Halfway point of the season

[LAToffee]

Something is very wrong with every aspect of our defensive game. We'll do nothing in the league until we address that. I am not sure the current coaching staff can address it. Keep Martinez and get new defensive coach. Wish his assistant would get a job offer: neat way of solving our problems. But even we were to win a cup, I need to see more robust defensive performances (the clean sheet against Newcastle was a false dawn. We looked fragile defensively against them).

 

[LouReedwalkonthewildside]

I think the manager needs the young defenders to do that. Mr Stones gets way too much slack cut. He has appalling judgement. No top team will touch that.

Anyway, to the thread topic. the defending can be largely sorted with a new GK. It's all to play for in the second half of the season. I'd play Robles every game until the summer.

Agree Dave to a point, just thought that when we went 3-2 up, Martinez should have got Besic on ASAP to strengthen the midfield, he must have clocked that everytime Stoke got forward they looked like scoring.

 

[davek]

Joel in goal and we'd be top 4 by now

Something has to give. Martinez needs to sort this GKK situation out NOW.

Hopefully Howard is picked up by some Yank outfit in January.

 

[LAToffee]

Something is very wrong with every aspect of our defensive game. We'll do nothing in the league until we address that. I am not sure the current coaching staff can address it. Keep Martinez and get new defensive coach. Wish his assistant would get a job offer: neat way of solving our problems. But even we were to win a cup, I need to see more robust defensive performances (the clean sheet against Newcastle was a false dawn. We looked fragile defensively against them).

 

[davek]

2012 and 2013 really did spoil us. Before that we were always godawful up until january.

Nice to see that proud tradition continuing under Martinez.

It is a pattern that. We do get a shift on usually second half of the season though.

 

[ilikecheese]

Not far off from the usual. Sadly we could be so much higher up the table.

I truly hope we get on a roll. Stones needs to sit in timeout for a bit. C'mon Jags...we need you.

 

[davek]

interesting thread, just hope we can do some business in jan...new gk would be the dream, last season our attacking play was completely stagnant, that seems to have been solved, howard seems to have got worse(Martinez big error believing he could carry on)

It's a shambles of a decision retaining TH. I dont want the GK issue to get all the discussion, but it's obvious we're a team of contrasts in attack and defence and HE is the root of it.

 

[paultheblue]

Hes going nowhere while this takeover is ongoing ,I would be surprised if he has any money to spend in January and to be honest if there is a chance of new owners I wouldnt give him any either.
On the bright side if Southampton win tonight as they are currently doing we will finally have a team above us in the table that we have managed to beat.

 

[davek]

saying martinez needs to work on the defence, is like saying Pulis needs to go at teams more. It's just not what the manager does/strengths of their game. If anyone expects martinez to change they are soft. It's either be happy with what we are doing now or want change.

I have sympathy for that view, tbh. He is what he is: an all out attack minded manager. However, the defence can easily be sorted - attack prowess or lack of it cant.

Just one position corrected transforms us. It's that close.

 

[Azza]

Good season = 60 points & a cup run... FFS davek have some ambition. You bang on at the board failing yet you think that's a good season. With the players we have, even some of the sides we had under Moyes we should be getting to the final in either the League Cup or FA Cup as a minimum considering how little top 6 sides generally care about the cups.

 

[paultheblue]

It's a shambles of a decision retaining TH. I dont want the GK issue to get all the discussion, but it's obvious we're a team of contrasts in attack and defence and HE is the root of it.

So why does he keep picking him?

 

[daz4matty]

So why does he keep picking him?

He is scared not to.

 

[Fearthainn]

I have sympathy for that view, tbh. He is what he is: an all out attack minded manager. However, the defence can easily be sorted - attack prowess or lack of it cant.

Just one position corrected transforms us. It's that close.

Why?

 

[ToffeeTim]

60 points is a pathetic ambition with rom in this form. And it's still miles out of our grasp. We are everton fs.

 

[Titus Bramble]

Something is very wrong with every aspect of our defensive game. We'll do nothing in the league until we address that. I am not sure the current coaching staff can address it. Keep Martinez and get new defensive coach. Wish his assistant would get a job offer: neat way of solving our problems. But even we were to win a cup, I need to see more robust defensive performances (the clean sheet against Newcastle was a false dawn. We looked fragile defensively against them).

Could you repeat that please mate