Everton Banter Archive January 23 2015

23 Jan 2015 21:01:24
Hiya ed, just want to see what people think.
You and many others may completely disagree but I think were missing players like Osman and Pienaar, they're both not the greatest and certainly not starters but, when you look at the previous game (West Brom) they defended with everyone behind the ball, which, by the way every team apart from the top teams are going to do when they come to Goodison, and you need something from the bench, the likes of Osman and Pienaar are perfect for a game like that to come from the bench, both intelligent players who can link up with forwards and full backs and give something different.
If we are not going to add any players to the squad in this window, and going off Martinez comments recently it looks like we are not going too, having them squad players is massive in tight games.
I'm trying to be positive but I really do think we need a bit of luck and a fully fit squad, not just a fit starting 11 but a fit first team bench with the likes of Osman, Pienaar on to give us options because if people think West Brom were negative against us, trust me, there is going to be a lot more games like that at Goodison before the season ends and a bench is important.
What are players doing in training to have so many injurys? The fight we are in at the moment, we need the squad, sooner they're back the better. Especially Mcarthy, he's a big miss for us and one of few players who puts himself about, forget knocking the ball about looking pretty, time we started being nasty and horrible to pay against, pick wins up, the good football will come once we grind some results out. This season is a write off now, let's get the points by being ugly and then all go on holiday in the summer and forget this season happened!
Anyone agree/disagree, would like to hear what people think.
COME ON YOU BLUES!

{Ed025's Note - good post that paul, and i do believe that the likes of ossie and steven have a part to play, the trouble is mate that we are too predictable, and that comes from the manager..

PaulEfc1878, brilliant post. I have been saying this all season and have had groans and moans about it from all sorts of places. In particular Osman. He has scored 50 odd goals in 400 games. That is 1 in every 8 from midfield. Barry and McCarthy have scored 2 between them in 1.5 seasons. Pienaar has chipped in with a few too. The main reason I think they are needed is because they are what I call link players. The team currently has 60% possession nearly every game. About 45% of that is in our own half! That is because we don't have any other players with the ability to get the ball in a forward position and spin and bring the full backs into play. It is obious to me that both Baines and Coleman have not become bad players overnight. but reading posts on here you would think so. Sometimes a player facing his own goal gets the ball and is knocked off it. It happened to Osman and Pienaar a couple of times and according to the Goodison crowd they had become too old and past it. Well I would still rather have either of those 2 with the ability to spin and bring the full backs into play. I am sure Baines and Coleman would too. I got a right load of barracking for going on about Osman, but here is an amazing statistic: Of the 5 league games we have won, Osman played in 4. I think we drew 3 or 4 others that he played in and we lost 1. So all season we have won only 1 game without him playing which must be 11 or 12 games. Pienaar has hardly played so I can't even run a stat on him. Think about it and it all makes sense. Why are Coleman and Baines not getting crosses in? Even RM has come out and said the same last week. Go on Swan and Ed have a moan at me again!

{Ed025's Note - i dont moan at you degs, and im an ossie fan mate, but just a point on barry and macca, they are defensive midfielders who,s primary task is to defend..

Yes Ed. Barry and McCarthy are both defensive mids. But this was the 2nd part of my past posts:
1. No Pienaar and Ossie to score a few and create a lot. Especially for the full backs.
2. Felli and his 10 goals a season replaced by McCarthy and his 1 goal every 2 seasons.
3. Barry and his 1 goal a season.
4. A new bit. Mirallas and his 10ish goals a season to be replaced by McGeady. 1 goal a season.
Stop Lukaku and you stop Everton now! Thank God we still have Naismith, because without him, there is not much other threat.

{Ed025's Note - even with them were not much of a threat degsy, but thats down to tactics as much as anything mate, i cant remember the last time we actually battered a side..

And that is the crux of it all Ed. Stats wise we batter nearly everyone. Except for goals and chances created. It its like RM says to the players, "go out, don't lose possession. Retain the ball at all costs and don't worry, the chances will come later in the game." Problem is, we are either goals down by this stage or other teams "park the bus" and we don't have the guile (Osman and Pianaar or Felli to lump it to) to break the other team down. I know a lot of posters were pleased when RM took over and said we were playing much more expansive football etc. I actually loved the final 2 seasons of Moyes. I agree that in earlier seasons we were negative, but I put that down to a lack of quality players. I think if Moyes had had the opportunity to bring in a quality striker like Lukaku, and have the rest of the squad he had created (minus Felli) we would have really gone somewhere. As it happens, it is no good looking back with regrets. because I have had a few of them! Cue music. well I am an Evertonian!!

23 Jan 2015 18:23:02
I was sitting there today pondering the meaning of life and what it is to support the best football club in the world when I got to thinking about why we've done so well in the Europa League so far this season and so poorly in the Premier League.
My thoughts, for what they're worth, are that this season in Europe is like last season in the Premier League.
Last season (Martinez first season in charge) our new style of play was an unknown quantity. Teams didn't know how to set up against us until the last month or so and so didn't know how to combat us.
This season in Europe (Martinez first season in Europe) we have again been an unknown quantity with teams not knowing how to set up against us.
I'd like to think that Martinez style of play is suited to the continental game where it's more technical than the Premier League and you get more time on the ball but sadly I can't see that happening.
When we return to the Europa League shortly, we'll be up against more seasoned teams with plenty of European experience (assuming we can get past Young Boys first) who will have done their homework on us and realised we don't have a plan B or different style of play, just like the end of last season.
Don't get me wrong, I'd really love us to go all the way in Europe and bring the trophy to Goodison (one of two things would happen then, we give Martinez a life long contract or some mug in Europe poaches him from us) but sadly I just can't see it happening. Right now I'd settle for the season to end with us still in the Premier League, get rid of Martinez and start afresh for next season.
As I said at the start, what it is to support the best club in the world; blooming frustrating and anxious, that's what it is.

{Ed025's Note - count me in on that gene..

The OP might be right, but all clubs thoroughly scout their opponents - at matches and on video - so we shouldn't have been such a surprise. I think it's more a case that luck went for us more last season than it has this season AND I also think that it was the case that our players were content to go with the RM flow last season because they were getting good (albeit lucky) results and reviews. This season the players' confidence seems to have been majorly affected by poor results (whether due to refereeing decisons, injuries, poor form, or whatever) and compounded by the vicious circle of subsequent and continuing criticism from fans and pundits. The players now have a ready-made excuse - whether justified or not - to divert blame from themselves to RM's formation, tactics, and selections.
However, for me, the trouble is also that our players have a history of fragile self-belief - just look at how many time they've failed (bottled it?) in big occasion matches. No wonder so many top managers talk about how vital a winning attitude and strong mentality is for a club to be successful.
RM's positivity should help on that front, but whatever he might portray to the public, it's surely up to each individual player to show that self-belief on and off the field.

I agree also

And 23rd Jan, no fresh faces, no word from the Chairman, complacency from Roberto, good players being made to look like also rans because they are square pegged into a system Roberto knows fails more than it succeeds.

It could be worse DM, I've just read that Wigan claim four premiership clubs have inquired about Callum McManaman, WBA and Hull being two, what's the betting we are one of the other two?

{Ed025's Note - probably wedge..

23 Jan 2015 16:05:36
Bobby relaxing looking into the mirror and seeing the lines of stress and knowing fates are gathering, starts to hum this updated song of betrayal - first sung by Janet and John all those years ago. Funny how the mind works in moments of stress:-

How have I come to this? How did I slip and fall? How did I throw half a season away Without any thought at all. This should have been my time It's nearly over, it never began. I am facing a world, again not on my side - I've simply turned into Bobby Brown shoes. I try to blame it on fortune; Some kind of twist in my fate. But I know the truth and it haunts me - I've learned it a little too late. The players and crowd are now at distant shores. I never meant it to be like this. I hope you don't mind.

We are EFC fans and supporters and WE WILL SURVIVE.

23 Jan 2015 12:24:54
I never go onto the pages of other teams so I'm curious to know if the sentiments being expressed about our manager on our page at the moment are similar to the ones on the West Ham pages last year & the Liverpool site earlier this season?
Don't get me wrong, I'm not happy at the moment & do feel a bit let down by RM & some of our players, (e.g. where was Jags during that penalty farce?!)
I do tend to think that there are at least 4 teams worse than us in the league, but, after last year, that's not the type of mindset I want to be in!

23 Jan 2015 10:41:09
I assume only the players who want to play for the club have gone on this jolly break, and those that don't have stayed behind. Isn't it asking for injuries by training in the heat and then playing in frosty conditions? I don't know not a doctor.

I think the club by their silence are treating supporters as mushrooms, kept in the dark and fed a load of sh. By Martinez.

Get Steve McClaren in before too late.

Interesting point about temperature differences and injuries - especially as that was RM's explanation for KM's halftime substitution against WestBrom.

Steve mcClaren couldn't think of anyone worse

{Ed025's Note - the only one worse than the wally with the brolly...is the fraud who has us bored..

23 Jan 2015 09:19:06
I just hope the squad are practicing set pieces on there jolly holly, no wonder we are in a mess pampered players living life of luxury. love football hate players and managers.

The only set-pieces they're practising are kick-offs and team photos.
Not sure why the former, as we've conceded so many goals this season that we must know how to do kick-offs.
As for the latter, I heard that this season's team photo took several attempts, as the cameraman had a wide-angle lens and our players just didn't know how to line-up with any width.

23 Jan 2015 08:17:30
Martinez is getting all the blame for what is and what is'nt happening at Goodison and rightly so, but for me its Kenwright's fault he employed RM on the back of his FA cup win, did he not look at the bigger picture, 3 seasons avoiding relegation, then he actually manages it. so we get him and he did well first go, some good players, some poor players come in. No change in style when teams park the bus, no idea what he's doing, his substitutions leave everyone baffled, I really am worried for our future, Gabutt no new contract, were going to lose him, he'll be Englands left back next season when he's playing for someone else and again we don't get a penny, In the summer whether we stay up or go down the better players will be off, then were left with players nobody wants, The club now are a laughing stock, KM fiasco, Etoo transfer, no one in charge, what's all that about, don't practice dead ball situations, no leadership. BK you must do something before its too late. sorry about all that but I am concerned like all of us.

{Ed025's Note - i think thats a bit unfair on bill kirbo, he said he would listen to the supporters and most wanted RM, and after last season his appointment seemed vindicated, how were we to know he was a fraud?, its just one of those things mate..

I am with you Ed. I was sceptical after his appointment but after last season was won over. I had no idea what would happen this season. But in support of Kirbo. we are moaning about the travelling o Russia and the likes in the Europa League. We get a week off. So what do we do? Send the players half way round the world for hot weather training! That will be useful when they get back to the frosty pitches in England!

I find it hard to believe most supporters wanted him I know he's a good talker but his record at Wigan was poor, at the time I was in the Pereira camp, but its all opinions, and we all think we know what's best, I just wish Bill had his hearing aid in now. thanks Ed.

{Ed025's Note - it is all bout opinions kirbo..

Ed I take issue with the 'most supporters wanted RM' and it would seem looking at all the posts so do most others. Rather like the Club Badge if you remember, apparently they listened to all the supporters then as well. Perhaps with Bill like Politicians he/they make the response fit his/their take on a situation.

{Ed025's Note - you could be right DM, i dont know the exact figures mate but i know a lot wanted RM at the time, some did not i agree, but i suppose hindsight is a fine thing..

I really had no opinion about RM. But I know that when I suggested Moyes had done a great job bringing players in at low prices and selling at high prices I received what could only be considered close to abuse from certain sectors. I understand that this followed certain disrespectful comments by Moyes. However, I tried to point out that Moyes had done a quite wonderful job in turning the club round and turned us from under achievers into over achievers. One particular poster was nothing less than rude to me. It was as if my opinion should not be valid. I will not name names because I do not wish to reignite the flames, but I do notice how quiet things have become in that certain area. Ed, you may say that this is not the time to be posting like this, but as an Evertonian for some 48 years and one who spends an enormous amount of money travelling around following them, I feel I need to get it off my chest. It is not so much "I told you so". but a comment created by frustration and anger.

{Ed025's Note - the thing is degs that moyes is still a raw nerve with some, imo he showed nothing but contempt for us when he left, which negates everything he had done previously..so forgive me if i dont shed any tears for him..

I was a fan of moyes but not after the way he left us still believe Martinez will turn things around some of the players need to take the blame also and degs I think people get annoyed with u cause the way u put your point across it's always I told u or I predicted this just sayin :)

{Ed025's Note - its called patronising coby..