Halfway point of the season

davek · December 28, 2015

Blue Cheese said:
I'm trying not to crack because I love the football. The defence is just a shambles though.

I didn't know what to expect after last season so I suppose where we are is no surprise, the obvious difference is not wanting to hang myself every saturday because the football is so bad.

Even though it's an average start over the last decade, it just isn't good enough with this squad. It has the divisions top scorer, how long since we have had that, pit it's counter balanced by the local nutty unit at the back.

I'm hanging onto my sanity because, I can see an exciting times ahead, If and it's a big IF, we can keep these lads together and going as we are I'm not sure that's realistic.

It's performance over results for me this season. Not madly so, like. We need to finish top half and will.

The footy is going forward is sublime. A GK solves the defensive weakness. It's all doable...and we will do it.

daz4matty · December 28, 2015

davek said:
But hold on, these young players are also to blame. What makes you think they say to themselves: "I've screwed up here. I better leave and go somewhere else" ?

They know they're developing.

Is this an angle so you can worship your master.
Just so its on topic we are in the bottom half,we can't defend,he picks odd teams,the players should be fitter,he cannot put right what is wrong,he keeps picking howard and he is naive and weak.
We finished 11th last season and are back there again without europe.
He is taking us backwards

davek · December 28, 2015

Woolly Blue said:
In a nutshell, that's where we are. If we, well Martinez and the players really, can sort the latter out, then we're well on the way to pushing on to being regularly in contention for top 4.

If he ( he being Martinez ) can't fix that, then we won't progress very much beyond aspirations of finishing at or around sixth. Given our current financial situation, that's probably realistically the best we can expect so you kind of have to take the rough with the smooth. If our financial situation changes down to new ownership without progress being made on our defensive frailities, then all bets are off.

You had me to the final sentence mate. Any new owner is sticking with a pair of hands that guarantees no dancing on the relegation trap door and the threat to the tv cash. Sure, if we're lower half this season and still leaking goals they might read RM the riot act, but noting drastic is happening n the managerial front before those eventualities.

Fresh Prince of Belle Val · December 28, 2015

League - 13 points behind target. Not acceptable.

Cups - still in every competition. Good.

Summary - if we qualify for Europe Martinez keeps his job. If not he's out the door.

davek · December 28, 2015

orly said:
Ah right, so -

he's responsible for the worst and and fourth (seeing 22 points as joint second worst) performances at a halfway stage in the last ten years

Two consecutive years of conceding 25 goals plus in the first 19 games

And all this with a centreforward who has scored 15 goals in 19 games (and 31 in his last 45 Everton games)

This tells us -

He's a huge fraud

He's learned no lessons from last season

He spent / wasted £9.5m on 'strengthening' the defence, and failed to do so

57 games, 18 wins in the last season and a half. 95 games, 39 wins total. He's managed this with a team full of internationals and by not only breaking the transfer record at the club - but by nearly doubling it.

We're 5 points better off than last season, when we had the much-trumpeted excuse of Europa League football. We've had four extra games this season - one at home to Norwich and three to lower league opposition. We drew two of these in the standard 90 minutes.

As you can see from the charts - we're not projected to finish any higher than 8th on current form judged against the last ten years. So why not twist rather than stick?

I think you need to go back and analyse that data again mate.

daz4matty · December 28, 2015

davek said:
You had me to the final sentence mate. Any new owner is sticking with a pair of hands that guarantees no dancing on the relegation trap door and the threat to the tv cash. Sure, if we're lower half this season and still leaking goals they might read RM the riot act, but noting drastic is happening n the managerial front before those eventualities.

With the hard games coming up and the way we leak goals we are going to be nearer to a relegation fight than the top 6

Woolly Blue · December 28, 2015

davek said:
You had me to the final sentence mate. Any new owner is sticking with a pair of hands that guarantees no dancing on the relegation trap door and the threat to the tv cash. Sure, if we're lower half this season and still leaking goals they might read RM the riot act, but noting drastic is happening n the managerial front before those eventualities.

I wouldn't bet on that if I were you mate. Any new ownership ( if it happens ) is likely to involve hard hearted businessmen who, if they think there's a better option, won't think twice about changing the manager

Oh, hang on, you don't bet anyway ...

davek · December 28, 2015

Fresh Prince of Belle Val said:
League - 13 points behind target. Not acceptable.

Cups - still in every competition. Good.

Summary - if we qualify for Europe Martinez keeps his job. If not he's out the door.

Qualifying for Europe wont be the measuring stick mate. Developing a team and a style of play and addressing defensive frailities will be the task of the second half of the season.

No question 60 pts plus this good cup run is more than enough.

We aren't a club that changes managers like socks.

formerly manx toffee · December 28, 2015

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

I'd rather have Billy Joel

orly · December 28, 2015

davek said:
I think you need to go back and analyse that data again mate.

Not really, I've reached tangible sound conclusions.

18 wins in 57 games. But... he's managed to lose 20 games in those 57.

'Progress'

davek · December 28, 2015

Woolly Blue said:
I wouldn't bet on that if I were you mate. Any new ownership ( if it happens ) is likely to involve hard hearted businessmen who, if they think there's a better option, won't think twice about changing the manager

Oh, hang on, you don't bet anyway ...

No new owner attracted in for the tv cash is going to say: "I know, let's chance that other manager and see if he get's us into the stamina sapping EL next season to totally screw up that season's chance of staying in the PL".

Not happening.

BTW, the bit about betting was underhand and sly...I loved it.

daz4matty · December 28, 2015

davek said:
Qualifying for Europe wont be the measuring stick mate. Developing a team and a style of play and addressing defensive frailities will be the task of the second half of the season.

No question 60 pts plus this good cup run is more than enough.

We aren't a club that changes managers like socks.

Thats why we have won no trophies in the last 20 years.
When we have a manager who is out of his depth we need to have the strength to get shut

Shagster · December 28, 2015

davek said:
It's performance over results for me this season. Not madly so, like. We need to finish top half and will.

The footy is going forward is sublime. A GK solves the defensive weakness. It's all doable...and we will do it.

What evidence do you have to demonstrate that the performances this season will produce tangible results next season?

Woolly Blue · December 28, 2015

davek said:
No new owner attracted in for the tv cash is going to say: "I know, let's chance that other manager and see if he get's us into the stamina sapping EL next season to totally screw up that season's chance of staying in the PL".

Not happening.

Time will tell.