Blues lack decisive drive upfront

Surely one of them has to have a more forward role? I hope it’s Besic...

These are seventh, Roberto, we should be getting after them.

4-3-3

Robles
Coleman Jagielka Stones Oviedo
Besic Barry McCarthy
Mirallas Lukaku Naismith

Besic is capable of getting forward and joining in further forward. I like the look of this team... lots of energy and fighting spirit in that midfield trio.

Our bench is really weak with Alcaraz and Browning just filling in. Why is Garbutt not on the bench? He is a far better option than Browning or Alcaraz. I give up and just hope for the best.

Perhaps we look to be lacking creativity in midfield

You could say they are playing 3 defensive MF players in Gerard,Lucas and Henderson.

I see it as a battle for domination in MF and we have the better players.

Besic is having a good game and so far hasn’t been booked! We could have this, oh and please work on Romelu’s first touch, Duncan!

Cannot believe Martinez. If I win the Euro jackpot, I will give BK the pay off dosh.

Terrible!

In those 5 mins he created our best chance in the whole match.

Just to have 1 attempt on target for the home team is a disgrace. Naismith consistently wins more headers and outjumps Lukaku every time. Lukaku is a total waste of time, space and money,

Thank God the rugby was on this weekend. At least you can see endeavour and committment. One player who outshines the rest is Besic.

Skin of our teeth - no balls!

Why play a guy who arrived yesterday ahead of local lad who is the hottest prospect in English football

Feeling a lot happier!

People will say this was a solid point and a platform for the future. No it wasn’t, it was chronically dull and we were primarily concerned, on our own patch, to stifle the opposition. Not the Everton I want to see.

We definitely gave Liverpool too much respect though and I was surprised to see Alcaraz coming on for Besic. It seemed we were happy with a share of the points. It would have been better to bring on Kone for Lukaku IMO unless Roberto was frightened of Besic being sent off.

Anyway we kept a clean sheet so it is another point towards the 40 points aim. Are we really back to that?

He then leaves it till 5 fucking minutes to bring the lad on. If I was Barkley I’d be seething right now... And then to top it off, he takes our best player on the park, Besic, off who looked well pissed off btw. (Did he run down the tunnel after screaming at Martinez or did I imagine that?) and leaves Barry on again who looked a complete liability.

I’m quickly loosing patience with this man.

If Martinez doesn’t realise now that Besic and McCarthy are our future he is insane.

Lukaku continues to frustrate, such a whimp for his size.

Couldn’t fault the defence, McCarthy and Besic were excellent, Naismith gave 100% as usual and Lennon showed the pace we are lacking when he came on.

Coleman showed much more going forward once Lennon came on and I can see them developing a good partnership. Barkley too did well when he came on but still needs to be managed properly by RM until his confidence is fully restored.

Mirallas didn’t offer much.

Pretty forgettable match not helped by the totally Bias Shy Sports commentary, summed up by the comment from the studio at the start of the second half, "well at least Everton haven’t conceded yet."

Besic, Stones and McCarthy all looked good which is promising but this team/system is obviously along way from it’s best still and why he keeps his faith in barry who seems to regularly lose posession/give away cheap free kicks/ offer little going forward bar the odd long ball i’m not sure.

I’ve said this before but WE NEED A PLAYMAKER! For all his effort Naismith lost the ball so many time on the edge of their box and does not have that accuracy and precision of passing in him. Sadly i’m not sure that Barkley does either. Perhaps he will discover it but until then we badly need someone who can link midfield and attack especially with 2 or 3 DCMs on the pitch.

We won’t get relegated but we’ll be lucky to make top 10 this season.

But Nessie should have made way for Ross at halftime, and sulky super Kev should have stayed on to link with Lennon.

Rom was crap. Perhaps Kone should be given a good run.

But, hey, what do I know? We do have a really phenomenal manager!

Otherwise, same old, same old. Naismith is no more than a worthy plodder, which was all the more apparent when Barkley came on, even for only 5 minutes. Lukaku, goalscoring aside, is an utterly dreadful player. Barry has always been slow of feet but is increasingly slow of thought and becoming a liability. I’ve no idea why he plays every minute. Is it in his contract? Does he have incriminating photos of Martinez?

A mersey derby and we have ONE FUCKING SHOT on target.

They are crap and were there for the taking but we fuking bottle it AGAIN and make those twats look good !!!!!!!!!!!!!

FUCKING PISSED OFF!!!

Martinez is supposed to be known as an attacking manager, yet our forward play is really absolutely abysmal on so many different levels, it is just criminal given who we have in the team. Coleman playing far too many reverse, Mirallas selfish and ineffective; Naismith... being... Naismith. And Lukaku. Utterly hopeless again. Oviedo needs more game time. Besic showing great spirit but giving the ball away. Barry, fouling and giving the ball away.

Ultimately, a maddening and frustrating performance... to go with far too many that have preceded it this season. Sorry but I feel seriously jaded by that ’display’.

Lukaku, absolutely no way in any shape or form a £28 million footballer, positively average.

Oviedo, poor stand in for Baines, a ToffeeWeb favourite but still a legend only on ToffeeWeb, showed fuck all today down the flank.

Besic, love his passion but shows nothing in the way of forward threat, chance creating, goal threat or general menace in thd opponents penalty area.

McCarthy, perhaps the most over rated ToffeeWeb favourite of tthe lot.

Never shoots on goal, never creates a chance, never drives on into the box and threatens the opponents back four.

Too many people wanking themselves silly over players who just fucking run around the pitch but don’t actually achieve fuck all in an attacking sense.

Yes, I agree it wasn’t a great performance, but our defense was outstanding and getting a result is a step in the right direction in my opinion..

For all those who are saying Barkley should have played the full match or come on earlier, have you not seen this lad play this season?

I am no fan of Martinez but for me he got this one right. Although Barkley played a great ball for the Coleman chance, he also left another pass roll under his leg and Liverpool nearly punished us from that break.

As I said in earlier post, Barkley needs careful managing at this time.

For me the change that should have been made was Kone on for Lukaku early in the second half.

Robles I thought looked solid (even that apparent wobble in coming out to Stirling actually ended up being well judged) and our central defenders looked solid against not very much; McCarthy finished the game uninjured. End of plus points.

The thing that always strikes me is how dreadful we are at retaining the ball as soon as we look to go forward. Our touch and passing in any attacking context are fucking awful.

Let's not be happy with a craven point against a bad RS side.

We've stopped the rot, haven't conceded in a couple of games, picked up 4 points out of 6 that some thought a few weeks ago we wouldn't. Yes, there was some woeful passing and Can looked to have Lukaku in his back pocket, but he came close to fashioning out a goal for himself and didn't stop chasing, though his getting caught offside all the time was infuriating. Coleman seemed energised though sometimes Besic needs to learn when to just clear the ball. If it was Osman who got caught in possession as Besic did then he would be slaughtered.

I think we have altered our style out of necessity to prevent getting caught up in the bottom end of the table - what would people here want, flamboyant attacking football leaving us exposed at the back or an adjustment to cement our place in the league? It's what we did against Palace the previous week, but without the goal.

If we want to get anything out of Lukaku we have to sign a playmaker or two in the summer. Right now Lukaku doesn't look like he could score even if his life depended on it.

Sometimes I wonder if he thinks that after signing for Chelsea he was destined for bigger things. Maybe he thought if he did well at West Brom and Everton Mourinho would make him Chelsea's main striker. That wasn't to be. Because it hasn't worked out that way and he's now at Everton he's lost all that drive that brought him so many goals in the last two seasons. If this is the case he needs to get over it and accept he's now an Everton player and he won't be in the CL anytime soon unless he starts scoring goals.

I hope Barks rediscovers his spark and can gel with Lennon. If so Mirallas can be benched as other than the WHU game he has looked below par for a while.

Good to see McCarthy back, with Stones and Besic we have a good core in the defensive third.

When he came to Everton he was calm, collected, always available for a pass and always retained possession. He has had a miserable seaon and today he was a laughing stock. He has completely lost it. Even 15 yard sideways passes were going astray. 90 minutes. 90 fucking minutes of it AGAIN. For a man who values possession over all else, how can Martinez justify Barry's inclusion?! Absolutely baffling.

I don't know what the hell is going on with Kone either. We were crying out for something different up front but Martinez just won't bring him on.

And can I just reiterate how bad Gareth Barry was today. Really, really bad.

A tight derby, no real chances for the shite, one real chance for us, much tighter defensive performance, like last week, usual struggles going forward.

I agree with your comments about Kone and Barry. Finally fit after being injured for so long and he can't get a game. Maybe RM thinks Lukaku's confidence is so fragile that if he subbed him he'd go to pieces entirely.

As for Barry. He's just too old. Time to retire.

He's trying to make us more solid and it appears to be working. You can't turn a side that's leaking goals and losing every week into a winning one overnight.

He has to make us hard to beat, and we are that now. Good on him I say.

We stifled a team that could easily have stiffed us, and we now never have to see Stevie Me line up against us and have the privilege of gracing Gods Acre ever again.

Well done Martinez for doing things differently. I thought the team was outstanding tonight. Working their arses off the lot of them.

Onward and upward.

And FFS Martinez, play Besic and McCarthy from now on; Barry on the bench in case of injuries.

Another clean sheet but admittedly lost in attack.

Make no mistake we are shite so I don't know whether I'm half pleased that such a terrible Everton team has avoided defeat in both derbies, or am I totally pissed off and bored shitless watching this God-awful brand of football that Martinez has indicted upon us.

Liverpool were the better team without really having to do that much to actually be the better team.

The biggest regret is that we just did not test their defence at all, there was no up and at em approach and frankly despite us having gone away to Qatar and played just one game in two weeks, the Shite looked fresher and sharper.

Fitness for me is a major issue under Martinez, nowhere near what it was under Moyes.

Decent result, we hung in there at times but boy, we are pretty fucking bad to watch.

I see parallels with Mo Fro whom we bought for £15M 6 years ago and we all thought it was bad business. He matured into a very good player and club made a handsome profit.

The most defensive display I can ever remember at home.

This is what this disasterous managerial appointment has come to, 9 behind the ball and long hoofs up field, this redefines 'football philosophy' into a whole new meaning.

Just go Roberto, please, just go.

I agree with JM. They were disciplined and with a touch more fortune the fine margins that dictate this league would have gone in our favour.

If we continue in this vein, I certainly won't be doing mine; I've had enough of RM.

Furthermore, Martinez's substitution policy is entirely baffling – why wait till the end to change an attacking formation which is plainly ineffective?

Some may be happy with mediocrity and fear from a side which had top 4 ambitions at the start of the season but I am not.

Barry should have been removed as Mo was the only creative player we had on the pitch.

ps: anyone against a similar performance on Wednesday?

The point I am making is this was off the scale pragmatism i.e. let's forget about trying to win and just try not to lose.

Admittedly, we are not quite there going forward, but for God's sake, we drew the game. We did not get battered 5-0. A bit of perspective is required...

Bony – £28 million... barrel chested tree trunk and holds the ball up plus gets more goals.

Admittedly not Lukaku's fault that Martinez got totally fleeced by Chelsea but as a supporter you feel like crying when you see this is what you got for £28 million; for a club that doesn't spend big money, it's deflating to watch.

I know we couldn't have afforded Bony's wages... fair enough, but we could have got in the last year before Man City when we had top 4 aspirations, we could have tried convincing him to come.

Sadly despite paying £28 million on a striker, our attack is ridiculously bad...

Work that one out?? .... In fact, just try working Roberto out full stop.

It's a difficult one. If Barkley was on longer he could have just as easily lost us the game as won it. Just for once I'm not going to lay into RM for that decision. I wish we had sacked him weeks ago, but we didn't and we won't. Not this season anyhow.

So it's time to try and look at any positives. Even if the performance wasn't good enough it was far more solid than it has been for a while. People have been crying out for clean sheets and RM has been given dogs abuse for saying that clean sheets do not matter. Now he's got 3 in a row and the defence looks far more solid and the defenders more confident. It's a platform and one that we've been crying out for. RM should get credit for that.

I think Bobby's tactics were sound for the most part -containing the RS above all else and then have a go as the game went on. I think my only grumble was that he left it a bit too long before he tried to get a bit more adventurous with the introduction of Lennon (who looks like he'll offer something) and Barkley who should have been on from the hour mark.

We only began to look like we might get something once Ross was on the field. We certainly need a creative midfielder in the summer to compete with Ross, and while I like Naismith, he doesn't offer anything when the players behind him are so samey.

Hopefully Martinez will see sense, if he wants to play Naismith (or for that matter Barkley) then he can only play central behind Lukaku, play Barry only when Besic or McCarthy are banned or injured and if Lukaku is playing badly don't automatically play him in the next match. Simples.

If I had paid to watch that match I would probably be as annoyed as you.

The point I was making is that I don't think playing Barkley from the start or bringing him on earlier was the answer and if you read my posts you will see I am fully in agreement that Lukaku should have made way for Kone.

Naismith as a striker... Lukaku a winger... come on!!! Naismith stayed on the pitch 60 minutes too long for me, it was crying out for Ross. Sorry but Nessie is no better than SPL standard.

After all the cup ties Liverpool have played recently, you could see they were shattered yet we played defensive Moyes-type shite – 3 fucking holding midfielders at home? Don't start me on the subs and the 6 minutes game time given to Barkley? It's a disgrace. Barry should've put a Red shirt on and Coleman seems to have lost his natural game running at defenders in the box?

I now don't like Martinez any more, he is so annoying. Roberto is an energy vampire sucking the life out of the players and then the fans. I think our supporters were right up for it today but, as the tedious football took hold, all they could do was sigh not sing. I hate watching us go sideways and backwards – it hurts as much as hoofball used to do.

We appear to be playing ourselves to death at the back and not caring about scoring or winning. WBA, Palace and Liverpool games all clean sheets but very few chances created at all. Where has last seasons mentality gone? I ask you...

What were you all expecting? For us to go out there and wipe the floor with a fast improving Redshite team?

The most frustrating thing to watch today was limited attributes of Naismith and Lukaku – both completely lack any culture with the ball at their feet. One works very hard for the side but does very little else; the other is lazy, has a shocking first touch and in short, is a wimp trapped in a big brute's body. Present Lukaku with chances and he'll score a bucket load but that's about the limit of what he brings to the table, sadly.

Get off his back and Barkley's as well. Two young lads who will come good for this great club of ours. We've had some dire players in recent years and they aren't two of them.

His substitutions were SHOCKING. The Redshite defence was there for the taking. Barkley and Lennon should have been on earlier and Kone should have come on also but Barry, Lukaku and Naismith should have been brought ashore are they untouchable.

One shot on goal. Many players who were unable to pass to their own teammate. So many individual mistakes...

Barkley as our saviour? He does not lack confidence, he lacks ability. It is a very sad thing to say. I would love to be proved wrong, but it is what I see. But he was far, far from being the major culprit.

As others on this site have said, we have players here who should, and could, be a lot better than they are. The manager ultimately carries the responsibility for the fact that they are not.

COYB

The RS will be pissing themselves all weekend. Still, a point is a point, eh?

I despair...

Think that has been a huge bonus of late, Mark.

Barkley has 10 times more skill than Barry. But Barry has 10 times more nouse than Barkley. If nothing else, he holds the midfield together and keeps the team shape. If Barkley had started today, we'd have lost.

Barkley's role today was exactly what he has become. An option off the bench.

There are not many teams who will stop Liverpool scoring this year. While I would have liked a bit more creation from Mirallas, Naismith and Lukaku, fingers should not be pointed at the central 3, who did very well.

Every blue watching that game knew Besic would come off and Barry would stay on;

Every blue watching that game knew that Barkley should have come on for Naismith long long long before he did.

Many blues watching that game will be furious we went out to nullify an ordinary team because they play in red just across the park.

Many blues watching that game will wonder how bad Kone must be if he didn't get on for Lukaku.

Finally, some (many?) blues will want RM out as soon as possible before he ruins this great club. Put me at the very top of that list!

That, Mr Martinez, was GARBAGE and EFC don't do fear in face of ordinary opposition at GP.

Yet another weekend ruined.

Regarding the manager, credit him with changing tack; it’s not pretty but effective at the moment. His admission that we were in a relegation fight was a turning point, I thought, and we can judge him now on how the team performs for the rest of the season, safe in knowledge of our Premier League survival, which now looks assured.

We really need to look at where we are heading under Martinez, the team has regressed badly this season, the plans, the entire team set-up, the woeful fitness programme... Why do our players do so little pressing and running? And why do we always look shattered? And have done since August?

Too many questions that have been left unanswered since August.

This was a real Moyes performance. 9 men behind the ball and hopefully nick it.

We really miss the guile of Pienaar and Osman.

Barry was dire. Lukaku not much better.

We need a playmaker in the Hagi mould. Someone with vision. Or we need to get back to 2 wing-backs bombing down the touchline.

Can't really see where the chances are gonna come from otherwise.

If I could see a glimmer of conviction or style or attacking threat then I might buy the case for patience but I see none of that and haven't throughout this season. Is this the future? Perhaps it is.

I've also had it with Martinez and his complete trash-talking: "every game is a cup final from here on in," he said, One shot on target at home against our arch rivals?!?! Ridiculous.

Our best players, Besic and Mirallas, off. You come to put on dire pedestrian predictable poor slow crap football? Go now – this is not a 'good point', you clown – it was yet another chance gone begging against a poor Liverpool side on the day that we yet again failed to win against them!!

I could go on, but can't be arsed. We have two players who cost over £10m I think, Lukaku and McCarthy? That's not making any excuses for a cheap Everton side, built by Martinez and Moyes, but what do you expect when you come up against a team who has just spent a fortune? A team who nearly won the League last season.

We weren't good today, neither were they. I don't think we were awful either. The shite are a decent side who are pushing for top 4. I didn't see a huge gulf in class today, or a manger who was out-thought.

Start by getting rid of RM and get him to take Barry with him.

Get a manager who will drop Lukaku when he doesn't give 100% and give the wimp extra training to try improve his touch, oh and maybe send him along the yellow brick road in search of some courage as well.

Agree with Colin (#83); I said a couple of weeks ago that I'd be happy with 0-0 & 1-0 till the end of the season, so I'm not complaining.

If we hadn't signed Lukaku, every Evertonian wouldn't been screaming lack of ambition-BTW 10 goals isn't a bad return given that he's been struggling for form and so has the team.

There comes a time in every player's career where Father Time calls time, and Barry has reached that point. His head's still quick but the rest of him ain't; hence the mistimed tackles, misplaced passes, and in general the game passing him by. He's beginning to look like our Phil's final season with us.

Did anyone really expect our team to go all out attack with free flowing football from the the 1st minute, because I tell you what, we would have been 3-0 down at half-time and 5-0 down at full time. They simply would have picked us off.

What we saw from Everton today was a strong team display with great performances all over the pitch, particularly in defence.

Has everyone forgotten, we played a team who spent £130m in the summer, let me repeat that £130m....against our paltry £30m on a couple of players.

OK Lukaku frustrates, but god forbid, he was virtually operating on his own up front, yet people expect a Shearer and Messi type performance from him rolled into one.

We played a team bang in the middle of a great run and made them look very ordinary.

We are slowly getting back to where we ought be, it simply ain't going to happen overnight.

This club has done it through the years with varying degrees of success. Rom is part of this tradition and when £50M transfer fees become the norm, I expect he will be sold on, having averaged 13-15 goals a season and maturing his all-round game.

Great name by the way.

On a poor stream I'd say the front three didn't pose much threat, I agree with the posters wanting Barkley on earlier in the second half but I think Martinez didn't want to lose. It was more of a Moyes performance but I don't mind, another clean sheet and more confidence for the players.

Another clean sheet against Chelsea would be nice.

Our fans were excellent, I stood in the Street End alongside many other blues who realised that we needed to bring Barkley and Kone on. Naismith was completely useless, and should've been taken off on the 65th minute mark.

Lukaku, when given the ball facing goal, is excellent; despite this, rather than playing to his strengths, we continually play it to him with his back to goal.

Our fans were excellent the atmosphere was absolutely amazing in the Lower Gwladys; it's a shame that we are led by a man who has no passion.

Am I dancing with delight after that game and performance? No! Am I thinking that all is hunky dory in the Everton world? Absolutely not!

But, Jaysus, people on here for months have been calling for plan-B and this and that and Martinez started with a different idea today and like it or hate it it stifled their recently electric midfield today – erm did Henderson or Born Slippy get a mention today?

So, he changed things and then what seemed on paper to be madness, subbing Alcaraz for Besic (our best player today) – cue boos – and Ross for Nais – admittedly half-an-hour late – actually resulted in us looking more dangerous than at any time in the match,

Let me count: Plan-A, Plan-B, and Plan-C. That’s 3!

It’s hippy happy hilarious reading stuff on here about bah humbug too defensive when people have been screaming to get tight at the back. There are some linguistic/conceptual gymnastics on here to make sure that Martinez looks in as bad a light as possible.

But realistically, pragmatically, there was actual evidence of critical rethinking out there today. Wasn’t pretty in the end, wasn’t school of science, but thinking there was, and the majority WOULD have taken a draw today, call that defeatist or gun/knife or what you will, but it’s true, and we are now undefeated in 4 – 3 clean sheets – and our mate Bob Heyward’s cast-iron guarantee prediction that we will have 28 points from 28 games is looking shaky.

Start out with a solid defence and build from there, that's a point we ALL made in past few weeks. The attack will come good, once the confidence starts to return. It won't happen overnight.

A transition is taking place at the club, the old guard are on their way out, we need to see what comes out of the other side. Early days, let's not rush to condemn, or change manager just yet. That's not say we should have blind faith, just show a little patience.

Well, aren't we fuckin' lucky to get a nil-nil against a bad RS team? You must be easily pleased if you're satisfied with that load of crap.

Agree Colin, apart from that one moment where he comes out, reminiscent of the Europa League game.

While not totally solid at the back (both left backs the weakest links in the game), solid performances again from Stones and Jags. Roberto has been slated (rightly) for an all-out attacking mentality, and now we have another clean sheet, another point.

Negatives in another post!

Spurs v Arsenal is far more appealing to the neutral because you always have two teams that always go out to win the match and the games are played at a swashbuckling intensity.

With the exception of last season's Goodison derby and maybe the first half of the 2-2 draw in Moyes last season, the majority are crack with either a boring 0-0 or 1-1 draw when Liverpool don't get a routine win.

Today was no different. Sadly Everton just don't really play derbies like they used to with intensity and high energy pressing, and very rarely do we go out to actually WIN.

Mirallas and Coleman were the early creative forces with Barkley providing the spark in the second half.

He's the club's record signing, surely it's not too much from us know-nothing fans to expect his first touch to be good, be able to actually fucking head a ball, show some proper effort, know when he's offside... he's been worse than useless this season.

I'm sorry but I expect a hell of a lot more considering the money spent. Give him five years? are you serious?

Coleman approaching his usual self - especially once we put a winger in front of him. Funny that eh?

Struggling to see the clean sheet as a bonus as it came at the expense of playing any football.

Just can't understand this team. Jags and Stones take an age to play pointless passes that they couldn't possibly misplace and don't move the opposition - yet when we eventually fluke the ball forward we rush everything when a bit of composure is needed.

We seem like a team of extremes. All out defence or all out attack. Slow and careful or fast and careless. Wholesale changes or totally sitting on hands. Just can't figure out Roberto at all.

The saddest thing is that a young lad who needs a spell out due to being persisted with through a shocking run of form is going to be depended on. We have no choice. When he came on he created a couple of chances... the only one likely. He also completely screwed up a simple touch in midfield that could have really cost us. I guess we have to accept that because the alternative is to have the rest - the ones that you couldn't really remember being in the game.

I agree we should not have blind faith in a manager who relegated his last team but patience is not a luxury afforded to managers any more.

I've tried to paint their observations as premature point-scoring when there's still been plenty of the season still to play.

I've mocked their heightened hysteria at every Manuel'esque misplaced word to slip forth from our Spanish manager's mouth.

I've sought to see his ever-present positivity as a calculated tool aimed to propel players to hitherto unattainable heights.

I've tried to force myself to believe, and buy into the fact, that this is a manager with an end goal in mind that finds Everton firmly back amongst the big boys where they belong.

In the face of fucking embarrassing defeats against hairy arsed 'a hotdog with cheese is a cultural delicacy' type dregs like Hull, and amid rampant rumours of dressing room discontent, I still dared to believe that, just maybe, I had not been duped by a simple inaugural season of overachievement by the new Don Goodisone.

However, I'm rapidly reaching the end of my patience. I can not rouse myself to attempt to defend a home derby display that saw a solitary effort on target and the manager sat by motionless like a mannequin in the Littlewoods menswear department whilst a load of scrotes took selfies of themselves manhandling him in search of a hole they could blow their meff muck into.

That was a derby display more spineless and safety-first than any served up at Goodison during the Moyes years.

We may have tightened things up at the back momentarily, but we've been turgid going forward since well before Xmas and don't look like getting any better.

Lukaku has been largely ineffective, Mirallas makes his mark about once a month, whilst Naismith is a modern day Barney Rubble bursting with pure heart but blessed with a pre-historic first touch that fucking 'Bam Bam' would balk at. Yet all are almost guaranteed starters game after game.

Lukaku looked to have reacted to a bit of a kick up the arse when replaced by Kone for a few games, yet it seems that was a false dawn and Roberto seems reluctant to replicate such shock tactics on a widespread scale.

I was gutted to see Barkley stood on the sideline like a lemon when it had briefly looked like he was about to come on in place of Naismith. That was a change the game was screaming out for if the manager had any intention of going for a win.

Sorry, I can't agree with that at all. He's under performed all season in my book, going from one of our most potent attacking forces to a guy who looks totally unsure what to do when faced with his backtracking opposite number. The amount of time Seamus dallies on the ball, then shimmies like he's trying to dislodge his shorts from his arse crack, only to eventually cut inside and curl a Phil Neville style floater beyond everyone in the box, when the chance for a first time cross was screaming 'I'M ON', is beginning to get right on my tits.

I don't know whether it's because he's totally bereft of confidence at the moment, or he's simply missing a regular wing man to steam past on the overlap, but we all know he's much better than what he's been serving up this season.

The RS played wide, with effectively 5 across the park, 2 stuck on the touchline, while we had a back 4 that stayed tight as a unit, leaving their wide men acres of space. Yet Roberto didn't react to that (unless you count the late use of Alcaraz in a back 3 with 2 wide; and when he did bring him on and Besic off, we also had Barks on with a massive gap between defence and Barks / Rom - they should have slaughtered us for that).

Lukaku! Being played out wide is no excuse for not winning as many headers as Nais, for woeful ball control, for getting muscled off the ball (much of which happened not wide but in the centre). Turn him to face goal and run at a defence and that's his strength. But my biggest beef (even bigger than previous games) is his unwillingness to get back on side when we are about to regain possession. It immediately takes one man out of our attack. Unforgivable.

All repeat after me: GET ON SIDE! GET ON SIDE! GET ON SIDE! (Sorry Ed). I'm spitting chips at this! I know well his goal-scoring record for us – I would expect no less, and more, from a £28M player.

Your nan could well be the wisest woman you've ever met, with an entire lifetime of Machiavellian conniving and malevolent crone like cackling behind her, but when she starts shoving socks in the fucking microwave and making small talk with mosaics of Bob Monkhouse then you've got to start believing she's maybe losing her last remaining marbles.

Barry has pulled off Barkley's supposedly patented move of 'giving the ball away' in perilous positions far more than anyone else this season. He did it at least three times that I can remember in today's game but was pulled out of the fire by other players.

True, the defensive trio were dogged in their duties today, but there was no need whatsoever to start with all three in tandem. If it was Wednesday night, away, against Chelsea then I could perhaps understand it. Against an average RS at home, when a win could reignite your season? It's like having Chuck Norris bring in the fucking Delta Force to defend your Hockenheim Go-Kart from doggers.

Great performances? C'mon. You're clutching at straws now. A draw against Liverpool at home, where our sole ambition was to defend and nullify their threat, and in which we failed to create anything more than one half chance, counts as a competent job done at best.

We need a change so that we can try and move those two on, but they'll be hard to get rid of. Big rethink and rebuild needed once we're safe.

This year the team looked unfit, played like they did not know each other and overall looked out of there depth, which must come back to the manager.

In the last few games RM has altered so they are defending much better (be it lucky at times) but the attack is powder puff with Lukaku doing a good impression of a brick wall, balls bounce of him and is static being offside so often.

Saying that, it is now set that RM is here for the season at least, hoping he can do what many good managers do: that is, get the defence right first then make the attack much better. This season should be make or break for him; if he cannot get the team playing as a team with joined-up play, then – sad as it will be – I feel he must move on in the summer.

Back to normal.

If I want to be entertained, I go to a show or concert of some kind.

What I do want to see from Everton players is passion and the desire to fight for their club. I admire Mirallas's ability but he showed himself to be a sulky prima donna today when he got subbed. (My entertainment was backing Mirallas to score first and EFC to win 2-1 at 50/1, so I may have a bit of an axe to grind!)

Naismith would give his blood for the club and that's how he's won the fans over – it's not through an over-abundance of skill – he's a grafter.

Great to see McCarthy back. Lennon looked sharp and up for it. Stones was solid as was our captain. Rom's an old-fashioned centre forward and should use that body and strength as a bludgeon – but he seems to think he's a fast impact striker like Beckford aspired to be. I don't think he is; he needs better service (and yes, he does need to be aware of offside).

I'm glad Robles has stepped up; I was seriously worried when it became clear that Howard would be out for a while. Seamus doesn't have the best first touch in the world but he still lights things up, especially if he's got someone to pass to. Ross is a work in progress, but he needs to sharpen up his thinking and go with his instincts.

I came away from the match pleased that we didn't lose, as I was expecting them to sneak a lucky late goal.

I've been to worse matches against them (4-0 at Anfield this time last year was a particularly disappointing experience) but I still keep coming back with a belief that we can do better.

Good luck in Vegas, Ant. But I hope you never end up sitting anywhere near me next time you decide you want want a season ticket's worth of entertainment. Everton are a lifetime commitment, not a circus, and the good times are a bonus – but good on you for going to Chelsea (a). Our travelling fans are probably our most passionate and they know it's about much more than entertainment. I expect you to really get behind us at the match as well.

For a manager who loves to get his teams passing, how bad are we at passing? Another clueless performance from a load of clueless players.

One shot on target in 93 minutes at home in a derby is nowhere near good enough.

The Blues played as I expected today with the emphasis on keep the midfield tight and hoping for a breakthrough from limited forays.

Defensively they are playing better and as long as that continues then hopefully soon the offense will click especially now that Lennon will adds some zip.

Naturally we are all disappointed in another home game without a win and that is a real concern for the fans and I suppose RM but somehow I still feel he is not quite up to the task to get this team to the level we want.

There's a lot of good teams left in the Europa League and I think it will be tough getting to the final, even if they beat the Swiss team. But in a cup completion, anything can happen, and it may well be that RM may get redemption there as there is no hope in the Premier League now of reaching Euro places.

But as many have said on this thread, it shows how far expectations have fallen that a boring nil-nil with one shot on goal and very little else to get excited about, elicits that reaction.

Dunno whether I'll bother with a season ticket next season if this carries on, I haven't enjoyed one match at Goodison this season, and even when we nearly got relegated a couple of times I didn't have that attitude.

Fine, we kept a clean sheet but if we don't score, which other than Coleman's effort we didn't look like doing, what's the point?

Look at Spurs today. Swarming around Arsenal in attack, at least 3 or 4 in the box when they were attacking. We had Lukaku up there isolated, and no-one in that box to help him.

And as for the Alcaraz sub. 0-0 in a derby, we were getting a few opportunities then at the time. Why not Kone? If we'd have lost today after he brought Alcaraz on imagine the reaction?

One shot on target in a derby at home is really not good enough. I'm quite disappointed with the result because that Liverpool team was beatable. Unfortunately, our own manager didn't think so.

I don't care how good he can be or thinks he can be. That's inexcusable. His 'Fellaini vs Wigan' moment. It's not unrealistic to expect him to put in a bit of effort. It's his job after all.

Besic was again our MotM – excellent player, excellent attitude. Make him captain now. I rate him above McCarthy even.

Lennon was OK – compared to McGeady, he could have been Man of the Match. McGeady is not a winger or even a football player really. He's shocking.

Negatives were few shots on goal (at either end), Barry giving the ball away (again) and Lukaku getting caught offside so many times he must think you get points for it.

That aside, it was an organised well-drilled performance and there hasn't been many of these this season. There were some good performances today – McCarthy, Besic and Jags to name a few. And we could have won it with Coleman's strike that was well saved.

It is not the champagne football of last season but there needs to be a realisation that we are on a lemonade budget compared to many and are in transition. I am not convinced by Martinez but Moyes also used to frustrate the bejesus out of me. The team was applauded off tonight and so they should have been.

Oh yea and he's only 21!!!

£28 Million? My arse!

Now Barry, there's an accident waiting to happen.

Four relegation battlers and two mid-table sides.

Why take Mirallas off? Why not bring Barkley on sooner? He really is infuriating, he's messed with Barkley's head again today. Naismith should have been subbed just before half time but no, he keeps him on even when it was obvious his lack of class was evident.

I'm sick of his feeble management now, get shut before it's too late.

Remember when that was a thing?

In most of our games this season, we have simply not looked like scoring at all.

He was 21 years old too, last time I looked.

Boring, boring, boring. What's our tactics to score? Wide to the wings and cross quickly? Or tiki take short passing? Or long and direct? Or score by taking long shots? What is it??

What was Martinez's plan to WIN the game?

We want to win the Derby, we want to play good football. We want to be exciting to watch.

But we're just drab.

Realism is acknowledging that he rarely wins a header, rarely traps a ball cleanly, doesn't often muscle a man off the ball, and is always friggin' offside! How real do we need to get?

And don't say it's because he's being played out wide – those failings are not caused by being played out wide. On the contrary, being out wide he can see across the line to avoid being offside. The offside issue is utterly disgraceful and I can't see why Roberto has not solved that...

Correct, Naismith has 2 league goals since August and no assists all season. When was the last time he had a shot on target? Can't remember one since September.

So what if we were the home side – we could not loose that game and Wednesday we cant loose either. Bloody good draw compared to the shite we have been watching this season.

I do think Barry is looking a yard slower than last season but he had begun to show that at the end of last year. I hate to say it but I think he's toast. We need Osman or a player like him desperately he has been much missed.

On the obverse side, he was caught offside too often. I don't think Nace played well (first 15-20 mins excepted perhaps) and didn't help his winger (Rom).

Soon, we'll be playing with two lines of 4 at the back... Still, as long as we keep clean sheets, I'm not complaining.

The truth is somewhere in the middle. We have good attacking full backs that will never suit Rom's game because they need someone ahead of them to flourish. We do also have wingers but the service they can provide differs from what Lukaku wants. I even think McGeady's been made to look worse than he is. If he had a centre forward in the box, he'd look like a different player. Never a great but he could do a job. What do we actually expect of our wingers?

So basically, abandon the rest of the team or abandon Lukaku. Or it doesn't work. Unless Martinez can prove us wrong.

We seem to attack very slowly and with few players running forward.

Be thankful for small mercies of an otherwise awful derby.

So people want a scapegoat and he's an easy target because of his fee. He's not going to make goals from nothing. I'll agree, he's not the best at heading or has the best first touch. If he was as good at these areas of his game, as at the qualities he excels at, he wouldn't be playing for us! He'd be playing for Real Madrid or Barca. So that's why I think some people need some realism.

I'm concerned by the lack of efforts on goal and tbh we never looked like scoring. Someone mentioned a total of 4 points from CP, them lot and the chavs. Well, if we draw on Wednesday, we will better that. Small steps, lads.

Barry probably put Liverpool on the attack more than any other player today and yet he stayed on the pitch.

Liverpool were there to be got at, but our manager picked a team not to lose. Sounds mad but a victory today would have felt hollow. The match was more like a European fixture, and not a Merseyside derby.

We could have had Mirallas and Lennon out wide, Besic and McCarthy, in midfield and Barkley pushing in behind Lukaku. A team with goals in it, rather than a team who's real goal was to make sure they got a point.

Maybe I'm wrong and this result will help confidence, but by not really having a go at home against a team that are seventh? I'm just not convinced by that at all.

The goalie fumbled it out to Lukaku. Most stat sites have not given it an assist (apart from TW). Anyway, apart from that he has 3 assists in 3 seasons for us.

Seven points from bottom three, sleep a little easier tonight!

I cannot recall him missing a single minute other than through suspension or injury.

There must be something in his contract as I cannot fathom how any manager could objectively consider Barry a better option over Besic at the moment. I suppose today could be an exception as BBS had no intention of trying to win the match.

He ain't the best, mate, but he tries harder than anyone.

It's not his fault he's so limited, but it is management's fault for giving a very poor squad player a ridiculous 3-year extension.

The only thing is how well we did last season; but, then again, Wigan won the cup. Every dog has its day. Weakness through the manager's mentality and approach is cascading down to the players. This dog has had its day; the future is inevitable.

Three clean sheets with 5 points isn't exactly the form of Champions League contenders but it is a platform from which to build and I believe that Martinez has resorted to a safety-first approach.

As for Lukaku, he may as well have roller skates on. I admired his muscling today, but control in the air and at his feet, and his vision and awareness, were dire.

What was with all the wayward crosses too? Wide players – please hit them hard and low across the box.

RM is going nowhere so I think it's best if we all get behind him and the team for the forseable.

I'll take 10th and the Europa League final... you never know!!

I really cannot see how any Evertonian can see that performance as anything other than utter shite. Can anyone believe that this is acceptable? Is there not another coach who could achieve more with this squad?

I think we could and should have tried to attack a shaky Liverpool defence with more conviction but Liverpool, with hopes of getting

into the top four, were just as negative as us.

Only 13 points from 14 games required and we could even manage to score in a couple of those if The Lumux learns to trap or head the ball.

Very much back to Walter days, I fear.

Naismith isn't your man for silky touches. People are expecting him to be a archetype № 10 when that isn't his game. Yes, he busts a gut but it's a disservice to say this is the only thing he is good at. Some of his positional awareness and link-up play as been great at times.

I said earlier in the thread the lack of creativity lies with being set up with two defensive midfielders sitting behind him every single game.

1. I like Naismith. He's the friend you're happy is next to you when a fight breaks out. But, if you tell me there's one position open at EFC and it's between him and the Stracq? The Stracq every time.

2. Kone. Enough already. His knee is gone. We'll see him for a cameo now and again until his contract runs out. Or do we want him brought on for more minutes standing still in one spot waiting for a ball? Not his fault. The legs go as they go. His are gone. And, hey, didn't occur to me until I typed the above about Naismith, but Kone or the Stracq? Same as above.

3. Barry. Somewhere in Barry's negotiations with the Club, Roberto was told a deal could be finalized within EFC's wage structure... if EFC would add a third year. It's not Roberto's money, but I have to think he was asked about the third year and he said Yes. Maybe Barry gets sat next season, but not in the first year of a three-year contract our manager was asked about. No way. So, it's Barry all the time until the end of the season. We can like it or lump it, but it's the way it is.

4. Barkley. He fucks up or he doesn't. He gets booed or not. The Kid plays.

Negatives: The overall performance. Lukaku, Barry and RM. How they allowed Naismith to continue playing is unbelievable. The way he fell on his head was bad and he obviously had a concussion. At one point in the first half, with Barkley ready to come on, RM asked Naismith if he was Okay! You're the manager... protect your players and take a decision! Naismith probably didn't know where he was!

The sooner we get to 40 points, the better. I saw a stat over the weekend that RM's winning % with Wigan was 25%. So at least we know he's consistent. We are on course for 9-10 wins. Worst case we get 3 more wins which means we need 3 wins and 4 draws to get to safety. So, Roberto, you're allowed to lose 7 games the rest of the way with your phenomenal tactics and managing.

Some people are talking about giving Mr 25% another season. We can't afford to give him another pre-season!!! We had one of the highest fitness levels in the league and now we have players who look exhausted after 30 mins. One shot on goal in your home derby is bad enough but the embarrassing thing was that was our only clear chance.

Maybe Martinez should watch video of the Madrid derby yesterday. That was a game of football where the home team had a manager who knows how to rally his team in one of their most important games of the season.

After all, if I had a dollar for every time I read "FFS, Bobby, get the defense sorted, get back to basics," etc... So he has and some still complain. Most of you where expecting a spanking, me included. A hard fought point and a clean sheet is not what I expected.

"Drop Baines and give Bryan a chance" I heard someone scream... well, he did and that was pretty ineffective. The debate about our £28 milion man goes on, as does that of wonder boy.

The live game on TV was all about Liverpool from both commentators talking about legends in red, while the camera is focused on ex-Redshite players, to the deliberate positioning and audio levels of RS fans out singing the Goodison roar.

Stevie G’s overhead kick was covered by the in-form keeper even though Naismith didn’t take any chances.

At the final whistle, the camera zooms into a laughing Bill Kenwright who was obviously happy with the end result... Now that is a worry!

Stones and Jags have finally learnt how to defend so what's the point of keeping Barry and McCarthy on at the same time? Let's go back to the 4-4-1-1 with some actual wingers and maybe we can start to become the attacking force we know we can be.

Kone for Lukaku in the later stages. Naismith works hard and is good in the air but hasn't got the craft for a through ball and isn't pacy enough out wide. I understand Roberto's thinking to nullify Liverpool but that was as dull as dishwater!

I can't believe the officials are not being mentioned here, they must have been hand picked by Sky to guarantee a Stevie G Laa victory swansong. Bought and paid for fucking cheats.

Every time a blue shirt contested the ball, the cock in black gave them a free kick. I never shout abuse at officials but the tossers got plenty from me yesterday. Shameful, biased, bent officials.

As for Henderson, well a knob of the highest order who uses the safety net of the pitch/refs and TV cameras to pick on smaller blokes and knows he won't have to back it up. It's called being a coward, you tosser, and in my day you would have been bust in two for it. Despicable turd.

But after reading Roberto's comments post-game, it makes sense. He essentially said that McCarthy was coming back after a long injury hiatus, Oviedo was playing 90 minutes after a long time, Besic was carrying a niggle, Naismith also had an injury in the 1st half. So, he couldn't make any extravagant substitutions which could have backfired if any of those mentioned above could not last 90 minutes.

He gave Barkley 5 minutes and it almost came off, and Alcaraz ensured that we got the point in the end. We missed Baines badly and we still haven't found the right replacements for Osman and Pienaar, so I can understand Martinez's caution and am pleased we got a point.

Having said that, against Chelsea, I would like Kone to start ahead of Lukaku and give Lukaku 30 minutes at the end. I think he has still not matured as a footballer, and he was most effective for West Brom as a substitute a couple of seasons back.

I would also start McGeady & Lennon on the wings in place of Barry and Mirallas. McCarthy and Besic provide enough bite and snarl in the midfield and Naismith is the closest we have to old Timmy Cahill – running tirelessly, snapping at the heels, making a nuisance of himself, winning headers at both ends (it was his deliberate flicked header above the crossbar yesterday that denied Gerrard his swan song derby) – and scoring sometimes.

So against Chelsea:

Robles
Coleman Jagielka Stones Oviedo (if Baines still unfit)
Besic McCarthy
Lennon Naismith McGeady
Kone

Subs: Howard (!), Garbutt, Alcaraz, Barry, Mirallas, Lukaku, Barkley.

I have a good feel about this game – we will win this 2-1. COYB!

We are indeed blessed by his presence. After all, this is the manager who, with Mad Mick McCarthy, holds the Prem record (with his previous club) for chalking up his first hundred games with less than 100 goals scored and 100 points won. He's done better with Everton – we must be grateful.

Is it where we could be? No, we could be doing better, but it's a small step back in the right direction.

To have one shot on goal is unacceptable and the second half was a non-event, it was abysmal. RM's substitutions were baffling.

Naismith should have been taken off so much earlier – his passing in the final third is awful, he was completely ineffective yesterday and was just running around doing nothing, like a few players though, but they shouldn't be that lost, it comes down to management.

Alcaraz for Besic was the final straw for me. At which point I decided to leave. RM has lost the plot, the players and is even beginning to alienate fans as we ain't sure what to make of him.
Well actually he has been worked out by some of the fans already and by me!!

I can't see this getting better anytime soon.

Good all-round grafting performance – don't lose attitude.

Good result for me – every game is different and this was no exception.

It can only get better.

League-wise this has turned into a damage limitation campaign & Martinez seems happy to sacrifice fluency & threat for much needed clean sheets. It certainly couldn’t have carried on as it was or we would have gone down.

However, there are certain issues.

Regarding Barkley, Martinez clearly didn’t want to sacrifice Naismith for his defensive work. Sadly Ross is just as likely to create or fuck it up and I half expected his giveaway to end up the winner for them.

Think how Mourinho drilled the flaky Joe Cole into the best football of his career before his knee injury, and again with how Hazard plays for the team on & off the ball and in terms of his ethic and responsibility.

Off the ball & in terms of responsibility to the team, Ross has big strides to make. The schoolboy loss of possession needs to stop as well. He also has to get to grips with being able to play in or all across mid as frankly only top quality international players like Zidane, Zola or Berkamp are exclusively 10’s.

He HAS to develop the above aspects his game and get to grips with being able to play all across mid, working as effectively on and off the ball for the team. If he doesn’t he will be a Championship Zola & Premier League nothing like QPR’s Taarabt.

Finally, the service to him is abysmal. It is. But that was still a very, very poor centre forward display by Lukaku yesterday. He is, sometimes, just a lazy bastard. Sometimes I wonder if Martinez is the right person, man managing, to get the best from him.

Lukaku’s public utterances mean he clearly rates himself. He needs keeping on a short leash & challenging, or, if you prefer, the odd bollocking.

We need to sort options in the summer so dropping him is a genuine option, as he should be after that yesterday. Chelsea’s Cahill hasn’t played since they got dumped out of the cup.

Martinez needs to stop the matey "I wouldn’t swap him for anyone/id pay 100 mil for him" and set some high standards, starting with giving his team mates the respect of working hard for the team and putting a shift in.

Although looking at him when he first joined and now, I don’t know if he’s fit enough to put a shift in. He looked leggy & off it.

Yesterday was quite frankly taking the piss and he needs to be told that when your one of the most expensive strikers in Britain and your here, you need to do better than that. People, well, the majority I hope, aren’t daft, they know what a proper center forward looks like and that isn’t it.

He needs a fucking rocket, some fitness and some service.

League-wise this has turned into a damage limitation campaign & Martinez seems happy to sacrifice fluency & threat for much needed clean sheets. It certainly couldn’t have carried on as it was or we would have gone down.

However, there are certain issues.

Regarding Barkley, Martinez clearly didn’t want to sacrifice Naismith for his defensive work. Sadly Ross is just as likely to create or fuck it up and I half expected his giveaway to end up the winner for them.

Think how Mourinho drilled the flaky Joe Cole into the best football of his career before his knee injury, and again with how Hazard plays for the team on & off the ball and in terms of his ethic and responsibility.

Off the ball & in terms of responsibility to the team, Ross has big strides to make. The schoolboy loss of possession needs to stop as well. He also has to get to grips with being able to play in or all across mid as frankly only top quality international players like Zidane, Zola or Berkamp are exclusively 10’s.

He HAS to develop the above aspects his game and get to grips with being able to play all across mid, working as effectively on and off the ball for the team. If he doesn’t he will be a Championship Zola & Premier League nothing like QPR’s Taarabt.

Finally, the service to him is abysmal. It is. But that was still a very, very poor centre forward display by Lukaku yesterday. He is, sometimes, just a lazy bastard. Sometimes I wonder if Martinez is the right person, man managing, to get the best from him.

Lukaku’s public utterances mean he clearly rates himself. He needs keeping on a short leash & challenging, or, if you prefer, the odd bollocking.

We need to sort options in the summer so dropping him is a genuine option, as he should be after that yesterday. Chelsea’s Cahill hasn’t played since they got dumped out of the cup.

Martinez needs to stop the matey "I wouldn’t swap him for anyone/id pay 100 mil for him" and set some high standards, starting with giving his team mates the respect of working hard for the team and putting a shift in.

Although looking at him when he first joined and now, I don’t know if he’s fit enough to put a shift in. He looked leggy & off it.

Yesterday was quite frankly taking the piss and he needs to be told that when your one of the most expensive strikers in Britain and your here, you need to do better than that. People, well, the majority I hope, aren’t daft, they know what a proper center forward looks like and that isn’t it.

He needs a fucking rocket, some fitness and some service.

For me the problem is Lukaku. He is only good when he gets the ball put ahead of him, and he doesn't play little one-twos on the edge of the box.

In the past, I have seen Naismith link up well with the likes of Osman and Pienaar in triangles on the edge of the box. There is none of this at present, perhaps Kone would be a better link man. We certainly need to try some different options in this area as goals seem to have dried up.

Yes Naismith has played well in patches but we shouldn't forget he is a striker who is not a prolific goal scorer and when in midfield just doesn't provide assists. The lack of goals is a worry that must be addressed in summer or we will be in trouble. McCarthy, Barry, Besic and Barkley have one goal between them. Mirallas is on his way. Lennon has none this season and at his best was 1 in 10 games. Baines's goals have dried up and Oviedo is not a goalscorer.

This is why I am so critical of Naismith's form. That position is vital or everything falls on Lukaku's shoulders. A good signing is vital in the summer. If it is Cleverley, he is not prolific either. The policy of SAF was to pack the team with scorers. Goals win games and good players score goals. We are packing the team with players who don't score goals. A recipe for disaster IMO.

A draw is much better to stomach than a defeat especially against a billionaire team full of very expensive players who also couldn't score and yet they rave about one shot from youngster from Wycombe who I assume Rodgers brought in as a secret weapon to catch the Blues off guard which didn't work.

They also have another player in the same mould 'Oyo' who is on loan at Wigan much in the same line as Sterling and Ibe. However, speed alone only really works on the break and Everton defended well as they have done the last few games.

I agree Nessie is limited and maybe it's time to give him a rest.

Kone may be worth starting again along with Barkley and Lennon. The team needs to be changed up so that there is more flair and that will bring goals.

Like the rest of us, BK saw a very average game between two average teams, one costing more than £150 million and ours costing less than £50 million. That's why he's smiling.....

So for Killie and Rangers he was averaging around one goal every three games, but for us it is about one goal every six games, and even less for Scotland (one in 8).

Makes me wonder if he lost too much pace after cruciate surgery in 2008, and nearly a year out.

Of the starters last night, only two players (the Belgians) would you expect to score or create a goal once every three games. That is not enough.

If we play three central defensive midfielders, then you certainly need either one of them to be genuinely creative or have three out-and-out attackers, all capable of damaging the opposition. Sadly Naismith is a defensive selection put in for his workrate and offering little in the way of goal threat or creativity.

Maybe such a defensive policy could be justified midweek at Chelsea... but not at home.

We are horribly short of players able to turn our possession into chances – and will be even shorter when Mirallas leaves.

To do so is a real challenge as there are lots of qualities –technically and tactically – that are necessary to play this way: movement and positioning to open up the pitch and decision-making in possession of the ball. Lots of these skills are created within the final third of pitch... And, surprise, surprise... that’s our Achilles heel.

Again, this comes down to the training pitch! Over to you Martinez!

You are probably right Eddie, but also Scottish footy is a lower standard. Not all his 14 for us are PL goals.

Sam, my big worry is that we won't be able to put things right in the summer with money. I am hearing we have under budgeted for players wages, the real reason Eto'o had to go. Also the offer for the Norwegian goalie was no cash up front, paying over the next few summers. It was only £3.5M.

We will have to pay £5M for Lukaku and £7M for Lennon. The Mirallas money may cover Cleverley, but that may be it. Kone seems to have been written off and will be 32. If Lukaku gets an injury we're in deep dodo.

At the stage of the season we are in with the results we have had, clean sheets must take precedence.

Naismith needs a break; Barry needs a longer one. We need a back four who can look after themselves and don't need McCarthy and Besic playing so deep. McCarthy in front of the back four (or even Besic) needs to be enough. 4-1-4-1 or 4-4-1-1 (or dare I say it 4-4-2) would work well if we want to play with wingers. But we need to stop checking our forward movement; it happened time and again yesterday. We are allowed to rick losing the ball in their half.

I'd like to see Ross and Kevin behind Rom, alternately. Basic is becoming one of the PL's best midfielders. He is our best player at the moment. Robles has improved (I'm surprised) and at least Lennon didn't give the ball away mindlessly like the appalling McGeady. I'd like to see Oviedo, Garbutt and Baines variously occupy the two left-sided positions.

We also look the most sluggish team, in the league (bar none). That reflects very badly on Roberto.

Clean sheets will set a solid foundation for this particular team more than 4-3 wins. I'm quite pleased really with the 0-0 yesterday (in context).

The other annoying thing is the way he continuously has both hands outstretched, near his knees, pointing to where he wants, or wanted, the ball played. He does it all the time; just make your runs with your arms in a natural position and it may give you that split second more to actually control it or get a shot off.

We might have seen the last of Mirallas after he stormed off down the tunnel. There is obviously something between them. We might have seen the last of Garbutt also when he can't make the bench when Baines is out.

He looks good going forward and his defensive display in the Europa League was really solid. Man Utd paid a fortune for Luke Shaw and we potentially have a young LB just as good.

If it is in any way down to Martinez "not fancying" him then Martinez should be regarded as, to paraphrase Robin Day, "a transient, here-today and, if I may say so, gone-tomorrow manager". If his vision is so impaired to overlook real, young talent, he should be shown the door...

RM can say whatever he wants but Besic looked mightily pissed off when he came off. I still firmly believe Martinez is not the right man for the job. Yesterday could quite easily have been Moyes at his most cowardly. Never did we look like we wanted to take the game to them. One shot on target says it all. Lukaku played on both wings as well which is just tactically wrong and unsurprisingly he carried no threat. He should be played centrally or not at all.

There are so many other examples of tactical blunders that happen every week, I have grown tired of highlighting them. Under Martinez I just feel we are sleepwalking into mediocrity or more likely worse.

Like James, I am sick of repeating myself over players being used out of position, and baffling tactics and subs etc.

I was pleased to get a point yesterday, but I have seen crap teams give that back four big problems this season, and in Can at centreback Rom should have spit-roasted him.

Now all we can hope for is mid-table, but I want Martinez to leave in the summer- I have seen enough incompetence from him.

I thought he would unearth some Spanish treasure, but he only seems to unearth pyrite. Yes...Fool's Gold!

I must say I am amazed at the criticism of Oviedo who played rather well given he was exposed by Besic playing near and forward of him. Besic, farther forward plays to his supposed strengths and reduces his liability defensively but he really needs to learn disicipline and get a clue on game strategy. In the second half, Oviedo was marking his man and Besic freaking gets in his way! The announcers then credited Besic for saving a cross when his inability to understand first and second man defense caused it. The further up the field he moves the better.

If you doubt this, the people claiming Coleman is finding his form based on this game surely must realize that McCarthy is back and Coleman can then get forward with less worries about leaving Stones exposed.

I wouldn’t care if RM uses this 3 midfield rotation so long as Barkley is getting significant time as he is a truly disruptive runner. The formation neutralized Sterling except for two occasions set up by Robles’ inability to correctly decide when to come out and when to stay on his line. The tactics forced Liverpool to substitute Coutinho (a constant pain on the field) in order for Liverpool to change tactics a little. Might work against Chelsea too.

Good point banked and on to the next game.

We haven’t played well for one single entire game for the whole season and I can’t remember that even from some of the dross we’ve had in the past and it’s not on.