Stoke v Everton. 4th March at 19.45.

[mrb85]

I don't think Bobby is a bad manager, I just think he has been incredibly naive this season. The damage caused by that naivity has damaged the confidence of the squad and the fans to such an extent that I'm not sure that the situation is rescuable. Feels like we are free falling I am afraid

How can he be incredibly naive but still not be a bad manager???

 

[mrb85]

Just because of history.
Alex Ferguson struggled for 4-5 seasons and fans had banners at games saying 'you don't know what you are doing'

Howard Kendall first time around was struggling.

Was last season a fluke or is this season a one off. We don't know just yet.

I don't think we will go down but its up to Martinez to be honest with himself and nail the problem of this season, adjust and bring players that are suitable for his type of game. That is his job so if it doesn't work next season and we are no better than this season then he will surely be under danger of losing his job and rightly so.

If there is improvement then there is no way he will be sacked. His great season last season is haunting him now as he raised the bar immediately and any slip is pounced upon by many unforgiving fans.

People are asking for Moyes back but in all honesty even though he kept us in the top 7-8 we all knew he didn't know how to win the big games so he set up not to lose. He also belittled us when he left. 7-8th place was the best he wanted to do, he was more than satisfied with that. Give me RM any day in his attitude to the game in wanting to win every game. Time is needed IMO

So much is wrong in this. Just a few:
- very few are in fact wanting Moyes back. Those that do are doing so in sheer desperation
- RM wants to win every game, don't make me laugh. That's the game he talks; the game he actually plays is very different. You make it sound like we're always on the front foot, creating chance after chance, when in reality we probably have just 3 or 4 efforts on goal per match.!

 

[mrb85]

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?

Let's hope he's not here next season unless he shows some signs of getting it right in the rest of this season, but if he is, I'd give him no more than half a dozen games.

 

[JP McMurphy]

I'd take Jim Royle and a Massey Ferguson in preference to the useless goon we've got in charge. Never seen our players take to the field looking beaten before the kick off until now. It may be seeing that bearded tit running out with them, like the proverbial Albatross that does it - pathetic again: Robles' last 3 games, goals conceded - 0. Howard's last 6 games, goals conceded - 9

 

[Khalekan]

Don't worry, I sometimes forget how old I am and that there are a lot of Evertonians born in the 90's. Not everyone remembers Dixie Dean sitting in his pram outside GP.

Just me and Dario, then.....

 

[Khalekan]

That should have been done after Hull mate

I thought it had been.

Remember in those now distant golden days of early January when we saw a more direct approach against West Ham in the Cup and Citeh in the league?

When we were lead to believe Rom and the boys went to him and requested a more direct approach and it looked like the corner had been turned?

*shakes head and weeps*

 

[Khalekan]

If I thought those games were to be "treated as finals" my mind would be greatly eased.

But we all know it will be the same slow, sideways philosophyball which has landed us in this position in the first place.

 

[Khalekan]

I think rather than get a fume on we need to take a step back, look objectively at that game, draw the positives from it and build on them.... it's the only way forward.

If there is one positive tonight it is that the complacency regarding relegation which was so prevalent on this forum has now gone.

Let's hope there has been a similiar light bulb moment among the players.

 

[Khalekan]

Everyone is saying that Ferguson would be caretaker manager, surely Unsworth would be a better bet wouldn't he? At least he's got some experience of putting a team together and managing them through a game.

Big Joe would be a better bet than any if those two.

This is no time to entrust the immediate future of the club to the hands of blokes whi have never managed at thus kevel.

I would say Joe would get us over the line and the search for a permanent replacement can begin at once.

 

[Khalekan]

I would disagree with that.

That was a bonkers thing to say, wasn't it?

 

[Superdude]

That was a bonkers thing to say, wasn't it?

Stoke have been going through a massive injury crisis and still pick up points. Half their team or more were missing tonight and they played players out of position in defence and still kept a clean sheet. Bottom line is that Stoke are simply a better side and have bought real quality like Bojan and Arnautovic for peanuts and Everton spend a fortune on Lukaku. Shawcross was missing tonight and the likes of him and Begovic would walk into Everton's team. Just for the record they have played one of the least amount of long balls this season in the Prem and have had no red cards. Hughes doing something that Martinez simply can't, installing team spirit and setting a team out really well. He has totally transformed their style on a real small budget and improved their results. Martinez taken Everton the other way. Stoke fans shouldn't have booed Lennon, they should have laughed at him.

 

[Christiffa25]

How many years has it been since royle managed a team? What's his role at the mo? Football moves on. Would you expect curbishley to be given a job somewhere and succeed.

Maybe it wouldn't matter only being a short term thing. His evertoness may be enough. I worry about royle tbh. Maybe with Big Dunc would be better.

Maybe someone from the outside would be better. Even Redknapp as a temp thing.

Oh I don't know....I just know roberto needs to go ASAP! This can't be allowed to carry on just because we're still in the EL.

 

[zaitken]

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

I think the problem this season is that we've become too predictable with our style of play. Therefore, the majority of EPL clubs have knuckled down, done their homework and know exactly what it takes to beat us now. It's completely obvious that there's no plan B. This probably explains why we're doing so well in the Europa league so far. We haven't played most of these teams before. Having said that, I absolutely dread the thought of having to play Wolfburg again, should we make it to the next round.

 

[Jeff Jones]

You are fu

cking deluded!!!!!!

Maybe. I think it's optimism more than delusion.

We'll find out if it's justified, won't we?

 

[witchdoc187]

Can't watch all games here in Mexico.Was it worse than hull away?