Spanish Impressionist 1 Dutch Master 0

Dave - we do lack a bit of height and physicality throughout the team and Barry has revealed that it's only through injuries to the midfield players that he has taken part in so many games this season.

An interesting read from the Echo as Roberto says he is a tactically flexible manager - Discuss.

Stubborn Me!

I think the main difference in our fortunes recently is due to being nearly at full strength. We have a top 6 first 11 and a bottom 6 second string. Too many of the latter in the side and results really deteriorate.

I think the main difference in our fortunes recently is due to being nearly at full strength. We have a top 6 first 11 and a bottom 6 second string. Too many of the latter in the side and results really deteriorate.

Dave
I wish I was 3000 miles away and then I probably wouldn't have to watch this dross week in week out. I thought your stat about the various height of players was interesting, but if this is relevant then how come Barcelona win so much with a team of below average height players. I think its more to do with talent than height for both players and managers, sadly we lack in both departments.
There are some who say give him till next Xmas, but I see nothing in this man to keep him a minute longer. He is widely tipped to bring Tom Cleverly here in the summer window, can you imagine what other duds we might end up with if he stays till Xmas.

In recent weeks I've been hyper-critical of Barkley, with more than a few people disgustedly jumping on a comparison I made to an infamous Italian across the park. However, credit where it is due, there were signs of him being prepared to work hard towards getting the ball back against Southampton in the first half. I'm not surprised that he gassed out - the lad put more 'off the ball' effort into one half than he has done all season. The fitness issue can be addressed in pre-season, hopefully without the nonsense of an U21 tournament to factor in. The fact that the intent was apparent shows that, whilst one swallow doesn't make a summer, he does have the desire to improve and show some fight.
There was a Glenn Hoddle documentary on SKY recently, where he responded to speculation that he only won around 50 caps rather than 150 as he was considered a 'luxury' player by England in his era. His response was that he thought a 'luxury' player was one that continually gave the ball away without producing either goals or assists. Now whilst I think the game has moved on since Hoddle was letting Eileen Drury put her healing hands on his strained groin, I do think that the sentiment runs true today. If Barkley is to progress from precocious potential into main man, in my opinion, he needs to add goals and assists to the team. Otherwise, why drop Naismith?
This has been a season we will all be delighted to put behind us, fans and players alike. I hope that going forward Barkley is instructed to shoot more from around the edge of the box, as we don't do anywhere near enough of this as a team. The game on Saturday, against a nearly 39 year old reserve keeper, was tailor made for pot shots where he'd have to move his feet quickly. Ultimately though, next season a regular international with 2 full seasons in the top flight behind him should not still be considered just 'potential'.

He gives me the impression of a total blert and should do one soonest.

Glenn Hoddle once said the supposed famous phrase about "10 players to carry the piano, and one player to play it", referring to how graft players support the flair player.

Players like him and Le Tissier are not well utilized at the national level, and it hasn't changed since. It's symptomatic of the English game. Gazza is slightly different because he combines a certain amount of drive, taking the game by the scruff of the neck, rather than just the sublime skills.

Think about it, even a player like Scholes was also marginalized in favour of Gerard and Lampard, who are more industrious, drive forward, but actually lacking very little craft and guile.

A player like Xavi is not known for many goals and assists too. Rather, he controls the tempo, keeps the ball pinging to someone else. He actually plays very deep.

There are many Toffees fans who also want that blood-and-thunder drive from players, and I see that as part of the larger rhetoric. Perhaps it's a legacy of Ball, who drove the team forward, scored goals, with lung bursting runs etc.

We didn't maximize players like Duncan Mackenzie and Anders Limpar too. Trevor Steven is probably the most successful example of us utilizing flair players. So, I think, if we want to maximize the talents of Barkley and Stones, we have to be mindful not to shoehorn them into "blood and thunder" type of players.

It took Ferguson about 3-4 years before Ronaldo was turned from a "Fancy Dan" who did more step overs than beat his player, to the one who scored 23 plus goals in his breakthrough season. Since then, he combined flair with end product, but he still doesn't track back!

It is no coincidence that results have been better with Osman in the team. He is by no stretch of the imagination a world beater. But he does bring something different. You will not win many matches when the team is crammed with defensive midfielders. At best you might scrape a 0-0 draw. But go a goal down and it then becomes a struggle to get back into the game.

Osman's inclusion puts the team on the front foot and we normally do better when we take a lead, as do most teams. We struggle when we go behind, because Martinez doesn't know how to utilize his subs to be able to change a match. The evidence is there for all to see this season.

A player's size should have nothing to do with whether he should be selected, or not. It is all about ability... nothing else. Pick your best players at all times – can anyone honestly say that Martinez does that?

Remember the "holy trinity"? How big were they. And what size were Andy King and Peter Reid? And would the trinity have even existed, had Martinez been their manager? Kendall would have been sold. And Harvey would have been stuck on the wing. And Ball would be doing a Distin. And that team would have been crammed with DMFs.

All conjecture, I know... but I think that you all know what I think about Martinez. He would even ruin Barcelona. I wonder if Arsenal are still interested in having him as their next manager? Sorry , that was a stupid question.

Rant over. Sorry for straying off topic. FOREVER EVERTON.

Good article Dave. I think Ross looks too heavy - too much muscle as well as fat. If he was a few kilos lighter, I think he would get around the pitch better.

I would not describe John Stones as up and coming. For me, he is an established professional, the first on the team sheet. In a year or two he will be first on the England team sheet too. If I were BK, this summer I would get him on an improved extended contract PDQ.

And Martinez an Impressionist? Surely he is a Cubist – in his work everything there but in a sort of random order, with no coherence, and pretty ugly to look at.

Roger – my knowledge of painting styles unfortunately stops at undercoat or top coat!

But I do think RM falls under the title of an "impressionist". He looks and sounds good – first impressions and all that. He gives the "impression" that he knows what he is talking about! Is he doing a good job giving out the "impression" of being a premier league manager?

After nearly 2 years of close scrutiny, I am sorry to say that I am still not completely sure if he is good or bad for us. I think he is much better than what has gone before and much better than at least 50% of the current premier league managers.

Basically we won against Southampton because of Tim Howard. Just as we have lost previously because of Tim Howard. How much of that is down to Martinez? Would Robles done any better or worse than TM? We will never know.

If we win on Saturday, will it be because RM has suddenly found a winning formula, the players are playing with more confidence, Osman, Barry and Howard are starting or the bounce of the ball which was against is now bouncing in our direction? Or as probably is, a combination of all 4? Still I look forward to 4 wins in the bounce!

Just note the difference that Osman makes. Yes, he makes mistakes and gives the ball away, but he is that essential link between our strong defence and essentially powerful forward. He is the piece of flare in the big picture that we struggle to function without. This is the area that we're struggling to fill just now and which has caused our decline since we lost both Osman and Pienaar and replaced neither.

We've lost both now because they are past their sell by age but replacing them is the key to our success. McGeady, Lennon, Atsu are not replacements as they are just wide players. Pienaar and Osman were link players who Moyes forced to play wide, their key role was as constructive midfield link players and we have none in their absence. Having said that, we're far better with Osman and will be until he's 40.

The three wins mask over the inability of RM. Some selections are forced, some are personal, few are tactical. I don’t care whether a man is small in stature or a big six footer, Alan Ball tiny, Tim Cahill average, going back to Bally’s days Johnny Morrissey. Guts, heart, respect for your fans, teammates and PRIDE in wearing that Royal Blue shirt.

I watch players’ faces when conceding tackles, possession and goals; few players show true pain at that loss. If nothing else, Moyes had his team bursting with pride.

Barkley is never going to be the complete article, why? No stamina, no vision, no heart, no ball at his feet no play.

Kone, I don’t get him, or is it the instructions off RM? If he has got to play, put him as an out-and-out centre-forward, he ends up all over the place wasting energy and positional play. Lukaku wants the ball early, be it into pockets or to feet, but early.

If anyone out there can explain to me and other befuddled Blues fans what is RMs plan, vision or tactics. One last footnote why not play Garbutt and Baines down the left if we have no fit left-sided player, surely a full-flight full-back can do both jobs.