Martinez thrilled with Besic's debut season

We certainly need to see more of Besic if heÂ’s to grow into a fully fledged Premier League regular, and a replacement for Gareth Barry. Hopefully the new season will see him start more games, with BarryÂ’s older legs reserved for substitute appearances when required. He surely canÂ’t play the number of full games he was expected to under Martinez in this last season.

Besic is a great hope for the future and could indeed turn out to be a class act for us, as long as his natural instincts are not drowned beneath a welter of MartinezÂ’s weird and wonderful training practices and tactical un-know how. Roberto does seem to have developed the knack of training the skills OUT of good players rather than improving the skills they already have.

WeÂ’ll be watching, Roberto. Keep to your word over Besic and maybe one or two people will start to believe you mean what you say. The jury is well and truly out on our manager and he must do something to restore any credibility he may have had at the start of last season. Maybe promoting Mo Besic to a more regular starting berth will be a step towards doing that. We shall wait and see.

DonÂ’t get me wrong, I like the lad, especially his tenacity, but until I see him make a big impact on our play and results, IÂ’m still tempted to leave the Barry/Macca partnership alone.

In an ideal world, IÂ’d love to see Gibbo and Macca in the middle, but even as one of his biggest fans, I think Gibson is a write-off for obvious reasons.

Actions speak louder than words and Besic has only played a minor part this season. In a season where the club has been disappointing, and his competitor Gareth Barry has been more than disappointing. If I were in BesicÂ’s shoes, I would want to leave.

He hasnÂ’t said anything to suggest otherwise.

If you think heÂ’s so good, prove it by picking him more often!

Instead he plays that liability and yellow card waiting to happen, Barry. The Three Queens who were in the Mersey at the weekend turned faster than he can.

Like a lot of players - particularly Barkley - under this manager, he takes too long, needs too many touches before he lets the ball go.

We get far too carried away here at Everton with "potential". From what I have seen some Everton fans would say Besic is so much better than the likes of Charlie Adam, Gylfi Sigurdsson or Ki at Swansea but from what weÂ’ve seen heÂ’s not a player with a vast array from strings to his bow. He canÂ’t create or score and his shot against Spurs on Sunday was about only his second goal attempt all season.

I agree, the jury is out so far, I like his attitude but I need to see a lot more before I get truly carried away.

Certainly in this case, Besic reminds me of Alan Harper – a lad we signed from the RS in the 1980s. Only he’s not as good. A water carrier at best.

RM – just play him. Personally I don’t understand why he’s trying to groom him into a DCM when he’s played his whole career as a CB. We need a couple of those.

Oh, IÂ’ve got an idea...

Oh, I just remembered, 2014 was World Cup year so no such preparation was necessary. It showed.

Then off course we have the quite simply "unique talents" of Arouna Kone and the "best young talent in world football", Ross Barkley, to fall back on.

Of course, donÂ’t forget Aiden "twinkle toes magician " McGeady...

With Roberto in charge, who needs new signings?!!!

Surely you mean Â’as he motivates his signingsÂ’?

If he manages that to full effect, we will be half way there.

From what IÂ’ve seen of Besic this season, he is capable of switching play with 40/50 yard diagonals. He is also capable of giving it away from a simple 5-yard pass.

But I think his good passes out weigh his simple mistakes. As he matures, he will become a very valuable player for us.

The only thing that bothers me about him and the majority of our squad (Osman, Pienaar, Lennon, Barry, McCarthy, Naismith, McGeady) is that they all seem to have powderpuff shots. Sometimes I get the feeling they are just happy with hitting the target rather than doing it with venom.

Martinez has already destroyed the confidence of one of the countryÂ’s most talented youngsters (Barkley) and has made our left / right back attacking force redundant beyond belief.

Besic will get his chance but, like most of our attacking and exciting options, he will be shackled like the others.

I wanted to see more of Besic but the lad himself seems pleased with his development. HeÂ’s come from a relatively poor league to play in the best league in the world and at just 22 I actually think Martinez has done a decent job with him. In fact, I wish heÂ’d have shielded Barkley in a similar manner.

In reality, what we have is a decent player who has done adequately this season. Hopefully he continues to improve and can be a good understudy or challenge to McCarthy! I canÂ’t see them both in the same team as they lack creativity!

The great Â’hopeÂ’ is Gibson getting a run of fitness and forming a partnership with McCarthy.

As the season went on and his minutes diminished, so did his forward thinking football.

I was hoping for the best from him but now he looks like a sit in the front of the back four and do fuck all with teh ball kind of player that we have an abundance of now.

When this lad finds his way and settles in to the Premier League we will find it difficult to keep him away from the so-called elite group of teams.

I agree with Roberto, he did seem to try too hard; I think this was down to being shackled into the defensive midfield role. With this type of player with energy and enthusiasm, you donÂ’t need a defensive midfielder; you could play him and Barkley together in the middle with 2 up top, remember that! I hate this Â’needÂ’ for a specialist Â’defensive midÂ’.

With your possession-based style of play, we can be sure this defensive midfield gem wonÂ’t turn into another English hoof-ball merchant.

Top marks for Roberto and Besic. Roll on son!

For the same reason, we need to gradually phase Gareth Barry out of the team. I was a massive fan of Barry after his first season but the time has come for him to only be used sparingly. We need a box-to-box, goal scoring midfielder next to James. Any suggestions for any players like that out there?

Who can forget the screamer Alan scored at Stamford Bridge in the ’87 season? I won’t as I nearly got killed celebrating it as 15,000 cockneys chased us out of the ground – mind you, I could run then.

Sorry for reminiscing but, if Besic ends up being as good as Harper, weÂ’ll have a footballer on our hands.

Maybe we were spoilt in them days having such a great team and Kendall as the manager, and seeing the blues win the league a few times it was heaven.

I feel a bit sorry for my 3 sons because it probably wonÂ’t happen again anytime soon.

The manager will be here come the new season, so I for one will be backing him, and hope that the lessons of this season will be learned. I also feel Besic will really come good this year, as the lad IS a footballer.

Why doesnÂ’t some elder statesman (Kendall maybe) at the club tell Roberto to go 3 months without saying anything? And just concentrate on buying the players we need.

Martinez clearly knows all this and is slowly integrating Besic into the lifestyle of England, English people and also into the squad at Everton. This all takes time. Martinez knows what heÂ’s doing. Basic will be one bell of a player in a couple of years.

Let the kid find his way in the Prem by giving him a few more starts next season even if it means sacrificing the experience of Â’the irreplaceable BarryÂ’.

To be fair to Martinez, he has afforded ample opportunity to Barkley and it hasnÂ’t paid off. Yet. But then, he canÂ’t be expected to be fielding kids all over the team at the same time.

How much he cost is irrelevant really, If they have the talent it will be obvious for all to see, waiting for years for him to develop may pay off but rarely does. If your good enough your old enough in my book.

If he ends up being nearly as good as Bracewell (before the injury) IÂ’ll be delighted, but to be honest all IÂ’ve seen so far is a tackling machine with very little creativity.

Let's hope there is more to come

How anyone can definitively state (as some have above) that heÂ’s no better than x, y or z player who is much older and more experienced beggars belief. Give the lad a chance, FFS.

As Thomas (19) says, from what I have seen, "As he matures, he will become a very valuable player for us." That’s my opinion but it’s far too early so say for sure either way. It’s certainly too soon to write him off – can’t we just wait and see rather than using him as another opportunity to have a go at Martinez?

This is what I find most disagreeable - whatever the post is about it always ends up anti Martinez - stick to the title, as Lyndon says, FFS!!

I donÂ’t want to belabour the point too much but the post by Jim Bennings (who I think may hold the TW record for anti-Martinez comments) above (12) is a case in point when it comes to the myopia that exists sometimes:

He canÂ’t create or score and his shot against Spurs on Sunday was about only his second goal attempt all season.

Besic had five shots in the WBA home game alone.

The interview is with Martinez, so heÂ’s highly likely to figure in the thread... but heÂ’s hardly being murdered.

ItÂ’s a decent thread, guys, let it take its course.

When they take to the field it is up to them to show the fans whether or not they deserve to be in the team. I would ask Mr Martinez to allow his players to show their skills out on the pitch, the fans will use that to judge whether or not they are suitable to play for Everton and no amount of talk will change their minds. Sometimes it feels as if the manager is trying to convince the fans that they are not seeing what he is seeing.

As for Besic I was expecting a little more from him, but he does have time on his side and he obviously has some real ability which we all hope to see a lot more of in the future once he has acclimatised to the unique demands of the English Premier League.

"When I saw him in the World Cup I knew that he was an Everton player because he would play with his heart. He is someone who is technically really, really skillful. He can keep the ball, he can see a pass off the ball. HeÂ’s as good as you get defensively."

Not sarcasm. I meant every word.

I do freely admit to attempting to wind up a bit with the praise, but frankly IÂ’m just sick to the teeth of the Roberto bashing...

I think in this instance heÂ’s done marvelous with Besic and I see a ton of talent and hope in this kid.

I admittedly would have liked to have seen him play more in lieu of Barry - but understand RobertoÂ’s holding him back a bit.

Figure he might take a part-time role for one more shot in the Champs League...maybe.

Anyway, RM was so thrilled he sat for the last two months!?

Let the Bosnian play!!

The season is over, Martinez is probably on his jollies. He isnÂ’t doing anything to suddenly warrant praise or criticism. IÂ’m not sure why he is getting either.

I would say these pages reflect the general mood of Evertonia pretty accurately, Martinez receives as much praise as he does criticism.

I do see a proper footballer in him though and that excites me. And I would have to agree with Lyndon, Martinez couldnÂ’t blood inexperienced youngsters all over the pitch, Besic will get his chance.

More phenomenal rubbish spouted by the incompetent in charge.

When is the penny going to drop in some folks heads?

As for Besic, he is talented but has some serious flaws which no degree of inexplicable "cult hero" status will fix. He is never far from a yellow card. He gives the ball away in dangerous positions too often. He lingers too deep. I trust he will improve as he gains experience but I donÂ’t expect any improvement will be credited to MartinezÂ’s coaching.

Martinez has done a very good job handling Besic. Besic has had a very good inaugural season and surely will improve and take more of a role as he ages and gains experience.

One creative midfielder with these and we can do damage but Barry ... Mr Misplaced Pass – please go and do one somewhere else.

Peter, it is so clearly a matter of opinion based on our starting point; you thought the interview was eloquent and rational, I absolutely disagree with that.

Surely the board are responsible for running the business and RM is only head coach.

A good team needs this type of player. Mo is tenacious and he covers a lot of ground. He has a winnerÂ’s mentality. I like him a lot but he is like an unpolished gem. He needs to tidy up his passing and decision making, which will only come with time and more games.