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AndyRM

XOXO
Location
North Shields
Yet again, Everton demonstrate the consistency they have developed under Roberto Martinez by yet again getting in front and controlling the game then suddenly imploding and gifting the opposition the points.

Taking nothing away from the Hammers, fair play to them, they exploited our soft centre (and flanks) very effectively, but don't get too excited about it, as I said to a Stoke fan walking away from the ground after they beat us in similar fashion at Christmas, "Anyone can come here and get 3 or 4 goals".

It happens time after time after time after time with our supposedly progressive, exciting manager. I can't see the new billionaire major shareholder at Everton tolerating such under-performance for long when he is in place. I am very much in the rapidly growing Martinez out camp now.

Martinez has no back up plan. And he can't set a side up to defend.

I don't understand how he got the Everton job after "miraculously" getting Wigan out the relegation spots for a few seasons.

That said, claiming West Ham are class after a win against 10 men is pushing it a bit.
 
That said, claiming West Ham are class after a win against 10 men is pushing it a bit.
Ten men or not, to come back from two nil down and win in the final twelve minutes shows a side that knows it's stuff.
 

Dec66

A gentlemanly pootler, these days
Location
West Wickham
I agree about Mirallas, in 3.5 years we have seen the odd flash of brilliance but that has been far too infrequent and he is clearly prone to pressing the self destruct button as he did yesterday. He also seems to have a Kevin Mirallas agenda, not a team agenda.

The link below is to an interesting analysis of the effect of putting Niasse on, it takes a different view than most fans. Despite the author backing up his opinion with factual evidence, I still disagree with him, Lennon was playing well, covering a lot of ground and was a serious threat to West Ham. Niasse doesn't know his team mates, he has no PL experience and hasn't played for about 3 months, and it showed, he looks worryingly out of his depth. A more experienced head seemed far more practical in the circumstances.

http://royalbluemersey.sbnation.com...ctical-analysis-roberto-martinez-aaron-lennon

I understand your point about the centre backs, but "individual errors" have been rife for the past 2 seasons and have cost us points aplenty, plus the frequency of our capitulations suggests that issues that could be addressed in training are not being being addressed and / or there are flaws in the team's mindset. Both those things are down to the manager it seems, and given that Wigan went down the same path under Roberto's leadership, amounting in total now to almost 6 out of 7 PL seasons of his teams under-performing I personally fear he, and hence his teams, will always be found wanting in the same ways.
It's difficult to argue with a stats nerd and his heat maps, Opta stats and fancy graphics... But I think me and you agree. In the same position, I'd have left Lennon on for five more minutes, then replaced him with Barry or Osman and sat back more. I don't blame Niasse, I just think that he's still getting to grips with the physical demands of the PL and with 10 men you need someone more experienced in the division.

As regards the defence; they are professional footballers who should know their job inside out. So, either they have been coached to play a certain way which is anathema (in which case, it's the manager's fault), or they just aren't good enough (in which case it's the players' fault). Now, I can't see Jagielka, Stones and Funes Mori all being sold any time soon, so I'm guessing that (rightly or wrongly) Martinez will be the one clearing his locker out at the end of the season.

And, yes, I think it'll be the end of the season, even if Everton lose to Chelsea in the FA Cup. With the season finished at that point, there's no point in changing the manager immediately.

I like Martinez, and I like the way he has the team playing, but the cumulative effect of all of these acts of felo de se can't be doing his stock any good.

I reckon Everton will end up with Pulis, or someone like him.
 

MarkF

Guru
Location
Yorkshire
You'd have had to pay me good money to watch Everton before Martinez pitched up but I've enjoyed many of their games this season and yesterdays was another cracker. Of course their results don't bother me much, I am not an Evertonian, but I think he has them on the cusp of a breakthrough, yes they have underachieved results wise, but performance wise? I don't think so.
 

Dec66

A gentlemanly pootler, these days
Location
West Wickham
You'd have had to pay me good money to watch Everton before Martinez pitched up but I've enjoyed many of their games this season and yesterdays was another cracker. Of course their results don't bother me much, I am not an Evertonian, but I think he has them on the cusp of a breakthrough, yes they have underachieved results wise, but performance wise? I don't think so.
They are like a 1970's Italian sports car; lovely to look at, often thrilling when they get going, but you know things will go wrong at the most inopportune time.

If I were still a season ticket holder, I'm not sure what I'd prefer; finishing seventh all the time with a side playing percentage football under a pragmatic David Moyes (with the inevitable crushing losses to the neighbours), or finishing anywhere between third and eighteenth under Martinez, but seeing some lovely stuff between the heartbreak.
 

Accy cyclist

Legendary Member
We're getting a new stand to replace the decrepit "tin cowshed".
images?q=tbn:ANd9GcRW5I8ABhNg3oCd3wuBHiCO8gp4Iq4D4BFhSGVaoVmAFCeNBYkD.jpg
images?q=tbn:ANd9GcTwLxDaNuwOqzcc5ozSIMeqFMcy8HY596Oinev3cUHFWHc4MHaA.jpg


070316-whinney-hill-feature-2.jpg


http://accringtonstanley.co.uk/2016/03/new-stand-plans-submitted/
 
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Accy cyclist

Legendary Member
The Wham Stadium? Is that the sweets or the band?

These are the grounds sponsors.
http://whatmoreuk.com/sections/sdetails/1
I think we'd all prefer the ground's original name The Crown, but money talks. Stanley's new owner is a local bloke who according to reports went with his mate to a game last season and liked it so much he decided to buy the place,
 

StuAff

Silencing his legs regularly
Location
Portsmouth
Well, you still have a game in hand over my lot. Win that and you're a point ahead again. The Cobblers look a safe bet on for winning the title, but anything could happen with the rest of the promotion & play-off places...
 

Accy cyclist

Legendary Member
Well, you still have a game in hand over my lot. Win that and you're a point ahead again. The Cobblers look a safe bet on for winning the title, but anything could happen with the rest of the promotion & play-off places...

I don't think i could face another play off lottery. To be honest we're kidding ourselves that we could survive in League one. What we need is for northern clubs(only 4 in this division) to come down, not for us to go up to meet them. We're a 4th division club, promotion would cripple us financially! Well played to Portsmouth. Some say it would've been a different result if we'd had our current first choice keeper playing tonight.:rolleyes:
 
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