A Premier League manager took in Everton against Manchester United at Goodison Park on a scouting mission last October ahead of facing both clubs in the forthcoming weeks. Glancing at the team sheets he drew a surprising conclusion: Everton had the stronger line-up.
In the event United ran out 3-0 winners in a fixture overshadowed by the sudden death of Howard Kendall which, in mitigation, clearly affected the Everton players and the mood inside the stadium that afternoon. Still the conclusion held. It was an indictment of United, to an extent, but Everton did have the better players.
And that is Roberto Martinez’s problem as he heads towards Wednesday’s Capital One Cup semi-final away to Manchester City with Everton holding
a precious 2-1 advantage from the first leg. His team is desperately under-performing which is the most dangerous scenario for any manager when it comes to an assessment his work.
If a manager’s task is to get more from the sum of his parts, or at least to realize the potential, then Martinez is, unfortunately, failing at present. It means Wednesday’s fixture is suddenly the most important Martinez has faced since he was appointed Everton manager in June 2013. If Everton fail to get through the pressure from the supporters, who are already well aware of the underperformance, will mount dramatically. He needs to reach that Wembley final.
Since the loss to United Everton have played 18 matches and won just five. Four of those matches – and three of those wins – were in cup competitions including that victory over City. So when only Premier League fixtures are considered the statistics are even worse – just two victories in 14. Going further back it is six wins in 23 this season (plus losing three of the last four at the end of the last campaign when they finished 11th).
That pressure, Martinez reasoned after
the home defeat to Swansea City on Sunday, is already affecting the players with the manager describing the latest result as a “negative outcome of a fearful attitude”. There is certainly a genuine concern that, when it comes to playing at home in particular, it is hampering some of Everton’s players.
The worry will be that it is affecting the young players with Everton possessing a quartet of the best burgeoning talent in the Premier League in John Stones, Ross Barkley, Romelu Lukaku and Gerard Deulofeu who all started against Swansea and who are all under 23. Everton had five players who are 23 or under in their team but it was not a callow XI. Martinez is not throwing the kids in. In fact the average age of his starting XI was 26. Tottenham Hotspur also had five players 23 and under who started the 3-1 victory away to Crystal Palace – with the average age of their team 24.5. Spurs are fourth in the table; Everton are 12th.
It gets worse. Only three teams – Manchester City, Leicester City and Spurs – have scored more league goals than Everton’s 40 this season. But only five teams – the bottom five – have conceded more than their 34 in 23 matches. No fewer than 22 of those goals have been conceded at Goodison. And this from a team that, feasibly, could make up three-quarters of England’s defence at Euro 2016 with Stones, Leighton Baines and Phil Jagielka. Right-back Seamus Coleman, were he English not Irish, would feasibly complete the set.
But it is too soft; too disorganised. No-one is saying that Martinez should turn to a Tony Pulis-style drilled defence but given what he has available this is not acceptable in a season full of opportunity, with Manchester United and Chelsea woefully under-performing, for a club with a squad as strong as Everton’s. They should be closer to Spurs; they should be closer to sixth-placed West Ham United.
Their season is in the balance. Everton sit eight points behind Manchester United who are in fifth place and that automatic Europa League place and eight points ahead of Newcastle United who are in 18th and the final relegation place from the Premier League. Which way will it now head? Wednesday may decide.
Everton should – and still can - be challenging for the top six. There is no excuse. The club marshals its resources as best it can, it does not have a big wage bill but it does have good players, and it also provides stability and support for the manager.
It is not overly demanding. There is a chronic need for fresh investment – and there are ongoing talks over a possible American purchase – and a new stadium but that is for the future.
Martinez is an extremely likeable manager who has an admirable desire to play attacking, attractive football which should not be diluted and a determination to bring players through and develop and encourage them. But he has to do better. Far better with what he has available.
Reaching Wembley can certainly change the dynamic and overcoming City to do so will be a significant achievement in itself. Winning a trophy for the first time in 21 years would change that dynamic even more. But if Everton do not get through on Wednesday then the focus will fall far even more sharply on Martinez and whether he is getting enough out of this squad.
