Sumptuous Stuff Sinks Stoke

We look a bit on the small side against this physical Stoke team, IMO.

Why rest them??? .... Argh. I fear a bad result! But I will always support you.

If we play like that on Wednesday against Gollum, I

I like the up-tempo passing game and a left-back not afraid to pull the trigger. T'was a lovely strike.

Over the moon for Oviedo - a goal and an assist, and a all round top performance from the lad. If his defending is up to scratch, then we have a very good LB on our hands.

Pienaar was excellent also. Roll on Manure and Moyes. COYB.

Martinez is the best thing to have happened at Everton for so long. And how about a big shout for GJ, it's so lovely not to see hieroglyphics Roundy any longer. The difference in our club since June-1 is thrilling. Oviedo was outstanding today. The hippy can take a walk if he wants we'll just keep on getting better and better and will buy well in the window.

Don't you just love the positivity. We lose the hippy for a month – Moyes: "This is very very bad news for us [glum face goes glummer] very bad, we'll have to regroup, rethink, and see what we can do...." Bobby: "I see this as an opportunity and see the positives in this for us as we can bring in new people and try something new, and we'll hope that Leighton bounces back soon."

Love him to bits.

Oviedo played really, really well. He had an opportunity today to finally stake his place on the LB position and I think that's exactly what he did. A performance like that on Wednesday and Moyes will be in for him instead of Baines come January!

Now lets hope that some of tomorrows results go our way as it looks like we're starting to hit our stride a bit.

I can't wait for us to play a team whose keeper is not in the form of his life,

Finally I think some people need to hold their hands up and admit that they don't know as much as Roberto, that midfield was perfect for this game. Can't wait to see who he picks for Man Utd.

Two tough games coming up, I would suspect Barkley and Mirallas back in for Osman and Deulofeu, which is hard on both of them given today's performances but a sign of the depth in our squad.

Just a mention for Tim Howard who seems to get loads of stick on here but he is in the best form of his career this season, 7 clean sheets in 13 games and another top save today.

We need to go for it; we have pace on both flanks and an out-and-out striker who is beast and is likely to terrorise that centre-back pairing. This is the first time I've been confident in years going to OT knowing that we can win and if one man can do it, it's certainly Martinez.

A good return to The Old Lady for Mr Ruane.

All the pieces of the jigsaw fitted nicely together didn't they? Oviedo? Who could ask for more? Slotted in nicely didn't he? Keep it up son, and anyone who says he had an easy game, that might have something to do with our dominance. Square pegs, square holes and all that!

And a Gerard I actually admire, quality.

Fucking brilliant all round, apart from Jelly, had his chance, wish he'd buried it just for his sake, chin up, keep working.

Mr Ferry, that must of looked good on that side of the Atlantic as it did here hey?

The future is bright, the future is FUCKING BLUE!

I'm not, and after scoring four in the league for the first time in a very long time, I think Moyes will be shitting himself. Gutted I'll be working and won't get to see it.

No reason why we shouldn't go to United with more ambition than to just get out alive...

The no fear football is a joy to watch. The players are enjoying it so much it is obvious.

It was only eighteen months ago, Sunderland and Fulham.

Bring on the mancs first time going there expecting to win in years.

I feel confident now for the tests coming up and I just hope that Baines stays until the end of the season and Roberto gets some funds to add to the squad in January. If the board back him, Europe beckons.

That would be the 2008-09 season when we beat Stoke 3-1 at GP on 14 March 2009 and then stuffed Wigan 4-0 in the next home game on 5 April.

We bettered that in March 2010 after winning 3-1 against Utd and then 5-1 against Hull.

But to all those that think OT will be a stroll in the park, I would remind them that OFM has seven or eight more talented players at his disposal that our man and, if he deploys them right, even a point for us will be a great result.

My hope, though, is that given today's result, it will be him that will bottle it!

More of the same against TGT's lot please lads.

Confidence is high, no reason to upset me now.

The performance today was outstanding, and the changes he made shows that Everton are more than capable of overcoming injuries to players.

With lots of games coming up until the end of December, it is refreshing to see the potential of the squad that hopefully will be added to in January without the need to sell.

What a day.

In the first half-an-hour, Osman did absolutely nothing and that's no exaggeration. Against better teams than Stoke that could have been very costly. Pienaar had already done a full shift by then.

Okay so Osman did come to life once the game was beyond Stoke but most of the other players had put the Blues in that position but certainly not Ossie.

I could understand Barkley being pissed off on the bench when he knows that his youth and energy would create a much bigger impression. Luckily it was only Stoke today but a bigger task comes on Wednesday and RM must bring Barkley back in the starting 11.

We now have a proper squad and a manager who knows how to use his players. We won 4-0 today without asking Barkley or Mirallas to break sweat which means they are fresh for Wednesday and Oviedo's performance today meant I had entirely forgotten about Bainesey's absence not long after kick-off. As good as he is Delofeou is unlikely to be a regular at Barcelona...he must know that.... and somebody has to start the process of convincing him he is better off here where the fans are beginning to love him. Lukaku needs commitment, not from him but the from the club he plays for....we have to let him know we want him to stay...both from the terraces and from the club. It probably won't make any difference but we have to give it our best shot and the club has to break the bank to keep both of them.

I rest my case.

hang on I'm just going the bog to spew up agin.....

Nothing against Ossie just think the position he occupies needs to be someone who drives forward and creates chances for Lukaku. I agree, Lukaku is even more of a threat when Barkley is playing.

My only criticism is, I wish we would approach corners differently when we play against the likes of Stoke, we didn't win it in the air all game. There are a lot of options rather than a high ball in the penalty box. Besides that, Roberto is doing a great job.

We are totally transformed under RM and I really fancy us to do something special this season.... Starting with OT on Wednesday. I reckon Moyes is under so much pressure in this one that he will cack himself and go safety first... Can't wait!!!

Most of what I wanted to say has already been said, but I note that no one mentioned our switch to 3 at the back. When Stoke brought on a second forward (Jones), I thought they had a spell of pressure and Martinez countered this by switching to a back 3 with Stones coming in on the right side.

I thought after that we played some of our most pleasing football and actually looked far better and more comfortable than with a back 4.

Really disappointed for Jelavic though; I badly wanted to see him notch one and regain his confidence, but on the plus side at least he made some good runs and linked up well in the 10-15 minutes he was on.

Roman, like you I'm not at all worried about the Wednesday game, like I would have been at any time I can remember. I watched Utd versus Leverkusen and they were the worst Utd side I can ever recall seeing, even though they won 5-0. The german side were like a dodgy sunday league team. Really difficult to believe they are second in the bundesliga. The only way we'll lose is if we're overawed, and I think Roberto is not one for telling his team they should try to escape from there with their lives...

The top of the table is now incredibly tight. If we can put another nail in gollums coffin, and get something from the Emirates, then top 4 becomes more of a reality than I think any of us dared hope.

Viva Roberto's Revolution!

He seemed to run the show in the midfield, full of energy and making space, runs and tackles. Think that was easily his best performance so far this season. He was playing more central but drifted both left and right to get involved in things. Very impressed with him today.

Got a little annoyed with Joe Royle commentating as he mixed up Pienaar with Osman a couple of times in the first half and started raving on about how great Osman was playing when it was actually Pienaar... anyway, very glad to see him back to his old self. His energy is a great plus in the midfield.

But as I say, you could name about 4 or 5 players such as Pienaar, Barry, Osman, Oviedo and Deulofeu and they'd all be worthy MotMs. The entire team played really well today.

Mr Martinez is starting to instill in the players the need for goals and not to sit back and protect what you have with 40 mins to go.

BTW, one of the best ever Everton home games I ever saw at the 'Old Lady' was a 0-0 draw against an Ipswitch in the '60s who were at that time riding high. The football was scintillating and entertaining and got a standing ovation at the end.