R934
Player Valuation: £1m
You know what, mate, I'd love us to take the game to these teams. I just don't think it'd work, I think it'd end up being humiliating for the most part. That's probably extremely negative from me but that's what being an Evertonian for the last 20 odd years does to ya...
I look throughout our squad and I also think the mentality is lacking from a lot of these players to believe they could dominate likes of Chelsea away from home. That's something I do actually give Martinez credit for because he recognised the weakness in belief. Shame he couldn't do anything about it.
For what it's worth i'm only 24 and have seen very little success.
Oddly the period under Moyes to me, were never as bad as they seem now -admittedly I may have became accustomed to Moyes given he was the manager throughout the time I started going the game. But then looking back you see quotes that crop up like 'knife to a gun fight' and realise how negative and beneath ourselves we became. I personally believe the final 2 years under Moyes we played some good football, with the only missing piece a top centre forward -others beg to differ an point to us stagnating which is understandable.
I also thought the period under Martinez -who I wanted as manager when he was at Swansea- has been massively exaggerated as to how bad it became - saying that there is little to know denying his time was up. If you're the slightest bit interested this is my opinion on Martinez - typed when coming back from Wembley:
http://www.liverpoolecho.co.uk/sport/football/football-news/everton-fan-qa-roberto-martinez-11272823
You could say I'm being misty eyed and taking Martinez's performance against the 'top 6' out of content given he has been the only manager since supporting Everton I've seen 'take the game' to them. That being said under Martinez i've left the game early for the first time -away to Liverpool- but also left a game thinking 'wow' (Arsenal away first season) there was just no middle ground, it was either a top performance or a complete shambles. To be fair the players threw both him and the fans under the bus during his 2nd/3rd season.
I agree Martinez tried to instil believe in the team, and I genuinely thing it was bearing some fruition, but we seemingly took one step forwards, two steps back, or in Martinez's case an extra sideways pass before being caught in possession and conceding. Saying that -not that its something to celebrate- but i'm sure in his final season we ha the best away record, be that for x amount of years, or in one of the best in the league, it was oddly the home form that cost us, which to Koeman's credit is something he's fixed by stripping us right back to basics. in my opinion we resemble a Moyes team in a round about way, it's just building from that somehow will be interesting to see.
Going off Martinez's first season a hybrid between a strong defensive 4 and fluid pace/energy on the counter suited us, then again it's easier type knowing what happened that season. It just seems we've regressed a little under Koeman on the offensive side of our game and restored the defensive set-up - I may be wrong
Last edited: