Two steps forward, three steps back
Everton have slipped into reverse under Roberto Martinez who must surely be on borrowed time where it comes to convincing the fanbase that he is capable of evolving away from the approach that scuttled Wigan.
It was a game they simply had to win – to improve on a record of just 1 win in 9 Premier League matches; to erase the sense of frustration and injustice at the events of last weekend at Stamford Bridge; to get the team back into the top half of the table; and to prove that the promise shown in terms of greater organisation since the New Year could be turned into points.
Instead, Everton fell to their fifth home defeat of the season and effectively saw the remaining glimmer of hope on their top-four hopes extinguished by what was an awful performance in the context of the ability in their ranks. A mere six wins in 23 Premier League games now tells its own unforgivable story and solidifies the question marks that have been forming over Roberto Martinez's tenure for the past 18 months.
Coming off two decent results from difficult fixtures at the Etihad Stadium and Stamford Bridge, this was Everton's chance to come back home to Goodison Park, earn successive League wins for the first time this season and finally light the touchpaper on a campaign that has promised much but delivered little except more frustration. Had they begun the game with a sense of purpose befitting the "Last Chance Saloon" nature of the game as it related to their European hopes, they might have revved up a tentative and anxious crowd that hasn't celebrated a win in the Premier League since the third week of November.
Unfortunately, however, the opposite was true. It was evident from the first whistle that, despite their awful away record, Swansea were going to be no pushover and that their efforts under the gaze of their new manager, Francesco Guidolin, combined with the Blues' suicidal tendencies, were a recipe for more misery for the home side. Those Evertonians who have seen their side concede the first goal on countless occasions this season were, predictably, anxious in the early going, the mood not helped by an injury to Muhamed Besic after just nine minutes.
The loss of a player who fired a shot off the post after three minutes and has become something of a new Talisman at Goodison in recent weeks, compounded when Kevin Mirallas was also forced off with less than half an hour gone, obviously had an affect on Everton' ability to generate some momentum in a poor first half but the Blues had shot themselves in the foot before they had had a chance to get going.
Martinez made great fanfare about how quickly he was able to institute a passing- and posession-based game at Everton when he first arrived and control of the ball became a hallmark, for better or worse depending on the circumstances, of the team's play. Here, though, it was Swansea affecting all the neat and incisive passing while Everton gambled on quick "percentages" balls hoping for something to break for Romelu Lukaku, Ross Barkley or Gerard Deulofeu in forward areas. More often than not, they found the immovable object of the impressive Ashley Williams who largely had Lukaku in his pocket for much of the afternoon.
The only time Martinez's side seemed willing to hold onto the ball for any length of time was in defence, where the playing-with-fire routine involving John Stones and Tim Howard that had already worn thin before today ended up handing the visitors the lead in the 17th minute. As he so often does, Stones delayed a pass back to the American who appeared oblivious to the opportunism of Andre Ayew and, after taking two steps away from the ball to set himself for a clearance, was hurried into a wild, panicked hack as the Ghanaian raced in to intercept. Ayew was dumped on the turf, referee Anthony Taylor pointed to the spot and Gylfi Sugurdsson lashed an unsaveable penalty into the top corner.
Not for the first time this season, Everton dug themselves out of that hole after Deulofeu's goalbound shot had been blocked behind by Neil Taylor. The same defender failed to track Tom Cleverley's dead ball or Gareth Barry's run to the near post to meet it and Jack Cork inadvertently helped the veteran midfielder's touch into the goal via the far post. Parity restored and that early mistake atoned for, that should have been the reset that Everton needed to seize control of the contest and go on to win but they fell behind again 11 minutes before the break to a goal they would prove singularly unable to erase over the ensuing 55 minutes.
A potential handball on Williams was not given by the referee in the build up and Everton lost focus, failed to press as Swansea played through them down the left channel, easily out-manoeuvred Bryan Oviedo – a painfully square peg in a round right-back hole at times – and Ayew popped up in the box to fire goalwards from the angle. Another heavy deflection, this time off Stones, guided the ball over Howard and it was 2-1.
Everton had their moments between then and half time, Lukaku dragging the best chance just wide from the edge of the box and Barkley jinking his way through with a wonderful run but then seeing his shot charged down, but in general the home side often couldn't build anything in the final third because they kept slinging the ball into the box aimlessly through Cleverley and Deulofeu.
That would gradually change in the second half where, after Howard had made a good stop to deny Wayne Routledge, it became one-way traffic to Swansea's goal and Deulofeu began to take more of the initiative by peppering the Swans' six-yard box with crosses whipped in from the right. That, after seeing him do the same thing on numerous occasions two seasons ago, no one was regularly gambling by throwing themselves in the way of one of them to divert it home was frustrating. Granted, some of them were delivered with too much pace but Steven Pienaar knocked one over the bar at the back post and Lukaku came within a few inches of connecting with another in front of goal.
All that pressure would result in just two efforts on target in the entire 90 minutes, however – one of them from Lukaku who just couldn't get enough power on Barkley's cross from the byline to steer it past Fabianski who sprang across his line to make a two-handed save.
That Seamus Coleman, a curious 66th-minute change for Oviedo that left Arouna Kone (the man supposedly keeping Mirallas and Steven Naismith out the side this season) sitting on the bench, didn't grab the equaliser that would have secured a 12th draw of the season will remain a mystery. The Irishman latched onto a brilliant pass by Stones in the 88th minute and had most of the goal to aim for with just the goalkeeper in front of him but pulled his effort wide of the far post.
Then, as the game ticked into a fifth minute of stoppage time, a corner from the left fell at Coleman's feet barely two yards out but he somehow contrived to scoop the ball over the bar with the goal yawning in front of him.
Frankly, had either of those gone in, Martinez and his players would have saved some face but another meaningless point would have papered over some alarming and expanding cracks in a team that has the potential to be in the top four but which is massively under-performing. Martinez obliquely shifted some of the blame afterwards to the flat atmosphere at Goodison by claiming his players are fearful in front of their own fans but the painful reality is that Everton are not helping themselves in that regard.
It is no accident that some of the better games and higher levels of excitement inside the Grand Old Lady recently have come in the matches against Spurs and Manchester City when Martinez's side looked disciplined, composed and gave the supporters something to shout about. In the current vein of defensive frailty, individual cock-ups, goalkeeping calamity and a general lack of energy in pressing the opposition, it should come as a surprise to no one why Evertonians are so on edge during home games.
Everton currently lack tempo with the ball and, seemingly, any kind of system when they don't it. Gone are the days of doggedly hounding visiting teams out of their stride, replaced by an apparent mandate to the likes of Barkley and Lukaku to stroll around the centre circle as opponents ease by them with the ball to mount unfettered attacks. If the first line of defence is attack, Everton's has been taken completely out of the equation, either by managerial instruction – to preserve energy? – or a dereliction of individual duty. Either scenario is damning of Martinez's management.
Put bluntly, despite having assembled the most exciting squad in three decades, the mounting evidence suggests that in the League, where Everton earn their bread and butter, the club are now going backwards under this manager and unless something changes quickly it's difficult to see an end to the two-steps-forward-three-steps-back tenor to his stewardship of the Blues.
Safe passage to a Wembley final on Wednesday evening where, no doubt, another backs-to-the-wall strategy will need to be carried out, would provide a welcome distraction but Martinez must surely be on borrowed time where it comes to convincing the fanbase that he is capable of evolving away from the cavailier, defence-be-damned attitude that eventually scuttled Wigan and towards a more complete and balanced approach that is the only way to succeed in the Premier League.
Reader Comments (67)
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2 Posted 25/01/2016 at 21:26:23
His constant rambles are utter nonsense and his attempts to blame the fans for Goodison results is shameful. It is not like we have a winning streak away from home now is it?
His time is long overdue.
3 Posted 25/01/2016 at 21:36:59
I hated RM last season for how boring he made us and I hate him this season for his lack of defensive mindedness.
4 Posted 25/01/2016 at 22:23:02
5 Posted 25/01/2016 at 22:26:45
6 Posted 25/01/2016 at 22:34:54
7 Posted 25/01/2016 at 22:49:38
8 Posted 25/01/2016 at 23:01:22
I think most of us a fed up to the back teeth with repeating the unalterable truth that the problems the team suffers from pretty much most of the time are down to Martinez and his footballing philosophy.
His philosophy when combined with his personality produces a team with no fight, no bite and crucially no will to win at all cost. The latter emotion would probably be anathema to Martinez.
I am convinced that there is little point talking about him changing because I believe he's incapable of it. Behind his nice guy image – which is probably justified – I think there is a huge ego and therefore a ingrained stubborn streak. Being a nice guy and possessing a huge ego are not incompatible. Flawed philosophy + stubbornness + lack of ruthlessness = eventual relegation.
Evertonians had better get used to him being around for the long haul unless something close to disaster happens.
He has made sure he has endeared himself to everyone at the Club from the Chairman down. He also adheres to Michael Corleone's policy of keeping you friends close and your enemies (or potential enemies in his case) closer.
So we have quite a few former players who often appeared in the media, in one form or another, and could well have been speaking out right now. They are Joe Royle, Graham Sharp, Graham Stuart and Ian Snodin who are employed by the club in one capacity or another.
No disrespect to them because why wouldn't they take the jobs offered. I know that sound like I'm painting the manager as Machiavellian but I've held this view for some time not just during the current heightened levels of dissatisfaction with him.
So as I said above unless there's a real chance of relegation he's with us for the forseeable unfortunately.
9 Posted 25/01/2016 at 23:05:58
10 Posted 26/01/2016 at 04:48:25
I agree, we have a club full of yes-men who are more interested in their salaries and keeping in with the boys, rather than speaking up, or even whispering in BK's ear that this can't go on.
I just can't fathom why pundits on TV and in the media regard him as a great coach. What are they going by? His track record states the complete opposite.
I never wanted or rated him. But one things for sure: he's here for the duration.
When Distin left, the writing was on the wall. You don't become a poor defender over night, unless you play for Martinez, that is.
Let's hope we do Man City on Wednesday. Not for his sake but for ours.
11 Posted 26/01/2016 at 04:56:45
This whole situation is starting to make previously sane people say things in desperation that on another day they would not and should not even contemplate, like...
Moyes!
I hope we lose at City. That's how bad it is now and that's why he has to go... never mind the 6 wins his season and the 18 in 60 which is cause on it's own.
12 Posted 26/01/2016 at 05:11:21
Martin O'Neil, that's who I would like.
13 Posted 26/01/2016 at 05:14:18
Indulging the mistaken decision-making of the likes of Stones, Barkley and Howard rather than moving to correct them is costing us dear and will continue to do so.
14 Posted 26/01/2016 at 07:22:42
15 Posted 26/01/2016 at 07:47:57
I'll say exactly the same about Martinez. It's his choice.
16 Posted 26/01/2016 at 08:41:36
Frankly that's an insult to all of us paying good money on Wednesday to support the team – and also to the thousands at home rooting for the team.
17 Posted 26/01/2016 at 09:06:03
Distin obviously saw the writing on the wall, but this time the whole team must tell Martinez to Fuck off !!
18 Posted 26/01/2016 at 09:24:29
If the Chairman really does want some success and has love of the club that he says he has (and I believe him) he should forget easy choices and look at someone with a proven track record and the right age.
If you had studied Martinez track record (which he's fully living up to) he would never have been appointed. I don't expect Pep but there are better out there. I don't want Moyes back and I don't want merry go round carpetbaggers.
Having said that you can forget about a new manager probably until after next season.
19 Posted 26/01/2016 at 09:33:00
20 Posted 26/01/2016 at 09:43:58
22 Posted 26/01/2016 at 10:32:18
'This whole situation is starting to make previously sane people say thing in desperation that on another day they would not and should not even contemplate, like.
Moyes
I hope we lose at Man City.
That's how bad it is now and that's why he has to go... never mind the 6 wins his season and the 18 in 60 which is cause on it's own.'
There is more to Evertonia on the web than ToffeeWeb and I have seen some, not many admittedly, but some actually say that and get jumped on in a similar manner... like I said previously sane.
I'm only 50% guilty – No Moyes at any price, for however short a time. If he gets in and gets any sort of Improvement, which he well might, it'll only be the reverse of Martinez's 1st season. Then he'll be all over Bill going on about his 'precious' and soon he'll have a new contract and off we go again.
Can I come off the naughty step now?
23 Posted 26/01/2016 at 10:57:59
I believe Alan Stubbs was there for the whole of that season and left for Hibs in June 2014. Maybe some of the defensive qualities in the team that season were his influence and we have been sadly lacking someone similar since his departure. Just a thought.
24 Posted 26/01/2016 at 11:13:08
25 Posted 26/01/2016 at 11:18:59
In terms of that discussion 'hope we lose', I understand. The feeling is that is we fluke the league cup, then it guarantees another year with Martinez. Is the short term lift of silverware worth it? It's valid but incorrect, of course.
Football is always about winning, and boy does this club need silverware. While top 4 is now the golden chalice, and cup football seen as a side-show (that is what Sky keeps telling us), but I still believe real fans crave silverware, that day at Wembley.
Also, if we win the cup, we may be able to convince a decent manager to take over. While the Europa League is widely derided, Europe is Europe and the best players/managers want that exposure/challenge.
We need, after Wednesday, the likes of Barry, Jagielka or Baines to come out and criticise the manager. If the young players do, they'll be written of as young lads pushing for a move. If seasoned professionals do, then it will be taken seriously.
26 Posted 26/01/2016 at 11:21:41
At this precise point there is no need for panic. We are still in a comfortable mid table position and we have only lost six games. Losing only one game away from home perhaps tells us that not everything has been disastrous.
The players must also take their share of responsibility for the failure to win home games and for the five defeats we have suffered at Goodison. It is the home form which has killed us and poisoned the atmosphere.
It was the same in the autumn and winter of 1983-84 when a league cup run kept Howard Kendall in a job. Back then we recovered through the collective effort of the players, a focused manager and 13,000 regulars who got behind a team willing to pull their finger out. Team, manager and fans showed a togetherness which turned things around. Therein lies the best solution to our current problems.
As always sacking the manager is easier than finding a suitable replacement. Forget Martin O'Neill. He will not leave the Ireland job before the summer. Di Matteo completely lost the plot at West Brom. Much as I admired his achievement in stabilising the club during his tenure, Moyes as an interim manager would be seen as a panic move. It may come to that but we are not there yet.
27 Posted 26/01/2016 at 11:37:27
28 Posted 26/01/2016 at 11:58:20
Again, some hark back to ancient days of SAF when they seek to prove that faith in a manager is always rewarded by ultimate success. As if. Any in – depth research will show that many managers who have been indulged when they should have been dispensed with have never delivered – or if they have – have gone off the boil as soon as a renewed contract has provided a pathway to lifelong riches.
The truth is that what happened in less competitive times under different Boards with different managers has no bearing on the game today. Far too many clubs who have stuck by their man (including Wigan!) have been left to rue the patience and trust they put in some smooth talker as they wallow in the lower leagues.
Personally, I believe BK is far more 'with it' than he gets credited for on here and will act as soon as his advisers tell him HIS pot of gold is at real risk. This week will be interesting.
29 Posted 26/01/2016 at 12:00:47
30 Posted 26/01/2016 at 12:06:29
I just don't see him changing at all. We are unlikely to go down as there are others worse than us, but I'll be amazed if he is with us next season
31 Posted 26/01/2016 at 12:21:47
"And if I gave that impression, all that reflects on is my poor command of my native language. Not my personal opinion."
Are we done yet? Or do I have to re-explain my previously re-explained explanation of what I never said in the first place.
[Goes off to find hair shirt and scrouge, then suitably chastised, sign up for English 101.considers changing name by deed poll to 'dobby' and performing 50yrs reparations in Chez Halligan... stands with gaze toward floor, passing sombrero through hands in manner of downtrodden peasant in a Mexican village talking to Yul Brynner]
Now can I come off the naughty step
jeez.
32 Posted 26/01/2016 at 12:22:21
The question the board should always ask themselves is would we appoint our current boss on his last 6, 12 or 24 months results? If the answer to that question is an overwhelming no, then the board must admit they have the wrong manager in place and should seek a new person to take up the role. Mind you if they had have asked that question at the time they were considering Mr Martinez for the job they wouldn't have appointed him in the first place.
Whilst winning a cup may postpone any proper scrutiny of the man in post, the bread and butter is and always has been the results achieved in the league and the board of directors should assess the manager on those results alone.
However, in this modern game, money has become the main target for many clubs and on that score, Martinez may be doing a fantastic job as far as the directors are concerned, particularly if the investments he has made in players are realised in the transfer market.
33 Posted 26/01/2016 at 12:34:37
34 Posted 26/01/2016 at 12:46:25
35 Posted 26/01/2016 at 12:58:21
36 Posted 26/01/2016 at 13:07:18
37 Posted 26/01/2016 at 13:18:09
If Roberto could be persuaded that he needs an 'alter-ego' figure alongside him – maybe an Allan Irvine or Davie Wier type – it could change all our fortunes around...
38 Posted 26/01/2016 at 13:39:49
39 Posted 26/01/2016 at 13:50:31
40 Posted 26/01/2016 at 14:03:07
On the evidence I've seen so far I don't believe Mr Martinez is a Premier League manager, and the kind of excuses coming out of his mouth are bordering on the delusional. He's turning us into a team that everyone wants to play, I believe he's lost the supporters and is close to losing the players.
41 Posted 26/01/2016 at 14:17:00
42 Posted 26/01/2016 at 14:20:16
Why have only Southampton, Tottenham and Manchester City conceded fewer goals away from home (11 compared with our 12, eight of which came in three games)?
43 Posted 26/01/2016 at 14:35:42
That's not be being negative, it's just a fact. Martinez doesn't practice corners as it's only a small portion of the game so it wasn't deliberate and genius, that just leaves it to hit the first man yet again (doesn't matter who takes it) and it somehow went in.
So all the players are now forgiven for future pathetic corners as we once scored from one. It's a joke.
44 Posted 26/01/2016 at 14:42:11
Please, please, please put us out of our misery...I don't think I can take another game of this sorry-excuse-of-a-manager!
45 Posted 26/01/2016 at 14:48:03
46 Posted 26/01/2016 at 14:56:22
You raise a good point. The reason we concede more goals at home is fairly straightforward. We play a more open game and our opponents play a more counter attacking style to which we are particularly vulnerable. We are much more comfortable when sides come at us and we adopt a less gung ho approach.
Of the five home defeats all bar Man City we have been beaten by sides frustrating us and hitting us on the break. It is pretty obvious to all bar Martinez it appears.
48 Posted 26/01/2016 at 15:17:40
However, there is another person on another thread now suggesting that it would be a bad thing if Everton beat Man City. Unbelievable!! – whatever you think about our philosopher in charge.
49 Posted 26/01/2016 at 15:23:43
50 Posted 26/01/2016 at 15:37:10
Also, I would like to state now, I hope we win the League Cup, and FA Cup, this season, and when we do, I still want Martinez gone!! Why? Fundamentals!
If you don't concede, you have a far greater chance of winning any game of football.
Set plays/Dead ball situations. Even if you don't consider them important, your opposition does, so practice them!
51 Posted 26/01/2016 at 16:16:05
It amazes me after last season that he still has the job because Xmas last season was the biggest low point in a long time for our club.
I don't know how long it takes the penny to drop with Bill and how much his illness is affecting things but neither of those should matter.
We need this self deluded fool gone now.
52 Posted 26/01/2016 at 16:40:49
Carl 50. It's not set pieces we need to practice. It's how to defend against a player in a clearly off side position. How to deal with hand-balls that richochet into our penalty area to opposition attackers. How to make sure deflections don't end up in the back of our own net and how to deal with miss hit crosses that turn into 'wonder' goals.
Seriously though. How many goals from free kicks and corners have we conceded this season?
53 Posted 26/01/2016 at 16:56:46
54 Posted 26/01/2016 at 16:57:19
56 Posted 26/01/2016 at 17:12:39
Me personally, I think if you're going to advocate sacking the manager you have to have a person in mind to replace him rather than leaving the club in limbo and rudderless. That would be creating more danger to the club's future. I think right now, it would be beyond Dunc, Unsy, Weir and Sheedy to take the reins on. Managerial (top level) experience is a must right now.
I think we'll finish in the bottom half, if we'll get close to the relegation the players will throw the philosophy out the window and go with what they know best to get results. Top 4 was gone before Christmas, we're too inconsistent and poor at the back to get anywhere near Europe (cups aside).
Last year I suggested Mark Hughes, I got slaughtered in that article by all and sundry. Hate to say I told you so, but that's what we need, a manager to make us mentally tough, fit, competitive, combative when necessary, good at set peices, has a nasty streak like his teams when required and can get good players in from the continent. He gets his teams to play a bit too.
I read that one poster wanted Jose Mourinho. Bit far fetched that to even give it any credence. If Roberto goes, we have to be clever and realistic about who's taking over. Moyes again for the short term? Most definitely not. But we missed a trick in not getting Slaven Bilic or Mark Hughes. That's my thoughts on it.
Derek, you would have been better holding your fire about losing to City tomorrow night. I've heard Liverpool / Man Utd fans saying that they hoped they'd lose if it forced LVG / Rodgers out, the end would justify the means of getting rid of the manager. When I read your post I knew what you were getting at. Means to justify the end which a lot want to happen = Roberto getting the sack.
I want us to win the League Cup and really go for it in the FA Cup, as much as I desperately want it, the price of that success being Roberto for another year at least? I think without the cup success Roberto will be gone in the summer. Winning the cup giving him another year? That's another debate for another day hopefully (i.e. we win a cup this year).
58 Posted 26/01/2016 at 17:20:16
Don't forget all of this is happening against the backdrop of a possible sale of the club. As such, I suspect that our brave board and owner are otherwise distracted by the prospect of cashing out and therefore not paying much attention to what is happening on the pitch these days. Perhaps once it is confirmed the American interest in the club has disappeared, then, perhaps, we may start to see some action in a vain effort to preserve what little value is left in the club.
Of course, I may have overdosed on my cynicism pills and all will be rosey very soon.
60 Posted 26/01/2016 at 17:24:35
But one thing you need to consider is the people who will be hiring the manager. As many names as we can throw out there, if BK is still in charge, he will pick one that he has control over. Not the ideal situation given the amount of stagnation (or digression in this case) he's allowed. My fear is only that our form will continue to drop until we're or or actually in the relegation zone.
The fighting spirit should have started at the start of the season, and given their lack of stomach to change things for the better, I can only fear the worst when the storm arrives.
61 Posted 26/01/2016 at 17:26:14
I totally agree with you.
We need something to restore a bit of pride and get the fans and the players cheered up a bit instead of this constant embarrassing mess.
62 Posted 26/01/2016 at 17:26:51
The guy is the football equivalent of a sociopath. Today in his press conference, it was set up from start to finish only 2 journalists got ask questions... BEFOR A SEMI FINAL!
I agree with nearly every word written on here apart from the losing the match part. Even though I have a recurring dream about the cup final and then playing Doncaster next season.
Even though many people didn't like Moyes I can not remember any fans saying to me or reading anywhere that they hoped we got beat so Moyes was sacked.
This is so bad the man has got the fans' backs up. Everton fans are not thick they can see through the bullshit.
COYBB tomorrow... just hope my dream is just a dream.
63 Posted 26/01/2016 at 17:35:05
I can pretend to be smart tomorrow...
64 Posted 26/01/2016 at 17:48:26
Again probably not very often if at all in recent history. I stand to be corrected on those claims but whether other clubs fans are moaners or justified or not, I can assure you that most Evertonians are generally forgiving of poor results but not very forgiving if obvious problems within the team are being ignored.
65 Posted 26/01/2016 at 18:05:19
The season will be all but over, so why not get someone in who might at least turn it around enough for our star players to think "That was a decent end to the season, I'll stick around for a bit".
Whereas if Martinez stays, you don't need a crystal ball to see how it will pan out.
66 Posted 26/01/2016 at 18:34:18
All of want the blues to win every game we can – that's why we are on ToffeeWeb expressing our frustrations because we want better. We know we can't have perfection but we know when we should be getting more than we are.
I also think we are wasting out time talking about who we will have as our next manager because it will be about whoever is available when Martinez eventually goes. That will not be (barring a serious relegation threat this season which is hopefully highly unlikely). Martinez, as I keep saying, will be here next season, so we might as well get used to the idea.
Whilst we may want to see drastic action, the threat of relegation (as a means of setting the spark, is not something I would want to experience. The memory of it seeming nor to be beyond the realms of possibility last season was too scary to live through again – at least for me.
However, should the worst come to the worst we have our very own SWAT team in situ ready to institute a temporary rescue should it be needed namely Joe Royle and David Unsworth.
I also want to put my twopenneth in on the matter of grammar and typos. For some reason there's a problem with, for example, typing in word and copying/pasting in ToffeeWeb because all sorts of weird punctuation marks appear even though this is the best way of producing a typo/incorrect grammar free piece. If an iPad is used (as is my choice) the chances or errors are, for a number of reasons, high.
We should all be a bit more forgiving – except, of course, in the case of football manager out of their depth.
67 Posted 26/01/2016 at 19:37:35
68 Posted 26/01/2016 at 19:53:44
Laying stretched out on the floor, tantalizingly close to the just out of reach bullion, Caine's character Charlie Croker, turns to his fellow crooks and says:
"Hang on a minute lads ... I've got a great idea." And the shot pans away to an exterior view of the teetering bus against the backdrop of the Italian Alps.
Everton and Roberto Martinez are similarly teetering on the brink.
I have defended and criticized RM and the team and individual players in equal measure. I certainly don't resort to gratuitous insults of them, or take an absolutist position either end of the positive or negative spectrum, as some on TW are inclined to do.
As recently as last week, after the Chelsea game, I appealed to others to cut everyone some slack as we had performed in the main extremely well, but that Lady Luck was not with us on the day. I could offer no such defence after the latest debacle at Goodison against Swansea.
To speak first of the positives. We have a talented, youthful squad, some of whom are sought after by the very top clubs in Europe. Many of those players were either recruited by RM, or given a run in the first team by him.
His first season with us exceeded by some distance my expectation of what he would bring to the club.
His substitutions were often timely, bold and imaginative and quite often game changing, with the incoming player assisting or scoring a goal.
He retained a strong defence, just 39 league goals conceded.
Goodison Park remained an intimidating fortress.
The quality of our football at times was the equal of the very best teams in the league.
I agree with and support his chosen recruitment policy of promising youth, from which - in addition to those players developed through the academy since a young age - we could reap a very rich harvest in the near future.
I liked how he 'got' Everton in his first season and his positivism and ambition for the club in all aspects.
I was impressed by the depth of his research and study into the game, epitomized by the now famed 'split sofa' at home, whereby he and his missus can spend the night together, albeit with her tuned into her favourite soaps whilst Robbie closely studies football matches.
Now the negatives. In seasons 2 and 3, RM has failed to replicate or reproduce all the good he achieved in his first season.
The solid miserly defence has vaporized.
Fortress Goodison has been replaced by a decaying backyard door, swinging wide open on rusty hinges.
The briskness and accuracy of attacking moves now splutters and stumbles.
The team cannot be guaranteed to put in a solid performance over the 90 minutes duration of a single game, let alone a sequence of back to back games.
In his first season he was quoted as saying he watched and studied again and again every goal his team conceded to identify the source of the problem so it could be corrected on the training ground. Have we conceded so many goals this season that he is so overwhelmed with a backlog of a huge video library of evidence that he no longer has the time to study our defensive lapses, as previously stated?
His public comments, once so positive and full of optimism, increasingly (in the circumstances we now find ourselves) appear delusional and in denial of the reality of the situation and leave him wide open to (justifiable) criticism.
Taken altogether, there are still occasional glimpses that we are on the cusp of having a really good team.
Sadly, increasingly, there are signs that RM is not the man to help his young charges realize their promise and potential.
It's not necessary to list the damning stats that has led to the growing disquiet of the direction Everton are headed under RM. Most, by now, are all too familiar with them.
And yet ... and yet ... we are just 2 games away from winning silverware after a 21 year drought. Now that could all change in just 24 hours, then change again in a further 72 hours with the FA Cup games against Carlisle.
And therein lies the conundrum of the enigma that is Roberto Martinez.
Regardless of the (meritorious) League Cup run, many a club would have long ago parted with their manager based on RM's league results in the past 18 months. Indeed, many clubs have done just that. With Everton, he has done just enough to retain his position.
The question of whether to continue or replace RM is further clouded by the lack of leadership in BK's continued absence due to obvious ill health, together with the rumours of a takeover (yeah! yeah! I know...).
There is no question there is still a lot to play for this season. One good result at the Eithad tomorrow night, followed by further progress in the FA Cup at the weekend, and the balance swings back in RM's favour once again for the time being.
The alternative...? Defeat tips the balance, the potential of this youthful squad is not realized under this manager and we plunge over the precipice.
Like the cliffhanger ending to The Italian Job, none of us know with any great certainty how this is going to play out.
From my opening paragraph I omitted the very final utterances of Charlie Croker. Having said "Hang on a minute lads ... I've got a great idea," he then looks forlornly at the oh-so-close gold bullion - the same gold bullion that could plunge them all to their death - and utters:
"Ehrm ... ehrm..."
I hope Roberto has more of answer than Charlie Croker to our very precarious predicament, otherwise he - and this team - are a goner.
69 Posted 26/01/2016 at 20:22:45
70 Posted 26/01/2016 at 21:24:42
I know some Evertonians, with a view to the greater good, would see defeat with mixed feelings, but, fuck, let's win something. I bow to no one in my disdain for Martinez but if he got it right I, well, humble pie is sometimes alright.
71 Posted 26/01/2016 at 21:41:04
72 Posted 26/01/2016 at 23:48:40
You're a smart guy, (hope I've got that right); you know what I mean.
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1 Posted 25/01/2016 at 20:47:28
Last week he made it clear he would not compromise. There is a lethargy about the team an arrogance about the coach and some of the players that is toxic. Our league position is shameful and elimination to city would surely test his integrity and force a resignation. The way we started yesterday was astounding and indicative that something is badly wrong.