Season › 2013-14 › News
Martinez admits Blues will need “perfect finish”
Boss believes his team is poised for strong run-in
Though he has a points target in mind, the Catalan acknowledges that his team will need to win the majority, if not all, of their remaining eight fixtures if they are to squeeze into the top four but he is excited about the possibility.
The Blues' push into the top five of the Premier League after 30 games, coupled with instability at Tottenham and the crisis at Manchester United has Martinez convinced that the days of a predictable top four are over.
And while the prospect of him being able to lead Everton into the promised land of the Champions League in his first season looked remote just a few weeks ago, four consecutive wins have them breathing down Arsenal's necks heading down the "home straight" of the 2013/14 campaign.
He attributes the openness of the League this year to a change in approach by teams taking on that established core elite of clubs who have held a vice grip on the top places in recent seasons.
“I think that's the case because of the way the teams approach games now,” Martinez says in The Telegraph.
“A few years back against a top-four side you'd have teams maybe thinking of a clean sheet, keeping it tight and maybe trying to score from a dead-ball situation or win in the last 10 minutes. That's changed. I think teams just try to win — that's why the league has gone so open and that will carry on happening.
“Over the course of a season the teams with the biggest squads and budgets become more consistent but in a one-off anyone can beat anyone. That's why it's different to others around world. You will get that every year now.”
When it comes to his own side's challenge, Martinez feels that everything has come together well for the final charge.
"As a manager you know if the season is getting a bit too long for you or when you're in a great moment and would love another 15 games, not just another eight. The way we planned this season was to finish the last 10 really strong from a physical point of view. I feel everyone is refreshed.
"I've tried to keep all the forward players fresh and in a good frame of mind, and think the young players have given us that unknown quantity.
"Having John Stones and Ross Barkley playing the way they've done, Gerard Deulofeu in that kind of form, we're starting to get a very strong young team with a lot of energy. That's why we're excited about having a strong run."
Martinez knows that a strong run is precisely what Everton need if they are to upset Arsenal's apple cart and edge them for the fourth place but he is optimistic.
"We need a perfect finish," her continues. "The big advantage we have is an extra game on the others, which makes a big difference, and we've got City, United and Arsenal at home. That doesn't mean anything but if you're going to face these teams in the final third of the season you want to face them at home.
We're just focusing on that and I still think if you get a certain amount of points [71] you've got a good chance of getting into the Champions League. I do feel if we finish strongly we'll have a great opportunity to do something special."
Other quotes sourced from The Guardian
Reader Comments (28)
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2 Posted 29/03/2014 at 02:29:50
3 Posted 29/03/2014 at 02:47:47
4 Posted 29/03/2014 at 04:33:30
His sunny positive "Give it our very best" mentality combined with his considerable intellect allows me to dispel disbelief and banish fear
It doesn't guarantee success, but it does aspire
IF there was a bunfight then Roberto would turn up armed with baskets of freshly baked hot cross buns and a smile
NOT just scowling and bearing one mouldy half baked roll (over)
Oh wait........my bad......GUNfight !
Nope....I'd still rate Roberto with a hot cross bun against the teaspoon wielder
5 Posted 29/03/2014 at 04:40:49
Whilst I hope we will win the last 8 games, I don't expect to, but I have supported Everton for nearly 40 years now and so I have developed a self protection mechanism. RM is starting to break down that self protection mechanism for me, something only Howard Kendall has done many years ago. I want to believe but I suppose I am currently at the cautious optimism stage.
6 Posted 29/03/2014 at 04:40:49
Whilst I hope we will win the last 8 games, I don't expect to, but I have supported Everton for nearly 40 years now and so I have developed a self protection mechanism. RM is starting to break down that self protection mechanism for me, something only Howard Kendall has done many years ago. I want to believe but I suppose I am currently at the cautious optimism stage.
7 Posted 29/03/2014 at 05:46:10
8 Posted 29/03/2014 at 06:30:15
Arsenal v West Ham United
Hull City v Arsenal
Arsenal v Newcastle United
Arsenal v West Bromwich Albion
Norwich City v Arsenal
So Roberto is right! An excellent finish with perfect results and then even Collina can't stop us!
9 Posted 29/03/2014 at 08:03:55
11 Posted 29/03/2014 at 08:28:42
12 Posted 29/03/2014 at 09:07:36
14 Posted 29/03/2014 at 08:50:36
Fair play to him, while others have fallen over themselves to make excuses, for not qualifying for a CL place, his - we go with what we got - approach has continued to keep us in the hunt.
Will I continue to whittle, worry and criticise? Yes, thats my duty as an Evertonian. . ..would I trade him in? Hell no,
He may not be Pep, Jose, or Jurgen, He may not even be Brenda ( yet ), but he fits our club like a glove at this moment in time and hand on heart, I would'nt swap him for any of them
15 Posted 29/03/2014 at 09:32:39
You're right. He'll never be a Brenda or any of them. He's Blue Bob !!! And will soon don the The Blue Cloak of Invincibility.
16 Posted 29/03/2014 at 09:52:08
17 Posted 29/03/2014 at 11:36:57
I have seen nothing to change my mind. RM has the same positive outlook that Shankly used to change Liverpool and carry them forward.
As many have said on here it is a great time to be a blue, and with this guy in charge I believe we are on the cusp of great things.
18 Posted 29/03/2014 at 12:14:14
19 Posted 29/03/2014 at 13:52:27
20 Posted 29/03/2014 at 19:51:30
21 Posted 29/03/2014 at 20:38:05
22 Posted 29/03/2014 at 22:18:30
23 Posted 29/03/2014 at 23:31:22
How can it be ours to lose if we first have to beat them (never easy if they play their best) and then win both our games in hand (Crystal Palace have shown that is not a foregone conclusion) to get ahead of them?
If we get to that stage, we simply have to match their results otherwise we will be snatching defeat from the jaws of victory (completely ignoring the fact that their equivalent fixtures include no-one of the calibre of Citeh and United (even now)!
We should be celebrating the fact that at this stage we do have a chance to overhaul Arsenal, not looking to label the team as failures is they simply fail to accomplish that feat.
24 Posted 30/03/2014 at 00:08:14
Therefore, I view 4th place as in our grasp and only our own shortcomings in the remaining fixtures will stop us from succeeding. Bleating about whose run-in is easier is rather irrelevant - those are the matches left to play. In no way am I suggesting that this is an easy task or a forgone conclusion – far from it. I think you're the one ending up a bit all over the place, wittering on about not calling the team failures ... if they fail! How about not calling them failures at all? They've already exceeded my expectations for the season as I merely hoped for a top ten finish whilst Martinez started making changes to personnel & playing style.
25 Posted 30/03/2014 at 00:23:18
26 Posted 30/03/2014 at 02:07:36
"Of course, we all know Everton too well not to be prepared for the possibility of them snatching defeat from the jaws of victory!" - your words, and so your suggestion that, as things stand, fourth place is pretty much a fait accompli. That amounts to anything else (from where we are now) being failure, which I think would be a very harsh assessment should we finish fifth and a handful of points off fourth.
You can shove the 'bleating; and 'wittering' comments where the sun don't shine. Only kids think being the most insulting wins the argument.
27 Posted 30/03/2014 at 07:09:32
When Dennis speaks about snatching "defeat from the jaws of victory " he is merely reflecting the feelings of Andy @ 770, many Evertonians (particularly the older ones) have developed the "self protection protection machanism" Andy refers to.
IF we win all our games, we will finish at least fourth and by pointing this out, Dennis is merely stating a fact.
I think we can all see how difficult its going to be. . . .but its doable
28 Posted 30/03/2014 at 09:38:57
Funnily enough I was thinking this at the beginning of August.
I thought to myself, it's ours to lose because if we win all our 38 games there's a chance (I didn't want to be too optimistic) that we would finish in the top 4.
…
29 Posted 30/03/2014 at 15:44:32
"Snatching defeat from the jaws of defeat" is the same as failing when it is easier to succeed, which also shows that Dennis is not one of those who can see how difficult it will be to overhaul Arsenal. Your big IF is absent from his posts as he seemingly EXPECTS us to win all those games irrespective of the opposition and their performances.
I prefer to celebrate the fact that we are now in a position to challenge Arsenal and will enjoy the rest of the season come what may. If we get fourth I will be equally jubilant as any of us but I will not be tearing my hair out if we fall a little short.
30 Posted 30/03/2014 at 16:38:26
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1 Posted 29/03/2014 at 02:07:14
Now let's have an excellent finish! :) COYB.