Roberto Martinez discussion

[MACCA75]

The tempo is painful to watch. I'd give Atsu a start now, Ross can't play wide, and McGeady has delivered very little. Atsu and Mirallas out wide should give us some pace going forward at least.

 

[Brennan]

Not even remotely surprised. He's alienating himself from the fans by outright lying every time we're obviously poor. Makes him come across as Brendan lite.

I think most sensible ones realise that what managers say in press conferences has no reflection on the reality behind closed doors or the conversations had with players. Moyes talked tosh in press conferences when he was manager, so does Martinez.

 

[MACCA75]

And can we get players back to full fitness before we put them straight back into the team please? He should have learned that lesson from Anfield last season.

Baines and Barry didn't look at it at all today.

 

[moyeslovechild]

for me, its all about how much BETTER we could be as opposed to how bad we are

it's just there's things that martinez has done this season that you shake your head at and then it ends up costing us the game, we're not experts yet we can see it and he apparently cant

the fella is a good manager ( i think our european performances are good example of this) but he has shown his inexperience and naivety this season

 

[Tubey]

I think most sensible ones realise that what managers say in press conferences has no reflection on the reality behind closed doors or the conversations had with players. Moyes talked tosh in press conferences when he was manager, so does Martinez.

Then he loses credibility. He has the same credibility as a politician.

I personally don't approve of a manager who lies, no matter how harmless it is. Or "spins" if you want to put it politely.

 

[Brennan]

Then he loses credibility. He has the same credibility as a politician.

I personally don't approve of a manager who lies, no matter how harmless it is. Or "spins" if you want to put it politely.

Then you don't approve of any manager to ever have managed.

 

[deipnosophist]

Versus the 'usual suspects' other top (six) teams, we have played 5 and got 2 points. We aren't going to get anything at Etihad (imo), so that's 2 points out of a possible 18...not good

 

[hullefc]

And can we get players back to full fitness before we put them straight back into the team please? He should have learned that lesson from Anfield last season.

Baines and Barry didn't look at it at all today.

Partly agree. But injured players need game time on the pitch. Last season at Anfield there were probably 6 that were either injured, coming back from injury or carrying injuries. The last few games we have been carrying 2 and/or 3 or 4 players coming back from injuries long term or short term. In a way Martinez has pulled a few rabbits out of the hat and we have finished top of our Europa League group and within striking distance of top 4. Could be better, yes, but not too bad imo at the moment.

 

[Tubey]

Then you don't approve of any manager to ever have managed.

Or any human if you want to expand it further. Of course everyone lies, but some do it better than others. Martinez, however, is so disingenuous in what he says that it really does harm his credibility.

I'd prefer him to say nothing at all to the press rather than outright lie. It makes the club look deluded.

 

[roydo]

Or any human if you want to expand it further. Of course everyone lies, but some do it better than others. Martinez, however, is so disingenuous in what he says that it really does harm his credibility.

I'd prefer him to say nothing at all to the press rather than outright lie. It makes the club look deluded.

Thing is, he has to. Talk to the press that is. Otherwise we dont get squllions in TV money.
Thought he was OK tonight. Sounded pretty annoyed, (for him), at not getting something from the game.

 

[LinekersLegs]

And it is going to take weeks before they are both at full throttle. In the meantime, Martinez has been playing them even though we have been carrying them for a lot of the 90 minute. Results will suffer in the mid term but when they are both up to speed, it will be a different matter. Coleman has been in and out of the team this season and is not fully up to speed. Today was a perfect example in the first half he had the whole pitch in front of him at times but refused to go forward. After the break he pushed it and took the full back on. Obviously, Martinez must have told him not to be so tentative.
.

The past few games Coleman has played after coming back from the achilles injury he's been quiet in the first half of the match but been much better in the second half - it was particularly noticeable at Sunderland when McGeady had to do an awful lot of covering for him. Perhaps it is nervousness of that injury or his hamstring.

Might just be tactics though, Coleman is usually fitter than his opponents so the plan might be for him to be defensive at the start and then push more against the tiring defender.

 

[davek]

And it is going to take weeks before they are both at full throttle. In the meantime, Martinez has been playing them even though we have been carrying them for a lot of the 90 minute. Results will suffer in the mid term but when they are both up to speed, it will be a different matter. Coleman has been in and out of the team this season and is not fully up to speed. Today was a perfect example in the first half he had the whole pitch in front of him at times but refused to go forward. After the break he pushed it and took the full back on. Obviously, Martinez must have told him not to be so tentative.

It is important that players have other players in front of them on a regular basis. But the reality is that Martinez could have planned to play Mirallas or McGeady in front of him but injuries/moving players around because of injuries have meant that that was not possible. In a way Coleman has to adapt and if he is half the footballer I think he is then he will have to do that and do it well. No point putting your arms out as if to say 'who is there' as if that statement means you are exempt from trying to create something. Same with Baines at times.

The pace was slow because Eto'o was on the ball too much today and he didn't play particularly well but was played out of necessity. Personally I would have started with Ossie and brought Eto'o on. Eto'o on the ball slowed the pace as it did when Barkley needed too many touches and wasn't sharp enough. But that sharpness will come the more he plays. So Martinez will have to persevere with Barkley and Mirallas and over play Eto'o at times.

Some of these decisions are easy to make right now though. Look at Coleman (again) as an example. If you play him with Naismith/Barkley ahead of him his game is not there to be seen. He didn't refuse to go forward today first half, he was miles away from Barkley who was drifting in (AKA Naismith disease) and to do so would have meant carrying the ball 2/3rds of the way up the line each time. But Martinez has it in his hands to play bone fide wide players that can balance us out in that respect: we had four to choose from today - he started with only one though...and then subbed him and drafted in another on the other flank!

It's just crazy. If Rodgers was making decisions like that he'd rightly be pilloried.

Overall, we really are playing poorly this season. I dont know about first loss after 8 unbeaten, but we've just been very unimpressive for the vast majority of this campaign.

 

[Grfirestorm]

"You know that if you do some mistakes you are punished for that. It was not good enough and we have to realise that," he said.

That is what Koeman said after Southampton's defeat, that is what I'd like to hear Martinez say more, every game he's always positive but sometimes it would be good if he just put his hands up and said we were crap. He's done some good things but he could do with kicking them up the arse, especially for stupid mistakes, might not hurt pointing it out rather saying everything is great.

 

[Brennan]

Or any human if you want to expand it further. Of course everyone lies, but some do it better than others. Martinez, however, is so disingenuous in what he says that it really does harm his credibility.

I'd prefer him to say nothing at all to the press rather than outright lie. It makes the club look deluded.

I've just watched his interview, i don't really see where he's 'outright lying' at all.

He said we were unlucky to get a handball. Yep.
Says we didn't impose ourselves enough. Yep.
Says we were unlucky with their goals. Yep. First one was a lucky deflection from a save and the second was a foul (tackle from behind).
Says we didn't work the ball out wide enough. Yep.
Says it was a close game overall. Yep. Scoreline and number of chances for each team reflected that.

He's a glass half full person and always will be, that doesn't make him deluded, or a liar.

 

[Brennan]

"You know that if you do some mistakes you are punished for that. It was not good enough and we have to realise that," he said.

That is what Koeman said after Southampton's defeat, that is what I'd like to hear Martinez say more, every game he's always positive but sometimes it would be good if he just put his hands up and said we were crap. He's done some good things but he could do with kicking them up the arse, especially for stupid mistakes, might not hurt pointing it out rather saying everything is great.

We didn't lose 3-0 against a side with ten men. When that happens i agree, he should be a bit more annoyed.