Newcastle v Everton. 28th Dec at 16.15.

[Toffeelover]

After his terrific loan season with us, we all wanted Barry full time.
Eto'o is a class act but in a misfiring line-up at present.
And from what I've been told, their deals are not ridiculous by the standards of many in the Prem.

Perhaps their deals are not OTT but we are stuck with them. Actually I was not for keeping Barry on, at the time he was making noises about other clubs, we should have said okay we will only give one year take it or leave it. I don't agree with keeping Hibbert or Osman either, next in line is Distin and let me say now he should go and Howard.

 

[DrBungle]

Keep the faith.

It's the lack of intensity/passion that's the big worry. The fighting spirit could well be needed at season's end.

 

[daz4matty]

Perhaps their deals are not OTT but we are stuck with them. Actually I was not for keeping Barry on, at the time he was making noises about other clubs, we should have said okay we will only give one year take it or leave it. I don't agree with keeping Hibbert or Osman either, next in line is Distin and let me say now he should go and Howard.

I bet we are collecting them for the over 35 thing that comes on sky every summer we are always cack in that

 

[Toffeelover]

Agreed.

There's a lot of revisionist history going on with Evertonians where players are concerned.

People are geniunely wondering NOW whether Lukaku, after last season, was worth the 28M we paid for him. Guarantee you they were the first to be happy clapping his signing and saying we were moving on to bigger and better things.

The word I saw was "slump."

Slumps are hard to break out of once you get into them. It also causes the questioning of ideas you might not normally question. I didn't question our signings (any of our signings) in the summer and I don't question them now.

So Alcaraz and Robles were fine signings? The only ex Wigan player that is any good is McCarthy we did not need the others.

 

[Stutheblue]

Agree on all but Pienaar. Has not had one good game this season

Pienaar is hardly ever fit these days.

 

[Toffeelover]

I bet we are collecting them for the over 35 thing that comes on sky every summer we are always cack in that

Daz we seem to be cack in a few things at the moment. I wish we were competing for the 7th place trophy rather than the 17th.

 

[jinkyali]

Pienaar is hardly ever fit these days.

Shock horror.
Him , Distin and Osman are absolute gobshite cowards who are screwing the manager big time.

 

[daz4matty]

Shock horror.
Him , Distin and Osman are absolute gobshite cowards who are screwing the manager big time.

The manager is screwing himself

 

[AndyC]

Perhaps their deals are not OTT but we are stuck with them. Actually I was not for keeping Barry on, at the time he was making noises about other clubs, we should have said okay we will only give one year take it or leave it. I don't agree with keeping Hibbert or Osman either, next in line is Distin and let me say now he should go and Howard.

I am fairly certain that GB was never going anywhere... all that kind of talk emanated from the Etihad especially the BS about him allegedly being offered a role with their New York club

 

[Toffeelover]

I am fairly certain that GB was never going anywhere... all that kind of talk emanated from the Etihad especially the BS about him allegedly being offered a role with their New York club

In which case one could say it was a nice bit of blackmail!

 

[mrb85]

It's the lack of intensity/passion that's the big worry. The fighting spirit could well be needed at season's end.

Indeed.

 

[Connor]

Can't be Martinez's fault that Distin can't win a header or Coleman can't close a cross down or a bad touch from Barkley, these are individual errors. Alright he picks the team but he doesn't go out and tell them to play like [Poor language removed] idiots. No, he's not banned from criticism because he is, because this is his team and he has to turn them around, somehow.

I'm only young but I've seen us play worse, a lot worse. Alright the past few records have been horrendous but not the point where they're going to define our season. We're not getting relegated at the minute, there's still plenty of time to turn this around starting with Hull.

One point I will make though in criticism of them, only 2/3 of the 11 looked arsed together and that did my head in, it looked as if it was a game in May and it didn't decide where we finished and people had checked out and we're ready for a holiday or break. We need the fight back, bit of bottle from those not arsed at the minute. That's how we'll turn this around, not [Poor language removed] turning on each other and calling each other kopites and that, that doesn't help anyone.

 

[mrb85]

Is the shock value of leaking 3 goals totally gone for evertonians?

Excellent observation. I think 'yes' is the answer.

 

[jinkyali]

Can't be Martinez's fault that Distin can't win a header or Coleman can't close a cross down or a bad touch from Barkley, these are individual errors. Alright he picks the team but he doesn't go out and tell them to play like [Poor language removed] idiots. No, he's not banned from criticism because he is, because this is his team and he has to turn them around, somehow.

I'm only young but I've seen us play worse, a lot worse. Alright the past few records have been horrendous but not the point where they're going to define our season. We're not getting relegated at the minute, there's still plenty of time to turn this around starting with Hull.

One point I will make though in criticism of them, only 2/3 of the 11 looked arsed together and that did my head in, it looked as if it was a game in May and it didn't decide where we finished and people had checked out and we're ready for a holiday or break. We need the fight back, bit of bottle from those not arsed at the minute. That's how we'll turn this around, not [Poor language removed] turning on each other and calling each other kopites and that, that doesn't help anyone.

If you look at the three who were arsed, all of them are Martinez players in Alcaraz, Kone and to an extent McCarthy. Credit to Mirallas too.

 

[streeky]

still trying to come to terms with our system today. We started out dropping off ,inviting them into our half in a sort of counter attack style, when they equalised we stated the possession football again. We also had zero pressing up front ,then sometimes Mc Carthy or bainsey would press a bit, but for the majority of the game we just sat back and admired the silky skills of a pub team. Martinez has got so many things right behind the scenes with the way the club is run plus our community work but someone with a Fifa pro licence must be able to organize a way to press our opponents when they have the ball, be it counter or possession.