First-half penalty decides tight encounter

Only reason they performed in the 2nd half of the game was because they attempted to try and get something from the game from a losing position. In all honesty, if the first half remained goalless it would only have been a matter of time before City would have stepped up a gear or two and scored in that 2nd half. There wouldnÂ’t have been a 2nd half performance by Everton then.

Martinez needs to get a grip of this fast, some really tough fixtures coming up before the end of the year and in all honesty we could be starting next year quite easily in the bottom 4 or 5 if he doesnÂ’t pull his finger out.

Hate to say it but, looking at some of the reactions from the players, Martinez may be losing the dressing room. There seems a number of players starting to get vocal with each other over their positioning and passing.

Mr Martinez may have to step in and cancel their ice cream at the Xmas party.

If the opposition is cleating you in the fucking kidneys and getting bullshit pens... surely thatÂ’s a bit of a game changer???

Yes, Roberto needs to have a good hard look at some of his decisions, but the game should never, ever had the complexion it did.

How about this? WeÂ’re way too fucking soft. If a ref doesnÂ’t have the balls to show a red, go in with a leg-breaker and change the momentum. Give what they take.

We should've been 11 men v 9 men. To disregard that is not genuine.

We never threatened and Man City tried to play an open game so that excuse of "teams come to defend and we find it difficult, blah blah blah" doesnÂ’t wash.

We’re not good enough – end of fucking story.

But again we showed little idea of how to chase a game. Apart from LukakuÂ’s great effort, what did we create? Possession for its own sake is not productive.

㿈 million for Lukaku?

Good. They need to liven up and give each other a good bollocking. Stop all this nice shite. Seeing someone step up and get vocal like EtoÂ’o did today is what I want to see.

Martinez needs to grow a pair next game. Move Baines into the middle along side either McCarthy or Besic and play Garbutt. Maybe then weÂ’ll have someone who can take a half decent dead ball. IÂ’d fine any idiot who hit the first man from a corner or free kick. These lot are supposed to be professional footballers.

God I miss Naismith.

He's taken stick this season but Lukaku is one of the few players to emerge with any credit from the last 3 games. He looks wasted the way the team is currently performing, sadly.

It seems to me that we are having to same debates and discussions we had during Moyes era.

Attacking play too predictable, pedestrian, one paced?

No real pace in the team throughout?

The stubborn reluctance to change from two defensive midfielders even at home to clearly poor sides?

Playing favourites too often when they are clearly not performing?

Not giving the younger players enough of a chance when the old guard are clearly fading and not impacting matches?

It's all still there for me. Martinez hasn't really even been shrewd in the transfer market yet really.

Where was he when Bojan went to Stoke?

Why did he sign Atsu?

What's the point of Aiden McGeady? He signed him, hyped him up yet he's been more or less nothing but a letdown.

Why did he keep that crock Traore here last season?

Why doesn't he start looking for a fulltime replacement for Tim Howard?

It seems like everything he did at the start of last season or said was the right thing but since the turn of the year and that Anfield Derby annihilation (could have been 8-0 that night) things have steadily gotten worse. The task he faces now is how does he change it around?

The ref was a homer, plain and simple.

He'll have to do the same things that David Moyes did, ie, sell his most talented players to replace those who have passed or are about to pass their sell-by dates.

We'll forever be in this position as long as we have so little money to spend in comparison to the other aspiring clubs. That's not to excuse Roberto but sometimes the team is a truer reflection of the club than it is a reflection of the manager.

But, apart from what has already been said, what is worrying is what has happened to Baines and Coleman. Is it loss of confidence, not recovered from injury or just frustration on the style of play? Something isn't right there...

His whole managerial life is based on the premise that you can win playing good football, even in the lower leagues. He will never "learn" that he needs to stop building out of the back, etc.

Hibbert was not as bad as you're making out. I love Coleman but he had a poor game.

Could Tony have reacted a bit quicker? Yeah, probably. However, when you're playing football and your team-mate is in possession, with plenty of options and no immediate danger, and that player carelessly gives the ball away, you can get caught out quite easily. Coleman's fault, not Hibbert's.

When is Martinez gonna realise that having 60-odd percent possession isn't worth a wank if you don't do fuck all with it! I don't like moaning usually but that was just so frustrating.

Good point. I'm a bit frustrated that Rom isn't using his strength better to hold players off and shield the ball. However, I get the feeling of we were creating chances for him, he'd be banging them in.

Last year, the majority of our set-backs came from not converting enough of the many chances created. Lately, we're hardly creating any.

Rom has been constantly showing for the through pass, and getting into the box. If our other players cold kick it over the heads of the full-backs (or front post defenders) once or twice a game, Lukaku would probably be on double figures.

I kinda feel for Eto'o as well – his heart is in the right place and he shows some real class on the ball, but it appears that his team mates aren't intelligent enough for moves to pan out the way he plans.

Everton Football Club has always been a team that has thrived on playing with tempo, passion, and making Goodison a bear pit atmosphere at night games; the Hull match had the feeling of a testimonial – no tempo from the players, no desire to push Hull back, no late cavalry charge, no atmosphere.

Our corners are dreadful, Everton have always been known as a team that likes to get quick balls into the box, unsettling opponents.

This sideways slow passing? It does nothing at all for me I'm sorry, it's just passing for the sake of passing, isn't it? It's not great football because invariably it results in nothing; any team can piss-fart around with the ball in sideways circles... We are losing our identity, I feel?

Coleman was should have been off the defensive leash a little bit but hardly got past his man or to the byline once. I don't get why he keeps taking Besic off? With Barry on a yellow, he could have walked for that elbow on Milner. I do like Roberto a lot but some of his decisions are pissing me off at the moment.

Frustrating day all round, but itÂ’s been a very frustrating season so far. It seems like we havenÂ’t got going and all this energy conservation has actually made us lethargic.

Anyway, we will soon be into the second half of the season, and surely then the manager will let us off the leash. I just hope our confidence isnÂ’t shot to pieces when he finally letÂ’s us play free!

I'm very surprised really because Martinez doesn't seem to go after the kind of players that his so-called playing style would demand.

Bojan would have been absolutely perfect for us, exactly the type of player we need, a player that can open up defences, is tricky and a fine footballer schooled at Barca.

Instead we have a midfield packed with defensive sloggers, even Besic, nice player on the ball he is, he's never going to create anything is he?

I still disagree fundamentally with the standard of players he (RM) thinks is up to Everton's standing (Robles, Alcaraz, McGeady, Kone. Atsu) and his team selection which IMO leaves us too light in midfield.

A big problem we do have is, with the exception of Eto'o and Lukaku and to an extent Mirallas (who apparently wants away to a Champions League club) we do not have goals from any other quarter except the defenders. We desperately need a couple of goalscoring midfield players.

Even under Moyes, all we wanted was productive football, not perfect Barcelona tika-taka football, just plain old productive football that resulted in simple things like chances on goal, causing the opposition a bit of unrest and making it slightly entertaining for the fans.

I'm not being overly critical of this playing style of Martinez but when it's used like it has been throughout the WHOLE season so far, I think the vast majority of fans would say it's not been entertaining, it's not got the fans involved or engaged (hence the shocking atmosphere on Wednesday night).

Sometimes Roberto just needs to know the fans want football that's going to at least look like we are hungry with tempo and pace, a few early balls in the box, a few more men in the box would be nice too.

It's not asking for much.

Someone on here as already stated that we may have to sell some of our better players and use the money to rebuild with younger players. If this were to happen, it means we will be back to previous seasons were we take one step forward and two steps back.

The season is not half way over yet but Mr Martinez has got to look with the rest of his staff at what the problem is and between them sort it out quick. He is not a one-man band and surely he uses his staff for information and does not run the club as it is my way or the highway.

I've been harsh on him in the past but have also praised his contributions when he has been effective, but today he really, really didn't do anything to warrant a professional contract. He's a fullback who is slow, can't/doesn't tackle when he should, can't cross, can't dribble, can't find space.

He's done okay in the last few months when needed, and even as a left-back against West Ham he wasn't atrocious. Today, however, reminded me of a Uefa Cup game about six years ago when the commentators were blatantly laughing at him.

Barry at the moment doesn't deserve to be on the field, keeps getting caught in possession and the other team is breaking with it. Then add in the multiple fouls given away and the backwards football.

We had better be investing in some quality in January because the team we have at the moment will be lucky to finish beyond the bottom 5.

This is getting a tad grating and even hackneyed now.

We have far bigger issues in our team than Lukaku right now. He didnÂ’t decide the fee; he has been one of our best players this season; he was one of our best players today.

The biggest issue is the gaffer and his worrying selections, substitutions, set-ups, and, quite frankly, his utter stifling inflexibility which means that we cannot react to games as they unfold and the teams we play know what to do against us before a ball is kicked.

And there are bigger issues amongst the players right now. Martinez really has to have the balos to drop Barry and Baines.

He wont and thank the footie Gods that Barry is banned for the next game. Martinez seems to have some sort of an obsession with not dropping senior pros. The gafferÂ’s stubborn streak is fast becoming a major concern.

The starting eleven today were baffling; the subs were equally baffling. We take off the one player we had who could pull something out of the air.

Martinez is trying to change a philosophy that has been engrianed into us for years. Fast tempo, direct, generally underdog football. Correct me if IÂ’m wrong, while that has produced some good results, it hasnÂ’t exactly brought us success, has it?

One trophy since 1987 while playing our previous Â’styleÂ’ is shit. IÂ’m happy to see our manager at least try to change things. Last year seemed OK to me at least. The Europa League was bound to affect us. But we pissed our group which is more than can be said under Moyes. I donÂ’t recall much progress in Europe under him or before him.

IÂ’m as frustrated as anyone when we donÂ’t win but Christ, sometimes we play lovely football which, if anything, is a dramatic improvement on anything IÂ’ve ever witnessed since my first proper game in 1994.

I honestly think we can build year on year, some ups some downs, but we need patience, which I worry is lacking from the stands.

It is evident weÂ’re targeting Europe as a priority, and if we get a run or win the damn thing, all will be forgotten.

Roberto said he would get us into the Champions League, he has found a way how. LetÂ’s be patient, it canÂ’t all be like it was last season, which we have to accept was a very good season.

RobertoÂ’s homework: corners, free kicks and a colour chart in the dressing room to show them the right shirt to pass to! In the end, I thought we were giving a homage to Phil Neville with the hoof ball as we were in Manchester!

City are a good side as we all know, and losing Aguero helped us more than them for sure. We were on a hiding to nothing today, but if you play openly against them they'll murder you anyway.

We need to create more - we dilly dally on the ball too much, and how much training Martinez has them doing on crossing the ball I'll never know - our lads must have a terrible time crossing the road let alone a bloody football.

We lack the desire or drive to score goals until the last 10 minutes of games lately, and it's costing us. I'm pretty resigned to a mid table finish this season now, which based on performances is about right. 10th or so I'd say - we need to win the Europa League to make it worth our while, but the manager should still be backed, as should the players. It was always going to be tricky this year with the squad being stretched re the Europa games, so I'm actually not surprised or bothered.

Martinez and the players clearly enjoy the EL games, and our stock will rise if we do well in Europe. We just simply don't have the squad depth once we pick up injuries and it's starting to tell. I wouldn't start blaming anyone for any of it, because blame helps nobody.

Losing to City away to a dodgy penalty is no great-shakes at all. On to the next one, and we're still only 3 points off the shite!

I appreciate that he's trying to change a philosophy, I'm not convinced you can make that kind of philosophy work in the English Premier League with limited technical players, of that my jury well and truly needs to be convinced yet, I admire his trying.

He has to improve the squad or the team more to the point in January, whether it's a loan or what, we need a player to come in and give us a catalyst.
It's no use putting faith in the likes of McGeady, Gibson and Osman, we have seen their limitations by now, nothing will change greatly with this squad.

We need a good January transfer window, something that's really going to give us something different.

I hope he's looking already.

This was always going to be tough one, made even tougher by the fact it was 11 vs 12! The ref didn’t have a very good game, to put it mildly. Although to honest, they were almost as pissed off at him as we were......almost.

Barkley provided a bit of lift. Not enough to salvage anything, but at least he put us on the front foot. We tried hard, but we’re still not creative, or clinical enough. We’re not making that crucial pass in the final third. Rom is starting to look very dangerous. He needs to be fed the ball more.

Again Lukaku did great, Besic looked good, Barry, Coleman and Baines looked off the pace. The loss of form of our wing-backs is really hurting our performances.

I think it will take Martinez a few seasons to get his players in. Until then we will continue to misfire and look clunky. Quite how people can make big criticisms of Martinez regarding Atsu, Robles, Kone and McGeady is beyond me. Which manager doesn't make mistakes?

How much was wasted on Atsu? Robles? McGeady? Probably £5M for all 3 and I actually think McGeady is decent as a bench player. A fit Kone would've been a considerable upgrade on the frontline of Jelavic and Anichebe that Martinez inherited. The other signings Martinez has made have looked good value, Besic, Eto'o, Lukaku, McCarthy.

On the subject of the latter, I think it's no coincidence we've struggled with McCarthy out of the team. Some people continue to think the guy is shit and does nothing, or no-where near enough. In reality he spends his entire game putting energy into our midfield, breaking up play, and saving our arses with some quality tackling.

I agree with Jim that we need to stick with Martinez through these teething troubles. I'm only shocked it worked so well last season. However I think the club has no money so nothing will be done in January, unless Martinez can shift some players out. It will be Summer before Martinez will get the next TV money and when the players he wants will more likely be available.

How the fuck did Mangala stay on that pitch yesterday?
I hope Roma thrash them and Totti does a double head stamp on Mangala and then scores a fucking hat-trick.
Lets see the how the moneybags enjoy the Europa League at the business end of the season.

Does any club get decisions from referees quite like Man City?
Haven't we now conceded three dodgy penalties in three years at their council den now?
They are even worse than Liverpool and Man United in their pomp.

I happen to believe that the players think that they are giving their all out on the pitch and the manager obviously thinks the same thing, but from the stands it doesn't always feel that way and the recent results are reflecting that difference in views.

The defence has improved a great deal since the early part of the season, but it is our failure to create enough chances in many recent games that is doing the real damage to morale and our league position. Hopefully, Roberto will find a way of getting his team to be more pro-active in the opponents final third whilst keeping the defence as mean as it can be.

1) If the ref gives shite decisions, it is only going to make things more difficult.

2) Barry has played shite for the last 3 matches. Wants too long on the ball. Doesn't play his passes quick enough. Has no pace. If we want to play him, he should sit between the 2 centre halves.

3) Besic looks tidy and busy, but in reality he is too slow. Experience and more games at this level will speed him up, but the opportunity for the quick first time ball has been consistently missed by him in each of the last 2 games, opting to cut back inside and pass backwards after beating his man doesn't work.

4) We have had no width for the past 3 games. Baines has been ineffective, Coleman too. Mirallas wants to come inside and Eto'o is having to go looking for the ball.

5) Barkley can pull the strings, but only if he changes his boots and puts some fucking spikes on. He slips over far too much and the only thing to blame is his footwear. Basic and simple, so sort it out.

6) We have the players, we have the squad but good players are currently not performing. Either they sort themselves out or we change our game. It is a shame we are missing McCarthy and Naismith and maybe things will look a lot better when they return, but everyone needs to buck their ideas up and concentrate for 90 mins.

7) Stop fucking moaning. We don't wear red.

Most of the key points have been analysed above. For my money, the game changed with BarkleyÂ’s introduction. For a while he added pace, intelligence and the skill and confidence to hold and attack with the ball at his feet. Lesser opposition would have been taken to bits by him. If weÂ’d also had another creative rainmaker (a fit Naismith?) with Mirallas doing what he does so well, maybe the result could have been different today.

The other glaring point is why canÂ’t we do anything with corners. I live in hope that Baines will deliver but he just doesnÂ’t anymore.

IÂ’ve not seen anything from City fans crowing about their great victory. They know their points were hard won. Everton stuck to the script and were not disgraced by the score line- although most of us have a good idea of where our current deficiciencies are.

I'd have to agree with the lot of that really.

I think something else that has slipped under the radar again yesterday amidst all the melee of debating of how the ref was...yet again we gave the ball away 20 yards from our own goal (Gareth Barry trying to be clever) if we clear that ball down the pitch then City don't get that dodgy pen but no just like at Spurs (ahem yes Gareth you again mate) we lose the ball in a dangerous area and it kills us.

Just like Osman for Crystal Palace at home, their third goal came from Osman losing the ball outside our box.

Besic backheel against Chelsea.

Tim Howard for United's winner at Old Trafford..

Lukaku at Burnley ( thankfully not costly)

We could go on and on but until we learn to eradicate this schoolground way of playing then we are likely to continue shooting ourselves in the foot.

yes, it was made harder by the referee but the lack of urgency offensively is worrying.

What the fuck do we work on in training all week. Fanny about for 2 hours and then pat yourself on the back everybody for good fannying. And as for set pieces don't get me started.

We're becoming too predictable and toothless. I don't see any cohesion or partnerships forming which is obviously made harder by chopping and changing players, either enforced through injury or resting for the Fairs cup.

I'd like to see Martinez be flexible with the players he has at his disposal, even if it means sticking Distin or Jagielka up front for the last 15 mins against Hull to make things happen.

Oh, and Sin Miedo - my arse

I remember the long argument following the Newscastle game when Gibson got hooked.. rescinded if I remember correctly. I still stand by my analysis.. such challenges are dangerous and should see red.

By the way.. Gareth Barry is finished.

I was so proud of the team today. We are lacking confidence, we have decent players like Barry, Coleman and Baines woefully out of form, we had 3 shocking decisions by the referee yet he was the difference between the 2 sides.

I've wanted Howard and Distin dropped but yesterday they were so pumped and in the 2nd half we gave a right go. Yes we tested their keeper once but one of the best squads in Europe made Howard only make one outstanding save.

I thought we displayed great character and I'm really amazed by the criticism on here of todays performance in what is easily our worst spell for 2 years. Had we reached yesterdays level in the previous 2 games we may have taken 6 points. The sing when we win brigade sicken me.

I thought when they lost Aguerro then that might give us a lift, but it didn't seem to make any difference. Yes the penalty was an awful decision but apart from the effort from Lukaku I don't remember another shot that Hart had to save. This poor form has been with us for most of the season, and there seems little or no improvement from week to week. Worryingly the longer the charlatan spends with the team the worse we get.

Critics constantly say we are not Barcelona so shouldn't try to make players do what they cant. Well at the same token we aren't Barcelona and most teams that come to the Etihad get a bit of a beating yet in our lowest moment we produce a really courageous display.

We know where we are in the league table and we now the last two games were poor but I was really proud of the boys yesterday yet no-one else seems to be-one idiot said we were embarrassing.

I agree that this is a major problem. I dare say it marks the flip side of RM's positive sides, like Wenger. Some of his absolute favourites do seem an odd choice: McGeady, Alcaraz, Barry, Osman. In October and November last year, we did have passing with purpose and incisiveness - proper School of Science - so what's happened?

I think he needs to show more trust in Ross and play him in his natural position - or rest him. Ross has always gone down too easily, by the way - though yesterday the booking was a little harsh, only a little. RM's poor decisions this term (team selection and subs) mean that players like Mirallas will leave - not good. This was a great season to make good, too - with so many top teams playing indifferently.

The main difference between us and City yesterday was hunger. They streamed forward and passed with purpose. I agree with some of the posters on here that it will take time for RM to impose his tactics - but persisting with dross like McGeady does the team no good. We need an elite of 11 players, preferably 22, and the likes of McG shouldn't get close to the squad, let alone the first team. Also, the back four don't need two minders: if they do, we need to buy better players to play in defence. One major ball winner (who can distribute) in the middle is enough.

I agree that Besic is a bit slow at present - but he is an excellent footballer and should play ahead of Barry most times. Perhaps he's mid-contract, but Barry has lost all bite and purpose.

All in all, we are a very aimless side at present - and that is RM's responsibility.

Howard can still pull off outstanding saves but too often he is caught out at his near post and his reactions seem to be slowing fractionally (and goalkeepers operate on fractions of a second); his days are surely coming to an end. Distin has not only lost speed but he is now ponderous on the ball and seems to have forgotten how to pass with any accuracy or the right pace. Barry had a good first season but now looks as if time has caught up with him. He's slow, constantly losing possession and making bad decisions in crucial areas. He still works hard and covers well, but is that enough? Osman is still a useful player but these days he has only got half a game in him. McGeady is a moth: occasionally he sparkles in the light but mostly he's never seen. I thought Barkley had a good second half at the Etihad and if he has a good second half season, as Martinez suggests, all well and good. But if he disappoints again maybe we should take the money and run.

Lukaku needs all the practice he can get at close ball control but he is still developing and I think we can be hopeful about him. All in all we've got good cover in defence when everybody is fit but a goalkeeper and two top quality defenders are a must if next season is not going to be even more disappointing than this one is turning out to be.

I could go on but these are some of the reasons, IMO, why we haven't hit our stride yet. Maybe that's why Roberto talks so much about the 'second half of the season'? With the return of Macca and Stones, and the return to form of some key players he knows we will improve dramatically.

For this reason, and this reason alone I will give Roberto my personal vote of confidence. Unlike some of the charlatans on here.

He actually says that the upside of the conditions, as predicted by his doctor, is having a more enhanced focus on some things such as sensing attacking patterns before they happen, exactly when a winger is about to cross and whose head it will land on. I guess there'll be some flack about how well he does in view of that, but go easy on the guy!

Not having the benefit of any action replay, I was unable to comment or discuss if it was indeed a penalty or not until this morning, when I saw the incident for the first time on Sky's Goals on Sunday.

If anyone can convince me that was a penalty then I think I will pack in going the match!! Never in a million years was that a pen. Just like the penalty at the Ethiad last season that shouldn't have been given. It appears that Man City have joined that "elite group of clubs" who will try and con referees into getting every decision, although to be fair to Milner, he did get up straight away as he must have thought it wasn't a penalty.

As for the two yellow cards that should have been red. Two outrageous pieces of dangerous play that should have seen both players sent off. Trouble with our players, as has been mentioned elsewhere, we are too soft when it comes to appealing these decisions, and just accept it as though they are correct. Whether right or wrong, get in the referees face and give him hell. Chelsea, Man Utd and the RS have been doing it for years, and maybe it affects referees in future games when refereeing these teams not to give any dubious decisions to their opponents!!

This year was always going to be tougher with roughly the same squad (Eto'o + Besic in, Dellboy out) playing in a competition which traditionally decimates league form. I' m not saying that I don't recognize the underachievement at the present but balance is needed.

Apparently performances are atrocious yet for me only Hull, Spurs and Palace have been poor but some are saying its the worst for 20 years. I have watched some horrendous Everton teams over the years and as much as I really appreciate the job Moyes did in turning us from relegation fodder into a top 7 team sometimes it was so painful watching us , with him taking a centre forward off and bringing Johnny Heitinga on.

They argue that Roberto has a better squad than ever before yet they fail to recognize that so do all other teams due to the extra tv money and the only reason Luk, Barry, Besic and Samuel joined was because of the present incumbent and his methods so derided on here. Anyone believing it was the pull of Everton is deluding themselves.

Come the end of the season I'm sure there will be a few on here a little embarrassed that they doubted him.

Let me ask, what was there to be proud of? You make reference to the two previous performances as somehow being worse but where exactly did the difference lie? It certainly wasn't out on the pitch, in full view, for all to see.

Do you mean it's a decent performance purely because we didn't get stuffed? The main reason we didn't get a pummelling might simply have been down to the fact that, yesterday, Man City were almost as dire as ourselves. The injury to Aguero was a slap to their senses and the young lad Pellegrini took a punt on to replace him was virtually anonymous.

City's attacking threat was severely reduced from that instant on, their defensive solidity was already disrupted with Kompany missing and his place being taken by the mishap prone 'looks a bit of a meff for 㿌 million' Mangala but, instead of scenting blood and baring their teeth, Everton settled for having a quick sniff around the bum hole and backing off:

There was no urgency about our play until Barkley was brought on, no imagination, no power, no pace. As per usual, there was no burning sense of injustice within the Everton players at the penalty call going against them. Some teams might suck it up and use such a wrong as added impetus to initiate a turn around. With Everton there was just meek acceptance and a kind of apathetic 'Ahh, well'.

If you see one real effort on goal throughout the entire game as having 'a right good go' then that's up to you, but I certainly wouldn't attempt to castigate anyone who can't bring themselves to deny the evidence of their own eyes and see some semblance of spirit shown at the arse end of the second half as being the new 'never say die'.

I'm not saying it's right to go overboard, start ranting, raving and demanding that Roberto be strapped to a rack to receive fifty lashes whilst simultaneously having his eyelids stapled open so he can be subjected to the full series of The Les Dennis Laughter Show. That's just idiotic (and far, far too cruel. At least show a modicum of mercy and make do with Russ fucking Abbot).

However, to praise a performance as poor as yesterday's, because it wasn't quite as poor as it possibly could have been, does nothing but reinforce your antagonists accusations that Martinez has already assembled a 'see no evil, hear no evil' army of acolytes.

It's not about "doubting him"; football is a results-driven game and no-one can predict the future, which is why the vast majority of footy fans line in the "now" and quite rightly so.

Bottom line is this, we are poor at he present and a lot cannot see where the next 3 points are coming from. It "might" get better but then again, it "might" get a lot worse and only time will tell.

The only thing we really had to go on was Martinez's past record, which – let's be honest – was not that great and (barring a fluke FA Cup win) was pretty abysmal really considering he got relegated.

Remember, it is a results-driven game and not a game of fortune telling and predictions.

The hatred towards Ossie and Hibbo has now been replaced, or deferred, to Lukaku, Barry and, believe it or not, Barkley. Unfortunately, this is nothing new amongst Evertonians. I won't go over old ground but there's always been a moron element amongst us who seem to take great joy in slagging off our players be they they Ball, Harvey, Royle, McKenzie, Sharp, Gray, Rats, Arteta, Carsley etc... And as for managers, well I won't even start.

This is probably the same everywhere and during a game some of the abuse is understandable in the heat of the moment. But when someone sits down and writes that the manager is a charlatan, and another idiot states that one of our players, you know who, has been ripping off the club for years by getting paid, it's akin to hate mail IMO.
I hate what's happening to us right now. I want to win every game or, at least, put in a performance. I still believe we will turn it around and the Martinez out brigade will return to the dark place from where they spouted.

No bones about it, Martinez is under pressure now. I'm not suggesting he should be sacked and think anyone who is, is a little bit ludicrous... But there is no such thing as a free pass in the Premier League and if we don't start playing with considerably more fire and nous then it's not impossible that we will be looking around at Crystal Palace's and Stoke City's results in March rather than Man Utd's and Arsenal's and that would be a fairly unacceptable situation to be in towards the tail end of the season. But that's far enough away for now.

The issue for now is how to correct it? We look so tame and ponderous, my first idea would be to ditch the nice guy approach and start dishing out some old school bollockings to try and stoke a little passion in the players if nothing else. But what do I know?

No doubt we miss McCarthy and some of the lads look knackered which begs the question as to why Martinez has not used more of the youngsters he has been so keen to lavish praise upon without actually playing for more than 20 seconds here and there.

Either way, time to earn your corn, Roberto, and fix it.

I myself am very pleased we have him as our manager.

There's no contradiction there.

We were told on the other thread how poor Lille and Krasnodar are. We are better than Arsenal, Spurs, Man Utd and the RS. Get real. These teams spend 㿀M and 㿊M on each player – we have one in that category.

Of course we should be in the top 7 and trying to compete to get into the top four but are we realistically suggesting that a team with Howard, a 37-year-old who is getting torn apart left right and centre, and Hibbert should be going to Man City and playing them off the park, especially when we are at our lowest ebb.

I stand by my belief that our players did our club proud yesterday.

Now let's all move on to better days for the lads, some of whom tried very hard, Eto'o in search of the ball all day for a start!

A month later, he says he is relying on youth instead without working with them. This says to me he was told he was getting less than promised. He would not be the type to bitch to the press and so the kids statement came out.

Conjecture, I know, but seems plausible.

Gullit says the ref got decisions wrong and then they just move on. If it was the other way round, there would be a national outcry for justice and for us to have points deducted!

It just makes him look a bit silly to say how great the kids are but not play them at all when our squad is knackered and the likes of Barry are visibly in need of a rest.

Something is definitely wrong when it's 15 games played and West Ham have 10 points more than us!

Last week I watched DMC lookalike Howard Webb justify every bad decision refs have made this season. Now this is a fella whose job is to improve refereeing standards but, when he blindly refuses to recognise just how shit many of them are, then we are going to see more and more of these bad decisions.

MotD said it wasn't a penalty, a fair challenge. I rest my case, Mr Entwistle; onto the next one Clerk of the Court if you please........

The thing that got me really mad was the lack of a red card for high boots striking a player both in the instance of Eto'o and Barry. The referee can't claim to not have seen it as he booked both City players.

Telling me that the high kicks hitting a player deserve no worse than a player holding a player back makes a mockery of the rules. I don't now if this will happen in these two incidents but don't the FA take a look at this to see if it was violent conduct?

Jamie, we are one club that you cannot accuse of supporting the conning of referees. Can you imagine those 2 city challenges against Chelsea. 6 or 7 players would go mad, Terry would tell them to go away while he talks to the ref but the initial seed has been planted that all these players have seen something sinister.

On each occasion, only one player Howard and Eto'o reacted respectively in that way and both natural reactions to what they had seen. I guarantee that if the same applied to Chelsea, City would have been down to 9 and I'm not even taking into consideration the advantage Champions League clubs get in these situations, I'm talking about the Mourinho effect only.

The circumstances surrounding the foul on Barry is a bit less compelling . I've seen more yellow given for that than red. If he was gushing blood I imagine the ref may have been more inclined to show red (not to say that absence of blood makes it any less seriously offense). At minimum, Toure was trying to play the ball when Barry went in.

Notwithstanding, Marriner had a mare of a match and his decisions (or lack thereof) had a direct bearing on the final outcome. Inexcusable.

He fannied about at Copacabana instead of organizing preseason and bringing some much needed reinforcements in for the twin assaults on the EL and PL.

This resulted in a lethargic start to the season and some unnecessary injuries.

This has affected confidence and team spirit and some of the BS statements from the manager do not help.

Having said all that we could and should have come away with a point yesterday and I thought the team put a shift in.

I know City were missing a few but so were we and we don't have a 900-million pound squad.

Just saying like.

I think Bobby is getting off lightly in the press at the moment but if results don't improve, or he buys/loans a crock of old shit in the Jan transfer window, he could be in trouble.

I remember one paper last year when Dunc was promoted saying Martinez virtually signed his own death warrant as when we start to struggle, the fans will be demanding Dunc gets the chance to replace him. I hope it doesn't come to that but things need improving in the League, and quickly.

Alan Irvine, Steve Round.. These lads have bossed it since leaving Everton, whilst we just sit around going no where.

Until recently, we've been playing okay-ish not really getting a battering by anyone but not battering anyone either.

My point is, this is an opportunity for him to show his worth and earn his pennies. I know he will be focused on the EL now but I hope he's going over the VTs looking at our recent games and pinpointing the mistakes and poor judgement shown by players.

It's no use calling for his head as we all know Bill will back him to the hilt (morally, not financially) so don't waste your time. He has to stand up and show us he's still the man (which I firmly believe he is) to take us to the promised land. Three years he said. Three years.

You wouldn't make it onto Judge Judy.

I hope during some challenging times this brings a smile.

My sons and I laughed out loud. Hilarious.

https://www.facebook.com/video.php?v=761602193876678

Don't want Martinez to go but wonder what his odds are going to be to get fired.

3 points needed against QPR or the masses are going to get restless.

Lukaku is the first decent striker we've had in 20 years so I'm happy we splashed out on him. He's only 21 and is only learning his trade.

Yes, I wish Bobby stopped all this passing from the back and we alternated it a bit more.

The whole purpose every year is to get into Europe so I think we are right to then focus on doing well there. We're not good enough for the Champions League yet anyway.

INOFs is how I'm going to refer to them from now on.

The game itself was marred by bad refereeing, who not only gave a pen that would have had most City fans wondering as well, although glad to be awarded one, the blatant disregard by the ref for dangerous play by not sending off two City players left Everton again on the bad receiving end of appalling refereeing decisions.

As for the players:

Howard; good.
Hibbert: average.
Jagielka: average.
Distin: average.
Baines: poor.
Coleman: poor
Barry: poor
Besic: average
Mirallas: average
Lukaku: average
Eto'o: poor.

Subs:
Barkley: lively.
Osman: poor.

Everton need to rediscover their mojo and regain their confidence asap, if they are going to win more games than they lose or draw.

Play Robles; Browning, Hibbert, Alcaraz, Garbutt; Barry, Oviedo; McGeady, Atsu, Henen; Kone.

This type of play we hope Martinez is trying to achieve with Everton but at this momement we just seem to have a midfield of ball winners and no one to carry it into the oppositions defence and open them up with passes to the wing or strikers.

R.Barkley showed flashes of his abilities when he came on as a sub and may be the answer but we have to get someone that can be consistant.