Newcastle v Everton. 28th Dec at 16.15.

[banno]

Its not knee jerk but we have to look at what we have available to us. For me Mirallas is our main man but I fear we are going to lose him.
My take on todays team and performance

Robles.....indecisive on crosses but excellent reflex save today although he was caught in 2 minds whether to come or go.

Coleman....To be quite honest I would take any offer over 20 million for him. Not great defensively and not to good going forward at the moment.

Alcarez....I like him for his reading of the game and on the ball but too slow for longer term

Distin.... Think he is done for. He is Dracula at the moment on crosses and his distribution is awful.

Garbutt...Bright future but not quite ready as the longer the game went the worse he became.

McGeady.. Erm nothing to be said other than he flatters to deceive. Looks quick and useful but giving the ball away too often.

McCarthy...Great engine and covers every blade of grass but his job is defensive midfield and nothing else. Need him to break up play and that's it.

Barry....Shadow of last season. Pedestrian and his passing has dipped to below par. Becoming a hindrance

Baines...Energetic today in new position but needs to grow into it. Think he can be good there. Great ball for Mirallas

Eto....Luxury player and too clever for the rest of the team.

Kone... Looked useful considering the amount of time out the game. Defo entitled to further games.

Barkley....Still learning but has class also has big mistakes in him.

Mirallas...No doubt our main threat. Took his goal really well.

Lukaku....Looks lost at the moment and doesn't suit our pedestrian play. Needs quicker passes through to him and still has a way to go yet.

Overall we lack movement, speed and direction. We allow too much time and space for the opposition to pick and choose a pass. Our movement is not into space but directly on the shoulder of the opposition. We rush back to defend the box too much rather than be closer to the opposition further upfield. I would say at the moment Hibbert would be a better proposition than Coleman for defence alone. We are now being exploited very easily on our flanks.

Think we need to start again from the back to forwards rather than forwards to back. The majority of goals conceded this season are through blatant mistakes rather than them earning the goals. A Martinez trait maybe? I hope not.

 

[deipnosophist]

I've stopped caring about the other results. We're too far behind to get top 4 and don't care about getting Europa plus we won't get relegated.

I'm just looking for the performances to turn around to give us a chance in the cups.

I think you are right mate, but I don't take anything for granted. The likes of Palace, Villa, Sunderland, Hull, Burnley, Leicester, QPR are genuine rivals this season and I want to see them drop points on us, not gain them like what occurred today (ex Hull)

 

[marty mcfly]

Alcaraz is definitely a Martinez type player...Jags, Distin are not. McGeady should be, but isn't. Barkley is hyped as a future world class player but at his age, is not a tenth as good as Rooney was at 16.His future could even go a bit Rodwell. Souness today was spot on. To play out from the back you have to have the players to do it. I said this in the Southampton match thread. It will take more time to get the right players in every position. Martinez needs to mix it ...clear the lines when necessary, but ensure that the ball doesn't come straight back at us. Bright spots today...Two good goals, and Kone looks like a player.

McGeady isn't because he's too wasteful like their goal today showed. He's random, sometimes very good, often awful even when not under a great deal of pressure.

However I would still have him in the team instead of Eto'o, Barkley or Naismith out wide.

 

[Del]

It's like utd players Last season, played poorly under a manger they didnt want or respect

 

[Seanjj]

West Ham is a cup game

Oh well we should consider the cup games very important especially this season as we more than likely won't finish top 4..so we need our best side playing.

 

[Toffee-nerd]

thought Baines did ok today...certainly pressed more like a McCarthy than a Ross. it is not necessarily a pisstake decision.

again before we get to see how todays team might fare in normal circumstances two of our players kill the game with stupid mistakes.

for me this stuff has to be taken into context.

Baines did ok as did garbutt but my point was by moving players around and playing them out of position he's encouraging indecision and doubt throughout the team. To win games we need a bit of stability in the side, get back to basics, play our best 11 in their best positions and hope the players can turn it around.

By constantly chopping and changing he's not helping things, it would be understandable if he were resting Baines or didn't have any other options in midfield but he's got besic on the bench and not played him. These are players he's bringing in, if he doesn't have the confidence to play them, so much so that he's moving the team around to avoid playing them, it's not a good sign.

His comments and demeanor at the moment are very reminiscent of his days at Wigan. He always goes for positives which I admire but sometimes you have to tell it how it is. If he's towing this everything is " incredible and phenomenal" line behind closed doors it's no wonder players performances are dipping. If he's telling them they were incredible after a 3-0 pasting against a Southampton side without 3 of their best players he's hardly encouraging them to improve is he?

 

[CahillsCornerFlag]

It's like utd players Last season, played poorly under a manger they didnt want or respect

Fear you are right. They need a rocket up their arse and they aren't getting one no matter how badly they play.

 

[Librarian]

Like Christmas in Bob Cratchit's house this.

 

[Jacob]

When I'm having a shitter at work I want my team to be with me, not against me. Having sniping going on and some of the crazy rubbish that's been written on here and other forums does increase the pressure. Journalists read forums....check the Daily Mail thread for a good example.....and Blues going OTT and withdrawing support fuels that. I've no problem with people suggesting the manager or players aren't good enough, and having the view that they should go, but some of the trash written on here is a joke.
If fan support does nothing why does anyone bother going?

The hysterics don't surprise me ...good job facebook "OMF God" etc wasn't out when we nearly went down. People need to calm down...stick together and stop being internet footie managers and rigging up the noose for RM. We'll get through this...weve been through worse. Well some of us. Calm the f down

 

[evertony]

Short memories??? We older Blues have very strong memories and know the signs of a side in freefall and going into a backs to the wall relegation battle. We also remember that it was decisive action in 1994/5 that stopped us from relegation then, possibly too when Smith was given the bullet. They're our memories pal so don't be so patronising.

If the cap doesn't fit don't wear it mate.....not any intention of being patronising. For your info I'm "an older Blue", likely older than you going by your sig, and I've been watching them since the early 70's, and I've seen much much worse than this. You have your view, I have mine.....you think we're in free fall, I don't.

 

[kenada_blue]

It's like utd players Last season, played poorly under a manger they didnt want or respect

Always bringing the jokes

 

[marty mcfly]

This. Need to ring the changes in midfield. I'm taking it McCarthy's injured?

I would have Baines, Osman or Barkley alongside Besic in midfield before Gibson and Barry who both look finished.

 

[mrb85]

If fan support does nothing why does anyone bother going?

Errm, let me see......how about because we follow and feel for our club?

 

[Joey66]

People going on about Eto'o- he was playing on the left for crying out loud. Attacking mid I can put up with, but he is a striker! Martinez made plenty of changes today, which we were crying out for, but all he did was confuse an already baffled-looking side. The players are just as much to blame as well. Let's be fair, there must be something going on or something to have caused such an uninspiring season. The problem is now it's turning into a disastrous one. It's groundhog day I reckon and Martinez really needs to give some clear direction and changes in the next few weeks, but judging from the waffling in his interviews I'm not sure even he has a clear philosophy, apart from to pass the ball.

ETO was never on the left he was in Ross Barkley? Naismiths role, and was totally useless waste of space - he is a striker end off!
His passing was poor and he missed an easy chance to make it 2-2 - if you state he was on the left then that makes it 4 players as in the 2nd half we had - Garbutt - Baines -Mageedy/ Mirallis on the left - no one in front of Coleman - First half RM had a balanced side - one change and it went to pot!

 

[Seanjj]

News alert - Moyes is the manager of Real Sociedad.

part time..he can also use his phone to drill his defensive ideas into the back 5 including Howard