I would also point out that Jags/Distin continue to be well off their game, and we benefited from two huge no-calls by the ref. Barry was clearly offside on the first goal and was caught on the replay admitting he had touched the ball, so it should not have stood. And Barry's yellow card (which was for a challenge on Aluko, not the injury to Graham) should probably have been a red.

How many times is it this season that Martinez has put on a sub who has scored immediately? Today it almost happened twice when Kone hit the post after Pienaar scored. Roberto is starting to look almost clairvoyant.

Forgive the query from one who has never been to Goodison, but would you please explain what "Anglo Saxon" is? Thanks.

Just on the main points of contention, which mostly armed to involve Barry: the challenge on Graham was a but ugly/clumsy and definitely a yellow, but not malicious at all. The one on Alouko was a solid block on the ball, but his front foot, after contacting the ball, diverted over the top and caught the player in the shin - a painful one but not even a foul in my book . For the goal, the ball was going wide from Mirallas' shot, and that's why the goalie didn't dive - Barry deflected it in off his ankle; but what nobody is seeing is that a defender trying to close down Mirallas also got a tiny touch on the ball - so not offside, and Barry's goal in my view.

Overall, a game we should have won, and we did, and despite it being a but patchy, we were by far the better side and deserved the three points.

Very pleased for Pienaar: thought Ossie had a decent game up to the yellow - but it was the right time to sub him; its great that we have two decent inside-lefts , both a bit lightweight, and neither can play the full 90 effectively anymore but they each add a lot to our attacking play, if not so much in defence.

And I had to laugh when he turned the flag around after scoring - the funny thing is that it was still wrong - the SA flag is supposed to have the red on top.

COYB

Although I agree that we were poor on set pieces throughout the game and that is something we will need to address over the coming few weeks I want to point out that forcing the opposition to continuously press us high up the pitch really helps when we get to the final 10/15mins. I thought yesterday Hull ran out of steam and we really closed the game out well. Jags and Distin were both having an off day and playing the ball out from the back isn't really built into their DNA but we need to stay the course and RM needs time...

Based on some comments on the other threads you would have thought we collected more than 15 points from the first 8 games every season.
Yesterday was a poor performance and we still got the win and that for me is the sign of a winning mentality.
Looking at the bench yesterday was a huge boost and when Heitinga and Oviedo can't make the bench you know we have a real squad now.

Yes there were negatives yesterday but grinding out results will give RM and the team time to get things right.

Peter Leslie #356, I had one of my rare (these days) visits to the Grand Old Lady, so didn't even see the Barry 'ankle'; therefore I was convinced it was a good goal. Haven't watched the recording yet, having got home very late, due to the need to visit relatives/friends whenever we get to "the pool"; but I'd be interested to know what other people think.

I've already offered PAATB- pissing about at the back- although Ken's -and, I think the Editor's- PBAATB- piss balling about at the back- has more resonance.

By such decisions can Toffeeeweb's influence over managers styles be defined!

The plan worked well for them, causing quite a few uncomfortable passages, not least when Howard spooned a rather pacey and high back pass from Distin. I like the style of play at present but sometimes you just need to put the ball in row z and regroup.
Hull also have a fair few big lads on the pitch.

Would have liked to see the show pony instead of Naismith at the end, and perhaps have used Mirellas as the striker after Lukaku came off as against Chelsea, but I am not the manager!

I've now watched the Mirallas goal, and the replays, three times.

Can't see that the closing defender got anywhere near the ball, although he seemed to try.

So having been convinced that it was a goal, then persuaded that it wasn't, then told (by you) that it was, I'm now sure that the ref would have been within his rights to disallow it.

(Originally that read "should have been disallowed"; but I decided that that made me sound like a luke-warm Evertonian.)

With our latest additions, especially Lukaku, would prefer we play a few games formed up as we were last season.

Roberto sees it different, so far. Hopefully, he'll manage without fear and we'll see different styles employed.

How many years have we had to suffer A fecking great hoof up the field and expected any one of half a dozen lone strikers expected to make something of it!

Usually, we would end up losing it and the ball would be handed to the opposition on a plate and they would start their attacks, courtesy of our prediliction for twatting it upfield to no-one in particular!

What, in my humble opinion, were seeing here, is not a weakness in RM's philosophy. We are seeing how poor Jagielka, Howard and Distin are, in doing anything but the absolute basics in their respective roles.

I'm not attempting to knock them, they are good servants of the club and, if we want to see a stopper, then Pj is a good un. What RM is trying to coach into them, is how to use the ball in some other way than HOOF! and they're not yet comfortable with it. Stirling example is Dizzy's weird attempt at a back pass and Tim's even weirder attempt to deal with it.

So those who accuse Martinez of espousing "tippy tappy" football, I'd say that this season, I'vbe seen more signs of hope in the last 8 or so games, than I've doe in years.

Certainly, Jagielka, Distin and Howard are making errors, and on many occasions, wondering what on earth to do with the ball. But I believe they are slowly improving . They have had years of being told, hoof it. They are comfortable with that route.

This way is putting them under pressure. They have to Think!

Personally. I'm not sure if Jagiel;ka can improve that much in distributing the ball. I thin k his passing is poor.

But I'd rather see him make mistakes, if he learns that there's more to football than just being a really good stopper.