The next eleven days..

[bainesontoast]

I think we're definitely going to need at lease one of Barkley/Deulofeu back if we're going to win the derby. Especially with Coleman now possilbly a doubt...these are probably our most creative players along with Baines...typical that these injuries always seem to coincide with visits to the dark side....Satan really is a RS, I'm convinced

In regards to Deulofeu, I think its pretty obvious what Martinez is doing allowing him to stay in Barcelona to recover. The warm weather, around people he's known since he was 9, etc. Expect a "Deulefeu is fit and raring to go" statement in the build up to the derby. I'm also convinced that the club are pulling a fast one on Barkley and dramatising his injury to get Brenda to plan for a game without him.

Coleman will be missed, he's the joint-best right back in the league with Zabaleta in terms of creativity. That said, the vast majority have accepted Stones and he's had a lot of praise for his performances at centre back, despite him coming to the club as a right back. I don't think he would be over awed at all if he was to start.

 

[royalbalou]

In regards to Deulofeu, I think its pretty obvious what Martinez is doing allowing him to stay in Barcelona to recover. The warm weather, around people he's known since he was 9, etc. Expect a "Deulefeu is fit and raring to go" statement in the build up to the derby. I'm also convinced that the club are pulling a fast one on Barkley and dramatising his injury to get Brenda to plan for a game without him.

Coleman will be missed, he's the joint-best right back in the league with Zabaleta in terms of creativity. That said, the vast majority have accepted Stones and he's had a lot of praise for his performances at centre back, despite him coming to the club as a right back. I don't think he would be over awed at all if he was to start.

I hope you're right...I can't see us keeping a clean sheet at their place, the goofy one is on fire so we're gonna need some creativity and there was very little of that in the team that played tonight.

 

[bicycleheader]

We have now dropped points away to Norwich, crystal palace, west brom, cardif, and stoke. We won't finish fourth.

We also "gained points by beating Chelsea and Man U, and got draws against Liverpool, Spurs and Arsenal. You can pick out the Spurs and Liverpool results and say the same for them as you have above.

The fact is all three are close together still. Spurs have the run of form just now but that will change. A likely result for me next week sees us draw and Spurs lose at home to Citeh.

Then we go on to a weekend where we have Villa at home while Spurs and Liverpool play away to Hull and West Brom respectively. With the results above I think will happen from the midweek games I can see us all excited for that weekend hoping the others draw points away from home, with them lot not playing until the Sunday especially.

This fume/excitement changes every week.

 

[bainesontoast]

I hope you're right...I can't see us keeping a clean sheet at their place, the goofy one is on fire so we're gonna need some creativity and there was very little of that in the team that played tonight.

Yeah, I think we can write off a clean sheet too. As for creatively, we could have 4, possibly 5 more creative options (if you include McGeady who was never going to start tonight) ready for that lot.

 

[bugsy]

dont think we will finish top 4 so winning fa cup and getting in europe would do me.if put weak team out sat and get beat just cos of the derby is stupid rather good cup run and win it.

 

[dannyboy]

Show some ambition and invest real money into the squad (At least £15m). That's the main thing for me over the next 11 days.

Yes, the derby is a massive game as always but I don't buy into it defining our season. Even if we lose we're only 4 points behind, that gap is bridgeable providing we buy the right players.

 

[LTblue]

We're well in the race for fourth, good result at Anfield puts us in the driving seat.

 

[royalbalou]

Shows us how good a season we're having really when you're disappointed with 42 points from 22 games and only drawing away games. However....
Despite being of the opinion that our first 11 when fully fit would definitely make the top 4, we now need more squad depth as this is what is likely to cost us at the finish. The summer dealings will take care of themselves, we are in contention for the Champions League, over half the season has gone..get the players in now, we may not get the same opportunity next season.

 

[deipnosophist]

I'm enjoying this to be honest, great tussle between the top 7!

We're as good as anyone.

respectfully disagree...that is why we are sixth

 

[JAYTALITY]

The doom and gloomers are out. We have to believe! We have more points at this stage of the start of
the start of the season. How can Evertonians find themselves a point of fourth in late January and doubt we can do it, regardless of injuries, I don't know.

Just to go off topic; I was in a bar in Dublin watching the match. Even though Liverpool where not playing there still was a half dozen pool fans there, not for the match just every second Irishman is a pool fan. When brom scored the screamed the place down. For the first time ever Irish Liverpool fans are taking us seriously. Even last year, even when we were ahead of them they wouldn't even engage in decent banter. Half them don't know a thing about the rivalry or give it no respect. Thick as ****. But something has them concerned this year. COYB

 

[njligernj]

To me the most logical explanation for last night is that the entire team (including Martinez) popped a few sleeping pills before the game and they gradually kicked in as the game wore on.

I absolutely love Martinez, but he definitely should have made subs around 60 minutes - one of which being Osman who offered zero throughout. I think that his starting tactics were bang on, and the test of Oviedo on the right was a quality move - but the lack of change to our tactics to match their changes was a let down.

What's the devil's advocate for keeping Ossie on for almost the entire game last night? I'm never that into the slating our players lark and Ossie has had some good days for us this year but last night I thought he was woeful. From reading the forum most people (all?) here agree.

So was it that the options on the bench weren't right? (I'll admit they weren't great but I'd take 30-45 minutes of Naismith over what Ossie had last night. Or Geads (yes!) on and Mirallas to the middle ... we had a few options.) Was Ossie adding value in other (very subtle) ways? Is Martinez worried about morale if he pulled him too early? What is it?

It genuinely confuses me when this happens because on the one hand it seems incredibly obvious that he's having a horrible game; on the other hand Martinez clearly knows massively more about football than we do and he left him on until practically the final whistle.

I'm not looking to criticize Martinez (or even Ossie really -- people have bad games) -- I genuinely wonder what it is that I'm missing because to me it seemed like a half-time (or at the latest 60 minute) sub was in order (not hindsight re: the goal I'm sure we all felt that way during the game). But Martinez is smart and experienced etc. so what would his thought process be?

I'm genuinely just interested in the thought process -- not in a "and then I'm going to criticize it" way. No judgement ... bad games happen and bad decisions happen. Just curious if anyone can make a case? What am I missing?

 

[Deloodid]

I think Aston Villa at home for me will be the big test. i remember last season that game was when i thought we lost our chance for Europe, If we dont get a win against Villa, i think we will drop away from the pack

 

[Toffeelover]

I have never been a fan of Osman as people on here may know but to start him, what does Roberto see in him, I wonder. Add to that why was Johnny on the bench for heavens sake? Never get him moved on at this rate.

 

[WarwickHunt]

For Stevenage we need to change the squad and allow key players to rest

Robles
Stones
Alacarez
Distin
Oviedo
Naismith
Heitinga
McCarthy
McGeady
Velios
Traore (if signed)

For Liverpool we have to go with

Howard
Stones
Jagielka
Distin
Baines
Mirallas
McCarthy
Barry
Oviedo
Barkley (if fit)
Lukaku

Next game is then Aston Villa on Saturday, will we have Pienaar and Coleman back by then? Hopefully.

Then we play Tottenham away which is a huge away game, 6 pointer. Should we have players back to full fitness with only Deulofeu out?

I haven't realised how much we've missed his attacking prowess. Him and Barkley have been missed. As soon as they're back the better.

 

[Deco]

To me the most logical explanation for last night is that the entire team (including Martinez) popped a few sleeping pills before the game and they gradually kicked in as the game wore on.

What's the devil's advocate for keeping Ossie on for almost the entire game last night? I'm never that into the slating our players lark and Ossie has had some good days for us this year but last night I thought he was woeful. From reading the forum most people (all?) here agree.

So was it that the options on the bench weren't right? (I'll admit they weren't great but I'd take 30-45 minutes of Naismith over what Ossie had last night. Or Geads (yes!) on and Mirallas to the middle ... we had a few options.) Was Ossie adding value in other (very subtle) ways? Is Martinez worried about morale if he pulled him too early? What is it?

It genuinely confuses me when this happens because on the one hand it seems incredibly obvious that he's having a horrible game; on the other hand Martinez clearly knows massively more about football than we do and he left him on until practically the final whistle.

I'm not looking to criticize Martinez (or even Ossie really -- people have bad games) -- I genuinely wonder what it is that I'm missing because to me it seemed like a half-time (or at the latest 60 minute) sub was in order (not hindsight re: the goal I'm sure we all felt that way during the game). But Martinez is smart and experienced etc. so what would his thought process be?

I'm genuinely just interested in the thought process -- not in a "and then I'm going to criticize it" way. No judgement ... bad games happen and bad decisions happen. Just curious if anyone can make a case? What am I missing?

I really don't know. I trust his judgement, but from half time I just knew Osman had to be replaced.

In the first half he seemed to be playing his part (despite making some awful passes), and this could have been a reason to keep him on. Maybe Martinez was just thinking "they're having a good 10 minutes, I'll keep Osman on as we'll regain control", and this turned into 20 or 30 minutes and by then it was too late.