05 Oct 2015 19:09:03
I was pleased with how we took the game by the scruff of the neck on Saturday.
It is such a difference from the Moyes days and rolling up with 4 at the back 5 in midfield and some lost soul upfront.
We had the better of the attacking play and we finally saw Lukaku come of age.
No longer a timid boy but a man determined to put his head, foot and finger right in the oppositions face.
I'm going to give him a bit of credit that we are now starting to see man he should be.
Galloway again was brilliant but for me Mori was a beast. He covered Galloway a lot when he was attacking and can anyone tell me if this guy has ever lost a header?! It's got laser tracking and he never loses out!
The usual dick decision from Martin Atkinson in not sending off a Liverpool player happened like we all new it would but we didn't give the ref any chance in doing the same with one of ours.
Overall it was a good performance and on another day we would have won it.
I don't care who we play anymore as I now know we will give them a game. Just don't mess this up Martinez! You're winning some of us over bit by bit, keep it up!
COYB IMWT NSNO
05 Oct 2015 20:14:11
Personally I think Martinez got far too much criticism last year. Last year we had fewer options and some key players out of form. This year as well as some new buys we have some quality youngsters coming through and some oldies like Barry and Kone producing. Ross looks more mature, Lukaku's looking hungry. It's all about options for me. I've always maintained that RM was the right man. He imo is a football man and has changed our whole approach to how to play. In only 3 yrs he has put together the best looking squad we've had in the Premier League era.
Let's get behind this group of players and they might just reward us!! COYB!!
{Ed025's Note - good post that aflm, i have to admit last season i gave him as much stick as anyone but he does seem to be turning things around, the football was turgid and boring but it seems he has had a change of heart mate..and long may it continue..
05 Oct 2015 22:15:43
Well said aflm78. Even though I didn't give him stick, I think at the end of the season the real Martinez will stand up and we'll see if he's truly the man for the job. That's not putting him down. I'm loving this season so far. Just think a manager needs at least 3 seasons to see how he effects the club.
05 Oct 2015 23:32:56
I don't think RM did himself any favours last season. He was over reliant on a formation and system that wasn't working, teams had worked out that all they had to do was push their wingers further forward to stop Baines and Seamus getting forward too much.
He rarely changed the players who obviously lacked confidence, sometimes it's for the best to take them out of the spotlight just to take the pressure off, Barry for example. He also had the likes of Ross playing in numerous different positions, some of which he was not suited to.
Now, I said before the season started that he will be judged by either this month or next, if results had gone against him up to this point then his head was on the block. But results have been, by and large, quite good so far. We have picked up points in most games and we are playing some neat football to boot.
The majority of the squad are playing with confidence again which is always a good sign that we are heading in the right direction. I wouldn't have lost much sleep if the board had got rid of him last season, mainly due to how stubborn he seemed after each post match interview, the ones were he wouldn't say we had played crap etc even though we could all see it.
So I have to give the man credit for changing things this year. He has taken things on board and improved the current system, some players and made some good signings. What a difference a few months can make in football. Credit where it is due, I'm off to eat some of this humble pie :)
05 Oct 2015 23:33:53
totally agree
06 Oct 2015 08:36:28
I was critical last season but am now glad we have stuck with him, perhaps our chairman's patient approach with managers does pay dividends in the end, but we will see, whereas every other club are like sunderland and the RS and panic then sack managers!
06 Oct 2015 10:27:34
BlueJohnUns I presume its the game on Sun your referring to. The reason Martinez can afford to play attractive football is because of Moyes. David Moyes took the club out of REAL relegation threat and into European contenders. It wasn't pretty but a major achievement none the same. So I wouldn't be little what Moyes done for the club. I'm not saying any more because I wrote about that before.
I'm not taking away from Martinez. I rather looking at Martinez type football as apposed to Moyes type football. Martinez even said himself Moyes left the club in a very healthy state. Very much unlike what he had when he took over.
We got the game by the scruff of the neck? That's debatable. We certainly were the better team. There were periods where we should of attacked more imo. Especially the 70-80mins. Then the last 10mins the players were panicking to score. Played well alright but first half I thought apart from 2 good goal chances there wasn't much in it.
Someone told me in the first 30mins the reds had something like 57% of possession. I know what you mean though it was a good performance even though we didn't win.
07 Oct 2015 14:49:05
As someone who was calling for RM's head last season I have to say credit where credit is due. He does seem to have taken on board the lessons of last season and turned things around, his signings can not be faulted and it is a case of so far so good this season.
So like many others I shall partake of my first slice of humble pie! Keep it up blues.
07 Oct 2015 16:23:24
@NBTB I'm not belittling what Moyes done at all. He took us out of a very desperate situation.
But
His record against big teams was awful and the style of football against them was just as drab. It was all bloody and thunder and backs to the wall football.
I like this approach of attacking the big teams and not being afraid.
If you look at Martinez's record since being with us, it's not bad in the big games. Wins against united (and a double over them), Chelsea, Arsenal and others we have competed in rather than parking the bus.
I'm not saying it's amazing but I at least feel like we are going into these games now thinking we can win and not hoping for a draw or a heavy loss.
I remember games were fans would be hoping for a 2-0 defeat before games at home against United!
Moyes used to say he thought he took the club as far as he could, whilst being our manager! That's how much he was up his own arse! I think it's very clear that since he has gone there is more potential in this great club of ours than what he suggested and I think it was the other way around that we did indeed out grow Moyes.
07 Oct 2015 23:31:42
Fair enough BlueJohnUns. Moyes no doubt had a total different approach to Martinez. I also love that Everton fear very little now. The football is more attractive also.
Moyes definitely wasn't perfect and had his faults. I'm impressed with Martinez. Like I said I'm not convinced yet. End of this season will tell a lot bout Martinez imo.
Martinez adjusted the squad well since he took over. I don't know what it is at the back of my mind that I don't like about Martinez. Maybe it's the simple reason he got Wigan relegated or his more adventurous play. I don't know what it is. I'd say its just that I'm not convinced yet.
Anyway, for the moment I think he's doing a good job and hopefully he continues this through the season and for many to come. His transfer dealings so far have been very good also imo. Long may it continue