Everton vs Newcastle United

Coleman, Stones, Jagielka, Garbutt
McCarthy
Mirallas, Osman, Baines
Lukaku, Kone

Just go for it.

Osman should be on the bench and brought on after half time as he is great for about 40 minutes in place of either Barkley or Naismith depending upon how they are playing.

I hope that we have a strong bench as that is what is needed.

Glad to see Stones back though.

They wonÂ’t have Cisse due to the little spit fest he had with Evans, and I donÂ’t think they have any quality to replace him. Good news for us.

2-0 Toffees

However we all suspect it will not turn out that way due to our very fragile confidence in the PL.

Hope we play two wingers and Gibson.

We need the points!

Newcastle will be rubbing their hands at the the thought of playing us, they wouldÂ’ve worked us out and Newcastle are certainly not a bad side.

I believe Martinez will continue his poor selection of tactics and we will be thinking "What happened?" again on Sunday night!

Atsu and Lennon deserve a start and Mirallas who was anonymous on Thursday should start on the bench. This game is made for Besic to shine, maybe bring Gibbo on second half. Naismith must start, though IÂ’d like to see Kone take some part in the game. Ross Barkley was like Mirallas, pretty anonymous on Thursday, but I can see Martinez starting him again.

If we fail to win today it really should be the end for Martinez but, as long as we remain in with a chance in the Europa, I canÂ’t see Kenwright having the guts to ditch him, though I believe a new manager would have an equal chance of taking us further in Europe, as long as he can put the necessary fire in the bellies of the players. Fingers crossed more in hope than expectation for Sunday!

Looking forward to reading the match review and the hundreds of posts after the game.

The only thing I can predict is we will not keep a clean sheet.

Good luck, home crowd do your part.

Lukaku and Kone need a chance to play together. Rest who needs a rest, maybe Naismith. If he throws out 4 defensive holding midfielders it will be a pathetic. I will be happy to see no Barry and no Alcaraz.

Garbutt should take all corners, and any free kick which is cross-able.

Do you mean some Evertonians? A few Evertonians? 4.6 % of Evertonians?

Evertonians find how far weÂ’ve fallen Â’acceptableÂ’? Why, because Evertonians arenÂ’t rioting, because weÂ’re not holding Â’burn the monsterÂ’ torchlight parades?

I’ll tell you what is strange – to confidently state that Evertonians think things are ’acceptable’ right now. And the reason it’s strange is because it’s simply based on others not being Phil Walling – not following the Phil Walling method of registering dissatisfaction – ie: posting every 10 mins to scream "This is unacceptable!!"

On the basis of othersÂ’ refusal to be shouty and boringly repetitive, you appear to have decided that theyÂ’re somehow accepting of our position. Stupid and insulting.

But IÂ’ll tell you what, if IÂ’m wrong (and IÂ’m sure I am) why donÂ’t you tell us (without the usual semantics antics) why you feel Â’EvertoniansÂ’ find things under our current manager Â’acceptableÂ’?

Perhaps we should all stop posting for fear of attracting your ire.

My question re your post is entirely valid and to respond with... that, smacks of desperation.

YouÂ’re posts are full of confidence and stridency and you happily dismiss anything that isnÂ’t part of your agenda, but you show an incredible sensitivity when challenged.

Each League game seems to be more important than the last, until we can get a couple of wins under our belt. Get safe, then go balls out for European final. The fuckers owe us.

Mind you, we are!!!!

Hopefully we can score two quick goals on Sunday to calm all our nerves and go and win.

Eugene, as soon as Frankie flaps at the first cross, GP will go ballistic tomorrow. Never known a goalie to put so much fear into a defence. CanÂ’t wait for the day he announces he is off back to the States. HeÂ’s gone from average to awful after believing in his own publicity during the World Cup (I blame Obama myself, who rings a goalie after making a few training ground saves?) you would think he won them the fecking thing!

LetÂ’s see who turns up tomorrow, Mr Jekyll or Mr Hyde...

We all know (or can imagine) what the place will be like if itÂ’s 0-0 at 75 mins.

I imagine eyeballs and forehead veins poppinÂ’ akimbo, waves of frustration and anger pouring down from the stands and the panic-like-fuck button being pressed on the park (shudders!).

Calm heads might be hard to find but... thatÂ’s exactly what will be needed.

If fit, Baines should play in front of Garbutt. Pity Hibbert’s not fit as Coleman could play in front of him rather than Mirallas – who appears not to give a shit this season – but then who does? With McCarthy as the holding mid the back 4 can quickly become a back7! Gibson plays forward midfield I think we have to play 2 up top to help Lukaku out.

Kone appears better at the hold up back to goal guy giving Lukaku the chance to run the channels. It would be good to play Naismith up with Lukaku but he is better in the hole behind the striker. Young Barkley just needs benched for a while to settle down. A good bench would give us flexibility if any single one doesnÂ’t give 100 percent!

We just canÂ’t keep saying we have to win this one. WeÂ’ve been saying that since Christmas! Only thing that scares me is our inability to compete for 90 plus minutes. We must be the unfitest team in the league!

Howard
Coleman
Stones
Jagielka
Garbutt
Mirallas
McCarthy
Gibson
Barkley
Nasmith
Lukaku

My team would be;

Robles
Coleman
Stones
Jagielka
Garbutt
Lennon
McCarthy
Gibson
Atsu
Nasmith
Lukaku

Subs: Howard, Alcaraz, Baines (if fit), Mirallas, Besic, Ledson, Kone.

WonÂ’t happen, I know.

Also, though he could criticise players, he has to take blame! etc, etc. Not that he picks the team, sets the tactics, makes the subs... What a fucking halfwit!!

Barry Horne was spot-on – we are becoming like Wigan and, like their demise, it’s got nothing to do with Martinez!!!

Howard
Coleman
Stones
Jagielka
Garbutt
McCarthy
Gibson
Mirallas RM
Naismith AM
Osman LM Floating inside
Lukaku

Lennon and Atsu to replace the widemen on 70 mins.

That said, unfortunately I expect Garbutt to be on the bench with Robles, another who should be in the team ahead of Howard, who is giving me panic attacks every time a cross or a corner comes in.

My team for Sunday would be

Robles
Coleman Stones Jagielka Baines
McCarthy Gibson Barry
Kone Lukaku Garbutt

A winger not only has to go forward but he has to track back and cover the full back. But eh, I stand corrected; tell me our top-class wingers?

Robles
Coleman Stones Jagielka Baines
McCarthy Gibson
Lennon Naismith Garbutt
Lukaku

Link

By the way, re the night of ’light entertainment’ advertised, 㿄 might seem pricey for burger and chips, but if you look close you’ll see it is a GOURMET burger.

My guess is there will definitely be a top chef making them by hand, using only the very best Kobe beef in the burgers (and probably using Heston Blumenthal’s triple-cooked method for the chips).

Howard
Coleman Stones Jagielka Baines
McCarthy Gibson Besic
Lennon Lukaku Naismith

Robles Alcaraz Garbutt Barkley Osman Mirallas Kone

I would play

Robles
Coleman Stones Jagielka Garbutt
McCarthy Gibson
Lennon Osman Mirallas
Lukaku

Howard Alcaraz Baines Besic Barkley Naismith Kone

I’d give Osman an hour before bringing on either Naismith or Barkley and if game is safe bring Kone on for Lukaku if chasing game bring him on for Gibson. Garbutt has done enough to keep his place in my opinion and Robles over Howard appears to be a no brainer for everyone apart from Martinez. I’d go for 2 in midfield however I expect him to set up not to lose again.

Teams at the bottom half of the table are now starting to play their way to safety. The bottom three are scrapping. Time Everton realised the situation, and started playing. Cause for some strange reason, I just don’t sense any urgency. We pass the ball aimlessly, while other teams actually know the score, and score bloody goals. You couldn’t script this season. Its a tragedy and a farce rolled into one. And as usual, heres hoping that we win tomorrow.

We know we are better than Newcastle; we know we have better players man for man than Newcastle... The thing is, can the manager convince the guys and put the tactics in place to prove that?

I have got an issue with replacing him mid-season with an ex-manager. Royle and Reid are big blue heroes of mine, but it’s a long time since either of them have managed a club and remember that they have both relegated bigger clubs than Wigan. Pulis’ methods are tailor made for clubs in trouble, but could you see him taking Everton into the top four? Sherwood floundered under pressure at Spurs and while he will undoubtedly keep Villa up, I wouldn’t put money on him doing anything special there next season.

The summer will be the time to make a considered decision and replace Martinez with a manager who will take the club forward rather than keep it mid-table.

If we really are a big club, we need to be thinking beyond ex-managers who used to play for Everton and managers whose stock in trade is keeping struggling sides safe from relegation. It’s one thing not liking Martinez and wanting him out, it’s another thing getting the manager who will get us success rather than keep us ’safe’.

So, exactly which Evertonians think this slap to the scrotum sack of a season is acceptable?

Maybe the players/coaching staff/manager are all piss poor Phil, but you can only point it out so many times before it becomes redundant. It’s nothing new at this point. No one in a blue shirt has really found a run of form all season but they’re all we’ve got for now. What do you suggest as an alternative? Don’t bother sending a side out and ask the Barcodes if they’d be willing to settle it over a backroom bout of paper, scissors and stone instead?

Even if we were 3-0 up wth 20 minutes left I wouldn’t be enjoying it though, not with that clown in goal.

Robles, Coleman, Stones, Jagielka, Baines, Lennon, McCarthy, Besic, Garbutt, Kone, Lukaku.

Let’s come out fighting and pressurise them then the goals will come. This team ain’t going to happen with Martinez in charge though. 3 points tomorrow is a must.

Martinez is fixed and structured. Football is a game of change and movement. We have to have someone who can react and adapt. Martinez in his career has proven to be neither.

Today’s results have shown that those teams that were below us a few weeks ago are pulling away or closing. Yes, we have the bottom 3 but our current form gives us no confidence. The fans influenced the game on Thursday and their change of tactics changed the result. That is a terrible indictment on the management; however, if that’s what needs to be done, roll on Sunday!

I have no doubt he will change nothing against Newcastle – please prove me wrong! I can see a repetition of Thursday. We will start moaning and groaning, the players will alter the tactics and hopefully we get a similar result.

Martinez will get the credit after the game. I don’t give a shit as long as we win.

Oh c’mon Kev. That’s not fair. I did hear Howard was fully behind the suggestion that the American’s name an airport after him, but that was only so he could get his beard through customs without the boys from the counter-terrorism agency tackling him to the deck, dragging him into a back room and demanding to know where he’d ’stashed the device’.

A draw tomorrow wonÂ’t be the end of the world provided it is followed up with a win at QPR, preferably back to back PL wins in the next week would almost have us safe. IÂ’m debating whether to tune into Burnley v Man City or await the result on Ceefax. I hate it when we are at the wrong end of the table.

Sorry for the irony but if we play far more direct and stick the fuck-farting about, slowing our own game down, we can get back to winning ways. We are the most frustrating side in the league to watch. Get the ball forward fast and attack, attack, attack.

Vintage Daley.

I defy anyone to answer that...

Today’s results make me feel a lot more relaxed about our position because I had worried that QPR would have a bounce after Redknapp left and that Poyet’s savvy would see Sunderland safe. Not so, it is now clear. Add them to one of Leicester and Burnley and even a pessimist like me starts to think that we’ll be all right.

What we do in the summer, as Paul says, is another matter and while I still think RM should go, who knows where we will stand in May? This has been a mess of a season and there may yet be some twists and turns. I am unembarrassed to say that my comments on here will respond to those twists and turns. The alleged fickleness referred to above is due to no more than this: last season, by and large, we were very good; this season, by and large, we have been shite. Ditto the manager.

Goes against all Roberto’s principles, that’s the problem.

Reid and Royle are available, they both know what needs to be done and let’s be honest can they be any worse than Martinez?

Howard

Coleman
Jagielka
Stones
Garbutt

Lennon
McCarthy
Gibson
Naismith
Mirallas

Lukaku

That’s what I’d go with. Don’t pair Besic with McCarthy, please Roberto. I do like Besic but seriously, in a home league match we need to win, Besic is just the man you need to open up defences.

Whatever happens, for Christ’s sake, Everton – start the game like you played the second half of the Kiev match.

I’m not advocating Royle or Reid long term, just to the end of the season to get us out the shit Martinez has put us in. If not them, then Hibbert’s dog would do! They at least know where we are and what is needed to get out of it.

Martinez is in a world of his own! They should dope-test him!

The thing that amazes me is it has taken all this time for the manager to finally admit that it his fault we our in this position. I am not a betting man but I bet I would only get even money that he will stick to the same team selection and possession tactics that have got us in this trouble.

It could work, but it could just as easily not and when it doesn’t, they’ve got possession.

I can just as easily see..

Punt - centre-half meets it.

Crowd "Tut! Fuck off jags."

Punt - centre-half meets it again.

"Fucking hell Jags!"

Punt - same result.

"FUCK OFF JAGIELKA, YER JUSS GIVIN’ THE FUCKING THING TO THEM!"

Punt - same again.

Crowd "FFFFF....." (heads begin to explode)

Etc.

As frustrating as it is watching The Chuckle Brothers routine performed by our keeper and back four/five, I was taught it was a crime to give away possession, so have always found anything preferable to a hopeful welly up the park (admittedly, that’s being tested right now)

My advice to our Bob would be: Go back to school dressed like Angus Young, and seek out ’sir’; the one that takes the football team, and say "Sir! Sir!, how do you defend corners?" To which the reply would be, you put a player on each post, because this makes the goal smaller and the GK can concentrate on catching the cross knowing his goal isn’t being left unprotected in the unlikely event the GK misses or flaps at the cross.

Secondly, in the absence of Barry, put Barkley there, because: a) do we need two holders at home against a faltering Barcodes, b) It hasn’t really worked has it?.

I only saw the 1st half on Thursday (i was on holiday and lost the signal) but by all accounts we played well in the second half; so Bob it must have sunk in by now, aimless passing along the back four does nothing; the opposition can just sit back knowing that there’s no threat, also knowing that our defence is porous-two shots for one goal all season.

So Bob go for it, you have nothing to lose’ ’cept our top division status, that we’ve enjoyed since before you were born.

"What the media says doesn’t bother you as much as stick off your own fans – one of the worst experiences for a footballer. If fans really want to know what they can do to help their team, not booing and abusing their players is my top recommendation. You’d think they might have been able to work that one out for themselves."

I hope the knobhead behind me in the Park End takes note.

Proof? Thursday evening... around 8:37 pm.

Currently getting ready to go to town to see a band and shitting myself each time I hear..

"COME ON BURRNLEH, COME ON BURRNLEH!!" etc

Burnley 1 up.

NAP!!!

Got 𧴺 coming back (off 㿀) if Burnley win and am currently being offered 㿼 cash out.

Do I bottle it and take it, wait til it hits a hundred or wait til the end?

As I say, it’s a tease.

Garbutt
McCarthy
Gibson
Osman

Mirallas
Kone
Lukaku

Mike, if Ross is that sensitive (like me, apparently) then he shouldn’t be a bloody footballer!

No excuses, Everton – just do the business so I can at least enjoy Paddy’s Weekend.

Bollocks to their feelings!

If it needs another crowd bollocking IÂ’m there same as Thursday!

Even IF we win tomorrow, weÂ’ll still be 6 points above the from zone!!

Squeaky bum time?

If RM doesnÂ’t get 3 points tomorrow, will BK crap himself?

Three points above the relegation places, then lose what should be one of the easiest games on our run in. I certainly wouldn’t be waiting until we had only 6 or 7 games to guarantee survival.

Without wanting to be sensationalist, I think Martinez would walk if the crowd turn on him after a loss. Can you imagine the reaction if we don’t win tomorrow?

Personally, I entirely blame Martinez for what has happened to the lad, who was brilliant at times last season. Something has changed, and that is what causes the moans and groans as he now plays presumably to different orders after being talked up to a ridiculous level by his well-meaning but ridiculously over-positive manager.

What we saw on Thursday was similar, but directed I believe at the entire team, to get their collective finger out. The beauty of it was that it worked a treat. Sometimes, a good kick up the backside is what’s needed – not this touchy-feelly bullshit.

Just keeping everything crossed we can survive and then point him in the direction of Prenton Park at the end of May. (No offence to Tranmere Rovers, by the way).

Barkley hasn’t been played as he was last season to some good effect just off the shoulder of Lukaku and able to run at players from a number 10 type role. He’s been thrown out on the wings, sat too deep and even fighting for the same ball with Naismith and Eto’o. His confidence will be shot to shit as he’s been asked to play an unnatural role for his strengths. Still, 㿲k a week must be some comfort, I know he certainly still parties like there’s no tomorrow.

After the shite of the first 25 minutes, they seemed to reach a crescendo in the atmosphere. It was definitely NOT against Barkley or any individual, it just seemed to be against everything?? Difficult to explain but you could not only sense and hear it you could actually feel it.

It just transmitted itself to the players and you could actually see the indecision in their intentions. Players could actually hear individual comments about how shite it was. They thought about changing passes. The rest is history.

It was quite surreal to see it but it worked. I just hope these arseholes are ready for similar on Sunday!!!

The billionaires are stuttering, Man Utd are getting results-fuck knows how, and Arsenal and the RS are good teams, but certainly not the side they were (especially the Arse).

I cannot recall a single game where we have been comprehensively outplayed (the exception being weirdly enough Wolfsburg at home), but IMO today’s Guardian had it spot on that the season has been a combination of individual errors, injuries and poor refereeing decisions. To that I would add abysmal tactics and team selections.

With this squad we shouldn’t be worrying about Burnley beating Citteh – it should be the other way round. This isn’t the team of Farrelly, Tiler, Spencer et al, but a side packed with internationals; players that are ’on the radar’ of ’bigger clubs’. The fact is that it should be US on everybody’s radar and being spoken about as dark horses for EPL winners is one of the most frustrating and baffling things I’ve experienced in all the time I’ve been watching football.

Look over my shoulder and pray Burnley, Place, QPR do us a favour? FFS do ME a favour.

I hope he drops Barkley and gives Ossie a go behind Lukaku I honestly don’t think Barkley is a natural number 10 like a Silva or a Coutinho he’d make a cracking marauding centre midfielder if he could concentrate for 90 mins and track runners, at the minute he’s having very little impact on games and his inability to release the ball early is killing us when attacking.

I can’t see Martinez telling the lads to forget Thursday and stick to his t.t.tactics whatever the crowd’s mood. He can’t possibly be that daft.

But who knows what goes on in the dressing room? What we all want is 3 points - howsoever they are gained - and another 3 until safety is assured. The manager’s future is for another thing altogether.

An interim manager would have to be appointed to try and push us over the line. If RM canÂ’t motivate them for these two upcoming PL games, he wonÂ’t be able to motivate them for the remainder of the season.

With luck, and giving Lukaku the right service, we’ll get the same result. Martinez will go on the telly after telling everyone how he turned it around. Hopefully Monday Bill will bin him!

But who knows who might be getting twitchy in the background? He may be instructed to act by his ’advisers’!

I hope that hasn’t escaped BK.

I also hope the power of the crowd didn’t escape him on Thursday and he recognises that enough is enough with this guy and his "Wiganisation" of Everton.

It has to be the same tomorrow, Burnley are only 3 pts behind which is scary. A win is a must tomorrow (we have to play 4-4-2); anything less and he has to go before itÂ’s too late.

I still would feel a lot better about us if a certain beard rode the bench.

I think Leicester and QPR are gone.
Then it’s between Burnley, Sunderland and (right now) Everton.
I say that because prior to the Newcastle match, our PL form is terrible.

Villa have the ’new man’ effect - though I don’t like Sherwood. Something about him tells me it’s all about him.

And, man for man, I’d put my money on Steve Bruce ahead of RM in a relegation fight.

Everton v Sunderland is going to be a crunch match as is the home match to Burnley.

The most positive aspect right now is that it’s in our hands. Let’s hope it always is.

The victim of all of this has to be RM at some point between now and the end of May. But that comes second to EFC’s PL survival. Desperate times.

To each and ever one of the Everton fans going to Goodison tomorrow I say more of the same please.

If we start off with this passing sideways across the back bullshit, let them have it with both barrels...

I have just finished watching Villa rip Sunderland apart.
There was something very, very sad watching the "Stadium of Light" emptying. Their team showed no fight after they went behind.

There is no way Villa are going down based on that performance but Sunderland will be swapping places with Burnley in the very near future.

It looks to me that West Brom and Palace are home free. Villa will be very shortly so it’s up to us to make sure we don’t give Burnley or QPR, (Sunderland are gone) something to cling to. A win tonight should kill off any hope of any of them catching us.

I hope the team give the crowd something to cheer about from the kick off – that will make the difference.

I have got a feeling that Lukaku could just be the player to provide that something –it seems to me he has stepped up to the plate in the last few games.

Up the Toffees.

Fast attacking football It does not HAVE to include "a punt". Instead of making life easy for the two banks of four we seem to face every game, why not give them something to think about?

How about we move the ball quicker, we allow one or two of our now customary back eight to venture forward offering – dare I say it? – a few alternatives?

We have the best pair of attacking full-backs in the country and if you give them freedom to link with midfield players in advanced roles the will cause the opposition all sorts of problems. Even TGT figured that out... eventually

Sherwood’s response was "This isn’t a team to try and grind out results, they needed to be more direct." Says it all.

Also, I would play Barkley, who I thought tried hard on Thursday, and I’d bring in Gibson rather than Besic.

Back in the 90s, remember Earl Barrett? He was the opposite, an ordinary player but the best cross-blocker IÂ’ve ever seen.

There's a misconception, I think, when people talk about Everton's fans getting frustrated with the way we are playing. People think that we are demanding the team just smashes the ball forward and plays percentage football. Wrong.

These fans pay to come and watch Everton play, to watch Everton impose themselves on the game. They don't pay to watch the opposition. And what they want is for Everton to get at teams, to go at them and attack them

He was asked what he had changed since joining Villa, he said he looked at the squad and said he didn’t think the players he had were the type to grind out results. So he said he wanted them to play a more attacking style. Notice he didn’t say this is my philosophy and that’s the way we play irrespective of the players he has, no he made the style suit the players.
He then said he wanted them to play at a high tempo, so he said they train at a high tempo. To those fans who say that its not RMs fault that we pass the ball so slowly well here is the answer practice passing the ball at pace in training.
Finally he was asked about the pressure from the crowd, he said if you play for a big club you should expect pressure to perform well and win. So if you don’t want that pressure then don’t play for a big club. I thought how refreshing that there are managers out there who want to play the game that suits there players rather than trying to impose a doctrine that doesnt suit the players you have.

I quite like Garbutt, certainly some of the crosses I’ve seen. But I think we saw on Thursday Garbutt suffering what Baines has been suffering - nobody wide ahead of him to pass up to and play the triangles with, as our midfield drift infield (the Nais / Barkley issue). So Garbutt, frustrated, turns back and passes into Jags or whoever.

Bookie mate of mine just forwarded a ’predictor chart’ on which odds are formulated. These experts seem to rely on very simple maths and following form to date expect Everton to finish in 12th spot with 41 points !

Seems a shade optimistic to me but a win today would see us well on the way to that total. Worry ye not !

What we donÂ’t need is Martinez football but inevitably we will get it as heÂ’s in charge with the ego the size of a planet with added arrogance.

LetÂ’s hope the crowd take control of the team away from Martinez like it did last Thursday. Ludicrous situation where the crowd are actually managing the team.

Relegation Roberto must be removed in the summer.

As for Europe, well beat Kiev on Thursday and anything can happen but IÂ’m not making any predictions.

"Enough of the tippy-tappy stuf "

or

"We’ve had enough of this non-football – attack, attack, attack! "

or something similar... The RS would do it, The Mancs would do it, So stop pussy-footing around, let the board know...

Once more into the breach, dear friends. Once more into the breach. Surely today we can beat an injury ravaged Newcastle.? Surely? COYBs

We havenÂ’t won a league game since QPR in mid Dec and with the cardboard cutout in charge and the clown between the sticks our only hope is for the crowd to will them on again.

I also think the players will be feeling the pressure to win today and our guys are not good under pressure

The saving grace is Newcastle will have a weakened side and nothing to play for.

Anybody think we can make 7th so I can see some money back?

The RS and the Mancs never stooped to this level, bar some very isolated cases, but Â’fansÂ’ of shite teams like Newcastle or WHU would. I think weÂ’re better than that.

Support the team, forget the manager, and letÂ’s get a few wins under our belt. Then you can make all the banners you want.

This is a situation I have never seen at any club before, a crowd forcing the players to change the way they are playing.

Martinez will be in there now doing the damage, creating the wrong mindset in the players and telling them to play at the wrong tempo and in the wrong style. In 60 minutes time the crowd will take over and try and undo his hapless influence.

The crowd is our only hope, we must continue to free the players from MartinezÂ’s spell.

When IÂ’m lucky enough to be in Liverpool to get to a game, I see it as my duty to let the manager and players know what I think of their good/bad performance. ItÂ’s been like that for me since 1970, itÂ’s really nothing new......unless youÂ’re desperate for another reason to have a pop at Martinez?

Martinez looks and sounds washed up, knackered and clueless. HeÂ’s never been in this situation and it shows. HeÂ’s hanging in there looking for a miracle that isnÂ’t going to come. He clearly isnÂ’t getting through to the players, so if the crowd does it, thatÂ’s fine by me! ItÂ’s nothing new.

Says a lot about the players, though, doesnÂ’t it ?

This is fundamentally different to booing a substitution or getting on the back of a particular player, the latter I hate by the way. This is about the crowd making it clear they hate the style of play and demonstrably having an effect on the team. We can all see it.

Up the Toffees