QuoteThey were pretty good actually. They had a lot of the play but missed plenty of chances. Howard was in good form.
Highlights from the Everton game, particularly liked the flick from McCarthy at 0.10 and again at 0.22 from a closer angle,
was a touch of class.
Unsure how good the German team are, they have drawn 2 and lost one I think leaving them mid table in the Bundesleague.
They were pretty good actually. They had a lot of the play but missed plenty of chances. Howard was in good form.
Martinez is a top class manager. His players seem to like playing for him and he plays good football to watch.Originally Posted by tricky_colour
Everton*named a strong side for their Europa League win over Wolfsburg on Thursday but make five changes to their starting XI, including a first start for Samuel Eto'o in attack. Other players coming in to the line-up are midfielders Leon Osman, James McCarthy and Christian Atsu. Seamus Coleman is missing and so Sylvain Distin returns after a back injury to take his place in defence.
looks like martinez took my advice and is focusing his strongest side in europa league.
I'm a bloke,I'm an ocker
And I really love your knockers,I'm a labourer by day,
I **** up all me pay,Watching footy on TV,
Just feed me more VB,Just pour my beer,And get my smokes, And go away
That's one way of looking at it.
Maybe he is saving his strongest side for the Premiership?
McCarthy involved in both Everton goals but was quiet enough apart from that. Decent cameos by Gibson and Doyle. Delaney part of a resolute Palace backline; the commentators couldn't stop singing his praises.
That's a feather in Delaney's international cap.
I'll whisper it, but Everton look like they could do with a defender.
End Apartheid Now! One Team in Ireland!
Top, top advice Paul
Stones really is no Coleman. In fact, I'm not convinced he's even a Ciaran Clark.
Martinez would be well suited in NFL where he could be the offensive coach....
I'm a bloke,I'm an ocker
And I really love your knockers,I'm a labourer by day,
I **** up all me pay,Watching footy on TV,
Just feed me more VB,Just pour my beer,And get my smokes, And go away
I wonder if Roy Keane is the offensive coach at Villa?
Bit unfair I think. Everton play attacking football but they've shown themselves well capable of defending in the past. I just think he had one defender in Distin who shouldn't have played because he wasn't fit, and another in Stones who was playing in the wrong position. Had Coleman been fit, I think they'd have had players in their right positions and they'd have been more solid.
I'm not so sure about that Charlie. In six competitive games this season, they've kept one clean sheet: away to West Brom. If my calculations are correct, in those six games their scoring record is: Goals scored: 15, Goals against: 14 (+1). It is something which was plainly evident in pre-season and has continued into their season proper. A dangerous oversight, perhaps, on Martinez's part for not identifying the problem. It's no good spending truck loads on a player like Lukaku if you are thin at the back.
A look at their defenders tells its own story. Distin (36), despite his best efforts, is past it, Alcaraz (32) isn't good enough for a team with European pretensions, Jagielka's (32) powers are on the wane and Stones (20) is incredibly overrated. It's obvious, too, that the strengths of Coleman and Baines lie primarily in their attacking prowess.
They have looked badly organised and don't seem to have a leader at the back. Shane Duffy is exactly the type of defender they could use at the minute. A no-nonsense stopper who takes charge of the back line, who makes blocks, wins his headers and tackles. He might be slightly limited when it comes to distribution in comparison to the others, but he's no slouch either. I would say that it's no coincidence Blackburn picked up their first clean sheet of the season against Fulham with Duffy making his first start (check his rating here*). I think Martinez missed an opportunity, but only time will tell.
* The stats make for interesting reading. He was noted for his effective blocks and clearances while with Yeovil last season, but in the game against Fulham, his passing was relatively good too.
Last edited by Predator; 21/09/2014 at 11:34 PM.
End Apartheid Now! One Team in Ireland!
Good points all, Predator. I think keeping Alcaraz and getting rid of Duffy was a mistake, especially given the age profile of the squad. Ideally, I think Martinez would have Baines-Jagielka-Stones-Coleman and that is their most solid quartet, but as I alluded to earlier, I don't think Stones is as good as he's been made out to be. Distin is a super player at full tilt but this was his first game back. To be honest, while Duffy's passing isn't his strength, it's not Jagielka's either. Alcaraz and Distin are better passers.
http://thescore.thejournal.ie/james-...89679-Sep2014/
Why McCarthy and Coleman are so important to Everton.
I think martinez requires two very solid and fast cbs to cover. I don't think any of his teams ever had that though.
I'm a bloke,I'm an ocker
And I really love your knockers,I'm a labourer by day,
I **** up all me pay,Watching footy on TV,
Just feed me more VB,Just pour my beer,And get my smokes, And go away
Distin and Jagielka were last season. Stones will probably be better this season, but they should still have held on to Duffy as Alcaraz is murder.
Coleman out of the derby so Hibbert starts for the first time in almost two years. McGeady and Gibson on the bench as Martinez goes with more defensive players in midfield.
McGeady on now for Mirallas, who has done his hamstring for the second time in a few months.
Melancholic voice aside, the guy on NBC (Jim Beglin?) is a good commentator.
Gibson "fully-fit" now and can't get in ahead of Besic, despite having the edge on experience for games like these.
Might be more mobile but Liverpool still giving them a bit of a runaround at times and the Everton defence are leaving oceans of space at times. Think Liverpool will score a (couple?) eventually but Everton do look decent on the counter too.
Naismith a tidy player again and even with Mirallas gone off and McGeady making a good first impression, they still have (Atsu?) to call upon.
*Just looked it up and Atsu isn't even on the bench*
Such an array of attacking options they have! And a rickety defence.
Besic has been fully fit all year and Martinez is going more defensive to stem the flow of goals against, so Besic makes a bit of sense. He's probably better suited to rotate with McCarthy for the advanced position. He's looked like the weak link so far.
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