Roberto Martinez discussion

[Chang Elephant]

What is the consensus on putting Gibson at centre half and swapping Stones to right back and consequent concerns about our managers mental state ?

It worked. Gibson had a very good game.

it looked mental, but we didnt concede and it created a few opportunities...

...and with Jags out for a while, we possibly have another centre back option who will play the ball forward naturally, thus reducing the chance of Hibbo playing CB in an emergency.

Genuinely interested that Gibson is now being seen as a centre half option and one worth moving Stones to right back to accommodate. A stroke of managerial genius/flexibility.

 

[neil999]

Genuinely interested that Gibson is now being seen as a centre half option and one worth moving Stones to right back to accommodate. A stroke of managerial genius/flexibility.

haha! it worked in the game as...well we won, im not sure i'd want to try it in the premiership tho

 

[Saint Domingo]

Genuinely interested that Gibson is now being seen as a centre half option and one worth moving Stones to right back to accommodate. A stroke of managerial genius/flexibility.

Any decent side will expose him in that position. He's short, slow, and has played there once in his career against Norwich's B team. Big Sam would be rubbing his hands at the thought of Gibson at CB against them.

 

[Chang Elephant]

im not sure i'd want to try it in the premiership tho

Express your doubts Neil......

 

[neil999]

Express your doubts Neil......

he's a midfielder

 

[Mikey_Fitzgerald]

Sack him before the Boro game and get Moyes or Sherwood in.

There's a certain faux Irishman available on the market as well..................

 

[Mikey_Fitzgerald]

surely you jest...don't you?

Of course he bloody is

Not even Goat is capable of such insanity

 

[davek]

All these angry pages after we won a cup fixture. Check out what happened in day two of this round of the league cup. Folks need to hold their tongue until there is actually a result or a run to complain about.

All from a familiar handful of tortured souls plus a smattering of Kopites desperate to forget their own catastrophic managerial appointment.

I feel sorry for the Evertonians amongst them, though. I mean, imagine not having been able to support your own team over the past two and a bit seasons (with another three or four seasons in the wilderness stretching out before them) all because you have a 'vested interest' in seeing the manager gone?

I suppose that's their punishment. It must be horrible for them. Not being able to take any joy from an Everton win and keeping clear of all things Everton when we do, and only ever being happy when the club they apparently support gets beat.

I do worry for them.

 

[davids]

All these angry pages after we won a cup fixture. Check out what happened in day two of this round of the league cup. Folks need to hold their tongue until there is actually a result or a run to complain about.

And those of us old enough just need to think Mike Walker, before we post.

 

[degsy]

Of course he bloody is

Not even Goat is capable of such insanity

*holds chin and goes...Hmmm.

 

[degsy]

All from a familiar handful of tortured souls plus a smattering of Kopites desperate to forget their own catastrophic managerial appointment.

I feel sorry for the Evertonians amongst them, though. I mean, imagine not having been able to support your own team over the past two and a bit seasons (with another three or four seasons in the wilderness stretching out before them) all because you have a 'vested interest' in seeing the manager gone?

I suppose that's their punishment. It must be horrible for them. Not being able to take any joy from an Everton win and keeping clear of all things Everton when we do, and only ever being happy when the club they apparently support gets beat.

I do worry for them.

Been supporting since 1960, always have, always will and had more seasons in the wilderness than not, It didn't phase me then and you won't now.

#don'tcryformeargentina

 

[Mikey_Fitzgerald]

So Howard has already been picked for Sunday over Robles. This despite Robles being solely responsible for us getting through to the cup QFs and Howard 'going through a sticky patch' to put it as kindly as possible.

Absolute bottle job Martinez. Have a word with yourself and don't be so cowardly and face up to having to make difficult decisions. Losing patience with him here.

Knowing Howard, he'll probably have his one good game of the month on Sunday and Martinez will come out of it smelling like a rose

Howard was excellent against Southampton and Spurs this season, and absolutely wretched in other matches

That being said, Robles shipped 3 to Barnsley FFS

I would pick Robles, just because he's coming off a great performance, his spirits will be high and maybe this could be the kick up the bum Howard needs?

However, @davek made a good point that if Howard hasn't lost the dressing room yet, it could cause a rift if Martinez discards him now. Maybe Howard needs to have another stinker so that Martinez has justification to drop him?

I would still go with Robles and maybe pull Howard to one side and say that the story to the press would be that he'd had a knock in training, so as not to make it look like he'd been dropped and also make it clear that he could still easily turn things around if his keeping improved

Meanwhile, Robles gets a bit of a run and a chance to build some momentum

 

[Chang Elephant]

I feel sorry for the Evertonians amongst them, though. I mean, imagine not having been able to support your own team over the past two and a bit seasons (with another three or four seasons in the wilderness stretching out before them) all because you have a 'vested interest' in seeing the manager gone?

I suppose that's their punishment. It must be horrible for them. Not being able to take any joy from an Everton win and keeping clear of all things Everton when we do, and only ever being happy when the club they apparently support gets beat.

I do worry for them.

Very harsh on Chico, Dave

He's picked a half arsed team that has made a hash of a plum tie at home to a dogshit Norwich. In our easiest chance of a cup this season. In a cup we have never ever won.

We're not in Europe so where's the need for this shitty squad rotation? We've just played one hour of Gibson at centre back, Stones at right back and a powder puff Osman floating round midfield. The manager has as much culpability as the players he has picked mate.

 

[davek]

Very harsh on Chico, Dave

chico is not a Bobby-denier.

 

[l4toffee]

And those of us old enough just need to think Mike Walker, before we post.

I haven't followed this thread. But have you just compared Martinez and mike walker ?