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Player Valuation: £70m
Roberto Martinez: Should he stay, or should he go via Royal Blue Mersey
The Royal Blue Mersey crew shares their thoughts
Everyone has an opinion on embattled Everton manager Roberto Martinez, mostly about when he should be relieved of his duties at Goodison Park. The team at Royal Blue Mersey are just as frustrated as most of the fanbase with both the process of the team's development, and the results on the pitch. So we went around and asked everyone to give one reason why Martinez should retain employment, and one reason why he should be fired.
Mike
Why he should stay: His first season was the best the club have seen in a long long time. He oversaw an impressive Europa League run (including a dual defeat of current Champions League quarterfinalists Wolfsburg), and he may yet deliver Goodison's first trophy since 1995.
Why he should go: In his final 7 seasons, Moyes averaged 6th place and 60 points a season, didn't finish below 8th, and never failed to pick up at least 54 points. If this season finishes as expected, Martinez's record the last two years will be 11th/47 pts, 11th/50 pts. This is with at least as good of a squad as Moyes ever had, if not much better. For two years the defense has been completely disorganized. It's not good enough, and he's had long enough. With unprecedented access to cash (by Everton's standards) coming this summer, the club cannot afford to faff around any longer.
Brian
Why he should stay: Our complaints about David Moyes were about a lack of attacking soccer and a conservative gameplan. That isn't the case with Martinez. If the table was sorted on goals scored Everton would be in the conversation for top 4. Yes, the defense needs work, but a few player purchases should fix that, especially with the new investment and we could arguably improve the offense with some purchases as well.
Why he should go: As good as the offense has been, the defense has been horrible and there haven't been steps to fix it. We haven't brought in a talented DM nor have we brought in another goalkeeper. We've also managed to waste one of the best chances in recent memory to compete for Champions League places. This will be 2 years finishing lower than expected, something that really shouldn't be happening when you look at the teams above us. It is one thing to finish 8th, another to finish in the bottom half of the table.
Adam
Why he should stay: There has been reasonable success under Martinez in each of his seasons in charge, despite the fact that it has not always carried over to all competitions. In his first year, the team had one of its best seasons in the Premier League era, in his second season, the team made it to the Round of 16 in the Europa League, and this year the team made it to the semi-finals of both domestic cups.
Why he should go: Martinez's actions both on and off the field seem to be those of a manager well aware that he is losing his grip on the club. His response to Leighton Baines' (very accurate) comments about team chemistry came across as somewhere between desperate and psychotic. His tactics in recent matches reflect a manager who is hopelessly searching for on-the-field answers despite the fact that he refuses to simplify his gameplan (as I have discussed after multiple matches in the last 6 weeks). Ultimately, there's too much talent on this team to be sitting in 14th at this stage of the season, and no cup run can change that fact.
Troy
Why he should stay: His ability to draw talent with a small budget was amazing and I can only assume with a much larger budget this summer he is going to sign some even better talent. His ability to convince players to join the squad and even stay here with lessened playing time was in my opinion his best asset. Could he finally convince Yarmolenko and others to join if we keep him around?
Why he should go: Keeping with transfer ability I wonder how he'll do with a big budget and also a squad full of talent ready to bail. Can he convince Stones, Lukaku and others to stick it out one more season when the results are going in the wrong direction? His inability to realize his defensive and set piece weakness is his biggest downfall and should result in his firing this summer.
Ryan
Why he should stay: Martinez has shown that he can attract and keep talent at the club. Players like Romelu Lukaku and Gerard Deulofeu are two prominent examples while he has also brought in serviceable players such as Ramiro Funes Mori, Aaron Lennon and Tom Cleverley. To date, Everton has not lost any huge assets under the Spaniard's watch but that's no guarantee of them being here in the future. Martinez guided the club to the semifinals of both the Capital One Cup and the FA Cup this year; showing promise for future competitions. The 2013-2014 campaign was historic for the club and showed the potential that Martinez and his squad had. There have been flashes of that magic season this year but success has not been sustained.
Why he should go: Everton hasn't won a league match since March 1st and the club is sitting at the bottom half of the table in 11th place. Under Martinez, the club has done well on the offensive side of the pitch, which mostly revolves around feeding Lukaku the ball when he's in the box. However the defense has been a complete mess. The last two seasons have exposed Everton's lack of quality depth along the back line. Though the Toffees have two experienced internationals in Phil Jagielka and Leighton Baines as well as a young, future star in John Stones; Martinez has failed to recognize that they cannot play every match.
At that, none of these players has been up to par this year and Jagielka and Baines seem to be nearing the end of their careers quicker than anticipated. Martinez has also failed to address with issues in goal by waiting too long to replace Tim Howard with Joel Robles and completely ignoring the position during through several transfer windows even after it was clear that Howard was declining. This season encapsulates the management style of Roberto Martinez: a lack of organization, inability to be decisive and a failure to develop players. Time to give someone else a shot in the hot seat.
Alex
Why he should stay: The only small piece of anything I can cling onto for this is to refer back to his first season. During the 2013-14 season we were unplayable at times. Although we haven't even seen a glimmer of that form for nearing two seasons, I had to write something for this question, so, there it is!
Why he should go: It'd be so easy for me to sit here and harp on about how he can't do this and how he can't do that, how his tactics are completely short of the mark and naive and how he fails the honesty test in most post match press conferences a million times over. But, the thing that really gets to me is how un-Everton Roberto Martinez really is. He carries no reflection of just what this job means, what the club means or even what the fans should mean to him and the team. The proof of that is the blame he pinned upon the Goodison faithful after yet another defeat at home, it has been drilled into Every Everton manager for as long as I can remember to 'Keep the fans on your side' and 'Respect them', the advice seems to have passed through the ears of Martinez unheard. The man carries no kind of ability to rouse the supporters, everything is said pretty with too many words. What I'd respect more is a plain and simple statement, rather than being bludgeoned with overly worded, extended sentences, all of which mean nothing to Evertonians anymore.
All of that and the fact he is smart enough to change a game with his tactics or even professional enough to change tactics after a bad run of games. I've seen enough of OUR Everton being plighted with mediocrity and that mediocrity being back by our chairman.
—————
Chime in in the comments below with your reasons for why he should stay, and why he should go.
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The Royal Blue Mersey crew shares their thoughts
Everyone has an opinion on embattled Everton manager Roberto Martinez, mostly about when he should be relieved of his duties at Goodison Park. The team at Royal Blue Mersey are just as frustrated as most of the fanbase with both the process of the team's development, and the results on the pitch. So we went around and asked everyone to give one reason why Martinez should retain employment, and one reason why he should be fired.
Mike
Why he should stay: His first season was the best the club have seen in a long long time. He oversaw an impressive Europa League run (including a dual defeat of current Champions League quarterfinalists Wolfsburg), and he may yet deliver Goodison's first trophy since 1995.
Why he should go: In his final 7 seasons, Moyes averaged 6th place and 60 points a season, didn't finish below 8th, and never failed to pick up at least 54 points. If this season finishes as expected, Martinez's record the last two years will be 11th/47 pts, 11th/50 pts. This is with at least as good of a squad as Moyes ever had, if not much better. For two years the defense has been completely disorganized. It's not good enough, and he's had long enough. With unprecedented access to cash (by Everton's standards) coming this summer, the club cannot afford to faff around any longer.
Brian
Why he should stay: Our complaints about David Moyes were about a lack of attacking soccer and a conservative gameplan. That isn't the case with Martinez. If the table was sorted on goals scored Everton would be in the conversation for top 4. Yes, the defense needs work, but a few player purchases should fix that, especially with the new investment and we could arguably improve the offense with some purchases as well.
Why he should go: As good as the offense has been, the defense has been horrible and there haven't been steps to fix it. We haven't brought in a talented DM nor have we brought in another goalkeeper. We've also managed to waste one of the best chances in recent memory to compete for Champions League places. This will be 2 years finishing lower than expected, something that really shouldn't be happening when you look at the teams above us. It is one thing to finish 8th, another to finish in the bottom half of the table.
Adam
Why he should stay: There has been reasonable success under Martinez in each of his seasons in charge, despite the fact that it has not always carried over to all competitions. In his first year, the team had one of its best seasons in the Premier League era, in his second season, the team made it to the Round of 16 in the Europa League, and this year the team made it to the semi-finals of both domestic cups.
Why he should go: Martinez's actions both on and off the field seem to be those of a manager well aware that he is losing his grip on the club. His response to Leighton Baines' (very accurate) comments about team chemistry came across as somewhere between desperate and psychotic. His tactics in recent matches reflect a manager who is hopelessly searching for on-the-field answers despite the fact that he refuses to simplify his gameplan (as I have discussed after multiple matches in the last 6 weeks). Ultimately, there's too much talent on this team to be sitting in 14th at this stage of the season, and no cup run can change that fact.
Troy
Why he should stay: His ability to draw talent with a small budget was amazing and I can only assume with a much larger budget this summer he is going to sign some even better talent. His ability to convince players to join the squad and even stay here with lessened playing time was in my opinion his best asset. Could he finally convince Yarmolenko and others to join if we keep him around?
Why he should go: Keeping with transfer ability I wonder how he'll do with a big budget and also a squad full of talent ready to bail. Can he convince Stones, Lukaku and others to stick it out one more season when the results are going in the wrong direction? His inability to realize his defensive and set piece weakness is his biggest downfall and should result in his firing this summer.
Ryan
Why he should stay: Martinez has shown that he can attract and keep talent at the club. Players like Romelu Lukaku and Gerard Deulofeu are two prominent examples while he has also brought in serviceable players such as Ramiro Funes Mori, Aaron Lennon and Tom Cleverley. To date, Everton has not lost any huge assets under the Spaniard's watch but that's no guarantee of them being here in the future. Martinez guided the club to the semifinals of both the Capital One Cup and the FA Cup this year; showing promise for future competitions. The 2013-2014 campaign was historic for the club and showed the potential that Martinez and his squad had. There have been flashes of that magic season this year but success has not been sustained.
Why he should go: Everton hasn't won a league match since March 1st and the club is sitting at the bottom half of the table in 11th place. Under Martinez, the club has done well on the offensive side of the pitch, which mostly revolves around feeding Lukaku the ball when he's in the box. However the defense has been a complete mess. The last two seasons have exposed Everton's lack of quality depth along the back line. Though the Toffees have two experienced internationals in Phil Jagielka and Leighton Baines as well as a young, future star in John Stones; Martinez has failed to recognize that they cannot play every match.
At that, none of these players has been up to par this year and Jagielka and Baines seem to be nearing the end of their careers quicker than anticipated. Martinez has also failed to address with issues in goal by waiting too long to replace Tim Howard with Joel Robles and completely ignoring the position during through several transfer windows even after it was clear that Howard was declining. This season encapsulates the management style of Roberto Martinez: a lack of organization, inability to be decisive and a failure to develop players. Time to give someone else a shot in the hot seat.
Alex
Why he should stay: The only small piece of anything I can cling onto for this is to refer back to his first season. During the 2013-14 season we were unplayable at times. Although we haven't even seen a glimmer of that form for nearing two seasons, I had to write something for this question, so, there it is!
Why he should go: It'd be so easy for me to sit here and harp on about how he can't do this and how he can't do that, how his tactics are completely short of the mark and naive and how he fails the honesty test in most post match press conferences a million times over. But, the thing that really gets to me is how un-Everton Roberto Martinez really is. He carries no reflection of just what this job means, what the club means or even what the fans should mean to him and the team. The proof of that is the blame he pinned upon the Goodison faithful after yet another defeat at home, it has been drilled into Every Everton manager for as long as I can remember to 'Keep the fans on your side' and 'Respect them', the advice seems to have passed through the ears of Martinez unheard. The man carries no kind of ability to rouse the supporters, everything is said pretty with too many words. What I'd respect more is a plain and simple statement, rather than being bludgeoned with overly worded, extended sentences, all of which mean nothing to Evertonians anymore.
All of that and the fact he is smart enough to change a game with his tactics or even professional enough to change tactics after a bad run of games. I've seen enough of OUR Everton being plighted with mediocrity and that mediocrity being back by our chairman.
—————
Chime in in the comments below with your reasons for why he should stay, and why he should go.
Read Full Article
Continue reading...
