Thought I'd wait 2 games before replying.
Now what? Cruised past Carlisle and spanked Newcastle............you put up with dead end football for years and now faced with a progressive style of play that offers the possibility of a "better" Everton (tho' maybe not right this minute) and one that appeals to "better" players, you want to go backwards? Martinez is the clubs chance of breaking into the elite, it beats me!
Last 6 Everton PL finishes are 8, 7, 7 6, 5, 11 and I'll guess you'll finish 7th-9th this season but with team that promises far more for next season, can't you wait?
Sorry if this is a bit lengthy:
There is a raging debate amongst Evertonians about Martinez, some are doggedly loyal and defend him to the hilt using the same vein of argument you do here, and others, including myself, look at his overall record at Everton and in his previous managerial career and are sceptical about his ability to take the club to the next level. In recent weeks, more have been joining the sceptical camp. I really don't want the disruption that changing managers would bring and I don't know who would be a replacement so I hope he proves me wrong and helps us break into the elite, I just don't think he will because the team keeps shooting itself in the foot the same way again and again, even after we get a couple of good results, the same thing happens.
Of the teams we have beaten in the league this season, only Southampton currently hold a higher position and 4 of our 7 league wins have been against the current bottom 3. I guess you refer to Moyes when you talk of years of dead end football, but whilst there were times when the football was dire under Moues (and it was abysmal for most of the 10 or so years before him) we made consistent progress under him in terms of league position and player quality, and some of the football was actually very good. But Moyes was often too cautious, especially in big games when he would "bottle the big moment".
Martinez does seem to aspire to a very entertaining style and in his first season it was often good to watch, but at other times it was quite tedious with aimless sideways passing and no penetration. Last season it was generally like watching paint dry, it really was sleep inducing except for about 3 or 4 games. This season, I accept we look exhilarating at times, but we also make it just as exhilarating for the opposition with our comedy defending. Our all out attack is a bit like having your heating on full blast but leaving all your doors and windows wide open, whatever we achieve is so often avoidably lost by sheer carelessness.
Last night the team was much better organised (but the nerves were obvious). But to achieve that we dropped some of our "flair" players such as Deulfeu and opted for Lennon who puts in far more work and links between midfield, defence and attack much better, and also dropped Stones (injured?) so no Cruyff turns to give us heart stopping moments, and also replaced Howard with Robles which many people have been calling for for weeks. The Youtube clip shows Paul Merton having a rant about Stones and Martinez, say what you want about Merson, but he's close to the mark here IMHO.
View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D9SCOFPafrc
