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

[willo30]

I was there on Saturday and yeh, they did look lost.

But as professional footballers who supposedly make up our best team in 30 years, I think they could try and get to grips with it a bit quicker.

Martinez isn't the one who makes Mori not manage to track Iwobi, for example.

It is mostly down to the manager - as I keep saying - but the players are also responsible for abject displays.

I am questioning this now. Is it just us who think this?
The league table for almost 2 seasons doesn't back this up at all.

Maybe we are not as good as we think we are and this great squad that's been built is no better than a mid table squad.
Some great individuals but overall just an average team.

 

[Zatara]

Deffo Osman that, the little snake.

My money is on;

Osman = Prime suspect
Baines = Lost his place
Jagielka = Moyes Captain not Martinez choice
Gibson/Howard/Pienaar = Problem children

I think Martinez will punt a fair few of them in summer...

 

[chazzle_dazzle]

In fairness to RM I think he rarely gets his set-up wrong in terms of formation.

It's how he instructs the team to sit off - or does he tell them to press but they are not up to it?

Against Chelsea we pressed high and unsettled them and the players all played well. Against Arsenal we sat off and they played through us and the players all played badly.

It's RM's inability or refusal to adapt in a game that is the issue. His set up in terms of formation is often spot on. I don't think anybody would have disagreed with his team selection on Saturday, for example...

This has been one of the biggest frustrations for me - one game we press high, the next we don't... bet we all know which games we do better in.

Just a bad situation at the moment. I think only a cup win will save his job, even then it has to be under massive scrutiny.

 

[Zatara]

In fairness to RM I think he rarely gets his set-up wrong in terms of formation.

It's how he instructs the team to sit off - or does he tell them to press but they are not up to it?

Against Chelsea we pressed high and unsettled them and the players all played well. Against Arsenal we sat off and they played through us and the players all played badly.

It's RM's inability or refusal to adapt in a game that is the issue. His set up in terms of formation is often spot on. I don't think anybody would have disagreed with his team selection on Saturday, for example...

Hes said in the post match interview that he told them to press with intensity.. .they didnt. McCarthy and Besic for the poor games they had DID actually try and press...for me the defence was the issue actually...just stood off all game in a deep line and Jagielka was covered twice by Mori (who some said was worse?!)...

Jagielkas performance as captain was a disgrace.

 

[orly]

Yeah to be fair El Fraudo is not helped by senior players like the Skem Snide Ostosh lobbying against him

@Eric Djemba-Djemba @Walken @Chang Elephant @Elong will all vouch for his grass tendencies

 

[bluewally]

In fairness to RM I think he rarely gets his set-up wrong in terms of formation.

It's how he instructs the team to sit off - or does he tell them to press but they are not up to it?

Against Chelsea we pressed high and unsettled them and the players all played well. Against Arsenal we sat off and they played through us and the players all played badly.

It's RM's inability or refusal to adapt in a game that is the issue. His set up in terms of formation is often spot on. I don't think anybody would have disagreed with his team selection on Saturday, for example...

Our defensive record begs to differ.

 

[BlueToff]

Our defensive record begs to differ.

And how many goals have we conceded late on, or games drawn/lost in the second half...

The main issue with RM is his underlying refusal and/or inability to adapt during a game.

 

[Zatara]

No it wasn't either of them, however they have both had words with the manager - interesting you think they'll be sold this summer??

So was it someone Martinez signed then? I doubt it.

If this was a team in an office then my money would be on:

Jagielka= kept as captain for last few seasons as knows the club and players and wouldnt look good to punt him or strip him of the captaincy inmediately. Not Martinez choice of captain and cant play our system at all...always left as the unmarked defender to pass the ba out of defence as the opposition cover Mori/Stones.

He'll be phased out this summer.


Baines = May have an existing injury but has not been good for 2 seasons now. At face value looks a good player but weak defensively and out of position for arsenals goal which is a common occurance these days. Lost his place to oviedo and perhaps someone who martinez didnt feel comfortable moving on when he first came to the club...

Weve already seen Oviedo take his place due to his superior defensive qualities.

Howard /Gibson / Osman / Pienaar = adios to the old moyes guard.

Hibbert staying on as a coach i believe.


Time to focus now on defensive signings...hes got every other position right.

 

[LouReedwalkonthewildside]

The main issue with RM is his underlying refusal and/or inability to adapt during a game.

^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
THIS.

 

[Eric Djemba-Djemba]

Yeah to be fair El Fraudo is not helped by senior players like the Skem Snide Ostosh lobbying against him

@Eric Djemba-Djemba @Walken @Chang Elephant @Elong will all vouch for his grass tendencies

El Fraudo and Osman are going against each other? I just hope there's a way they can both lose.

 

[Saint Domingo]

So was it someone Martinez signed then? I doubt it.

If this was a team in an office then my money would be on:

Jagielka= kept as captain for last few seasons as knows the club and players and wouldnt look good to punt him or strip him of the captaincy inmediately. Not Martinez choice of captain and cant play our system at all...always left as the unmarked defender to pass the ba out of defence as the opposition cover Mori/Stones.

He'll be phased out this summer.


Baines = May have an existing injury but has not been good for 2 seasons now. At face value looks a good player but weak defensively and out of position for arsenals goal which is a common occurance these days. Lost his place to oviedo and perhaps someone who martinez didnt feel comfortable moving on when he first came to the club...

Weve already seen Oviedo take his place due to his superior defensive qualities.

Howard /Gibson / Osman / Pienaar = adios to the old moyes guard.

Hibbert staying on as a coach i believe.


Time to focus now on defensive signings...hes got every other position right.

Our midfield is turgid and completely unbalanced. It doesn't score many and doesn't help cover the defence. Apart from Lennon we have little pace and only Barkley has any real creativity. We regularly fail to control games for anything longer than 45 mins and can't stop poor sides from dominating us for periods of time. We struggle to keep the ball away from home so play on the counter and we struggle to break down teams at home when we do have the ball. So how exactly has he got every single position right in the midfield?

 

[TheHumbleEgg]

Put into context he actually was saying he wants to win games and if its 6-5 or 1-0 he wasnt bothered about conceding goals as long as we won....not sure why thats an issue.

Also its been stated that we do practice set pieces so not sure if youre getting that from that RAT osmans autobiography.....2 years old isnt it after we finished 5th anyway....or written then.

...as an absolute shot in the dark like, could it be because we very rarely do?

 

[orly]

El Fraudo and Osman are going against each other? I just hope there's a way they can both lose.

Mutually assured destruction

Grass each other into the abyss

It's like Mourinho vs Terry without the collateral damage of winning a league title

 

[Tubey]

And how many goals have we conceded late on, or games drawn/lost in the second half...

The main issue with RM is his underlying refusal and/or inability to adapt during a game.

Agreed. He's generally OK from the start.

Problem is that it doesn't count for much when an actual carrot could outmanage him during the game itself.

 

[eddy]

I'd honestly prefer getting rid of him now instead of waiting till the summer. If we win the FA Cup it will be a bit more difficult to get rid of him I imagine. League form should do it for me and on that evidence he's not good enough.

I would prefer to win the derby or at least not lose it. Last year was humiliating, they really could have had a hatfull of goals.
Martinez was non plussed, he just did not know what to do, no shutting up shop, parking the bus closing the game down, even losing with a bit of dignity 1 nil, but no his philosophy is simple and easy to play against, all our team was in their half and they just lobbed the ball and hit us on the break each and every time. Given another ten minutes they could of had 10! We were burnt out with endless passing, running and getting nowhere, His philosophy is so predictable and easy to counter yet he does not change it.

The talk sport interview he says " we were fearful" but when he came to us he said he " wanted us to play without fear" so 3 years later we are fearful of conceding 5 possibly 6 goals which is pretty understandable with his philosophy, the players know it does not work and are fed up with it, these players are not has beens looking for a late pay off to end their career aka Wigan and what he had there

Everyone can see his style does not suit, these players must be so frustrated. I hope we win the cup, the derby, and the next seven games, but we all know with Martinez we will encounter a few drubbings, not even a cup win should keep him at the helm, league form/position over 3 years show a rapid decline. I hope Moshiri cans him and gets Stubbs in until end of season