Mission Accomplished at Dean Court

It was a weird match that I didn’t enjoy much apart from some bits and pieces from Barkley and determination from Jags, Funes Mori and Robles.

And Barry, obviously, who is like some sort of English equivalent Pirlo in his old age.

Some shocking play at times, which I’ll partly put down to the wind.

I do think Roberto realised yesterday that, if we had lost, our season was dead with his future being the main topic for the rest of the season. A Wembley appearance may just save him for another season.

Roberto is coming under pressure by all sides of the media. I believe this is due to the regular top four not being at the races. Furthermore, the pundits are now ex-manager’s understanding the fans' frustration with the level of quality we have in the squad.

A break in the sun may do the players and staff good. Only time will tell!!

Now please keep Robles in goal, consider giving Mirallas more playing time when possible, and only recall Stones when the situation warrants.

My bone of contention is McCarthy. First, a needless yellow, and second, that stupid penalty, which could have led to another yellow and a goal and a man down.

Howe had rung the changes due to their position in the Premier League yet we persist in two holding midfielders; the West Brom game also comes to mind as a time to adjust our shape. Moving Cleverley to that position would have given us a bit more on the attacking front and bringing Deulofeu in would give us more threat down the wings and a better final ball for Big Rom instead of relying on Ross’s wayward delivery.

That numpty Merson said recently that he couldn’t see much difference squadwise between us and Spurs, yet they are 2nd and we aren’t... Take away Kane, Lukaku and Delli, Ross... we play Cleverley they play Erickson the difference there is 10 goals scored or created, yet put Deulofeu in, and the difference is only 4 with Erickson's playing time a hell of a lot more.

Yes, we were the better team yesterday, but Barkley's deflection, Robles's save (not to mention that McCarthy could easily have been sent off for a second bookable), the deflected shot and Gosling’s header were all slices of good fortune that went our way for a change. Long may it last and let’s just hope it continues today with a favourable quarter final draw.

My longer term concern with McCarthy is that I don’t think he has ever scored a goal for Everton (or it is just one?). His shooting is appalling at this level. He gets into good positions but always seems wayward. Perhaps a bit of practice is in order...

I was thinking along the same lines, Iain. After McCarthy was booked, I would have subbed him sooner rather than later, moved Cleverley into his more natural central role, and brought on Mirallas or Deulofeu to run at them.

I was listening to the radio yesterday and the comment was made that Deulofeu plays centre-mid for Spain under 21 team where he’s scored 13 goals in 24 games. It is where Barcelona apparently see his future role.

At least Niasse has had a taste of the game over here even though it was too short to make an impact or form any sort of opinion, but, as you say, a win's a win.

You think there’s still got to be two really huge performances left in us in the Cup though; we need to improve to beat the likes of Chelsea, Man City, Tottenham or Manchester United.

That first half yesterday did have me asking why it happened, it does happen too often and, but for Robles's save, it could have been a lot different.

That said, I think people are quick to criticise McCarthy for the opposite reason they criticise Barkley. So again we’re getting back to this idea that every player should be a brilliant all rounder... and I think we’d struggle to name many in the history of the game who actually were.

As for people (I’ve seen three such posts now) claiming that McCarthy could have been sent off for his handball. Well that’s only true if you accept that any handball could be a yellow. It would have been one of the worst decisions of the year if he’d been punished for a putting his arm out under pressure from a high ball.

I’m lacking a bit of optimism right now but even I can’t subscribe to the ’reverse bias’ going around at the moment.

Defensively we were pretty solid, but didn’t create much. There was numerous calls for Rom to be subbed on the Live Forum, but (not the first time) he was isolated, but despite that always looked our most likely scorer.

Two small points: Coleman’s marauding runs are great, but will the lad ever learn to cross a ball? (It’s a rhetorical question to which we know the answer...)

Second, in a sea of mediocrity, it’s a pleasure to watch Barry. Such a smart and strong player. There were a lot of moans when we extended his contract, but he’s been our best player this season.

He did that delicious back heel to Aaron Lennon in our best move of the game. Why hasn't anyone mentioned that?

Really good summary of the game though Lyndon, I thought Jags was man of the match personally. King had some pace on him and Jags dealt with it very well.

Our end was right up for it at kick-off but the atmosphere had become subdued by half-time as another dull showing zapped the energy from the faithful... well, it certainly did for me, it was basically rubbish and more of Martinez’s brand of footy that I just don’t and never will like.

We won the game in the end against Bournemouth reserves with two raggy goals. I sincerely hope we make Wembley but I fear that our luck in the draw so far will come to a crashing end in Round 6.

Sorry if this is too pessimistic for some to read but it's how I am feeling right now.

We won away from home against a Premier League club, without conceding a goal. Many have been moaning that we should be able to grind out results and win ugly against the lower teams. We did that, and then people moan that we didn’t look particularly good in doing it. It’s getting silly.

I remember in the '80s when we had goals throughout the team, we bought Lineker and although he scored the rest of the team didn’t, we sold him and the team started scoring again. The best teams have goals throughout and we have our goal scorers on the bench Super Kev and Magic Gerry to accommodate Cleverley and McCarthy. Plus our defensive record doesn’t say two defensive midfielders work.

To see Mirallas sitting on the bench with Barry, McCarthy and Cleverley all playing is frustrating for me. Without Baines at left back, we have the bulk of our side filled with non-scorers. Funes Mori has scored more than most of our midfielders and that is nowhere near good enough.

Look at the stats: Coleman is more potent than the likes of Besic, Barry, McCarthy, Kone, Oviedo and Osman. This game of ours is about scoring goals and we have one ’real’ goal threat in our starting side. If Mirallas is not playing from the start then he must be the first sub used when we are chasing the game. Against WBA we brought on three non scorers as subs when we were a goal down, FFS.

Alright, a team like Arsenal would have ragged us yes, but it was the first time since the 4-0 over Villa that I felt we really controlled a game and frustrated the opposition.

The result was the main thing. I would love to take my kids to Wembley. With a little bit of luck......

Ernie (#11), Macca is listed as having three goals for us, but like you I remember only two.

There was another where the keeper had a shocker and dived out of the way.

Iain, a yellow is for deliberate handball, ie an unsportsmanlike decision to block play. You couldn't describe his handball like that. He just had his arm out.

At his best he is very fast and extremely aggressive but we haven't seen that side of him for quite some time now. He'll gradually get there but right now he is still some way off.

James doesn’t really show for the ball when we are in possession either. Besic would be the better option if we are carrying on with two in the defensive midfield screen.

I am still advocating a 4-3-3 system though.

It could also have been interesting to give players like Besic a good run out and perhaps to see Mirallas up front. 7 changes and I believe that we’d still have won.

I don’t think that there’s much difference between a modern flexible 4-5-1 and 4-3-3. Around 1970, Everton played what was a nominal 4-3-3 but in reality the majority of the time Royle was a lone striker and Morrissey and Husband were back to form a 5-man midfield. Kendall was a defensive midfielder, Ball attacking and Harvey was both but mainly an inside forward or attacking man.

Both full backs overlapped but the thing is we were rumbled and sides like Arsenal usurped us by playing an extra man in midfield. 4-5-1 can be 4-3-3 or 4-4-2 going forward but the key thing for Everton is that we always use two defensive midfielders – we aren’t good enough to play with one and there are no one like Vierra or Makelele around for us. You have to be a very strong team to not play 4-5-1.

Barry always looks forward when he has the ball, if it's on, the ball goes forward if not, the easy pass. Macca, even when its on to turn and look forward for a pass often just lays the ball back without looking with acres infant of him, a trait Ross has picked up to a certain extent.

Alan Ball was referred to as the water carrier by Alf Ramsey (Didier Deschamps was also called this by the way) but Bally did this job and much much more.

Because Alan Ball was a great player.

Bally could turn the water into wine mate.

As so many already said, RM done good keep the same team – except for the no-show of Kone – why is that player still at the club??

I agree with you 100%. Bally was my hero as a very small child. I only pointed out that that was what Ramsey called him and to make the distinction between the more limited/specialised roles that is particularly evident in the current Martinez Everton side. You can look at videos of the great man himself in after dinner speeches saying that that was what Ramsey told him to do, that his job in the England side was to get the ball and give it to Bobby Charlton. But he absolutely did not stop there as you point out.

The point I was making was that people use the word ’great’ for our current players far, far too easily. None of them are in my opinion, despite what some think.

Alan Ball did everything you would want a midfielder to do, and then some. He did all the "dirty" work as above, as well as attacking and scoring goals. Particularly in derbies. There did not used to be a distinction between "defensive" midfielders or "attacking" midfielders, there were just midfielders. Maybe some would argue that that is the modern game; my view is that it artificially limits those type of players, giving them an excuse to not defend or attack respectively. Alan Ball did it all, and never stopped all game.

That’s my idea of a true great, he could everything.

In over 50 years watching the Blues, he is the best I have ever seen wear the shirt. By a mile.