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Karl Parsons
1 Posted 16/02/2014 at 22:21:58
Accurate assessment Lyndon. We never got going and I've never seen so many back passes in all my life. Swansea came with a plan and made it very difficult. For me, the Anfield debacle is still playing on our minds. And as we now face a trip to Chelsea, confidence may take another knock before it gets stronger.

May be too early to tell about Traore, but on first impressions I don't think I will see many replica shirts knocking around Town just yet.

Anthony Flack
2 Posted 17/02/2014 at 06:36:02
Ha ha re the replica shirts, you might be wrong unless they have "the African Brett Angell" printed on them.
Christopher Timmins
3 Posted 17/02/2014 at 06:45:11
Flattered this week but less than flattered by the scoreline last week. The second weekend in March may determine whether we make it back to North London later in the year. Last two league games at Arsenal ended in draws, hopefully, the team can replicate their performance of pre Christmas.

Bottom line is that the season remains very much alive!

Jim Bennings
4 Posted 17/02/2014 at 10:15:26
Play Naismith where he was signed to play and where he has played most of his career and we will see a better player. Every goal he has scored for us has been well taken, that was no easy chance yesterday and you could have imagined Traore or Lukaku trying to round the keeper and botching it up.

With regards to Traore, I don't want to be too critical, it's his first game and his fitness is not there yet, but let's be honest: he is only going to be here for a few months anyway, he has come to help the team out and score a few goals.

I was a bit concerned like everybody that he didn't seem very mobile and his inability to win headers was somewhat mystifying given his size, so let's hope if he is given the go-ahead to face Chelsea next week he has become a bit more accustomed to what will be required as a Premier League striker.

It's not really like we are asking that much, just work hard, press the ball, jump when you're trying to win headers and make sure when that final whistle blows that as a striker you can look yourself in the mirror and say that you gave the opponent a really hard time; nobody is expecting hat-tricks, just put in a decent shift.

Kevin Tully
5 Posted 17/02/2014 at 10:26:28
Jim - I think both Naismith & Osman are more suited to playing the last half hour from the bench, that's if we can get Lukaku back to some sort of form.

Barkley, McGeady and Deulofeu all need minutes on the pitch, so it will probably be a couple of weeks before we see those players back to their best. It's seems difficult for inexperienced players to get back up to speed in the Premier League after injury, so we have to show a little patience. Traore doesn't look like he is too arsed, and may well be waiting to get back to his club.

I get the impression Martinez actually approaches games with his subs as part of his game plan, rather than using them to rescue losing situations.

We will witness better performances, but I am quietly confident we can push on from here. It would be a shame if the season finishes with a whimper from here on in. Quietly confident about Arsenal, they will have their minds firmly fixed on the PL.

Declan O'Shaughnessy
6 Posted 17/02/2014 at 10:40:47
Jim, in fairness to Traore I thought the one thing he did do yesterday was work hard. Too hard if I'm being honest. He spent the first 20 minutes or so running around like a lunatic, including sprinting back to clear balls and make tackles in his own box! You could see he was going to run himself into the ground before the half was out, and Martinez pulled him and Barkley aside in the first half to try to impose some tactical discipline in them. It worked, to some degree, with Traore, because he stayed much further forward after that. But his inability to control a ball, or win a header, was very, very worrying.

I thought McCarthy was terrible yesterday and was one of the main problems with the team. Time and time again he refused to show for the ball, or do anything with the ball when he got it. He kept knocking it straight back to whoever tried to pass to him, and never tried to do anything creative with it. I know he's primarily there to break up opposition attacks, but in the system Martinez wants to play, the holding midfielders have to take responsibility and be brave on the ball. Barry, for the most part, does this, but McCarthy yesterday seemed scared.

Our centre backs still aren't comfortable receiving the ball under any kind of pressure. For that matter, neither is Baines. When 3 out of your 4 defenders don't really want to receive the ball, it makes passing it out from the back difficult once the opposition press high up the pitch.

Having said all that, I thought Martinez reorganised well at half time yesterday, and we were much, much better in the second half.

Raymond Fox
7 Posted 17/02/2014 at 10:49:23
Naismith seems to be the only one at Everton who is always on the defender's shoulder looking for the through pass. He's definitely better employed as a sub though, coming on when their defenders are tiring a bit.

I pretty much also agree with Declan's observations above.

Colin Glassar
9 Posted 17/02/2014 at 11:23:29
My estimation of Naismith has gone up enormously this season. Last season, he was played mainly as a winger and, sometimes, defensive mid. Now, Roberto has him playing down the middle where he's far more effective and happier. But I do think he's most effective, like Ossie, as an impact sub. He's ice cold in front of goal.
Michael Brien
10 Posted 17/02/2014 at 13:09:02
Regarding the "tailing off" of some of our results recently – I would like to see the likes of Chelsea, Man City, Arsenal, Liverpool and Man Utd coping with such an injury list. To his great credit, Martinez hasn't made a great deal of it – can you imagine that obnoxious, disrespectful creature who manages Chelsea acting like that? No doubt he would be moaning all the time.
Steve Higham
12 Posted 17/02/2014 at 13:52:28
A very dour game yesterday which was won by the much maligned Naismith. It was noticeable that most of team didn't play with the same attitude and vigour as Naismith yesterday. No pressure on the opposition when we didn't have the ball all very half-hearted.

Does anyone have any ideas why Ross Barkley is so lacking in form? Was he brought back too soon after his broken foot or is he just a young footballer still leaning his trade having a dip in form? I think the lad is brilliant but want him back to the form he was showing prior to the QPR game.

Harold Matthews
13 Posted 17/02/2014 at 14:22:27
Good to see Naismith in and around the box. He'll never be an Aguero but he always works his socks off and, given the right service, will score goals.

As for Traore. Guus Hiddink liked him enough to sign him and he has scored goals in the Champions League against some of Europe's top defenders. Against Roma he scored one and twice hit the woodwork. In the Europa League, he scored a beauty against the RS, flicking the ball over a defenders head before lobbing the keeper.

Judging a lad who is returning from injury and has not played since last season is ridiculous. Almost as stupid as those 2nd half high hoof balls when he was blinded by the sun. This lad has a great left foot and will score goals but, right now, Martinez is only concerned with getting him fit and helping him adjust to the Everton football philosophy. Unlike Lukaku, he has no big ideas and if he eventually comes good he'll want to stay.

Colin Glassar
14 Posted 17/02/2014 at 15:24:52
Nothing to add to your post really, Harold. Except to say that Naismith is thinking of changing his name, by deed poll, to Ronaldo Pele which would make him better than Aguero.
Harold Matthews
15 Posted 17/02/2014 at 17:49:08
Colin. Thanks for the chuckle mate. haha.

Oh yeah. Must add. Just been listening to Talk Sport discussing Mr Webb’s non-penalty decision. How dare he. The RS are up in arms. A national scandal.

Anyway, a kopite just rang in to say that Webb is not the top referee. That honour can only go to one man. Mark Clattenburg. Mr Red himself.


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