess it's not much.

In fairness to our back 4 I think they've had bugger all protection for a long time now. We look so out of sorts every time a team goes at us. We can't see out a 10 minute spell of pressure without conceding a goal. Any top team in the world needs to have that in their locker and we are definitely found wanting in that department.

Right now it doesn't like we're going to win a game without playing a team off the park, and apart from when you come up against relegation fodder that's probably not going to happen in this league.

We managed to grind a few results out last year, Palace away springs to mind. A few performances like that are required to get us back on track because this style is clearly not working for us right now.

 

[dannyboy]

Maybe. But he's feted for his composure, so his mental game is up for debate. I think he goes missing when backbone is required.

How much coaching do you think he's getting in the art of defending? He's still got a long way to go, especially in terms of one on one play. We could probably do with adapting our tactics to ensure those situations happen a lot less often than they currently do.

I know Martinez is a big fan of placing that trust in his defenders but if they're not ready/capable of it...

 

[Zatara]

Whats ball said, do you have a link?

This manager has a 30% win percentage since August 2014 just saying like.It's also nice to see Michael Ball turning the screw on Martinez in the Echo.The man is getting a really easy ride off the media in general.The same media that think mid table mediocrity is good enough for plucky little Everton.

 

[ilikecheese]

His interviews are my favorite thing.

Love how the positivity makes so many fume.

He should be slating a bunch of young players or something lol.

They have the goods to wow...but also frustrate. It's not hard to work out.

Those same folks want us to drop the only folks with experience. Let's just go with a U-25 side then.

 

[Jags..class]

I haven't been impressed with Coleman for a while, tbh.

I honestly think the best back four we've had all season was when we had Browning Stones Jagielka Galloway in it for 4 games from the Swansea away game through to the Derby. Browning's injury has not really been emphasised, but I think it may have been influential.

Agree, I'm hoping the rumours are true about Sam Byram

 

[Steve Wigan]

Agree about Stones....for all his composure I think he needs to cut out lapses of concentration in his play.....on Saturday Vardy skinned him and was brought down by Howard...other times he looks world class. Despite the fact he has played for his country(who hasn't?) he is still relatively inexperienced. Be interesting to see what happens when Jags is back. Anyone think that Galloway could be picked in his natural position ie centre half? The defence needs to be made more secure - whether Roberto does anything about it remains to be seen

Off the wall, I know, but regarding Stones I'm beginning to get an inkling that there is a Glenn Hoddle type in him...probably unlikely, because he is firmly categorised as a central defender, but it would be interesting if his career took a turn.
In 'the modern game' there are so many 'great defenders' with the worst aspect of their game being actual defending.

 

[toffeeblue9]

I like Martinez. Have liked him since the moment he came here. His optimism and general positive outlook was/is a breath of fresh air and a welcome change from the pessimism and general air of negativity that Moyes purveyed.

I like the style of football that we play under Martinez (appreciate it isn't to everyone's tastes) and I like the fact that he's built an exciting young team with some of the best individual players we've had in many, many years.

I was willing to overlook last season as a blip because he bought himself plenty of goodwill with me with what he accomplished in his first season here.

To my mind, that means that he has to deliver this season. At this moment in time, he is not delivering. The margins may be small, but he doesn't get a pass if we have another season in 9th/10th/11th like we had last season.

I can see the progress, I can see a lot of stuff I like, in fact I'd go as far as saying that I'm happy with everything at the moment except the results - that in itself makes me sound like an absolute idiot, I'm well aware of it and I have faith in Martinez still, but there's only so far faith can take you on the back of poor results.

I find myself asking myself how long should we allow average to poor results to continue before we consider making a change?

I'm not saying that time has come yet, but surely we have to draw a line in the sand somewhere down the road if things don't improve from where they are right now?

Kills me to write that as I really do like Martinez, but I don't want to be one of those people who has blind faith. Eventually, all this potential has to translate into results otherwise what's the point?

 

[Titus Bramble]

I like Martinez. Have liked him since the moment he came here. His optimism and general positive outlook was/is a breath of fresh air and a welcome change from the pessimism and general air of negativity that Moyes purveyed.

I like the style of football that we play under Martinez (appreciate it isn't to everyone's tastes) and I like the fact that he's built an exciting young team with some of the best individual players we've had in many, many years.

I was willing to overlook last season as a blip because he bought himself plenty of goodwill with me with what he accomplished in his first season here.

To my mind, that means that he has to deliver this season. At this moment in time, he is not delivering. The margins may be small, but he doesn't get a pass if we have another season in 9th/10th/11th like we had last season.

I can see the progress, I can see a lot of stuff I like, in fact I'd go as far as saying that I'm happy with everything at the moment except the results - that in itself makes me sound like an absolute idiot, I'm well aware of it and I have faith in Martinez still, but there's only so far faith can take you on the back of poor results.

I find myself asking myself how long should we allow average to poor results to continue before we consider making a change?

I'm not saying that time has come yet, but surely we have to draw a line in the sand somewhere down the road if things don't improve from where they are right now?

Kills me to write that as I really do like Martinez, but I don't want to be one of those people who has blind faith. Eventually, all this potential has to translate into results otherwise what's the point?

Sums it all up perfectly

 

[Stanley Parker]

agree with this. personally I am a fan of defenders playing to solely defend. like a Gary stevens/neville type. Baines has offered more offensively but I have concerns about seamus.

The days of players having a single role are long gone.

Traditional wingers and fullbacks are now part of a team that has different objectives when in and out of possession.

A lot of effort is now spent in the midfield battle for possession and control. Everybody has to contribute to this.

 

[davek]

Mid-table is delivering in this PL now. I've seen enough this season of the effect the general spread of cash is having on our domestic football scene. It's all about staying in a reasonably safe place, or just above it - that represents a good season and (as a bonus) doing well in the cups. That's what the owners of every club outside the financial elite with the expensively assembled squads will accept.

The landscape has changed. It isn't me just trying to lower the bar for Martinez's benefit, that's just the way the situation has been moving. And that's what club board of directors will judge their hiring and firing policy on.

Personally I'd accept anywhere in the top half of the table as long as the football is good and we give the cups all we've got.

 

[The Esk]

Mid-table is delivering in this PL now. I've seen enough this season of the effect the general spread of cash is having on our domestic football scene. It's all about staying in a reasonably safe place, or just above it - that represents a good season and (as a bonus) doing well in the cups. That's what the owners of every club outside the financial elite with the expensively assembled squads will accept.

The landscape has changed. It isn't me just trying to lower the bar for Martinez's benefit, that's just the way the situation has been moving. And that's what club board of directors will judge their hiring and firing policy on.

Personally I'd accept anywhere in the top half of the table as long as the football is good and we give the cups all we've got.

Sadly and being realistic, even with this talented bunch of young players, without the major investment a takeover might bring our club motto (temporarily) is changed to nil satis nisi media mensa

 

[bluemangroup]

Sadly and being realistic, even with this talented bunch of young players, without the major investment a takeover might bring our club motto (temporarily) is changed to nil satis nisi media mensa

Nothing but brainy newspapers is acceptable?

I'm not good at Latin

 

[toffeeblue9]

Mid-table is delivering in this PL now. I've seen enough this season of the effect the general spread of cash is having on our domestic football scene. It's all about staying in a reasonably safe place, or just above it - that represents a good season and (as a bonus) doing well in the cups. That's what the owners of every club outside the financial elite with the expensively assembled squads will accept.

The landscape has changed. It isn't me just trying to lower the bar for Martinez's benefit, that's just the way the situation has been moving. And that's what club board of directors will judge their hiring and firing policy on.

Personally I'd accept anywhere in the top half of the table as long as the football is good and we give the cups all we've got.

I'd say 7th is a par score

Finishing below Watford, Leicester, Crystal Palace and West Ham simply wouldn't be good enough for me

 

[davek]

Sadly and being realistic, even with this talented bunch of young players, without the major investment a takeover might bring our club motto (temporarily) is changed to nil satis nisi media mensa

We'll continue to be shut out of the elite without investment over and above the riches from tv deals. I have to say though that (from the evidence so far) the increase in funding across the PL appears to be having a levelling effect in that it's making everyone competitive and capable (with the right manager in charge) of mounting a challenge for a European place...and maybe more realistically now a CL spot.

We live in interesting times in that respect.

 

[davek]

I'd say 7th is a par score

Finishing below Watford, Leicester, Crystal Palace and West Ham simply wouldn't be good enough for me

I'd have agreed 100% with that not so long ago. I'm more and more convinced now though that the border between us (as traditional 'best of the rest' team) and those type of teams you mention is a porous one. The PL has moved on and changed with all this cash...even since Martinez's first season, never mind from the era Moyes was here....and it's only going to get more uncertain...which can be good for us as well as bad.