When Coleman would have been a better option playing on the right side of midfield because he has a goal in him, with Stones in his accustomed position at right back and Oviedo on the left side of midfield where he is natural left footer and drives down the left side before getting a cross in.

Lukaku got barely any crosses played to him all night; while Osman look stranded all night not knowing what to do next while pushed aside by WBA players. At times with Osman,Everton appeared to have 9 outfield players.

In regards to Lukaku,s performance --didnt sampson loose his power after gettimg his hair chopped off

Couldn't think of worse timing to lay an egg, as we all know we could've made it up to 4th with a win. I just HATE that we're setting ourselves up for an impossible run out and CL failure by losing points to these lower, beatable teams. With Man U tanking and 4th really up for grabs, it would be a shame to miss out. Performances like this will guarantee that.

Go back and watch the first half like I have just done. Sure his control lets him down at times, but he put in a real shift, and the tactics were obviously for him to pull the central defenders out of position and open up space for Mirallas and Oviedo to exploit coming in from the flanks on their stronger foot.

Bad pitch but I bet the Hawthorns is 10 times better that the one we play on at the weekend. Bobby suggested it was also dry? Did the Baggies fail to water to slow us down?

Still it's the second half of the season and after two we are 2 points better off than the corresponding fixtures at the start. Man U have 7 defeats. When they hit 10 they're out of the race. We have to beat or draw the RS and beat Spurs... it's doable!

We are 5 points to the good and a win at the other place would certainly lift the mood after tonight's disappointments, but you can't help feeling that the injuries and the inability to rotate some of the squad is going to cost us dear. The Sunderland defeat on Boxing day is perhaps the game that has put us in a worse position than we ought to have been in, having said that just under two points a game is not so bad, but only if we continue to win our home matches and snatch more than a point off some of our rivals near the top.

Without Ross Barkley and Gerard Deulofeu we didn't have enough to keep them on the back foot, and they were able to shove our defensive midfield and defence back to our area for large portions of the second half and play the ball on the ground.

We need cover for Barry and McCarthy, but it would also be nice to have someone who could do a similar job to Barkley in case he has further injuries this season. I doubt there will be too many of them up for grabs though.

McGeady did enough to suggest that he will be very useful when fully fit. Anyone want to comment on how grossly overweight he obviously is?

Against WBA he had another of a long long list poor games. He was not just our worst player, he was by far the least effective player on the field and that includes all the subs.

Naismith in 10 minutes, and despite many TW critics, showed more bottle for the battle than Osman did in 80.

Osman can only be effective when Everton are in control of a game at home or away, when shed of any midfield responsibilities he can play one twos and inter-pass around the opposition's penalty area. But not in away games when players must stand tall and not up give up any ground when the opposition are on a charge. No wonder Baines had a nightmare last night, would not you if Osman was standing near to you during last night's game?

We're 5 points better off, yet one league placing worse off compared to the same point last season.
Goes to show that this season the bottom ten in the league have been absolutely shite at taking points off the top five (though evidently they are more than capable at taking points off us!!!!).

That is the big reason why we are where we are - I know it's been done to death, but our inability to close out the games against the likes of WBA, Palace, Norwich (a), Sunderland and Stoke (a) is what is costing us. Our record against the teams in the top half of the league by comparison is extremely good.

I'm sure we'll see a different team at Mordor next week and the guys will be up for it, as always let's hope for that little bit of luck to get us over the line. Firstly, a decent ref, and secondly, no more fecking injuries!!!!

Not a great performance, tuck the point onto the scorecard, move on.

I wouldn't look to the Board for inspiration either. If they are truly looking to sell the club, then in crude terms it's better for them personally to use a trading surplus to pay down debt, rather than invest in the squad. Yes he's a true Blue but he still wants to make his millions like any other shrewd business owner!

We showed injuries are beginning to take their toll on the way we play.

That said, I agree with the comment above that there is no excuse, whatever the players available, for being outfought.

Did we learn anything?

Well, to no great surprise we found that Oviedo isn't a right midfielder.
We need another striking option as soon as possible
Tony Hibbert won't start a game ever again.

Today, Everton do not even have a No 9 who belongs to the club but, even though he is a good player, we have a loan player from Chelsea.

I realise that it is difficult these days to find players but Everton need a No 9 to follow the tradition.

Martinez has seriously got to look to get in a decent striker with a reasonable scoring ratio especially if he has in the region of £40 million to spend. Osman is simply not cut out to support a striker and should be coming of the bench and, although Barkley can play in the supporting role, I still feel we need someone who is going help out Lukaku and possible chip in with 10-12 goals a season. We desperately need to start playing with two strikers and give the opposition something to think about.

He was too lightweight for the WBA's center backs.

He kept getting knocked down.

Should have made the sub earlier.

I hope BK loosens the purse strings, and brings in some quality. There are too many out injured and those who aren't, look tired. Can't say I'm to confident about the Derby; or Stevenage match, for that matter.

This is where we get to see what kind of a motivator Roberto is.

We had an opportunity last January to push on and achieve European football and blew it. We have an opportunity this January to go one better and qualify for Champions League. Are we going to blow it again?

You looked at the bench last night and the options were not great, Is the club not allowed to buy a player other than on loan?

Although it was a bad day for Blues yesterday, we need to put things into perspective - we have had the following players injured/missing for long periods of time this season - Baines, Pienaar, Barkley, Distin, Deulofeu, Jagielka, Kone, Alcaraz, Gibson - and now, possibly Coleman. Martinez is slowly building the team in his mould. Next season, we may see some of the loanees coming back into the squad as possible 1st teamers - Duffy, Lundstram, Junior, etc. However, we do need to purchase at least 2 quality players - 1 a top-class striker to replace Lukaku, 1 a mid-field creator in the mould of Arteta/Mata/Cazorla.
This season, once we start getting our players back, we should be good for a late charge at the Top 4, just as the others start to fade away.

The reality of our situation is a likely seventh place finish although seventh under this manager will be much better to watch.

Totally agreed,

Without coming over all "Fat Sam" injuries were the main reason why we didn't compete. To many tired or in the case of Osman totally inefectual players out there.

Take away Barkley, Deulofeu and Pienaar and it's no wonder we lack the cutting edge and service to Lukaku.

I also think that Baines back in the squad has unsettled Oviedo , who was having a very constructive time at left back. Left midfielder, he ain't.

I think Daryl (001) has the right of it. Any observation we make will have been well spotted by Roberto and the coaching staff. It seemed last night, that we were just about down to the bare bones, leaving RM little in the way of options to change things around.

Without ammunition, Romelu isn't going to have much joy and I think the posts who've mentioned the injuries are right. We're left with Osman and little alternative at present, for a creative midfielder and that's one major weakness. I'm not knocking him as I'm sure he does his best but he always seems to me to be lightweight. And as well as needing a creator, we also need our midfielders to boss the midfield, and I don't think he can.

Whether Roberto has the £40 million or so that we've received in transfers, is a mute point. I don't think he'll have anything like that amount. Hope I'm wrong but no matter how good a manager we've got and how creative he is with loans and bringing on the young lads in the Academy, we are still stuck with a Board who have done fuck all for the last ten years and I'll be surprised to see them change.

What is less forgivable is what Lyndon describes as the "torpor" that seemed to characterise the display. It was inevitable that the side would be less creative given the injuries, but the lack of a sense of urgency in the second half was concerning. Mirallas was the exception – always seemed up for it. Jags also had a good game.

To my eyes, Martinez does need to take a share of the blame. That formation didn't really work. Putting Osman on the left revealed all the usual problems and meant that there was little penetration down that flank. Oviedo wasn't bad, but the shape was wrong. In the second half, Chris Brunt caused us a lot of problems down that flank with the pace he had.

It was very instructive watching Anichebe, who as someone has remarked, gave a lesson in hold up play – always his strength. It certainly isn't Lukaku's! But we are not playing to his and defenders are crowding him out. Unless we can bring in new faces quickly, I fear for the next few games until Brakley, Pienaar and Del return.

Romelu Lukaku completed only 46% of his passes and missed the target with both of his shots against West Brom - and we were relying on this guy as our No 1 threat up front. As I've said in the past, his first touch is atrocious. We turned over possession every time we got in the last third.

West Brom targeted our front three with a physical approach, and they wilted. Add to that a poor tactical approach and we were lucky to come out with a point.

I can take no positives from last night – the worst performance in years.

Originally I had you pegged as a Moyesophile which meant you were predisposed to be anti-RM. I don't think that's the case anymore after reading more of your posts. I do agree that whilst the team is performing "better" and is easier on the eye most of the time, the faults we had in the last couple of seasons - failing to put away matches etc. are still there this season.

We had a great build up to the match in probably the best pub in the world (WBA away will be a regular for me now)... forget the name of the place but it was a 'Tandoori Pub' and was epic!

As for the game, we should have been 2 or 3 up at half time, with good shifts from Barry, Oviedo, Jags and Distin. They came right back into it in the 2nd half, but up until the 60 / 70 min mark we looked a threat on the break, and Mirallas looked a real threat (despite a lot of poor play, I thought he was our main attacking hope). In the end, a point was fair.

Below par from Baines, Coleman, Osman, and a real shocker from the disinterested Lukaku. I thought Barry was our best player throughout the 90 mins, but all in all a disappointing result away at one of the poorer sides in the league.

We gave them far too much respect and Martinez gave their new manager too much respect. Call me naive but if we would have kept the same formation as what we have done all season and played half as well we would have walked away with the game by half time.

We will get slaughtered in the derby if he plays the same formation.

We have a squad, we have a budget, end of story.

What Kenwright and so many on here expect of the manager is totally irrational. All teams will suffer injuries and suspensions and bases need to be covered. This is particularly so in an age where there are half-a-dozen clubs with money to burn.

I'm a pragmatist so I don't dream of achieving too much so don't make those demands or have great expectations

ps: The FA Cup would be nice, though!

It's time for somebody at the club to delve into the video archives and get some clips of Sharpie to show to Lukaku how its done.

Or get Sharpie to give him some coaching?

"This is how you chest or trap the ball son, you then protect it like this while waiting for support from your team mates, who will then overwhelm the opposition defence!"

People who are laying into Kenwright are wrong - we have brought in players as best we can at this point.

By the way, with Barkley, Coleman, Deulofeu all unavailable for the showdown with the Red Shite, I would take a draw now. We can't lose ground on them twats, but we can stay in touch and as we recover from injuries and the new lads bed in we can finish the season strong and ahead of them. How Tottenham carry on performing is another question though.

The match highlighted that we havn't enough quality players in the squad, its the same old story, get injuries to some key players and its enough to affect our play considerably!
Hardly a surprise though, even the money clubs suffer if they have certain players missing.

Is not a disaster, look at rs. last match, they were thought of as a virtual certainty to beat Villa!

Lukaku has been poor for too long and is under no pressure to perform (no competition). His first touch when he eventually gets the ball is that of a Sunday League player. His value is plummeting after every performance.

Last night he wasn't the only one under performing. Baines, Distin and McCarthy didn't turn up. It's obvious we need a better squad but the starting eleven didn't start at all. Mirallas to be fair upped his game because he looked at the bench and saw competition coming soon from McGeady.

I think Roberto royally fucked up last night with his selection and tactics. Ossie on the wing is so wrong on so many levels. He has no pace, no legs and fuck all strength and too easily put off the ball. We shouldn't be relying on RB solely for creativity. Our big problem is we have no depth in our midfield or forward lines. Its Dave-ja vu all over again.

Ossie and Naismith playing for our club is a joke. If we are to aspire for any European football they have to go. I have been an Everton supporter for over 50 years now and was really encouraged by some of our play this season but in the last few weeks we have been as poor as some of our early 90s performances.

The ginger one has cast his spell on Roberto. Roberto encouraging his defenders to hoof it up to Lukaku, who incidentally had drifted to the wing, was shocking.

Sorry for the depressing tone but I'm pissed off and waited until today to post as last night I was really angry at the team for their total lack of passion.

That's the benefit of low expectations, you don't get too disappointed. I'm not sure it's an attitude I'd want pervading the dressing room though, it's likely to become self fulfilling.

That being said there is some real world class over reaction going on here. A bad day at the office but roll on next Tuesday.

I may have said it before but I am reminded of John Cleese in Clockwork which often reminds me of what an being an Evertonian sometimes feels like.

As a time obsessed headmaster he is desperately trying to get to Norwich to receive an award. Having been thwarted at every turn he is sat at the roadside, and told don't despair there's always hope.

"It's not the despair, .... I can take the despair. It's the hope I can't stand."

We looked heavy legged last night, no-one has mentioned how poor a game McCarthy had, probably his first, hopefully his last. I was particularly disappointed in how uncommitted he seemed in allowing their cross to reach Lugana for the goal.

We also failed to play to Lukaku's strengths in playing balls behind defenders, everything was played to him with his back to goal.

However, a point away is always a good point and I'll take that an move on.

God help us at Stevenage.

Thus he – and we – have no alternative but to settle for being 'near misses'.

Up until a couple of years ago players like Lampard, Terry were playing almost 60 games a season. Certainly I can remember players saying that when they were on a roll they couldn't wait for games to come quick enough and never wanted to be left out.

Villa have played as many games as us this season and their players managed to put in a shift on Saturday. I will accept we played shite last night but let's not use tiredness as an excuse.

I would love to see the stats from Osman last night, especially that first half, because to me that was the worst performance I have seen in an Everton shirt all season. Can anyone get some stats on here to reassure me that I'm not losing my mind?

Like most fans have already said, it was a bad day at the office last night with too many putting in sub-standard performances. As someone else has already said somewhere on ToffeeWeb, I was disappointed with Baines's cheating by pretending he had been fouled in the first half near their goal, and he got a free kick for it. I don't like that one bit from any player, even more so from one who represents my chosen team. Its time we saw a bit more from him, if he really is going to sign a new deal, then give value for money to those hard working fans who make these salaries possible.

Overall, as Harold Matthews said so succinctly, they turned up (second half) and we didn't.
Must do better at Anfield. Much better!

Perhaps a week in Russia might have provided a contrast the Hawthorns would have improved on!

Roberto Martinez has given us hope of success by a combination of good buys and loans. I would hope that, in the Summer, we will build on what we've got but going on past seasons, I'm not holding my breath.

It's sad that we have injuries to the players in the first team that we don't have good replacements for. As soon as Berkley, Pienaar and Deolofeu are back from injury we will have a decent squad again, and later on perhaps Gibson and Kone back in, then we'll see how we fare.

Well if your not losing your mind, Martinez (and Moyes before him} must be as they keep selecting him.

Osman and Naismith must be sold or let go asap.

New players on loan is the solution and I hope Martinez is not kidding himself with the Naismith as a striker because it is insane to think he has anything at all to offer this club.

We can not afford to have deadbeats like Osman, Naismith and Gueye any longer.

To suggest we have a shot at 4th with these players is a joke.

Martinez has still not figured out how crap Osman and Naismith is, no doubt Martinez is not a ready made top manager but he needs to learn quicker than this.

His hype of Osman this season is just an example of this.

I just don't understand why the players are all getting hamstrings, is it down to those silly boots as is the case with the broken toes?

Talking of broken toes I thought that Barkley's was a "minor" issue and he wouldn't be out for too long, yet we still don't know what is happening. Same with Deloufe.

The club's web site states they are waiting for a work permit for the new giant striker. He's another one with a dodgy hamstring.

It's a shame our season could hinge on the fact that we have a tiny squad and have been cursed with injuries. Long term at that.

I knew last night would be a bummer. if you look at the games the team have played after a period out, internationals etc, they are always playing like a park team after a night on the ale

We all know that City and Chelsea have larger squads but this is our best for many years and if Traore signs we have what looks like a decent striker who can knit things together.Lukaku on form will run at defences and score goals but he hasn't the ability yet to knit play together.

Lay off Ossie chaps – he looked poor last night but so did a lot of others. He is not my first choice but he always does his best and it's not his fault if he gets knocked around by bigger aggressive players.In an ideal world he'd be on the bench but we were down to the bare bones last night.

Roberto will sort them out!