Halfway point of the season

[ianefc]

I think its pretty good context in a moment when many are in max fume mode.

As is your stats with regards our poor win %.

Taking all in context, I am still in the Martinez In camp.

How can it be fair when he will hammer Moyes at any point, only to use him as a point of context for what constitutes a fair accumulation of points with a squad Moyes' could only dream of?

Also what would it take for you to switch 'camp' I'm not arsed what you want personally, I speak for myself, but I'm interested to know why you are still on Martinez' in camp and what he hasn't done badly enough for you not to want him out?

 

[Stan Lee Park]

No. All sides with slightly more points, never the quality we have on the ball. I cant believe you of all people think those outfits are better than Everton.

I'd swap all that for the points they have.

 

[davek]

This squad will need time to get its act together defensively. There are a lot of teams that attack with fluidity and are getting found out defensively. There has been nearly as many away wins as home wins this season, suggesting that teams are playing on the counter. We can demand that Martinez reacts after every defeat and from the goals I saw today, Stones would need to be dropped as would Howard. But it is also the managers job to think of what is in the best interests of the player - to make them better and as a result the team will get better.

There was a clamour last season for Barkley to be dropped as 'he is stinking the pace out'. But righly Martinez gave him some leeway to learn the game by playing him. However, with a defender mistakes more often than not lead to goals. So the choice is does Martinez stick with Stones while he learns from his mistakes or does he drop him? Until Jags comes back he has to play.

Obviously, there is a lot of anger/puzzlement by supporters because we haven't picked up as many points as we should have. But the way this season is going nothing should surprise what happens. There are a lot of teams that are good going forward and are being found out at the back.

I think we have 2 very important games in January and they are the semi final games against City. And that should be the focus of Martinez now. That doesn't mean that we can't have a barn storming second half of the season in the league. But IMO it will only come about by Martinez sticking with his attacking dimension along with defenders wanting to improve their game and having that desire to improve, as Lukaku has.

Agree 100% mate. RM has to stick by his (outfield players) and his methods.

He's a strong willed feller under no pressure from above him. He'll get it right.

 

[daz4matty]

combine with a rookie defender(stones) and a foreign import learning the league and im not surprised at the goals we are conceding

he's re-invented our attacking basically through getting deulofeu back and lukaku improving, so maybe he can do the same with the defense as well?

We do the same things week in week out though and defend like wigan its in his dna.
If something is so obvious you sort it out,he must think its a by product of his attacking philosophy

 

[jaycee]

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.

Some breath taking football some heart attack inducing defending, Howard should have been replaced during the summer and I think the semi against City could throw up a big problem, if Robles plays and does well then dropping him will cause uproar, if Howard plays and we concede 3/4 goals the same thing, uproar

 

[Andy McGurk]

Am I the only one who's noticed that while the points are similar, when we've been bottom half of the table, it's resulted in no european football. Points may be one thing, but if there are more teams scoring past you with ease and getting better results then points don't really matter.

 

[kenada_blue]

No. All sides with slightly more points, never the quality we have on the ball. I cant believe you of all people think those outfits are better than Everton.

We haven't beaten any of them, lost to 2 of them. 3 of them have the top goalscorers in the prem and have conceded less than us.

Our January is rock hard. We'll be lucky to win 1 game from that.

It'll get worse.

 

[davek]

I'd swap all that for the points they have.

Really?! Never in a million years would I want my team playing any other way then we are now and aI defo would never us to be like those limited ale house outfits.

 

[davek]

We haven't beaten any of them, lost to 2 of them. 3 of them have the top goalscorers in the prem and have conceded less than us.

Our January is rock hard. We'll be lucky to win 1 game from that.

It'll get worse.

You've let frustration get the better of your analysis mate.

BTW, it might get worse in the short term. But you must see the development going on here. Put away your anger and focus.

 

[djsunyc]

we have some really good talent on the team. but we are not complete yet. we need to spend or we will lose some of these talents. imho, we really should sell high on barkley. he has not taken that next step and he still have "potential" and public value.

 

[ToffeeTim]

We are massively underachieving. It's hard to swallow.

 

[matty1878]

You've let frustration get the better of your analysis mate.

BTW, it might get worse in the short term. But you must see the development going on here. Put away your anger and focus.

lol you really think the fans will let it get worse and Roberto keep his job?

 

[kenada_blue]

You've let frustration get the better of your analysis mate.

BTW, it might get worse in the short term. But you must see the development going on here. Put away your anger and focus.

The development stops when the players aren't here.

 

[davek]

I was answering the question roberto

...off topic again.

 

[toffeejack]

Fair comment mate. But look where we actually are: midtable after a poor run of results and in touch with those above. We're virtually playing with ten men when that tool Howard is in goal.

It's easy to rectify.

yep. it's a results business at the end of the day. we ruined our league season a few weeks back though with draws against utter tosh like bouremouth and nowrich. we haven't had any luck, but we never do. if people look at the big picture we have a young exciting and entertaining side, we're scoring more than pricey assembled squads all with youngsters, so we just need to show a bit more patience as fans. Not always looking for a short term fix. Keeper should have been jibbed a year ago, never mind now.