Plan B??

D410 · March 21, 2015

The players are thinking Plan C - Get rid

PhilM · March 21, 2015

Groucho said:
We'll have a plan B. We'll have a very carefully devised plan B.

The issue is, he isn't willing to use it.

Exactly. To change from his primary philosophy would be to admit that his philosophy isn't just perfect, rather that in many cases it's incorrect.

Great managers will adhere to their overall philosophy where it is suited, although equally the ability to adapt where it is required.

Rigidly maintaining the primary approach to the point of almost stupidity is his real downfall this season.

Stanley Parker · March 21, 2015

D410 said:
The players are thinking Plan C - Get rid

The players should be careful. They might not measure up under a new manager.

Dario Terracotta · March 21, 2015

Lets just stick to Plan A and see where it takes us...................oh hang onlol

Eggs · March 21, 2015

...I've heard folk talk about a plan B, but as far as I'm concerned I would like him to revert to plan A. I do think RM tries to be too clever at times, Thursday being an example where he should've played conventional midfield making us hard to beat rather than Naismith and Atsu playing narrow and not protecting full backs.

No plan B, no plan A.

Goodison87 · March 21, 2015

Stanley Parker said:
The players should be careful. They might not measure up under a new manager.

They are not measuring up for their current manager, may be that's the problem?

Kiwi · March 21, 2015

The answer isn't playing players out of position.
Besides, something that sounds good in practise doesn't always hold up well in reality.
Coleman and Baines are very good fullbacks.
They'd probably contribute well defensively. But I suspect they won't contribute in an attacking manner as effectively as some of our other players might.

I consider the "role" of a winger or wide attacking midfielder to get past or around the fullback and put an attacking ball into the box.
We all know that Baines can put wonderful incisive balls into the box when he feels like it. However he's hardly renowned for being able to get past a man with fancy footwork. Bainsey is at his best when making overlapping runs and doing little one twos with the winger which gets him into space so as to put in a good ball.

Likewise Coleman. On his day is able to beat a man, but has benefited from overlaps which places him in a one on one situation.
Of late hasn't even been able to beat his man all that consistently. Often wingers have to deal with and beat two defenders in tight spaces.
Then you consider his delivery into the box. It is crap. McGeady puts in better crosses than Coleman does.

Just can't see it working really, as good a pair of fullbacks as they are, and despite what they contribute offensively I think the gaps to their game would inhibit their effectiveness.

Stanley Parker · March 21, 2015

But we saw last season that Coleman and Baines - as well as Oviedo and Garbutt - can contribute to the attack, both making chances and scoring goals.

Walken · March 21, 2015

we solve the problem of not playing wingers on the wing by not playing wingers on the wing?

Jags..class · March 21, 2015

Is his favourites which annoy me, he dropped Robles and besic for Barry and Howard. Won't play 2 wingers, playing Naismith all the time

Carlito · March 21, 2015

Plan B is get beat.

hktoffee · March 21, 2015

Plan B？Martinez has only one plan in his mind we all know what it is.

Toffeelover · March 21, 2015

Stanley Parker said:
Fans may not recognise it, but Roberto does have a Plan B. For example, in the derby, bringing on Alcaraz for Besic was in fact an attacking move. It changed the balance of play, and came ever so close to changing the result too.

Everton had contained the threat of Liverpool, and tried to pinch a winning goal at the end. By switching to a back three, Roberto was actually pushing the two fullbacks further forward. And it very nearly worked. Barkley - who had come on for Naismith - played a long diagonal pass to Coleman running up the wing unmarked. His powerful shot produced the save of the game from Mignolet.

You can debate whether Roberto could - or should - have made the change earlier. But the change opened up the play, and Liverpool could have taken advantage of the space behind Coleman and Oviedo. Roberto was determined not to lose the game, and so he made the change quite late.

The change showed that Roberto does have the ability to impose a change on the game. It's a pity that he hasn't been able to impose his authority more often. The Gwladys Street End booed the arrival of Alcaraz, regarding it as a defensive change. They simply got it wrong. And if they can't tell the difference between attack and defence, then they may not be the best people to pass judgement on Roberto.

Plan B on Thursday was not much use then, taking a couple of for Kone and Osman then bring Besic on with a few minutes to go. Damage was done and the game out of reach.

Stanley Parker · March 21, 2015

Toffeelover said:
Plan B on Thursday was not much use then, taking a couple of for Kone and Osman then bring Besic on with a few minutes to go. Damage was done and the game out of reach.

Roberto isn't limited to Plan A or Plan B. He tightened up the defence in the new year with three clean sheets, and only conceded a last minute goal from a deflected shot at Chelsea.

But the game at Kiev was reminiscent of the home defeat against Chelsea. The defence was caught out early in the game and never really settled after that. The team went forward in search of goals and the defence was exposed over and over again.