The 2015-16 Premier League season can only be described as a dismal failure for Everton. The time has come for Roberto Martinez to be relieved of his duties as manager at the earliest opportunity.
Martinez talked about returning Everton to their glory days, making the statement ‘I will get you in the Champions League’ when he joined the club. Unfortunately for Everton fans it appears he was referring to taking the club down to the Championship, as he did with Wigan.
The loss against Swansea should be the final straw of Martinez’s failed Everton tenure.
Martinez is certainly very engaging in public and generally speaks well. He is respected within the industry. He however shares many of the traits of a used car salesman.
With the gift of the gab, has become a master of deflecting blame. This continued again after the loss to Swansea when once he declared how unlucky Everton were. He even blamed the environment at Goodison created by the fans.
Martinez has some people fooled into thinking he has Everton on the right track.
The best measure of performance is results and this confirms Everton are certainly not on the right track. They are far from it. Everton currently find themselves in 12th position with six wins from twenty-three games.
Only three wins since September, all of which came against the current bottom three teams in the league. These are the kind of results that can see a team entering a relegation battle very quickly. The results follow a poor campaign from Everton last season; this is not simply a minor form slump for Everton.
The results and stats certainly tell the tale and it is difficult to defend as Martinez has gone about transforming Everton into Wigan MK2. Everton are currently conceding on average 1.45 goals per game, their worst figures in the last fifteen years.
Everton also have the third worst home record in the league and have also managed to concede two or more goals in seven of their 12 league home games at Goodison Park. A ground which was once feared has become a charity with Everton offering points to whatever opposition turn up.
Could it get any worse? Everton has also dropped the most points (11) in the Premier League from leading positions in their last nine games, six more than any other club. Everton are a mentally soft team whose inability to defend is now their trademark.
Tactically Martinez has come under fire for his team selection as well as tactics. Tim Howard, who has been a great servant at Everton, is finished at Premier League level and is currently one of the worst keepers in the league. Everton fans have become frustrated with the poor treatment of Kevin Mirallas who has made very few starts this campaign and fans have been frustrated up until recently with the amount of game time given to Arouna Kone.
Everton certainly have no problems finding the back of the net. Martinez can take some credit for this. Everton are ranked second in the league for goals scored. But if they continue to concede goals, then it is meaningless.
Everton’s defenders are all current International players and have plenty of Premier League experience including Leighton Baines, John Stones, Phil Jagielka and Seamus Coleman. Add in Argentinian international Funes Mori who arrived this season and is unacceptable for the quality of players in the squad to be in conceding the goals they are.
A season in which Everton should have been knocking on the door of the Champions League has them closer to knocking on the door of relegation. Everton have the best squad at their disposal for twenty years and Martinez has not got anywhere near the results that the squad merits.
Everton face Manchester City in the second leg of the Carling Cup this week and they have a chance to progress to the final and win their first silverware since the 1995 FA Cup.
But the statistics and the form in the Premier League cannot be ignored and a change needs to happen regardless of the result against City. Chairman Bill Kenwright is an extremely loyal person, but he must put that aside and make the best decision for Everton.
That decision is moving on Roberto Martinez.
AnD
Guest
It's because the media like to portray them as a club of plucky overachievers, and the club like that as the board etc can only exceed expectations. The squad is designed to finish in the top ten, and any lower finishes will cost the club money, which is something they cannot afford given how much of a mess they have made of getting advertising revenue.
AnD
Guest
He has shown nothing that would demonstrate he can rectify the problem though. he constantly bemoans the side's bad luck. Bad luck shouldn't impact every single match, and the only side who seems to be blaming it is Everton. They need to fix their issues ASAP and Martinez better fix costly defensive errors or the side could have a serious scrap on their hands in coming seasons as the slide continues.
Doug Graves
Guest
See here: http://www.thesackrace.com/teams/everton I'm not sure about many of these. I think Everton need to go for some one like Mancini or Simeone if they truly want to make a splash.
Mick
Guest
To put it in perspective, Everton finished 11th last year under Martinez. Before that the last time Everton finished in a position outside the top 8 was the 2005-6 season. Not sure why people think the position Everton are in is “The norm” and as good as they can expect when they have not been in this position for 10 years. Martinez lobs up and has a better squad at his disposal than Everton have had for 20 years, and spends more money in this time than any previous Everton manager!! The table position is their worst for over 10 years. After picking up their lowest point tally in over 10 years last season, Everton are likely to be close to this record low again this year. But apparently no one else could do a better job in the circumstances. Give me strength!!
Liam Sheedy
Roar Guru
For me it is fairly straight forward. 1 win in 10, 3 home wins in 12, 6 wins for the season out of 23, 34 goals conceded in 23 games, 18 wins in 61 games including last season. Everton’s worst defensive statistics in 15 years, failure to beat a team outside the bottom 3 in 4 months. All the stats show Martinez has done a dreadful job for 2 years. Martinez inherited a very good squad, and has also spent over 70 million since he has been at the club I give Martinez credit because the con artist obviously has a few convinced he is doing a good job with limited resources which is not the case. Martinez has spent money and been given everything he has asked for. The measure of performance is results, and Martinez has not got results for 2 years that is anywhere near acceptable with the squad at his disposal. People tell me Martinez has Everton playing good football. I have watched every Everton game this season and I can’t see it, because the results are not the results of a good football team. Will another manager do a better job? I think 100% yes, but we won’t know unless someone is given an opportunity. The decision to move Martinez on will not be made based on the loss to Man City today, but due to his tactical inability and inability to learn from mistakes for two years.
Kaks
Roar Guru
The guy got you to a sem-final against one of the richest teams in the world, had a goal conceded that shouldnt have stood, played a handful of fringe/squad players and nearly got you to the final. He makes Everton play attractive football, has had issues with injuries and yet consolidates Evertons status in the premier league which - in reality - is all Everton can dream of with their budget. On top of that, who would Everton realistically appoint that would be a better manager and take Everton further than Martinez?
Mick
Guest
He doesn't want to be at Everton. Look at is mistakes and lack of care since that transfer did not happen.
AZ_RBB
Guest
Poor defending shown up again. Everton probably regret not selling Stones to Chelsea now
Mick
Guest
Another tactical Masterclass from Martinez this morning. The bloke has absolutely no idea. The sooner he leaves and takes his Wigan coaches with him the better for Everton. He has to quit, only thing he can do.
Liam Sheedy
Roar Guru
I guess a lot may depend on potential new owners. Starting to gather a little bit of momentum that Bill Kenwright has written his farewells to staff members with an impending sale. His health is very poor at present.
adam3000
Guest
Who would be available and do a better job than Martinez?
Swampy
Guest
Just pointing out there's no Usain Bolt's there. Exposes the defenders on the counter. As much as I like Garry Barry he'd be the first to tell you he lacks a bit of pace as smart a player as he is.
David
Guest
Osman has barely played. Barry is one of the few players actually performing defensively. Barkley, yes he's defensively flawed. But then you have the other midfielders (Besic, McCarthy) being injured. But the defensive issues go well beyond the midfielders.
Mick
Guest
How can people say give Martinez time. This will be 2 full poor years he has had at Everton!! How much time do you give him? Everton have spent plenty of cash in the last 2 years. Spent all the money from the Fellaini sale, broke their transfer record to get Lukaku. He inherited a very good squad to begin with. He simply is not up to it.
Eden
Guest
The problem is that Martinez is so close yet so far. The squad is our best in years because Martinez put it together and held it together. He also has them playing attractive attacking football which is working. But the defence is embarrassing. And the concerning thing is Martinez can't seem to adjust to defend better, and he won't admit to the real problems. One thing which no one seems to mention though is that the poor run of form correlates exactly with the moment McCarthy got injured. 2-0 up at Bournemouth he went off and we won a single league game since then. Besic looked to have filled the gap but now he is injured and Cleverley is a starting CDM. Worrying times in a season which we should be fighting Tottenham for fourth.
Janek Speight
Expert
Leicester are making the UCL, They are title contenders, you can't deny that. At least four points from the next three games and they're still title contenders.
Janek Speight
Expert
Keep Martinez for another year, Everton play some sizzling attacking football. They have had 11 draws. Yep, 11 from 23. Their six losses are only one behind both Arsenal and Man City. The defence is a shambles, true, but the high number of draws suggests it can be turned around. Where are your alternative suggestions? Far too often EPL clubs make panic dismissals. I reckon Martinez can get it right. One more season.
Swampy
Guest
EPL teams will all have more money than all but a few of Europe's richest clubs next season due to the ginormous new TV deal kicking in. So basically no EPL club that is run well will have issues with finance. As for Everton, on paper their squad is strong. on that basis alone Martinez has a problem. Mind you, with players like Osman, Barkley and Barry making up the starting midfield core then you can see where the defensive inefficiencies occur.
Doug Graves
Guest
Yeah but what are they going to do? Bring back Moyes? The problem for Everton is they simply don't have the financial clout to mix it with the Champions League teams on a regular basis. And no, I don't think Leicester are going to make the CL this season. I'll believe it when I see it and not before.