"Two things have unarguably changed since Martinez took over"

[paulbefc]

The best change for me is the positivity when one goal ahead. This season, as soon as we've hit the front in a game, we haven't really looked like losing the lead, bar against City and for a relatively short period after the first goal against Hull.

We saw out the games against Chelsea, West Ham, Newcastle and Villa whilst still creating chances and being a threat, which makes it so much easier to watch as a fan and makes it a lot more difficult for our opposition. I'm really enjoying the positivity, as we have a team that's good enough to create and take its chances well enough to win regularly. At Wigan, it's debatable whether that was the most suitable tactic, but it should work more often than not here.

 

[davek]

I don't know where the original quote came from, but if the claim is that the playing style is the same, it's probably one of those rare animals in the meeja - a condescending koppite.

That horrible chip and charge diagonal ball from the half-way line - something I'll forever associate with the Moyes era - has all but been eliminated. When you have more people given responsibility to hold onto and carry the ball you cant help but create a different style of play. We can, and still do, knock it long (it'd be madness not to exploit Lukaku's presence in that respect) but the proportion of 'mixing it up' from a ground game to an aerial one has changed.

 

[paulbefc]

bit of both maybe...

http://www.mirror.co.uk/sport/football/news/chelseas-romelu-lukaku-praises-everton-2251518

Fair enough. He knows his football, Lukaku. I wonder if he'd been watching us last season too. We played some pretty ace stuff then as well, like.

 

[Librarian]

Fair enough. He knows his football, Lukaku. I wonder if he'd been watching us last season too. We played some pretty ace stuff then as well, like.

Definitely (for the most part) became one of the better footballing sides in the league in recent years and didn't always get the credit for it but we've been a bit of a strikers graveyard & all too often reverted to type when the pressure came on.

 

[BiggyRat]

Wasn't it Kevin Mirallas getting him in a room and not letting him leave until he agreed to join?

Kevin said he'd lock in a room with Howard until the vest went off.

 

[jtl60]

I think the best thing about Martinez is that he appreciated he was taking over a very good side and has only made minor changes, but they have both had a postive impact

A) Romelu Lukaku
B) Keeping hold of the ball.

Although oddly enough I thought we gave away the ball against Villa more than we had done all season

 

[davek]

 

[pfim]

The main point that Martinez is active rather than a reactive manager like Moyes is correct. But...



...I cant agree with that. The stats I read lately concerning us shortening our passing range and getting more people on the ball for dribbles backs up the perception we've left one playing style behind and taken up another. If by the above quote it's meant that we're as competitive as we were under Moyes, then fine.

Yeah, I mean, in terms of style, they're not the same at all. That isn't to say that Moyes was about hoofball and Martinez would rather pass than score, rather that Martinez would prefer retain possession of the ball with shorter passes than make a string of higher risk passes.

 

[Deloodid]

1, Coleman
2, Baines

we dont use them as an attacking force as much.

 

[Nobby Nobbs]

Another major change for me is the positivity that now surrounds the club, there seems to be a whole new atmosphere around the club from the backroom staff to the admin staff and the staff at the training ground, if the chief at finch farm is to be believed ( my daughter followed him on twitter of face book not sure) Martinez has time and a friendly word for everyone there and has changed the whole place with his approach to people un like Moyes who he say's never hardly spoke to anyone who had nothing to do with the playing side of things.

 

[davek]

Yeah, I mean, in terms of style, they're not the same at all. That isn't to say that Moyes was about hoofball and Martinez would rather pass than score, rather that Martinez would prefer retain possession of the ball with shorter passes than make a string of higher risk passes.

Under little or no pressure we resorted to the punt from within our own half an unforgivable amount of times; and we resorted to long passing from the half-way line into channels/just outside the opposition box (even with the likes of Arteta there in the middle capable of orchestrating affairs) to get attacks in motion way too many times. For a managerial regime that prided itself on data and the appliance of it to get results, we had a pretty unscientific approach to the actual playing of the game. They could play stylish football, especially off the flanks, and it was thrilling committed stuff on occasion, but we were never a team you could look at and take a lot of pride in. Not in my opinion anyway. We're a work in progress under Martinez, we seem to blow a bit hot and cold, but at least he's open and less conservative. He'll look to find ways of winning rather than not losing.

 

[mawders]

The OP makes some good points, but the biggest difference between last year and this is Lukaku.

It's not that simple. We are more measured, less long diagonal balls to Felli, and a better CM pairing in Barry and McCarthy

 

[Great Dane]

1) Giving youth a chance
2) Wanting to win in style
3) Getting James McCarthy...now go get James Morrison

 

[Khalekan]

4. Injuries (lack thereoff)

Maybe it is just luck but we seem to have almost a full squad to pick from each game (Darron Gibson notwithstanding, that lad was delicate even befiore he joined us).

Or is it the different, less manic style of play and an improved training regime?

 

[Shaun4658]

5. Brown shoes.