If we get the balance right I think we can start looking up the table instead of consolidating 'best of the rest'.
As we've all alluded too -although little to go off- Martinez's first season was something of a stepping out of the dark moment, everything seemed to click and we all got carried away [who knows what would have happened if we got forth that season, we had to be the team to get the most points and not get in]. That's not saying Martinez's Everton is the blueprint to follow, but I genuinely feel we were building something of an identiy. Probably an over used superlative but we had an aura about us, the big teams were talking about us in concerned ways, we 'loaned' our way to success, and a fair few thought Barca were gonna sweep him away.
I fully agree his mantra didn't work when the chips were down, but I feel we lacked conviction and believe when we had a run of poor results. I think weve said for a long time we lack leaders, and don't have characters in the dressing room, it just seems to me we resorted to type, and then the manager becomes the scapegoat. Look at Koemans 1st season after the first 5 games, it when south very fast after the Norwich cup game, we're a defeat or two from collapsing. Koeman to his credit switched it up, but we resorted to a style lacking in his pressing vision.
Atm I can't see the direction the team is going, we've got characters back in the dressing room, we've got likemineded midfielders, strengthen the defense, but imo we lack real width, we lack a midfield who'll carry the ball/team forward, we've got rid of players who were quick footed and a bit mercurial (Geri). As I'm slightly lazy the rest typed below is a copy and paste from a previous post but I think it ties in nicely with this.
This has probably been said by a fair few people, but I'm not sure I get the calls for a targetman in the Giroud mold.
The midfield is a jack-of-all-trades, all rather samey, with no one player who'll commit to getting forward in the final third.
Thereby what is the point in a targetman holding the ball up when the support doesn't come from our midfield - Glyfi isn't that player either. We have an abundance centre mids and adding another just doesn't bring anything to the team.
For all Barkley's flaws -I'm not his biggest fan- he would atleast carry the team forward. Oddly this formation would suit him a lot more as a position is clearly identifiable for him. I'm not saying keep Barkley either, I've said many a time away from this forum he should be sold for his own good, but there has got to be a player of his ilk but better - and I don't think Gylfi is that.
Then again I'm 'wetting the bed' 'it's only preseason' and 'koeman knows best' and you know what all that might be true which renders this and any other forum a waste of time. Nobody should have an opinion because your not Koeman
