Roberto Martinez discussion

Mikey_Fitzgerald · January 4, 2016

davek said:
The GK is the major mistake. Even now he can rectify it. He has Robles who he must know will offer a better line of protection. Not great, but better. Sticking with Howard is down to team politics, I feel sure about that.

As things have worked out we're doing very well creatively in the final third, so the playmaker we all believed was crucial hasn't turned out to be. Centre back isn't too bad either. We've just been unfortunate with a longish injury to one of them.

If Naismith is off and he wont buy a new GK, then we have to see that cash spent on another player who can offer us something on the left and also adapt to playing up front if anything happened to Lukaku. Tough ask, but he said he's been mulling transfer activity over.

I think the new keeper, if we're getting one, will be a summer buy

You can see clubs spiking their prices for keepers knowing how desperate we are (10 Million for Marshall FFS!?!?!?!?) in the hope we spend in January

I do think he'll get a new keeper in the summer, but I can't see him dropping Howard until then. It's just not like him

davek · January 4, 2016

Mikey_Fitzgerald said:
I think the new keeper, if we're getting one, will be a summer buy

You can see clubs spiking their prices for keepers knowing how desperate we are (10 Million for Marshall FFS!?!?!?!?) in the hope we spend in January

I do think he'll get a new keeper in the summer, but I can't see him dropping Howard until then. It's just not like him

Not a chance he will mate. It's his Achilles Heel. You have to be a meritocrat as a manager or it just confuses people. Howard does not (and has not for a good 12 months) merited that GK jersey.

If/when he does make a move I'd hope he'd go into the Bundesliga. Just about any of their GKs are superior to the vast majority of our GKs.

Mikey_Fitzgerald · January 4, 2016

davek said:
Not a chance he will mate. It's his Achilles Heel. You have to be a meritocrat as a manager or it just confuses people. Howard does not (and has not for a good 12 months) merited that GK jersey.

If/when he does make a move I'd hope he'd go into the Bundesliga. Just about any of their GKs are superior to the vast majority of our GKs.

Cheaper to look abroad too, although slightly more of a gamble

I still think Tom Heaton could be a decent enough signing if we go in during the summer. Right now, Burnley would expect us to break the bank but I don't forsee that being as much the case in summer

Either that or hope Sunderland go down and get Pantilimon on the cheap

Just need someone whose at least competent in there and Martinez can then strengthen in the other areas already mentioned

Minimeister · January 4, 2016

Yesterday proved there was nothing wrong with Cleverley and he made another whopper of a sub replacing him against Stoke. I've never known a manager who's subs absolutely bewilder so many fans. He won't upset his main men which is why the likes of Lennon and Besic will always be brought off ahead of players who aren't producing. He's a coward.

lancs blue · January 4, 2016

Minimeister said:
Yesterday proved there was nothing wrong with Cleverley and he made another whopper of a sub replacing him against Stoke. I've never known a manager who's subs absolutely bewilder so many fans. He won't upset his main men which is why the likes of Lennon and Besic will always be brought off ahead of players who aren't producing. He's a coward.

I was expecting Jagielka on for Howard at one point

lancs blue · January 4, 2016

Valdes may be a short term solution if utd let him go

Goat · January 4, 2016

Minimeister said:
Yesterday proved there was nothing wrong with Cleverley and he made another whopper of a sub replacing him against Stoke. I've never known a manager who's subs absolutely bewilder so many fans. He won't upset his main men which is why the likes of Lennon and Besic will always be brought off ahead of players who aren't producing. He's a coward.

Subs were good yesterday Friend.

Mikey_Fitzgerald · January 4, 2016

lancs blue said:
Valdes may be a short term solution if utd let him go

They'd probably want something in return like

blueboy1945 · January 4, 2016

chicoazul said:
I don't reckon Kone is as bad as is being made out mate. He's as usual the latest appointed scapegoat who happens to be not be in the best of form.

He's certainly not indicative that Martinez has lost the plot. Didn't work so he fixed it. I'd obviously wish he would start someone else and I reckon Cleverley will get a run there as Martinez has an aversion to two out and out wide men.

The Kone we see now is just a shadow of the player we signed on. Not his or the managers fault but purely down to injury and long term absence.
He was a revelation at Wigan and could have been for us. A real shame.

lancs blue · January 4, 2016

Mikey_Fitzgerald said:
They'd probably want something in return like

Tim Howard in a wig

lancs blue · January 4, 2016

blueboy1945 said:
The Kone we see now is just a shadow of the player we signed on. Not his or the managers fault but purely down to injury and long term absence.
He was a revelation at Wigan and could have been for us. A real shame.

Ive noticed a difference since he signed a new contract. might be coincidence

Goat · January 4, 2016

blueboy1945 said:
The Kone we see now is just a shadow of the player we signed on. Not his or the managers fault but purely down to injury and long term absence.
He was a revelation at Wigan and could have been for us. A real shame.

LOL

He scored 1 in 3.

Hes always been utter turd, he played well for 2-3 games against terrible players, but sadly we dont play Sunderland every week.

davek · January 4, 2016

Mikey_Fitzgerald said:
Cheaper to look abroad too, although slightly more of a gamble

I still think Tom Heaton could be a decent enough signing if we go in during the summer. Right now, Burnley would expect us to break the bank but I don't forsee that being as much the case in summer

Either that or hope Sunderland go down and get Pantilimon on the cheap

Just need someone whose at least competent in there and Martinez can then strengthen in the other areas already mentioned

Anyone who can claim a cross will be an improvement.

I never thought of Howard as anything other than a decent-to-good shot stopper.

He's been, all told, a good keeper for us. But his drop off in form/concentration/ability (whatever best applies) is completely shocking and unacceptable. Without question he's cost us a handful of points this season simply by not doing the basics. Those two shots yesterday that hit the post and bar were made to look like great hits by Howard. They were made so because Howard is just not reacting to these speculative efforts and they were past him when most other PL goalies would have got a hand on them.

Mikey_Fitzgerald · January 4, 2016

lancs blue said:
Tim Howard in a wig

Probably more likely young Jonathon at a discount...

Sideliner · January 4, 2016

Why does Martinez hesitate to throw the dice when the chips are down by using all his subs to chase a win or to increase a slender lead?
I still believe he is overcautious with his substitutions and must remember that fortune favours the brave
I also think he has not found a balanced starting line-up yet -
But we have been playing such beautiful possession football haven't we?
He still prefers to err on the conservative side because he knows the majority of Everton fans feel comfortable sitting in a mid table position