Roberto Martinez’s flaws are too longstanding and too costly to ignore for much longer
ThereÂ’s a sense that support for MartinezÂ’s utopian vision has seeped away lately and unless some uncharacteristically decisive action is taken in the weeks to come, the swell against the manager will only gather more momentum.
No manager in world football is without shortcomings. Pep Guardiola, Jose Mourinho, Carlo Ancelotti and Diego Simeone all have flaws in their make-up; Everton boss Roberto Martinez, as supporters of the Toffees know all too well, has them too.
For a while the Catalan’s quirks were lapped up by fans. When Martinez insisted performances were more important than points in his debut term, the majority of Evertonians understandably bought into this refreshing ideology, as the Toffees soared to the upper reaches of the Premier League.
But these quirks have gradually grown more grave. The persistence with an over-the-hill Tim Howard was joked about in various supporter circles in self-deprivating style, but more than a year on from when this issue first surfaced, the problem has worsened and remains unaddressed by the manager.
The same can be said about the mess that is Everton’s left flank. The longstanding issues with set-pieces too. More recently, Martinez’s peculiar in-game management has left many supporters bemused and if anything, it’s a facet of his coaching style which seems to be deteriorating.
All the while, as these blemishes have mounted, there’s been an underpinning concern that for this manager and undeniable attacking skill, defending is an afterthought.
The Stoke City loss was a perfect storm of all these deficiencies. Another error from Howard, more dire defending, the left flank wide open for Xherdan Shaqiri to exploit and all the while, a manager who stood, watched and did little to alter the course of another hard luck story.
It’s galling to watch. Having rallied superbly to get back into the contest, inspired by the rampant, rumbustious Romelu Lukaku, Everton had 19 minutes to see out a 3-2 win and secure six points in the space of three days; it’s a result which would have pushed the Toffees up into seventh position.
When Everton took the lead, there were four forwards on the field in Lukaku, Gerard Deulofeu, Arouna Kone and Steven Naismith. In addition, the defensively shy Ross Barkley and weary, ageing legs of Gareth Barry were holding down the midfield.
With this personnel on the pitch, Martinez should have approached the game in two ways. Either continue going at Stoke or inject some freshness into the team from the bench in the form of Mo Besic, Darron Gibson or Leighton Baines. Inexplicably, Everton did neither, retreating deeper, surrendering the initiative and trying to forge a compact set-up with tired, attack-minded players.
The resultant equaliser and eventual winner came as no great surprise in the end. The Toffees had run themselves into the ground in the second period trying to get back into the game in the second period and despite many featuring on a heavy pitch in the North East just 48 hours earlier, Martinez thought no alterations were needed.
It showed remarkable naivety. Indeed, when Stoke got the match back to 3-3, a position they would have been delighted with, they swiftly introduced Marco van Ginkel to get a foothold in midfield and seek to stem the flow of what was an anarchic contest. It was basic but effective management from Mark Hughes, looking after the physical and tactical interests of his team.
Martinez did no such thing. In this convoluted period rotation is key, yet Everton were just one of two of the 16 Premier League teams who played on Monday not to use all three substitutes; the other was Chelsea, who had a bench consisting mainly of young, untested players.
To let the final stages of this frantic contest play out as he did strays towards a dereliction of duty from Martinez. The same can be said about the string of issues he’s left unaddressed, most notably the goalkeeping debacle, set piece woes, lopsided team selections and, his most longstanding problem, lack of defensive focues.
After the game against Crystal Palace I was invigorated by the progress of this young team and the potential it had. There were worries, but with the right guidance and some amendments from the manager, all the pieces were there to align. Yet it seems as though while likes of Lukaku, Barkley and Deulofeu have all evolved, Martinez has stagnated in a lot of his work.
And there does come a point when enough must surely be enough. Martinez has shown a reluctance to be ruthless with his team selection and a regression in his tactical nous. The dearth of defensive focus and scarcity of savviness in seeing out matches is something which has been prevalent prior to his spell with the Toffees. If he can’t change now, for the sake of these brilliant young players, will he ever?
It’s not the time to change manager, with fixtures coming quickly and a League Cup semi-final on the horizon. But with the squad he’s meticulously assembled, Martinez is massively underachieving at the moment and he’s edging closer to that aforementioned point of no return.
Granted, there’ll be little pressure on the Catalan from the board, as the job at Goodison Park is one of the safest in the Premier League. But there’s a sense that support for Martinez’s utopian vision has seeped away lately and unless some uncharacteristically decisive action is taken in the weeks to come, the swell against the manager will only gather more momentum.
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Reader Comments (62)
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2 Posted 29/12/2015 at 19:48:32
I guess every Blue in Goodison and many more around the globe had a feeling of impending doom as Hughes handed our man a basic lesson in football tactics.
3 Posted 29/12/2015 at 19:50:44
BK should just come out and sack Martinez or risk losing the squad that is helping push through the sale of the club. I despair mate, I really do. Not a single person involved in running EFC has a fucking clue what they are doing. This is why the best team we have had for decades is failing. Bad management and ineptitude by all concerned.
4 Posted 29/12/2015 at 19:54:33
5 Posted 29/12/2015 at 20:10:07
6 Posted 29/12/2015 at 20:16:54
7 Posted 29/12/2015 at 20:19:18
When Martinez has someone to answer to every week he will start evaluating his own performance; until then why should he change? It all starts from the top.
8 Posted 29/12/2015 at 20:27:46
9 Posted 29/12/2015 at 20:28:11
Fifty- seven points to play for - and still in two cups - Roberto Martinez can sleep soundly in the knowledge that he is delivering the budgeted for mid-table place via his acclaimed philosophy and a stable of young talent most managers would die for.
Of course, a few of us hard bitten supporters would crave a slightly more pragmatic approach and a challenge for at least a top six place but hell, it's takeover time so don't go rocking the boat, will you. Not yet, anyway.
10 Posted 29/12/2015 at 20:29:35
Straight away we were one player light in that position. Whilst Jags has been injured we are unable to change the defence other than Baines/Galloway. We desperately need to change the central partnership.
11 Posted 29/12/2015 at 21:00:29
*If* the potential buyers do purchase the team I would think they would bring in their own GM or Director of Football, and Martinez and Howard will be held accountable for their performances. If buyers don't purchase the team it's hard to see Lukaku and Stones staying
12 Posted 29/12/2015 at 21:06:13
14 Posted 29/12/2015 at 21:42:25
As for injuries, why does it take so long for injured players to be ready again after hearing it will take a few weeks for them to be back again when they have just been injured? Pienaar and McCeady have been away so long, I forgot what they look like now? And their injuries? What actually is wrong with them?
Do they all have mini breaks and go on their holidays for awhile. Is that it?
15 Posted 29/12/2015 at 22:10:06
Step forward Alan Pardew or Mark Hughes.
Alan Pardew : An arrogant cocky, bastard. But his teams are well organised full of effort and have a competitive edge to them. He always gets a team 3 or 4 places above where they deserve to be. Doing a great job at a Palace and did a great job holding the circus act of Newcastle Utd in the top half of the prem. Fell out with the Newcastle fans for telling them some home truths, but I thoroughly believe he would use the current squad better than Martinez would. Plus we wouldn't be a big soft fucking touch like we are now. Now being touted as the future England manager.
Mark Hughes: Unfairly jettisoned from Man City before the money flowed in. His spell at QPR really damaged his reputation, but his current job of turning Stoke for a moth into a butterfly is going well. Would undoubtedly want to trade Stoke for Everton. A great coach waiting for a top job again.
17 Posted 29/12/2015 at 22:51:06
18 Posted 29/12/2015 at 23:20:20
19 Posted 30/12/2015 at 02:05:53
21 Posted 30/12/2015 at 04:06:18
22 Posted 30/12/2015 at 06:22:14
While playing the ball out from the back is generally admirable when you're 3-2 up with limited time left, you hit the ball away, into the stands, down the pitch, you don't risk a mispass that sets the opponents up for a counter-attack.In terms of substitutions you bring on a defensive midfielder or even an extra defender.
However, in essence and it's good to see Tony Marsh making the point so cogently. The real problem lies with the attitude of the owner , "Boys' Pen Bill". He appoints and then defends these inadequate managers. He's no hope of getting Hughes or Pardew and anyhow he doesn't really want an independent minded manager.
24 Posted 30/12/2015 at 08:52:49
27 Posted 30/12/2015 at 14:16:05
I'm also led to believe that he is not approachable. And what we see, is not what they get.
Unrest between the personal can't be good for any club.
28 Posted 30/12/2015 at 14:35:40
There isn't a club or a business anywhere that is run like EFC. I just can't for the life of me see how this clown hasn't been shown the door. We just cannot sustain this type of crap football any longer. Particularly with the talent that we have.
I'm not one of those who's jumping on the Martinez Out brigade because I could see this coming from what we all witnessed last season. For the first time in 10 years I didn't purchase a season ticket.
Any new owner / investor has my backing to get rid of everyone of the clowns within the hierarchy, starting with this fucking manager.
29 Posted 30/12/2015 at 15:02:58
Wasn't aware that Ford knew Everton, from top to bottom, so damned well!
30 Posted 30/12/2015 at 15:07:04
50% discount therefore available on the price of Everton in the short term. Wouldn't you buy a Premier League club for 100 million discount? (if you could ) It doesn't take a mastermind to "shut the door"...Larry Grayson could do it! Why can't Everton?
As a supporter of about 56 years it is infuriating to see the wealth of talent at our disposal becoming a laughing stock for their pub team defending. We are clutching a handful of golden nuggets and watching them turn to sand in our hands.
For God's sake Roberto..........shut the "******" door, win some points , move up the table, which will hold on to the stars and build the momentum to the big time.
We can do this!
31 Posted 30/12/2015 at 16:35:06
“I know he's a good general, but is he lucky?â€
― Napoléon Bonaparte
Right now RM appears to be right out of luck. Although persisting with the likes of Howard and Kone hasn't helped.
32 Posted 30/12/2015 at 16:39:45
Every time this comes up I ask for someone, anyone, to cite an example of a team performing as expected changing managers at midseason. (And we ARE performing as predicted.... nobody picked us for the top 4 this season.) And not one single person here has been able to cite even one example. Ever.
Sorry, but this is an utterly pointless debate. It is not going to happen, people.
33 Posted 30/12/2015 at 16:44:09
34 Posted 30/12/2015 at 16:53:20
35 Posted 30/12/2015 at 16:57:38
We were a top 6 side then and should have gone for someone to build on those foundations like Bielsa or De Boer or even Quiche flores if he was available then.
Looking forwards not back the best we can hope for is new owners soon and an accompanying change in manager.
I don't think it is realistic to think Bill will sack him now.He is too thick skinned. Look at the way he rode through the revelations by Blue Union.
37 Posted 30/12/2015 at 17:25:31
We are not performing as expected. I don't think we expected top 4 but I doubt many people thought top 6 or 7 was out of the question. Yet we are halfway through the season and find ourselves 11th after dominating game after game but failing to take our chances and conceding soft goals.
38 Posted 30/12/2015 at 17:30:03
You're right we needed a bigger name than Martinez (or better) who may have won a cup but constantly flirted with relegation until he succeeded.
There are better guys out there to look after our club we just need to look properly.
Pochetino's ability to manage a PL properly was questioned by many when appointed at Saints, he can't be alone
39 Posted 30/12/2015 at 19:05:21
Media fawning
Smokescreen and mirrors
Meaningless hyperbole
Tactical naivety
Phenomenal
40 Posted 30/12/2015 at 19:05:48
He is currently manager of Watford but previously managed Real Madrid's youth team and took Athletico to a Europa cup win.
Like Eddie Howe and Ranieri he seems to be making silk purses out of sows ears while our manager is making sows ears out of silk purses.
41 Posted 30/12/2015 at 19:10:02
Everton are in no such trouble in the table and there is no sign of any such political machinations going on in the executive offices. So I don't think the two situations are comparable.
So I still contend this is an empty argument. The chance of Roberto being sacked under current circumstances is nil -- it'll only happen if the season falls completely apart, which is highly unlikely, or the club is sold.
Frank #37, I don't remember any preseason "prediction" articles that picked us higher than 8th. Right now we're 11th, our goal differential is 5th, which means we are "performing" pretty much as predicted even if we're not getting the results. Nobody sacks a manager over this.
Whether they should is a different argument. But they won't.
42 Posted 30/12/2015 at 19:11:08
Martinez makes me schizophrenic. On the one hand I believe he's done wonders for Everton with making us much younger and what could be defined as a progress in work that makes us an "up and coming team".
On the other hand, inasmuch as I love open football, something MUST be addressed with the goal-leaking and our keeper.
Maddening.
I said all along I'd give him until halfway through the season to see where we are...
26 points 19 games in equates to 52 total points - and with this squad he's assembled (and kudos for that!) it's simply not good enough.
I want Martinez to succeed because he's building one hell of a team and I actually like his approach to the game.
But he and the team simply must begin to win and accumulate more points.
43 Posted 30/12/2015 at 19:29:58
You can contend as much as you like, but it won't change the fact that Pochettino went on to improve Southampton enormously. There was no caveat in your absolute statement re sudden availability or any other wriggle room it was categoric: 'cite an example of a team performing as expected changing managers at midseason'.
I just have and you don't like it.
44 Posted 30/12/2015 at 20:50:59
Too many people seem to think that an assertion, especially IF MADE IN CAPITAL LETTERS and ending with 'FACT' clinches the argument.
45 Posted 30/12/2015 at 21:09:18
47 Posted 30/12/2015 at 00:03:02
48 Posted 31/12/2015 at 00:11:01
49 Posted 31/12/2015 at 03:17:24
Whether Pochettino improved Southampton wasn't at all relevant to my original point, but of course he did. Excellent manager (as he is proving again now at Spurs). And actually I do have a very good memory... it wasn't just Le Tissier and the media, but the fans who were infuriated that Adkins was sacked after two straight promotions. But Cortese knew what he was doing, and as I said he'd been waiting for Pochettino to come on the market for quite a while. Pochettino might still be there if Cortese hadn't left.
However, the whole conversation is still just academic. Bill doesn't have a favorite Pochettino out there somewhere that he's hoping to bring in. He likes his manager just fine. If you're hoping for a new one, you'd better hope Roberto gets a really good offer from someplace else, because that's the only way he's leaving Everton.
Unless, of course, we get sold.
50 Posted 31/12/2015 at 05:43:21
51 Posted 31/12/2015 at 08:07:30
Anyway, Happy New Year and here's hoping for a better year for the blues.
52 Posted 31/12/2015 at 09:03:12
One thing he told me he and the rest of the Stoke lads were surprised about though was our naivety to not close the game out at 3-2. They all thought it was suicide.
So there you are. Believe me or not, but the view of professional players on how to exploit us is the same view that most of us on here have.
53 Posted 31/12/2015 at 16:48:36
Don't get me wrong, he has his faults but he knows exactly what is required in the PL. Martinez is a soft touch, which is reflected in his team. Moyes took over a club that were signing has-beens like Gazza and Ginola and turned them into a top 6 team with little or money and with no world class striker in the 11 years he was at the club.
Moyes understands the PL. He understands to win matches you have to meet the physicality of the PL. He identified who he needed to beat consistently and made Goodison into a fortress. We now have a world class striker, but can't beat teams like Norwich Stoke, Crystal Palace etc and our home record is appalling. We sit 11th with the top scorer in the PL. That stat alone should get Martinez the sack.
The PL isn't about playing attractive football it's about being tough and winning the physical battle. You do that then the quality comes through. Martinez has destroyed everything Moyes built inside a year. We are a soft touch, spineless, losing more 50/50 challenges than winning, unable to defend crosses and set-pieces, defenders afraid to win headers. Everything that's needed in the PL to be successful we don't have because it's been destroyed by Martinez.
I shudder to think what will happen Everton when Lukaku leaves... Martinez must go! We need a manager that understands the PL. Martinez is suited for La Liga. Maybe that's why he refuses to address the problems... maybe it's La Liga where he wants to be.
54 Posted 31/12/2015 at 18:46:46
Apparently when Howard took a telephone call from the American president in 2014 to congratulate him on his performances in the World Cup, the president couldn't get Dracula off the line either... so what chance has RM got. (I will stick to the day job and leave the comedy to Peter Kay...)
Seriously, RM needs sacking as he will not change his style... although I have to say he has assembled a great squad. Maybe he should become a scout? If Howard is selected for the Spurs game, then I would sack him for his stupidity alone.
Have a great New Year, fellow Blues... I enjoyed all of your comments in 2015 and, whether we agree with each other or not, we seem to love this club for good or bad...
55 Posted 31/12/2015 at 19:00:47
Like Eto'o and Distin, and even young lad Luke Garbutt, shovelled off to Fulham for being indiscreet.
Add Mirallas to the list too. Hard to survive at Everton in the politburo of the deluded one.
How is this dunderhead being allowed to ruin our great club?
Hope a takeover brings all blues an eventual Happy New Year.
56 Posted 31/12/2015 at 19:08:15
57 Posted 01/01/2016 at 08:34:40
58 Posted 01/01/2016 at 09:37:39
They very much exposed our left side for Shaqiri's two goals, where Galloway was caught wrong side and too slow to react.
59 Posted 01/01/2016 at 10:15:27
60 Posted 01/01/2016 at 11:15:27
If we have a mass player exodus after moving on Martinez (I really don't understand the logic of why this would be as you state but I'll go with it) then where we will be is that we don't have Martinez dismantling the club as a minimum. Big positive in my view.
61 Posted 01/01/2016 at 12:13:38
That's where their first two goals came from.
62 Posted 01/01/2016 at 12:58:26
63 Posted 01/01/2016 at 14:05:55
He needs to be removed from his post or undermined by the introduction of a strong minded, experienced director of football who would be there to turn things around but highlight the fact to the media why he was brought in (for example, we were tactically inept, we were unable previously to defend, etc) and will ultimately take over from Martinez when he gets fed up of being controlled by this man.
64 Posted 01/01/2016 at 14:35:37
Whilst applauding RM for the attacking qualities, he has to be lambasted for the continued lack of a defensive set-up that blatantly throws away points when the offence has done its work. Whilst he is in control, he is showing a lack of control which will leave Everton an average mid-table team or less.
Spurs and Man City coming up does not give anyone confidence of reward based on recent games. It doesn't matter what the starting eleven is, if there is no defensive plan then there is a real problem.
Despite the footballing prowess of Funes Mori and Stones, they do not play well together and are frequently on the wrong page and without the back-up of Macca, confusion follows. Barry has had some good games but usually for an hour then he fades. Spurs and Man City will attack and I am sure Everton will score goals but the big question is, how many will they concede?
65 Posted 01/01/2016 at 16:14:17
My hopes that he will discover what's needed and find a way have diminished sadly. We will get it right occasionally and have some good days but we will continue to leak soft goals and lack solidity. 10th-12th beckons and with it the exodus of Lukaku et al. This is my sad 2016 prediction. Hope I'm wrong...
66 Posted 01/01/2016 at 16:57:29
Happy New Year, fellow Bluenoses
67 Posted 01/01/2016 at 17:03:53
From memory, the football we played that season was good to watch but we had a steel and solidity about us which we now don't have. I am sure Moyes would be doing far more with this squad than Martinez is. It's a disgrace that we have a striker averaging a goal a game and yet we've won only 6 games in the league at the half-way mark.
68 Posted 01/01/2016 at 17:40:37
We've arguably the best players we've ever had. With the addition of two or three at key positions (everyone knows what positions I mean), we could be top four. RM, for all of the reasons pointed out above, is not the manager to take us there. Moyes...never again!
I'm not up to speed with who is available, managerial wise, but in the end, what any of us want to happen...won't, because nothing will change while BK and co. are making the decisions.
Any further info on the status of rumoured takeover? It's the only way we will get a new manager.
69 Posted 03/01/2016 at 04:47:27
I only hope we are taken over, and given a fresh injection of cash, and Martinez is told to do one. Otherwise, we will end up like Wigan!
70 Posted 03/01/2016 at 14:02:01
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1 Posted 29/12/2015 at 19:47:11
Where I do disagree is in the statement that is not the time to change manager – these crucial games are as good as lost as long as this incompetent, incapable and self-worshipping man stays in charge.