Martinez: Important for Everton to get that winning feeling back via Royal Blue Mersey
Post-match comments from manager after Everton beat Bournemouth
Everton badly needed a win today, and even though they weren't convincing for large parts of this game, they did enough to get the three points on the day. For their part,
AFC Bournemouth have secured their tenure in the Premier League for next season and weren't necessarily trying too hard either.
Roberto Martinez expressed his pleasure with three players who are all new faces to the senior side – Matthew Pennington and Oumar Niasse who started, and Kieran Dowell who came on for
Ross Barkley.
"We saw the full debut of Pennington and I thought he was very impressive in a solid performance. He enjoys the art of defending and it is difficult to find young players of that calibre.
"To have someone like Oumar Niasse finally be able to make his full debut – something he has dreamed of since his arrival in January – was very important as well. It was vital for him to get an hour to build that relationship with the fans and the players.
"Then we were also able to see young Kieran Dowell, who is an exceptional talent, make his Premier League debut."
His comments on the overall performance –
"It is always important to get that winning feeling back and that was exactly what we did.
"We started the game well with
Tom Cleverley producing a very good finish but then we felt hard done by Bournemouth's goal. I felt Matty Pennington is impeded and it was just in front of the linesman.
"But from that point on I thought it was long enough for us to get back and we got the winning goal.
"At times we had to dig deep and show a strong resilience. All in all, it was a hard-earned win, but a win that we needed."
Martinez also spoke out on the protesters that stayed behind after the game, as well as
the aeroplane with a banner that flew over the ground just before halftime –
"I can understand (the protests). We've been through a very painful time. We had high hopes.
"We wanted to go to Wembley, to get into the final, we couldn't achieve that and we had eight defeats at home.
"I cannot hide that it's a disappointment for all of us. Not just the fans but the players and myself.
"We want to correct that, learn from those mistakes and clearly the concentration, from my point of view is to prepare the games we have in front of us and to get every point possible.
"I'm the manager and I am the one who takes responsibility. That's how it works."
He also went on to mention that he felt he could win the fans back over –
"We're in a results business and all I need to do is make sure we carry on showing that character and togetherness as a team and to make sure we get that winning feeling back.
"When you get the winning feeling back you see things in a different manner.
"Football is a game full of passion and emotions and we are a very special football club and you understand what comes when you haven't won enough football games at home and that's the reality. We have to face it.
"My intention is to win football games and to be successful. That doesn't change.
"It's a privilege and an honour to be manager of Everton.
"Three seasons here gives me a really good understanding of what is needed.
"We need to learn from the mistakes but the focus goes on to beating Leicester now and its as narrow minded as it has to be."
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