Martinez delighted by win over Newcastle

I do have one piece of criticism and that is the possible new role of Lukaku as our penalty taker; his pen in the Europe game was a bit of luck but I thought the pen against Newcastle was terrible.

What concerned me yesterday was that Baines was on the pitch and Rom was allowed to take the pen; I just thought he lacked a bit of confidence with his dodgy left foot shot etc.

Does anyone else not agree that we need to sort this whole penalty taking thing out once and for all?

1. When we weren't playing tippy-tappy, "possession for possession's sake" footy, we were comfortable and Newcastle didn't look likely to score at all.

2. When they were down to 10 men and we tried the tippy-tappy, "possession for possession's sake" footy, we were under pressure at the back and making mistakes which gave them a way in to the game as well as not being able to complete forward passes to feet.

He scored though, didn't he?

In all seriousness, Baines's most recent penalties have been a tentative (including the one at United) so I'm not really surprised.

Rom is on a hot streak, felt confident and delivered. It's true that they're not the most powerful of kicks but as long as he reads the keeper and scores, that's all that matters.

My concern while we are in a precarious position in the league is that every goal and point matters and I just think we need our most experience penalty taker back in his normal role.

Lukaku isn't particularly good at penalties... but he's exceptionally confident.

Strange one... but I'd go for Baines.

I have criticized McCarthy for not getting forward enough and not shooting enough; yesterday, he did both and look what happened. He played his best two footballing midfielders in Osman and Gibson, and both always looked to get us going forward – not sideways and backward.

Playing Kone alongside Lukaku gave Newcastle all sorts of problems and I think Lukaku had more touches in the right area in the first 15 minutes than all the previous games put together.

I have not been his biggest fan but Alcaraz was immense yesterday and him and Jagielka gave Newcastle absolutely nothing.

Nice to see Barkley come on and score will have done his confidence a power of good, that is his strongest position up alongside the striker. I was also pleased to see him chasing back and putting in a tackle – something that has been sadly missing from his game. The question now is: Will RM stick with this new attacking style or we he revert back to type when we get enough points to make us safe?

I hate being negative like this, but that's how it seems he works. I'd rather think he reflects on the style of yesterday and notes it down as a Plan B at least.

The crowd have kept him in a job... for now.

We've looked better for the last two hours. The substitutions have worked. We look lively, creating chances. balanced. Didn't hurt, did it Roberto?

So let's keep this up till the end of the season. That's the time for some mea culpa and statement of intent from Martinez and some serious decision – making from Kenwright and his 'advisors'.

Overall we played at a much better tempo, plenty of positive forward passes (great to have Gibson fit) and the odd long range pass when needed (leading to the first goal). Our play just had more urgency and bite. Lennon typified this attitude when he battled and won the penalty. Also McCarthy's surging run for the first showed the desire to win. If he can add that to his game we will have an outstanding talent on our hands.

This game does feel like a turning point. Let's hope Roberto learns from this and continues to adapt his philosophy where it counts!

I personally think that having Ossie back is a real factor and the confidence to pass forward instead of sideways is there for all to see – Jags ball to Rom was great. I can see Barry back on Thursday to hopefully secure a result that sees us go through to the next round and then lets have Gibbo back on Sunday!!

Osman brought all the good link up play together at pace and he has been missed. He has been a fan target in the past but this season has shown his worth due to his absence. His presence also freed Baines up and Leighton seemed much happier.

McCarthy and Barry do a similar job and neither have an influence further up field. Gibson should be played instead of Barry while he is fit and mobile.

Atsu showed great awareness when Barkley made his run and his pass was a killer one. That was the way he played in the African cup games and he was voted player of the whole tournament. When players like YaYa Toure, Ayew and Bony also played in the same tournament it showed the lad's value. I would play him instead of Mirallas for a game or two to let him really show his worth.

Mirallas is great on his day but he is a bit in and out at the moment. How about ; Howard, Coleman, Jagielka, Stones, Baines, McCarthy, Gibson, Lennon, Kone, Lukaku, Osman with a bench of Robles, Naismith, Mirallas, Atsu, Alcaraz, Besic and Barkley?

Barkley seems to do better when brought on from the bench at the moment. This is a set up I would use for home games. I would change Kone with Naismith for away games as he is becoming our Milner in midfield. Garbutt could inter change with Baines to keep him happy once we are safe!

I enjoyed the Gibson and McCarthy partnership today too. McCarthy was moving more freely around the pitch, breaking up play and Gibson is great when he has a second to pick out a pass. Hopefully Barry will have to up his game now rather than walk straight back into the team.

We played better. We didn't dick around on the ball at the back. We played it forward quickly, picked up the pieces in midfield and attacked with pace down the flanks. We won.

I think a lot of this was down to who wasn't available. Alcaraz was the instigator in the long balls up from the back as he isn't as good on the ball as Stones. I also don't agree that he had a great game. He made a great block, but he was also made to look like a girl by Cisse.

We were also lucky Barry wasn't available. I was his biggest fan last season and really thought he made a difference, but this year he has been a massive liability. If we had given him a 1-year contract with an option for another, maybe we would have gotten the same again out of him this year, but a 3-year contract for a 34-year-old on mega wages is basically a retirement package and it has shown (club's fault for pandering to player, not manager, he just tells the club who he wants). Gibson looking to drive us forward and wanting the ball in the centre circle, not on the edge of our own box made a huge difference.

Simple fact, the players make or break what we do on the pitch, not the manager.

Well done blues, let's do it again on Thursday!

The only thing I will say is we couldn't have hand-picked better opponents yesterday and we will not face anybody else with as little fight in the rest of the season. Let's give credit where it's due though, and hopefully Roberto is finally realising there is more than one way to play and win football matches.

I for one am not advocating playing two up front every week but the tempo of the play should be quick whatever the system. The interesting thing now is the Barry conundrum: I could possibly see him needing to play on Thursday but not much after as he slows our play down too much.

Hopefully that was a watershed week in a positive sense and we move forward. Onwards and upwards! COYB.

Let's hope our Bob, who's a student of football looks at this and abandons the 2 holders in midfield in favour of McCarthy/Gibson or Barkley, because what's gone on before isn't working.

If he misses one then we give the role back to Baines. We paid 㿈m for Rom to score goals so let's leave him to it.

Strange that Lukaku is getting a little bit of criticism for his pens. Recently he has taken two and scored two, albeit the first one was a little lucky.

Then again, there is no such thing as a "bad" goal.

Weird that we are thinking he is having a shit season and he has now just equalled his tally from last year with at least 10 more games to go.....bizarre

Unfortunately he has played a lot more games this year to get to that tally. And it's his league form that ''had'' dipped.

I think he only has 8 or 9 league goals this season.

I can never understand why a striker doesn't want to take penalties anyway.

Martinez chops and changes the wide men, not really knowing what or who really works. Kone played yesterday because I suspect that Naismith was rested. And Martinez has not got a clue on Barkley's best position. And maybe it is time to rest Coleman for a few games. Play young Browning instead.

Respect and credit to Martinez for yesterday's win. But just how many changes would he have made, had he not been forced to? I just wonder... And Barry will be back in midfield , when available. Is that good management? Or is that a blinkered style of management?

As for taking the penalties, I would stick with Lukaku for now. Baines has missed one this season. And also a few of Baines's scored PKs just about scraped in. Also what has happened with Baines's set-piece play? When did he last trouble the opposition with a free-kick? And what has happened with his corner kicks? Bloody awful.

Just an alternative to Lukaku and Baines taking penalties, how about Stones. Do you remember the one he took a few years ago? I think it was on the American tour. Confident or what?

Good three points yesterday... but we need a few more wins. Here's hoping that Martinez has worked out what actually happened yesterday; maybe that that win was actually down to him, and not in spite of him. Credit to him, but let's see how he approaches the next few games... 'cause the good work will be undone should we lose our next few games. We need better midfielders for next season IMO. And no need to approach any more games this season with three defensive midfielders.

Alcatraz played okay, but Stones needs to come back in when fully fit. And I noticed that Kone has been criticised. I don't hold with that. He shared the workload with Lukaku and that helped him to play. Kone will be an asset with more game time, with Naismith used later on in games.

Now looking forward to Thursday. Kiev are no world beaters. As long as Martinez does not revert to type, and has his team dicking about with senseless passing, then I fancy Everton to get a result. This game will most likely be ugly. But you cannot play the beautiful game all the time. Just boot the ball clear, boot it into Row Z. Who cares. Frustrate Kiev. With the right approach I can see us scoring.

And as for the QPR game, they are poor. So here's hoping that Martinez has done his homework. Put them on the back foot. We just might turn this season around after all. FOREVER EVERTON.

The question now is: Will RM stick with this new attacking style or we he revert back to type

I believe this Thursday he will revert to type. I actually think, in part, he's correct in doing so.

On Thursday we simply must set out to be defensively solid and not concede. If that means boring sideways passing so the oppo doesn't have the ball, so be it. On the road in a difficult environment after a long journey to get there will be a difficult task.

I think we need to set up to not concede, and counter to take our chances. I'm not a huge fan of the defensive mindset, but this week against Kyiv I think it's the right thing to do to progress. We need to knick that first goal in that tie on the counter and stay solid at the back and not concede. And that means a healthy dose of the Maritinez Way and keep possession.

You echo a lot of my thoughts exactly there mate, I must admit that prior to yesterday's most welcome and sadly long overdue win, I had been resigned to a relegation scrap. Which, hopefully will not happen with a few more performances like that.

Having said that, I can't understand why Garbutt was dropped in favour of Leighton, and has been suggested before why can't he use Baines in a more forward midfield role, and he may be able to strike a similar rapport with Garbutt as was the successful Baines / Pienaar partnership.

Hopefully a good performance on Thursday in Ukraine, in what will be a difficult game, but definitely win-able. Coupled with a decent display at QPR should certainly steady the ship and boost confidence on the run-in (Prem) and see us through to the next stage of the Europa.

COYB

We should not go out there gung ho but we definitely should also not go out there looking to defend what we've got - despite the barcodes result I have no confidence in us keeping a clean sheet on Thursday. However, if we hit them on the break (they have to attack us after all) and get a goal, that away goal will be priceless and at least means they have to score at least 3 to knock us out in regular time - if it goes beyond that it's a lottery as it is.

I really think we will need to score on Thursday to stand a chance of going through - even against Newcastle we had to do some desperate defending and we were at home!

Krul was wrong footed on McCarthy's goal because everyone knows that Macca will pass and not shoot. 1 goal and counting!

Big Rom has discovered his touch. His hold-up play on the long balls forward was excellent.

Gibson instead of Barry from now on.

Ossie is creative and is a wizard with the ball at his feet, but, In a straight line he's as slow as molasses.

A real confidence builder of a win. Well done Blues.

All the same, before to get carried away, Wigan had 30 points from 30 games when they were relegated, so yes we did well - but consistency is what matters. Tip of the hat: some players really turned up last night. Most of all Lukaku. However, the School of Science is still under renovation.

So HMS Barry will be back on Thursday, methinks, together with the walking egotistical enigma that is Mirallas. If our defence is as solid as it was in Wolfsburg, we'll get chances and will get through. This season, that's a big 'if'!

I agree we need to score. But I think we need to rely on the counter to do it.

I think this is the one game I won't mind at all a ton of pointless possession with a ton of sideways and backwards passes.

We need to control the pace of the game and hit them on the counter only when the opportunity presents itself.

If we counter, with blistering pace, 10% of the time and hold the ball the rest of the time we have possession with shit crap sideways passes and bore the life out of the fan watching... I'm all good with that for this game.

It was a much needed result yesterday and here's hoping for the same positive results after the next 2 games!

As for those people saying they donÂ’t care about doing tippy-tappy for ThursdayÂ’s game, what hypocrites. Best form of defence is attack, the game is won only if we score. Lose 1-0 and weÂ’re out and thatÂ’s what they will play for.