Stoke v Everton. 4th March at 19.45.

[Shagster]

It's a game of chicken from now until the end of the season. If he stays and starts next season looking like he's not learned any lessons from this season then at least there is plenty if time to get someone new in. Best case scenario (other than Bob getting it right next season) is to win the EL so that we can attract a manager who wants to play in the CL next season.

I understand the sentiment here but a lot of people have said this but it is easy to forecast the judgement of circumstances when not in that moment.
If we stay up and he starts next season, what would be the trigger for his position to be untenable thereafter? Failure to meet a set points total having played 10 games/15 games/20 games? Playing style remaining the same?

 

[Woolly Blue]

Nailed it. Even on our throw ins, no-one moves

Lukaku's half chance down at our end was created by him running across the defence and somebody ( can't remember who ) playing a pass into the hole created.

Our movement was so much better last season. At the moment, most of our players are terrified of receiving the ball and having the opportunity to do something with it. I presume Lukaku has got dogs abuse for his mistake leading to the second goal ( rightly so too ), but he put a decent shift in and was making himself available

It won't be a popular view, but I wish Osman was match fit.
Ho hum.

 

[ah11984]

Saw a decent analogy from another fan on Twitter..... we're like a decent boxer, who controls a lot of the fight but has a glass jaw.

 

[Bowjangles]

Saw a decent analogy from another fan on Twitter..... we're like a decent boxer, who controls a lot of the fight but has a glass jaw.

*and no hands.

 

[toffeejack]

Lukaku's half chance down at our end was created by him running across the defence and somebody ( can't remember who ) playing a pass into the hole created.

Our movement was so much better last season. At the moment, most of our players are terrified of receiving the ball and having the opportunity to do something with it. I presume Lukaku has got dogs abuse for his mistake leading to the second goal ( rightly so too ), but he put a decent shift in and was making himself available

It won't be a popular view, but I wish Osman was match fit.
Ho hum.

mccarthy.

i'm glad osman's back as well tbh. we've been utterly woeful in results and performances without him and people say he should be flogged in the summer! he's our only midfielder who moves into space.

 

[badger blue]

Not been home long, if anyone feels like being banned then chance your arm.

Stoke played pass and move and did it pretty well.
We played pass and pass but, like most of the season, very little move.

Well in to Stones and Garbutt ( and, to a lesser extent Jags and Howard too ). Most of the team trudged off with their heads down to a
chorus of boos but two of our youngest players looked us in the eye, clapped us and got a bloody good round of applause in return.

Cracking support, despite a pretty turgid first half performance, the whole team was clapped off at half-time to try and give 'em some encouragement. Nice one Bluenoses, proud of you tonight.

If there's one thing about this club, it's the fans........they'll never let you down.

 

[radiostar]

Can someone play the Europa league theme before every game from now to May? Were a different team.

 

[BigBlueConk]

Played well again.

RM out of his league having to play the likes of Stoke away.

No matter how bad my day, watching Everton in an evening league match makes it worse.

 

[mrb85]

Even that gormless tit Rodgers realised that his tactics weren't working - and he changed them! Rodgers claimed in an interview published down here that he was scared he was going to be sacked if results did not improve. That's how to run a football club.

Fact is Rodgers caused all his own problems by playing the lazy and immobile Balotelli when previously he'd always played fast, mobile, hardworking players up front. It was therefore quite easy for him to remedy things this season -- he just reverted to what had always been successful for him by dropping Balotelli.

 

[BigBlueConk]

Also, one of the worst Premiership game of the season.
Lucky to come 2nd in a 2 horse race tonight.

 

[mrb85]

We will get at least 15 out of the 30 points available if we change the manager now.

yep, even if we didn't bother replacing him!

 

[Prevenger17]

@Prevenger17 come on lid, vault me over naismith

I'm too goddamn angry to do anything right now.

 

[mrb85]

I think we really need to win 4 games from 10 to be safe,I don't think Martinez will but for example Duncan Ferguson as caretaker would then review it in the summer.

Nah, 3 will do it.

 

[mrb85]

In all honesty if we went the Caretaker route, particularly given the perilous situation I imagine it would be Royle in Charge.

He'd take it too, but only with a more hands on coach under him. He has very firm ideas as to who are the players needed for what's ahead eg he wouldn't play Barkley.

 

[The Dunc]

The reaction of McCarthy, stones, and Gibson after the 2nd goal said a lot. Sitting there , knowing it was game over.
I really really want Martinez to succeed, he's taken the club to his heart. I just fear that the players don't have faith in him and don't believe he can get them winning.
Ffs our success es were built on full backs bombing forward, where's the width gone?