Should Martinez be sacked? (Post Crystal Palace poll)

[davek]

Probably because there was more time to do so.

It's one thing passing it around the back when you are not under pressure. It may be a bit boring but it also could be a means to an end.

But it's quite another trying to pass your way out of trouble in your defensive third when the opposition are putting you under pressure. It leads to individual errors and is the reason we have the 2nd worst defensive record in the league this season.

If he hasn't learnt his lesson from this then the problems aren't going to go away and we'll be back in square one before long.

And no-one wants that.

6th worse defensive record now, due to the last few weeks defensive tightening up.

 

[Titus Bramble]

He could do with a swift kick in the shin and told about a plan B or making subs before the 80th minute like he did last season, otherwise leave him to it.

Martinez doesn't play the exact same tactics every match, ergo, he does have a plan B.

 

[davek]

Jagielka needs his hand held and always has done. In the physical aspects of defending, right across the spectrum he is generally excellent - pace, strength, tackles, headers, blocks, last-ditch challenges - but mentally and positionally he is hopeless. The Lescott/Jags partnership was a fortress because Lescott had an effortless confidence about him. Heitinga (for all his faults) & Stones (for all his youth) are the same: they provide leadership, organisation, intuitive positioning, communication, and actually, balls. They are willing to be brave in a different sense - not throwing themselves in front of shots, but taking an extra touch or passing it short instead of smashing it out, or being confident enough that they'll win the second ball instead of making every first one a 50-50.

Jagielka and Distin are two of the same, and they never complemented each other. Individually there was hardly a striker who could get past them but as a unit they were often at 6s and 7s. Their complimenting mentalities are the worst: all smiles, jokes, back-slapping and high-fiving as they trip over their own feet and give assists to opposition strikers or smash the ball out of play for no reason or panic and treat the ball like a hot potato when we're in possession. These elements, I agree, have been harmful for a while. We should have all known when Jagielka laughed in Lukaku's face at the concept we might be a challenging force in football that this is never a man who should have captained Everton.

Spot on all of that, mate.
Playing with those two this season has been like leaving a large cavity in the centre of defence. It's a wonder we haven't been buried in every game. Stones deserves some amount of credit stepping into that, plugging gaps and providing a platform to build from.

Two mobile, competent centre backs who can find feet would have transformed us this season. I think the vast majority here were tearing their hair out in the summer wondering why Martinez hadn't acted to strengthen the CD. It was one of the biggest mistakes of his career and I bet if he ever writes a biography he'll hold his hand up to it.

Come this summer it will be rectified, but he's wasted a season not having addressed this. Distin will be gone and hopefully he'll have the strength of character to deal with Jagielka too...the very least I expect of him is to take that armband off him. Stones plus someone like van Dijk at Celtic, who as well as being a good footballer is also an obvious leader on the pitch, is the way to go now.

 

[potato]

i hope people arent fooled by a 88 mins men behind the ball performance

if people want an everton side to play like that then i give up

 

[RaleighBlue]

i hope people arent fooled by a 88 mins men behind the ball performance

if people want an everton side to play like that then i give up

Played like that for a decade.

Totally agree that Crystal Palace shouldn't have changed any minds though. Still think sacking him is way too premature, but if I was of that mind, Palace would not change it.

 

[potato]

Played like that for a decade.

Totally agree that Crystal Palace shouldn't have changed any minds though. Still think sacking him is way too premature, but if I was of that mind, Palace would not change it.

not last season we didn't

 

[ijjysmith]

i hope people arent fooled by a 88 mins men behind the ball performance

if people want an everton side to play like that then i give up

If we played like that and won 1-0 every game then I'd be more than happy to be honest.

 

[potato]

If we played like that and won 1-0 every game then I'd be more than happy to be honest.

but we won't

thats the problem

we play like that every game we will lose 90% of them

 

[RaleighBlue]

not last season we didn't

Well, yeah, fair enough, but we did for at least Moyes' tenure. We tried before that to, just were worse at it.

Firing Martinez is likely to bring that back to the norm, there aren't many bright, young, forward-thinking attacking managers out there jumping at the chance to manage a club where net spend is the price of a night out in Liverpool and the expectations are still to get in Europe every season.

Everton have to be one of the hardest jobs in the world from the perspective of a fan base, but I suppose at least you know the board will give you time...even if they don't give you money.

 

[potato]

Well, yeah, fair enough, but we did for at least Moyes' tenure. We tried before that to, just were worse at it.

Firing Martinez is likely to bring that back to the norm, there aren't many bright, young, forward-thinking attacking managers out there jumping at the chance to manage a club where net spend is the price of a night out in Liverpool and the expectations are still to get in Europe every season.

Everton have to be one of the hardest jobs in the world from the perspective of a fan base, but I suppose at least you know the board will give you time...even if they don't give you money.

but i don't want to watch us play reading and leeds next season

 

[RaleighBlue]

but i don't want to watch us play reading and leeds next season

I think relegation talk is premature.

We had an absolutely dire run of form. Just catastrophic. If we can't turn it around, then we have to talk about staying in the league, but last season we reeled off 8 straight wins after February. The real push for top 4 last season started in March.

Relegation talk can start in April if we're still around those spots unless we're firmly in the bottom 3 before that.

 

[ijjysmith]

but we won't

thats the problem

we play like that every game we will lose 90% of them

We are much much much much so very much better at letting teams come at us like Palace did and hit them on the break, than trying to have all the ball and break teams down.

Surely you've noticed this?

 

[potato]

We are much much much much so very much better at letting teams come at us like Palace did and hit them on the break, than trying to have all the ball and break teams down.

Surely you've noticed this?

i think our pace has been shocking recently though i dunno if its tiredness or lack of motivation but we use to be quick on the break and now we are so slow

 

[ijjysmith]

i think our pace has been shocking recently though i dunno if its tiredness or lack of motivation but we use to be quick on the break and now we are so slow

Enter: Aaron Justin Credible Lennon