WHAT NOW FOR THE REMAINDER OF THE SEASON?

[RFUS]

Think 5th is realistic if we get some form back. We've got 2 games in hand on Spurs so technically that's in our own hands.

7th might well be Europe is the semi final draw for the FA Cup is favourable; if not, then we need to fight for 6th minimum. I just want an improvement and something to be happy with -- getting back into Europe is certainly that.

 

[Steve Wigan]

He really need to think about this problem, both are decent players, but offer nothing at all going forward. Plus I think Barry has gone off the boil recently and looks even slower than I remembered.

I'd give my right ball for a good old box to box midfielder right now.

I think Martinez is progressive all the time...he will keep with the present set up until it is second nature to the squad, and then develop the game plan further from that point, depending on comings and goings on the playing front. We know he will flirt with three at the back again, but that is only one more game plan, depending on circumstances. Roberto has a complete range of tactical ability, but we may not see the complete range for a while yet. The difference with the previous manager is that Moyes has LIMITED tactical ability, and inevitably hit a wall. The new regime will continue to develop tactically ad infinitum.

 

[Ara]

I maybe be mad but I still think 4th is get able it's unlikely yes but Araenal have a tuff fixture list and IF we can go on a winning run we might catch them, yes it's 11 points gap but we do have a home game in hand, beating Cardiff at home is a must on Saturday and go from there, we been more behind and had thread opon thread saying it's on, I for one believe we can do it.

 

[toffeejack]

You get in the Champions League for winning it, we've got about as much chance of getting in that way as by finishing in the top 4 next season.

I don't know why people seem to obsess over the Champions League, you don't get a trophy for qualifying for it. Getting in it would be good for the teams we'd end up playing, but the likelihood is we'd get dumped out at the end of the group stages. Martinez is good, he's not a god.

We're not going to become a force in football by qualifying for the Champions League the odd time, it would require sustained investment.

And btw, the same season we played the most Europa League matches in the last ten years was the same season we finished with our highest points total of that period. Don't buy that the Europa wrecks a season at all.

yes, like i said brennan, put it in your signature or save as a template to save writing it haha

 

[The Hibbert Agenda]

What now:

• aim for 5th- if you don't think we can end above United and Spurs this season then you have no ambition
• beat as many of our rivals as possible- all of our big matches are at home from now on, vs United, Arsenal, City. If we beat all 3, and why not- we have nothing to really lose- we can approach next season's fixtures with less of an underdog feature (Martinez has had to field these questions every time this season)
• follows from point 1 but get Europa League- you might think its a poisoned chalice but a club like Everton needs to play European football- it will allow Martinez to demand investment to handle the larger fixture list, and allow him to play the youngsters he's been forced to loan out though he's said he likes (Browning, McAleny, Green, Lundstram, Duffy)

 

[GwladysBlue]

I'm worried that by getting Europa League Martinez is going to buy a bunch of 30+ year old players. He has said it requires a different squad of experienced players for Europe.

 

[toffeejack]

starting to get a bad feeling about united game now. normally moyes would bottle this type of game, but i think he'll feel he'll have something to prove to us, he has an abundance of wealth up front to just throw everything at us.
whoever wins that will finish the higher most probs. we can definitely get 6/7 points from those 3, reckon we'll get 4 though.

 

[toffeejack]

I'm worried that by getting Europa League Martinez is going to buy a bunch of 30+ year old players. He has said it requires a different squad of experienced players for Europe.

we do have a lot of youth in our team tbh. we have experienced centre backs and in DM and in goal, which is what you need really. you can't have a first team where the players in these positions are all youngsters. pienaar is getting on a bit, but he could well be on the verge of losing his first team place by next season.

i'd think he'd go for a mix of experience and potential.

 

[Anna]

I think yesterday proved that the team is in desperate need of freshening up. Qualifying for Europa League is deffo on, but why not rest Barry, play Lukaku and Naismith upfront together, let McGeady and Deulofeu loose to cause havoc.
I think our problem now is we have become too predictable and most teams are happy to soak up our passing game and just wait to hit us on the break (case and point the Anfield debacle and yesterday). Switching it up would give them something else to think about. Also from the kick off yesterday every one of those players looked burnt out, I know we don't have (and have never really had) a massive squad where we can afford for rotation, but we have to use all resources available to us.

I'd be made up if we got back into Europe.

 

[GwladysBlue]

we do have a lot of youth in our team tbh. we have experienced centre backs and in DM and in goal, which is what you need really. you can't have a first team where the players in these positions are all youngsters. pienaar is getting on a bit, but he could well be on the verge of losing his first team place by next season.

i'd think he'd go for a mix of experience and potential.

Howard, Distin, Pienaar, Barry, Osman, Kone (ha) are all players who will need replacing within the next 2 seasons. Add to that, that Deulofeu and Lukaku are not our players then I can see a big rebuilding job needing to be done at Everton over the next couple of seasons. There is no point thinking short-term by signing players only a few years behind the ones that currently need replacing.

 

[toffeejack]

Howard, Distin, Pienaar, Barry, Osman, Kone (ha) are all players who will need replacing within the next 2 seasons. Add to that, that Deulofeu and Lukaku are not our players then I can see a big rebuilding job needing to be done at Everton over the next couple of seasons. There is no point thinking short-term by signing players only a few years behind the ones that currently need replacing.

think pienaar could be a squad player for more than two seasons yet, same with kone, but yeah i get your point. suppose we can't be looking that far forward yet.

 

[D410]

The players flicking through summer holiday mags.

 

[toffeejack]

The players flicking through summer holiday mags.

pretty sure most of them will be looking forward to their job a lot more than any on here.

seeing as they can go on a nice holiday 4/5 times a year, i doubt they look forward to it as much as us who have 4 weeks off a year.

these goes play internationals all over the world, they're on holiday all the time ffs.

so much envy.

 

[Toffe3m4n]

5th. 6th minimum.

 

[Brennan]

I'm worried that by getting Europa League Martinez is going to buy a bunch of 30+ year old players. He has said it requires a different squad of experienced players for Europe.

Howard, Distin, Pienaar, Barry, Osman, Kone (ha) are all players who will need replacing within the next 2 seasons. Add to that, that Deulofeu and Lukaku are not our players then I can see a big rebuilding job needing to be done at Everton over the next couple of seasons. There is no point thinking short-term by signing players only a few years behind the ones that currently need replacing.

I'm fairly sure a manager with his experience understands you can't just buy a load of old players.... He did just buy James McCarthy for £13m.