Roberto Martinez Discussion - Including Live Poll (Poll Reset 1st May)

[MikeH72]

That substitution didn't need hindsight though. Who brings on a striker when 2-0 but down to 10 men and under pressure?

Not only that but a striker that can't actually move, for one of our most energetic and hard working players

 

[oldblue]

That substitution didn't need hindsight though. Who brings on a striker when 2-0 but down to 10 men and under pressure?

Someone with limited options after a ridiculous sending off. Don't agree with it. But it's hindsight like it or not

 

[Tubey]

Someone with limited options after a ridiculous sending off. Don't agree with it. But it's hindsight like it or not

It wasn't; everyone called it in the match thread when it happened. People were calling for Deulofeu; when it was Niasse, there was a collective scratching of heads.

Also, limited options? Baines, Barry, Deulofeu all right there. It was simply a suicidal tactical decision from a manager who is known for them.

 

[Eric Djemba-Djemba]

Not only that but a striker that can't actually move, for one of our most energetic and hard working players

There's absolutely no angle you can look at it and think it was a good substitution. Unless you're Martinez obviously.

 

[oldblue]

It wasn't; everyone called it in the match thread when it happened. People were calling for Deulofeu; when it was Niasse, there was a collective scratching of heads.

Also, limited options? Baines, Barry, Deulofeu all right there. It was simply a suicidal tactical decision from a manager who is known for them.

I wanted Del on but that was probably for exactly the reasons he did bring on Niasse. Point was that if we are going to call him an idiot because he didn't do what the fans wanted then we need to take into account how often we all get it horribly wrong.

 

[oldblue]

There's absolutely no angle you can look at it and think it was a good substitution. Unless you're Martinez obviously.

How did you feel about his starting lineup?

 

[hktoffee]

Yeah. It's nowt personal, I'm sure he lives and breathes attacking football - I know @davek likes this part of his game. I agree with Dave that he's the antithesis of Walter Smith, which really ain't what we wanted here but are we playing well enough?

I agree with Dave that Pulis and Everton aren't really a match, and while I liked Moyes and Dave didn't, him coming back would be a backwards step, we shouldn't go there.

For me, I'd stick with Martinez if we toughened up, stopped giving the ball away too easily, and really tightened up in our defensive play. We're one aspect of our game short of being superb. Unfortunately it's costing us goals/games/points.

If he sorts that out pronto I'm behind him - if he doesn't, Roberto is off my Xmas card list.

Lots of fans said the same last May and would give him till last X'mas to prove. He failed. Honestly, it's hard to see why he would change his ideology on how things work on the pitch. For me, he doesn't seem to put defence as the priority.

 

[Khalekan]

Didnt Martinez bring on Niasse when we were 2-0 up instead of a defensive player to see out the game?

For me, it's all bloody lovely to score 2-3 goals a game but if you neglect your defensive responsibilities like Martinez does game after game, and never learns from it, we arent going anywhere as a club.

If Kenwright will be in charge, I agree that Martinez will be here for a while yet though, sadly.

It won't matter whether Bill is in charge of "football matters" or not........the easy ride is over for Bobby.

Because Bill's new position will be no easy ride for him.

He has someone else to answer to now so if Bobby ain't doing the business Bill will have to get rid or go down the chute with him.

The days of Moyes and Bobby being coddled by their Uncle Billy are about to come to an end.

 

[daz4matty]

Deserves another year.

No way my friend it would be back to the walter smith relegation battles

 

[Ashtonian]

Yeah. It's nowt personal, I'm sure he lives and breathes attacking football - I know @davek likes this part of his game. I agree with Dave that he's the antithesis of Walter Smith, which really ain't what we wanted here but are we playing well enough?

I agree with Dave that Pulis and Everton aren't really a match, and while I liked Moyes and Dave didn't, him coming back would be a backwards step, we shouldn't go there.

For me, I'd stick with Martinez if we toughened up, stopped giving the ball away too easily, and really tightened up in our defensive play. We're one aspect of our game short of being superb. Unfortunately it's costing us goals/games/points.

If he sorts that out pronto I'm behind him - if he doesn't, Roberto is off my Xmas card list.

We all would mate, can't argue with the way we attack being the best in 30 years.

The issue i think in the grand scheme of things is martinez hasn't changed in his time with 2 clubs now. What he did wrong at wigan he is repeating here, which is frightening tbh. You can't argue that similar tactics, similar flaws and similar soundbites just don't install any confidence any more that he is the right manager for the job, and more importantly, how many of the players think that too?

i mentioned it yesterday, the likes of stoke / west ham shown a little bit of ambition in changing managers and they have benefitted massively from it, and in both instances you couldn't fault the previous manager in their job. We could either do a Moyes and give Roberto more time and repeat this obviously endless cycle, or we could just let him go and show a little bit more desire to the squad tat mid table in the league just isn't good enough.

 

[Verbal Kint]

Tony Pulis has a higher win percentage than El Fraudo, yes the same Tony Pulis who's teams play awful dull football, his teams can't score goals. Every fan hates Tony Pulis teams, wouldn't be a fan of Tony Pulis teams myself, but Tony Pulis has a higher win percentage than Roberto Martinez.

Ask yourself the question is that acceptable??

 

[Eric Djemba-Djemba]

How did you feel about his starting lineup?

Thought his starting line up was fine. It's his substitution that I have an issue with.

I know now you're going to bring up Mirallas because I said that I was fine with the starting line up. Mirallas wasn't the reason we lost, even if he made it very difficult. We went 2-0 up without him. It was after Martinez's tactical masterclass in that substitution that we imploded.

 

[daz4matty]

Each to their own opinion mate.

We have two England and an Argentinian international cb already, don't see how addidng anothe rone will suddenly make us any different, managers track record with keepers doesn't fill me with confidence that he is going to suddenly pick a great one if he does bring a starter in.

At a certain point you have to just look at the results and look at the managers decisions and realise that time and again he is making the wrong calls, and his inability of taking ANY of the blame has tipped me over the edge

Was saturday the last straw for you mate.

 

[Khalekan]

I've noticed that as well today but I'm not sure they actually believe it or they are just trying to unsettle us before Saturday. Strange that it's taken getting beat by a decent side and not by dross like Swansea and WBA.

It was the manner of the defeat rather than the fact we lost which has focused attention on Bobby's shortcomings.

 

[hktoffee]

No way my friend it would be back to the walter smith relegation battles

I will not go this far matty. Another midtable finish is bad enough (oh didn't I say the same last May).