Deulofeu: We're good enough to be top six

We are not good enough for top 6 or we would be in and around that position.

Yes we have good players, but we lack good players in important positions.

Keeper isn't good enough, plus we have square pegs in round holes every week over on the left.

If we go off the whole of last season (38 games) plus the this seasons games (28), we haven't been around the top 6 for 66 games, and we won't get to too 6 with the remaining 10 games. That will total 76 games were we have proven we are not a top 6 side.

We have to get it sorted out now.

Just as a side thought, does anyone else wonder why Martinez has never tried Lennon and Del on the same pitch, allowing them to switch sides as and when they want to.

Ah Geri, that old chestnut. For the answer, see John (6) above.

Simples.

Contrary to what the myth peddlers would have you believe, Martinez only ever gives youth a chance when injury or one of his petty squabble forces him to.

He will then play them here there and everywhere. Galloway, Stones, Barkley have all suffered after being asked to play out of position while more experienced pros stay in their favoured role. Deulofeu is now experiencing the big freeze just as Besic did last season. (What does that boy have to do to oust the ordinary McCarthy or Cleverley?)

Ossie will be played again this season, Kone has already played more than he should, as has Howard, Gibbo will play when he's fit, Barry is being worked to death.

I'm not saying it's wrong to go for experience, but we need to dispel this myth that Martinez is all for giving youth a chance. Our Cavalier is quite possibly the biggest Roundhead in football...

It seems that Martinez can't do right for doing wrong. On this occasion Roberto made the correct decisions; it's a shame you feel the need to throw veiled criticism at our manager.

Regardless of whether we have or have not under-achieved, a club (as opposed to the current squad of players) of our stature should be higher in league. Management to blame?

Deulofeu is out of team because a player in direct competition for his position is performing better. Stones was dropped (quite rightly) because his form was poor and (similarly to Deulofeu) others were performing better in his role.

Far from Stones being ostracized, RM seems desperate to get him back in the team, even if he has to use a shoehorn to do so!

He can play inside and as an auxiliary striker, and in the last few weeks he could have been used in these positions as a substitute. Maybe he was going to be used this way last Saturday before the manager changed his mind on bringing him on.

He is too good to be left on the bench all the time. I think John Stones is a different case; he is going at the end of the season, so his case will take care of itself.

I still believe he is not a great footballer and his main weapon is speed, but I cannot argue that he does put a shift in and has contributed with goals and assists since getting his chance.

As Paul and Ged above have said, Deulofeu must work harder at his game and if it is true that Stones is making noises about leaving at the end of this season, that probably isn't helping him get back in the starting line-up.

But, at least, perhaps they could express a semblance of being 'on message'.

We have probably the best two full backs in the league still. Our centre-backs are two current England internationals and a current Argentinian international. In midfield we have two players that are pushing for an England recall, another who would be if it wasn't for his age, but some pundits have said that he is the best holding midfielder in the league based on current performance. Then there is James McCarthy who many Evertonians class as ordinary yet the uninformed experts seem to think is key to the improvement in our defensive record since his return to the team.

That just leaves Ross and Rom, both in the running for Young Player of the Season.

Does that sound like a squad that should be in 12th or a squad that should be top six?

Well, we're the opposite.

And if anyone wants to point out that the Pie Eaters won the FA Cup with him, being relegated at the same has to be majorly taken into account.

Darren, nobody plays kids just for the sake of it. They have to be good enough to keep an experienced player out of the team. Roberto has shown that he will give them a chance and he does what he can to allow them to develop. Stones had to be pulled from the team as he was becoming a liability. Galloway was never going to keep out Baines or Oviedo in the long term. Deulofeu was given plenty of chances, but his fitness is simply not good enough, and Lennon is playing better. Lukaku and Barkley have been allowed to flourish even when playing poorly. Besic has been held back by injuries. Every time he looks like forcing his way in, he gets an injury. That's not Roberto holding him back.

I don't think it's a myth to say Roberto gives youth a chance. He does, but if other players bring more to the team, then you can't expect him to continue with the youngster. That doesn't mean he won't get other opportunities in the near future.

He tires too quickly and doesn't help himself by histrionics with referee's when decisions go against him.

That said he's sublimely talented and there are possibly other positions in the team he could be used other than the right side occupied by Aaron Lennon.

I've said before when Barkley has looked below par why not give Deulofeu a trial in the centre behind Lukaku?

Then there's the left, but again, Tom Cleverley offers harder work and protection for the left back.

I still think Deulofeu will have a big say in something this season, maybe a contribution to winning the Cup with a game changing cameo or can he make a name for himself in the Anfield derby?

It's not been the back four alone that's at fault but the whole team as a solid unit. Whilst we have been applauding the likes of Barry, McCarthy and Cleverley etc as individuals, they have not been on the same page very often this season when it mattered most.

Leicester are the epitome of a hardworking defensive unit who springboard to attack with Vardy, Mahrez and Okazaki but those same players are very quick to defend and better at it than the front three Everton play with along with Deulofeu and Mirallas when they are playing. Of course different teams have different styles and Leicester don't use a big target man who stays upfield for the most part.

Despite the torrid time Funes Mori was suffering against West Ham, we still hadn't conceded when Stones was on the pitch.

Second half, Martinez takes off the lesser talented of the two and we conceded 3... going on 6.

Funes Mori and Jagielka are okay when we get 9-10 men behind the ball, working like fuck to protect them, as we did against Chelsea, but open the game up and Funes Mori in particular has his limitations exposed. I feel sickened when Stones is held scapegoat for Martinez's tactical stupidity.

Chris Gould

Your post inadvertently blows apart the myth that Bobby is some kind of visionary with a plan for giving youngsters a chance at ever turn. As you quite rightly point out, he only plays them when he has to... a bit like any other manager really. Oh and these injuries that kept Besic out in the cold for long periods last season? Remind me?

Martinez could balance the team up by playing both Deulofeu and Lennon? One one each side? Why do we have to shoehorn workhorses like Cleverley into the left side when we could have all that flair ? Answer = possession obsession.

Poor Manager.

Imagine Lukaku with Lennon and Deulofeu in the same side. We need an energetic, tough midfielder who offers something positive. Besic, perhaps.

People slated him for not picking Mirallas; we do not see what Bobby sees. People were screaming at Bobby's love child, Barry... he has been one of our most consistent players this season.

Jags and Funes Mori have been doing a job in defence, do you split that up and bring Stones in?

Reminds me of the Earl Barrett song we had with amended lyrics:

Don't blame it on Mirallas,
Don't blame it on John Stones,
Don't blame it on refs,
Blame it on the Bobby.

Time Bobby was cut some slack and hope he learned, as proved in the Chelsea game.

You are using the last 12-15 mins of the West Ham game as an example of Stones being better than Funes Mori? Ignoring all of the positional mistakes and general poor performances that Stones has made. Also, we have conceded less with Jags and Funes Mori, on a game-to-game basis, than games with Stones at the back.

No manager plays youth simply because they are young and have potential. If you have better and more experienced players already in the squad, then that doesn't make sense. What Martinez is doing – is buying and bringing through young players who will be ready when the experienced players are ready to be moved on. How can you criticise that? I'm sure you'll find a way.

Everyone can see his faults, but some refuse to accept anything positive he does.

If, as you say, Stones is on his way at the end of the season, that leaves us without any experienced cover at centre-back and – with Jagielka turning 34 in the summer – we will need to buy a centre-back as I think Holgate is still way off a first team appearance. Who would you like to see come in and replace Stones? (And if anyone say Shawcross, I swear...)

Yes, I don't think many will be surprised if John Stones goes at the end of the season, although I would prefer him to stay. So, like you say, we will need an experienced player to come in, while we wait for Galloway and Holgate to become ready to start regularly for the first eleven.

To be honest, I haven't got a clue who that experienced player is, except to say they will not come cheap, unless you get someone like Cleverley who came out of contract, and of course Barnsley will be due a few million from the money we get for Stones.

I would like to add that RM made a very young Barkley the team's #10 and stuck with him through injury, mistakes and constant ripping on this website. Barkley is now in discussion for the #10 role for England, yet there are folks here who want Deulofeu to play the #10 when he didn't even play there in Spain...

[Brain explodes.]

Evertonians may not be without fault but patience is not by any means their least quality. We've been making allowances and 'waiting for next season' ever since 1995. Perhaps you've forgotten.

If Bobby learns from his mistakes and we as a team get over this silly mental problem with a hit and hope leading to a goal and us losing the plot for the last 15 mins of a game we will show our qualities. Say what you like about RM but players want to join and play for him.

Trying to "Twist facts" would be as pointless as what you are attempting to do – Deny them.

It's best to just accept them.

If we were then we'd be in the top six.

That's the thing with a full season (or about three quarters in this case) you end up where you deserve to end up because you can't (unlike in a one off Cup game) blame a bad refereeing decision, bad luck, injuries, or anything else.

We're not in the top six because we have lost or drawn too many games instead of winning them. The reason/s for this is that we weren't good enough to beat the teams against who we drew or lost.

It ain't effing rocket science.

We have the ability/talent etc. But not the gamecraft and tactical nous. Martinez won't play 'result' football, so we don't get results on a consistent basis.

Unless he's prepared to change his "philosophy" which is highly debatable, I can't see anything much changing which would be an absolute travesty. I genuinely think we need another manager whether we win the cup or not.

Midfield is lop-sided (nothing effective happens on the left) although the world and his wife has been given the opportunity to shine there.

No, even top six quality might be stretching it a bit and it will need more than Bobby changing his shoes to get us any higher!

Yeah well, I think any forward thinking football fan might disagree.

I wonder why you are saying this Roberto? Certainly if I was an Arsenal fan, I would have been shouting for Wenger to be sacked years ago.

Until then... Shut the fuck up.

And I have just said very little at considerable length. When does the media training start?

Barkley, will hopefully become a great Number 10, but he was played out wide often enough, without much success last season.

You can't have enough good footballers in your squad, and good players should be able to play in more than one position, when required. I for one would love to see Gerry have ago through the middle, especially once a game has become stretched.

Last season we were utter garbage, Martinez got away with it because of his first season and because of an OK run in the Uefa cup although the moment we came up against a slightly above average but very beatable side, we got hammered!

An ambitious side would have got rid of Martinez at the end of that season but we are "nice" old Everton. This season we have been shit too, Martinez should have been sacked at Xmas, maybe the takeover stopped that or maybe no one at the club has the balls to be successful or ambitious. Martinez should go at the end of this season, even if we win the cup. He quite openly admits to choosing to ignore some very basic principles of the Premier League. The importance of set pieces, closing down, pressing, fitness, setting up not to concede, discipline, gamesmanship and a more direct style of play. He is either very stupid or totally arrogant, neither are useful traits for a manager, especially one that has the record of a loser.

We have a top six team and squad, unfortunately we have a bottom six manager, I personally don't think he's fit to manage any side in the Premier League and would like him gone the second the season finishes as he is taking us backwards and this will become even more apparent if we lose Lukaku whose goals are keeping Martinez's head just above water at the moment.

Wasn't the last player we sent to Coventry Stephen Hughes? Or was it Kenny Sansom?

I think Mirallas might be deciding to sod it. As for us, we need to spend good money (aka nothing, a weeks/months wages max) on a psychologist to get him 'onside'. Sometimes it is all about being a team member and taking responsibility. Otherwise we will spend circa ٟ mill on wages for nothing.. err to repeat "not much".