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

[Whistlin' Dixie]

Yes, he is a decent judge of a player. Every manager has hits and misses, certainly not a stick to beat him with imo.

I'm a decent judge of a player. I'm sure you believe you are too. Just about anyone can pick a player.

Getting them to play as a unit though...

 

[Whistlin' Dixie]

Serious question Dave.

Why did we get rid of Kendall TWICE.

He walked once, in fairness.

 

[Saint Domingo]

Everyone barks on about how this is the best squad we've had in yonks. In terms of talent, I'd agree. that talent however is predominantly made up of relative novices.
There is no blend of quality, experienced winners to supplement them. We don't have the salary structure to compensate them for their services. That changes this summer.

Throw in some quality and this will be a fantastic squad.

Until then it's raw, inexperienced, enigmatic potential. Nothing more.

We've had this argument before. If you accept your premise to be true (which I don't), then why build a squad out of raw untested talent then bemoan the fact that other clubs then buy them. It's the old never ending plan argument. Lukaku and Stones will be gone in this summer. There's your 5 year plan out the window. This is not a development school it should be a squad able to compete at the top end of the league. If it can't that's on Roberto. Retaining Howard Baines Jags and Coleman, bringing in Barry, Kone, the likes of Etoo Alcaraz Mcgeady Lennon Funes Mori Niasse slightly dents this myth that we just play s load of kids all the time.

 

[nsno-chris]

How many seasons has Baines been here?

Done nothing in the game. Not one thing. He'll be known after he retires for taking a few free kicks and his love of rubbish neo-punk bands. That's it. Loads in the bank account, nothing in the medals case.

The absolute state of that comment

*sigh*

 

[DualityNSNO]

With respect though to those who are judging him with heightened expectations, the question remains: what have we done to justify 4th and above? People keep suggesting "Everton, aren't we" but we have been THAT Everton since the late 80s.

Does seem like people are pretending we are City before a penny has even been spent.

So you're saying we've got massively worse players than Saints and West Ham then? Or that Liverpool's squad is so much better than ours?

That's where we should be finishing - top 7, top 5 at a push (and with the freak season this year - it was very possible). Where we are is closer to relegation than to that, and in fact we're praying for a top 10 finish, and with the results we've had in the last 2 months we can even miss out on that.

But keep insisting he's performing to expectations, that's fine. In fact, bring the semi finals in it - great achievement wasn't it? Wow, nearly at the final, woop-de-doo. Nearly wins nothing, however - I nearly got the numbers for the Euromillions that one time, but guess what, it won me nothing. We also bottled the FA Cup one massively, and in the words of fan favourite - that was our "defining week". Well, we defined we're bottlers, great. In the same week we also failed to have a shot on goal against Liverpool, to their 41 towards ours. 41 to 0. Phenomenal.

Everyone barks on about how this is the best squad we've had in yonks. In terms of talent, I'd agree. that talent however is predominantly made up of relative novices.
There is no blend of quality, experienced winners to supplement them. We don't have the salary structure to compensate them for their services. That changes this summer.

Throw in some quality and this will be a fantastic squad.

Until then it's raw, inexperienced, enigmatic potential. Nothing more.

Yeah, the inexperience of Lukaku, Barkley, Deulofeu, Lennon, Kone, McCarthy, Barry, Baines, Jagielka, Howard/Joel, Mirallas, Coleman - such a lack of experience in there, they've only played at least a few years of top flight football, and have also been in World Cups and Euro's. And Del comes from Barcelona. We've had/have Stones as one of the few people he's given a chance at his young age, and Galloway because he absolutely had to, as Oviedo is made of glass and Baines was injured as he's 30 now.

In fact, snub that. Forget about that for a second. This is the same squad that finished 5th, with the addition now of Funes Mori (international player) and Lennon (experienced international) and removing Distin. How come instead of finishing at least close to the top half of the table we weren't even mathematically safe until last week? Same manager, nearly the same team (with added experienced internationals), a million miles worse results. #Progress, that.

 

[mkrudden]

But most have wanted him out since before the takeover, me included. My issue is he took over a top 6 squad, decided to totally change the playing style of the club and after 3 seasons has taken us backwards. His statement about not changing it as it will all come good in the end just made me want him gone even more.

You're blaming him for Distin and Howard getting older? Pienaar and Osman too? Baines being plagued with ankle injuries?
Or do you wish we'd kept Anichebe, Jelavic and Fellaini?
Whoever came in, those players would have needed replacing as they were older and/or wanted to leave for a host of reasons but primarily because their weren't very good.

What exactly did he inherit other than a flogged horse that the previous management bled dry. Fantastic work but major surgery was needed on the same financial as Moyes - sell to buy.

 

[DualityNSNO]

Ha Ha. Read that back to yourself mate.

Your game is slipping Dave, you should consider stopping.

 

[davek]

Thankfully the new manager only has to beat 50 points to retain his job.

I mean he wont have a points total to hit, only a league position and hopefully go further than a Semi final.

And he didnt build the squad from nothing, he sold some of Moyes players and was given 50m to spend.

Hes signed 22 players for over 100m.

Top Half will be failure unless it's top four if five first season. If there's no CL spot or cup by season two they walk.

They will be well funded and therefore they will be judged accordingly.

These are the new rules. Everyone will do well to learn them.

 

[willo30]

He walked once, in fairness.

Of course he did, showed the calibre of the man to walk when he knows it's not looking good.

 

[chippy1722]

Someone just move the straws.

 

[billytoffee]

Thankfully the new manager only has to beat 50 points to retain his job.

I mean he wont have a points total to hit, only a league position and hopefully go further than a Semi final.

And he didnt build the squad from nothing, he sold some of Moyes players and was given 50m to spend.

Hes signed 22 players for over 100m.

Come on now fella - don't be letting facts get in the way of another quality wind up !

Do the roll call again - someone is missing !

 

[LAToffee]

That's all that needs to be said about Martinez's transfer record[/QUOTE]

That's just silly. Let's have a reasonable assessment of his transfer business. He's brought in (Lukaku, Del, Barry, Mori) and brought through (Barkley, Stones) some very solid players. And he's bought some muck. I have no idea whether Niasse is a dud. How many minutes has he played in the league total? Weird that he hasn't had more starts, but jesus reducing Martinez's "transfer record" to one player we bought in January who had a very decent record before he came here? Frankly, 90% of what is written on this thread makes us look like a proper bunch of goons.

 

[ianefc]

Top Half will be failure unless it's top four if five first season. If there's no CL spot or cup by season two they walk.

They will be well funded and therefore they will be judged accordingly.

These are the new rules. Everyone will do well to learn them.

I'm already embracing them. It's great. 2 weeks today we will be celebrating the end of Martinez and the reinvention of Evertons ambitions.

It's so exciting.

 

[Smodger]

Davek did you vote In or Out?

 

[davek]

Your game is slipping Dave, you should consider stopping.

Is it? You said he couldn't replicate his own first season - the man who actually achieved it is "unable" to do it again. Hilarious.

I do admire your optimism about any new manager being a roaring success though. Even with more cash he'll need a ten point start to get near 72 points in one season.