The season isn't over mate: we have a chance to move up the table as well as down it, a decent chance of the former given a game in hand. As for questioning the development of the team's youngsters: you're having a laugh there. If there's one stick not advisable to use to beat Martinez with it's that one.
As a whole how can the season be described as anything other than a good/solid one when we competed well in all competitions? The two cups we've performed well enough and it could get better; the PL away from is more than respectable - it's very good in fact. The home PL form is woeful, no question. But that's about as easy a thing to remedy as anything can be to turn your home ground into a weapon rather than a hindrance to your ambitions.
I've said it before: people cant see the wood for the trees. Others outside the club see us in a very different light. And you know what the industry specialists who the new feller will be listening to will tell him: "they're not far off. Put a few quid in there and he'll buy well and you have a shot at doing something".
I'm here every so often talking people down off the ledge after a reversal of that nature. It's a periodic convulsion that goes nowhere and debilitates the fan base. It's a sad refection really on us, because we don't have the right to be demanding PL football with the peanuts spent out. Martinez has raised expectations with the type of players he's brought in and how he can have them playing and scoring from open play. That's what's happened here: raised expectations dashed on the rocks of home performances.
And that is just about the strength of it for anyone reasonable enough to bother to argue the facts rather than some emotive kneejerk bollocks.
I'm sorry mate, but it is easy to beat Martinez with the "Development stick". If any of our younger players are better, it is not because of Martinez, it is despite him. Barkley, after almost three full seasons, should be much further along in his development than he is. Stones has gone backward, Deulofeu is slightly better, but lets face it - he was in Spain for a year. Unfortunately, he has been getting steadily worse since he has been back - to the point that he can't even get a game off the bench. Also - Our defence are woeful compared to what they were when he took over. There was a reason that Alcaraz was thoroughly awful - he'd been playing under Martinez at Wigan. Funes Mori has been decent so far, but he will decline, just like Stones, Baines, Coleman and Jagielka.
I really want Martinez to succeed, but it isn't going to happen. Up until Christmas, he was starting the same players, bar one, that were here on 31 August 2013:-
Howard
Baines
Funes Mori
Stones
Coleman
Barry
McCarthy
Barkley
Deulofeu
Kone
Lukaku
And let's face it - the only reason Funes Mori was getting a game, was because Jagielka was injured. How is this taking us forward, and how can this be a transition? He has had almost three seasons to get these players to play as a team, and it isn't happening. Even yesterday, only Lennon and Funes Mori were the only players that started the game, that weren't here in August 2013.
We came 5th that first season. It doesn't work now. Why does he not get that?
