Martínez is shown the scale of the task to change Everton's style

[Carlito]

It's going to be a helter skelter ride all season. Not for the faint hearts and wibble wobblers. Maybe they should stand aside for a bit.

It's certainly going to be interesting.

I'm looking forward to Martinez himself showing a bit more confidence. Once Long went off on Saturday I was waiting for a bold tactical switch - maybe to the 3-4-3 he used at Wigan - but he seems to be easing himself into the job. It could also be that he feels he needs Gibson back before he can try a more risky approach.

 

[Foot Long Hot Dog]

Just because you're a new manager doesn't mean you can't be held up to scrutiny. Martinez should get time to implement his ideas, no reason why we can't analyse it in the process.

Merely questioning the tactics or the logic behind them is seen as treason on here of late.

What's both galling & amusing is that the prime protagonists of this view appears to be Dave & Nigel ffs!

 

[Black Belt Jones]

Did the Wigan centre halves pass it about? Gary Caldwell seems like a typical agricultural, foot-through it centre half whenever I've seen him play (which is not often admittedly).
Asking Distin and Jags to effectively tippy-tap the ball out of defense seems like an impossible dream really. They both like to give it some toe and that's not going to change at this stage in their careers.

 

[Little Ralphy]

Decent article. Didn't we have the same issue last season whenever Gibson didn't play? Some of our players are too ponderous on the ball compared to Gibson who keeps it moving very quickly. I suspect this is why Martinez is looking at bringing in a few new faces in midfield perhaps at the expense of Fellaini so we are not so reliant upon one man.

It was always going to take time for his message to get across to the players, so far it's been almost more of the same, but I think there are signs there that things could look up.

Hopefully Gibson comes back soon, they water the grass a fair bit at Goodison and things start to gel a bit in the final third.

 

[billycopper]

Part of the problem is that we don't have much movement off the ball, so there are very few options for Jags and Distin other than to pass to each other since nobody is marking them. That's a hangover from the Moyes era, where the ball often bypassed the midfielder and it was a waste of energy making runs. I'm sure that the players will pick up the 'pass and move' philosophy pretty quickly.

 

[davek]

Did the Wigan centre halves pass it about? Gary Caldwell seems like a typical agricultural, foot-through it centre half whenever I've seen him play (which is not often admittedly).
Asking Distin and Jags to effectively tippy-tap the ball out of defense seems like an impossible dream really. They both like to give it some toe and that's not going to change at this stage in their careers.

My thinking too. They're very good covering defenders and for that reason Martinez wont want to disturb them, but I can see Stone coming through at some point in the near future. I don't think we'll wait too long to see Alcarez involved in some games either.

 

[riddick]

Part of the problem is that we don't have much movement off the ball, so there are very few options for Jags and Distin other than to pass to each other since nobody is marking them. That's a hangover from the Moyes era, where the ball often bypassed the midfielder and it was a waste of energy making runs. I'm sure that the players will pick up the 'pass and move' philosophy pretty quickly.

this is what I see as the problem too. midfield doesn't move enough to get into space.

then again, having three players in the box for a corner or one in there when the ball is on Baines' foot makes it pretty ****ing difficult to score too.

 

[Baines' left foot]

Just get behind the man FFS.

Like RFUS said, I didn't realise we had so many melts in our fan base.

 

[canuckblue]

Just because you're a new manager doesn't mean you can't be held up to scrutiny. Martinez should get time to implement his ideas, no reason why we can't analyse it in the process.

Analyzing Martinez' attempts at changing our style of play after two competitive matches is like doing a movie review after only seeing the opening credits.

 

[Pabbers]

So many people can see an issue with playing it out from the back, and with Distin & Jags being more cloggers than Footballing centre halves.

This is the exact reason why footballing, possesion keeping central midfielders are the key to this whole way of playing.

Spending most of the Fellaini money on a strikey will not solve that problem, adding consistant ability to the central of the park is an absolute must.

Gibson & McCarthy would offer Jags & Distan so many option, and they are very disciplined in a positional sense, allowing our attackers to actually attack.

 

[banno]

Analyzing Martinez' attempts at changing our style of play after two competitive matches is like doing a movie review after only seeing the opening credits.

Brilliant and so true

 

[dannyboy]

Analyzing Martinez' attempts at changing our style of play after two competitive matches is like doing a movie review after only seeing the opening credits.

If the team plays badly then people have the right to comment on it. Doesn't matter if he's been here 2 months or 2 years.

It'd be stupid to have a situation where we just follow blindly without any scrutiny. It's a forum, we're here to debate.

 

[kev101]

I don't see anybody really bitching at RM.
I just see a lot of people clamouring to look like a good blue all of a sudden.

 

[steken1]

It's worth remembering that Jags and Disty aren't being asked to play rapier through balls into a 5 yard gap in the oppo's centre halves. They're asked to give a look a up and play a ten yarder to a midfielder who's been told to make himself available, and take it back, if he's closed down quickly.

I've seen Jagielka do it to a decent enough standard for England many times with no problems. If you're a CB and you get carte blanche to launch it at the slightest pressure you'll take that as it minimises the chances of a goal costing error on your part and passing still isn't a pre-requisite for CB's in England. That's been the situation for a long time and they're still getting used to it changing.

I agree that passing for passing sake is a waste of time, especially, at home. We saw last season that good teams are happy to come and sit back and take a point at GP. They'll let us have the ball all day and try their luck from set pieces. We know the drill as we invented it really.

What will hopefully change as the players get used to it is movement off the ball will get much better and we'll be dragging people of of position. The other thing is that we'll move the ball quickly and accurately to take advantage of the gaps the movement has made. I think you can coach quick passing but you can't coach vision and to play through sides, not around them, and we might not have quite enough ATM to destroy sides they way some think we should.

Some, like Dave, are predicting a season before these methods take hold and all the players are used to it. Me, I think 6-10 games in we'll see an upward curve and the players looking comfortable. I also think after 10 games he'll 100% know his best team. And this shiit transfer window will be well, well shut.

 

[longdistanceblue]

The frustration is tempered with the fact that Moyesy wants to plunder the team....transfer window not shut yet and a couple could be on their way hmmmm

Whatever happens Martinez needs time and most importantly our backing