Hit it longggggg

[Zatara]

A point well made, however perhaps he thought distin/alcaraz could last for a season allowing galloway/browning to come through?

Also at the start of tbe season we had jagielka/distin/alcaraz/stones/browning/duffy/galloway all having some form of league game time. Thats 7 defenders, with duffy gone we have six and at the end of the season with distin and alcaraz going we should see what martinez intentions are.

Martinez dragged the club kicking and screaming away from the Moyes-era, semi-agricultural style of play and had us playing football for the first time in well over a decade. There was a generation of supporters who grew up thinking the Moyes' way was the Everton Way. It stands to reason that the first wobble under Martinez has some running for the security blanket of the long ball.

Martinez hasn't helped himself like by persisting with players like Jagielka and Distin who are VERY limited in their distribution. Stones being out also didn't help, but we all knew a younger cb was required in the summer and he never acted. The result is you get the likes of Distin launching it nowhere last week when we had the Spurs game under control and the ball is in the back of our net 5 seconds later.

We cant get rid of that pair of clowns quick enough, IMO.

 

[Smodger]

might just be people would like to see the ball in the other half of the feild.

 

[davek]

A point well made, however perhaps he thought distin/alcaraz could last for a season allowing galloway/browning to come through?

Also at the start of tbe season we had jagielka/distin/alcaraz/stones/browning/duffy/galloway all having some form of league game time. Thats 7 defenders, with duffy gone we have six and at the end of the season with distin and alcaraz going we should see what martinez intentions are.

We fall between two stools in that respect: we have experienced but older CBs and young, inexperienced players who may be good prospects.

What we require though are CBs with experience of playing at a decent competitive level who can come in and force the old guard through the exit door in the short term. Someone like Van Dijk who has a lot of games behind him in different leagues and tasted European football. Or Alderweireld who's even more experienced and still youngish.

 

[granter79]

Nothing wrong with switching things up a bit.

When the short passes aren't working, be a bit more direct, perhaps.

Totally agree. Players been alert when ball is hit to win second or even third ball 30 yards from goal n get us up the pitch.

 

[strummer]

Martinez dragged the club kicking and screaming away from the Moyes-era, semi-agricultural style of play and had us playing football for the first time in well over a decade. There was a generation of supporters who grew up thinking the Moyes' way was the Everton Way. It stands to reason that the first wobble under Martinez has some running for the security blanket of the long ball.

Martinez hasn't helped himself like by persisting with players like Jagielka and Distin who are VERY limited in their distribution. Stones being out also didn't help, but we all knew a younger cb was required in the summer and he never acted. The result is you get the likes of Distin launching it nowhere last week when we had the Spurs game under control and the ball is in the back of our net 5 seconds later.

We cant get rid of that pair of clowns quick enough, IMO.

 

[strummer]

To call Jagielka a clown is massively unfair

 

[MikeH72]

Some good points being raised here. However this discussion is entirely pointless, as Martinez will never change

 

[Zatara]

If we fast forward to the end of the season;

Jagielka / Stones
Galloway / Browning

The key is whether galloway and browning can step up to become good backups at least.

Either way, if we sign a top notch first teamer would he oust stones/jags? Would he slow down galloway/browmings progression...I dont know.

If it was me I'd be all over someone like Nastasic or the chap from Basle whose 22 and play them alongside Stones -- but what about our captain jagielka...

We fall between two stools in that respect: we have experienced but older CBs and young, inexperienced players who may be good prospects.

What we require though are CBs with experience of playing at a decent competitive level who can come in and force the old guard through the exit door in the short term. Someone like Van Dijk who has a lot of games behind him in different leagues and tasted European football. Or Alderweireld who's even more experienced and still youngish.

 

[The Mighty Quint]

What teams are doing to us, and Allardyce said as much last night on Sky, was the way to play us is push up high and put pressure on the centre backs, teams know we play out from the back and they hold a high line, they also know Distin and Jags are not great passers, this is where we miss Stones, who can bring it out of defence with a good pass or a run.

You start punting the odd one into the channels and going long and they won't push so high and get nervy about holding a high line, they have to drop deeper, which creates space in the middle of the park..

Moyes did this with us perfectly, it's an absolute myth we did not play good attractive possession football under Moyes because we did, but we'd mix it up with a bit of long ball and that kept teams guessing, we also had Fellaini who is a master at hold up play.

At the moment we are only playing one way and they've sussed how to pressure it.

 

[Zatara]

We need koeman.

Not koeman the manager but koeman the pinpoint passing defender.

What teams are doing to us, and Allardyce said as much last night on Sky, was the way to play us is push up high and put pressure on the centre backs, teams know we play out from the back and they hold a high line, they also know Distin and Jags are not great passers, this is where we miss Stones, who can bring it out of defence with a good pass or a run.

You start punting the odd one into the channels and going long and they won't push so high and get nervy about holding a high line, they have to drop deeper, which creates space in the middle of the park..

Moyes did this with us perfectly, it's an absolute myth we did not play good attractive possession football under Moyes because we did, but we'd mix it up with a bit of long ball and that kept teams guessing, we also had Fellaini who is a master at hold up play.

At the moment we are only playing one way and they've sussed how to pressure it.

 

[Rook]

Gerard was often a ball hog but I think brought something to our attack by constantly attacking the goal.

What teams are doing to us, and Allardyce said as much last night on Sky, was the way to play us is push up high and put pressure on the centre backs, teams know we play out from the back and they hold a high line, they also know Distin and Jags are not great passers, this is where we miss Stones, who can bring it out of defence with a good pass or a run.

You start punting the odd one into the channels and going long and they won't push so high and get nervy about holding a high line, they have to drop deeper, which creates space in the middle of the park..

Moyes did this with us perfectly, it's an absolute myth we did not play good attractive possession football under Moyes because we did, but we'd mix it up with a bit of long ball and that kept teams guessing, we also had Fellaini who is a master at hold up play.

At the moment we are only playing one way and they've sussed how to pressure it.

The last couple years we always seemed get around 60% possession, if only Jela did completely fall on his face.