A little bit of praise

[Tubey]

It takes some going to make davek look like a Martinez critic by comparison, but this thread did it. Nicely done.

 

[SpurtingLesbian]

we're looking for the magical 40 points again

see the fixture list and see where it comes from

Playing like we can, we could get points in every game. Playing as we are it will be a hard slog

 

[Khalekan]

He seems to have lost the dressing room, i would much rather see him gone and have Mirallas and Eto'o stay than to see our team fall apart and have him in charge of us in the championship.

I am a fan of Martinez and i pray for his sake and Everton's that he changes it around. If for the next game he went 4-4-2 or played oviedo over naismith or mirallas (you know just little tweaks) then i would be able to see that he has realised there is a problem. At the minute playing the same old formation and players is a little depressing and insane if i am honest.

I will still try keeping the faith.

I think to be fair, Paul, that is what happened in the three games prior to the Baggies game.

He didn't go 4-4-2 but at least they were going long trying to hit Lukaku early and the ball was moved forward a lot quicker.

We looked more like the thing in those games, albeit it we didn't win any if them.

But neither did we lose, except on penalties on a game we dominated after going down to ten men.

It looked like a lesson had been learned.

I am hoping, nay convinced, that Baggies was an aberration

They refused to play football in the conventional sense of the game so we were never in a position to do owt but camp out round their penalty box looking for a way through the human shield Pulis had set up.

Granted, we should have been shooting more and trying to make things happen rather than constantly passing back an forth....but that was a complainto mine even last season when we were going well.

I expect to see the new realism from Bobby return in the next two games when Palace will have to play a bit at home and the RS will give us a chance to counter with Rom and hopefully a suitably contrite Mirallas.

 

[The Cowboy]

I think to be fair, Paul, that is what happened in the three games prior to the Baggies game.

He didn't go 4-4-2 but at least they were going long trying to hit Lukaku early and the ball was moved forward a lot quicker.

We looked more like the thing in those games, albeit it we didn't win any if them.

But neither did we lose, except on penalties on a game we dominated after going down to ten men.

It looked like a lesson had been learned.

I am hoping, nay convinced, that Baggies was an aberration

They refused to play football in the conventional sense of the game so we were never in a position to do owt but camp out round their penalty box looking for a way through the human shield Pulis had set up.

Granted, we should have been shooting more and trying to make things happen rather than constantly passing back an forth....but that was a complainto mine even last season when we were going well.

I expect to see the new realism from Bobby return in the next two games when Palace will have to play a bit at home and the RS will give us a chance to counter with Rom and hopefully a suitably contrite Mirallas.

Worryingly, the rare occasions where WBA actually broke out of defence and went on attack were the best goalscoring chances of the entire game. Defence did well to snuff them out, but WBA's attacks were far more convincing than pretty much anything we managed to produce, for all our possession. It's our final 3rd indecisiveness that continues to hold us back.

 

[daz4matty]

...it's clearly not good and we are dropping into serious doo doo. I'm not on the sack him bandwagon, though. I'm clinging to the fact that most successful managers have to overcome a period when they are close to dismissal. The very best turn it around, it's up to RM to do that before it's too late.

That's a good post but the worry is when teams go through bad patches the manager comes into his own and changes things to sort the problem.
Martinez is not changing things enough and the players and fans have even told him.
He should not gamble with our club.
He needs to change the tactics,keep us in the league then sort it in the summer.
Fans are rightly worried by his stubborness

 

[Khalekan]

Worryingly, the rare occasions where WBA actually broke out of defence and went on attack were the best goalscoring chances of the entire game. Defence did well to snuff them out, but WBA's attacks were far more convincing than pretty much anything we managed to produce, for all our possession. It's our final 3rd indecisiveness that continues to hold us back.

I would say we were easier to attack than they were, Cowboy, simply because they could attack two or three men were every time we had the ball they had eight men in the box.

 

[The Cowboy]

I would say we were easier to attack than they were, Cowboy, simply because they could attack two or three men were every time we had the ball they had eight men in the box.

Fair. Perhaps we should have sat back a little then, give them the idea that they can step out and attack for themselves, and then we'd be able to attack a less-congested final 3rd.

 

[sageyefc]

Im still confident that if we can win 2 or 3 games it'll do wonders for the fans and the players and we'll pick right up and finish strongly. Its just getting the initial wins to begin with, even when we've won a game we'll go and lose the next.

 

[Khalekan]

we're looking for the magical 40 points again

see the fixture list and see where it comes from

Nor me.

I am consoling myself in thinking that 36 allied to a reasonably small negative goal difference will spell safety this season.

At the moment we are comfortable in the goal difference deoartment re the bottom four or five so that at least is one point in the bank.

 

[blukaku]

i am pro martinez (trying my best) however he does not deserve any praise, he has got his tactis wrong. also "a young team"? erm nooooooo. "keep playing as we are and we will grow in confidance?" nooooooooo we are old and playing crap. he needs to change this, and if he dares drop besic when mccarthy is back and not Barry then he will see what supports that are left for him, go.

As I said, we are a young team but with a lot of dead wood. If you look at are starting 11, we have Joel, Lukaku, Barkley, Besic, Stones and McCarthy who are all 24 and under (most are 21 and under). Thats over 50% of the team who I think most would still consider as young.
re Tactics, I dont think there is a massive problem with tactics, I think it is a confidence thing. I still think you blame the manager here, as the best managers know how to overcome periods of low confidence but Bobby is a young manager. He will sort it out.

 

[Eggs]

That's a good post but the worry is when teams go through bad patches the manager comes into his own and changes things to sort the problem.
Martinez is not changing things enough and the players and fans have even told him.
He should not gamble with our club.
He needs to change the tactics,keep us in the league then sort it in the summer.
Fans are rightly worried by his stubborness

....yep, anything we do could be considered high risk. As you say, there's no real evidence that he's managing to turn things around (some might say that at least we didn't lose to City and the Baggies). It's that squeaky bum time when clubs in free fall get rid but that's risky too and history shows that clubs who change regularly end up on a road to nowhere.

It's a difficult one.

 

[blukaku]

Young team???? Quite a few games this season we've had the average oldest team that weekend.

Thats due to injuries though mate. Our first team, which I would consider to be Robles, Coleman, Jags, Stones, Baines, McCarthy, Besic, Mirallas, Naismith, Barkley, Rom has an average age of 24 ish. The age issue is due to the dead wood in the squad i.e. hibbert, alcaraz etc

 

[Dithering Dougie]

Thats due to injuries though mate. Our first team, which I would consider to be Robles, Coleman, Jags, Stones, Baines, McCarthy, Besic, Mirallas, Naismith, Barkley, Rom has an average age of 24 ish. The age issue is due to the dead wood in the squad i.e. hibbert, alcaraz etc

There's no way that Howard, Barry and Pienaar aren't in our 'first team' if we pretend everyone's fit pal.

 

[daz4matty]

....yep, anything we do could be considered high risk. As you say, there's no real evidence that he's managing to turn things around (some might say that at least we didn't lose to City and the Baggies). It's that squeaky bum time when clubs in free fall get rid but that's risky too and history shows that clubs who change regularly end up on a road to nowhere.

It's a difficult one.

I think if we lose the next 2 games he has to go.
If you leave it any longer and it could be too late.

 

[Eggs]

I think if we lose the next 2 games he has to go.
If you leave it any longer and it could be too late.

...sacked if we lose to the Reds, they'd be delighted with that. I don't see it happening then but I think much depends on what is happening inside the dressing room. Surely Bill and the Board have an insight as to whether there is a revolt or if most that matter are still with the manager. Time will tell.