Keep the faith: but for how much longer?

Article by Tim Lloyd

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Writing this the morning after a quite frankly embarrassing performance from Martinez and the Everton team against Swansea, it’s hard to stay positive after a second defeat in the space of a week. I understand it's the Capital One Cup, and that most Blues would rather have a better league place at the end of the season, or a longer run in the Europa League, but it is a trophy that has, as yet, eluded the Blues and would represent a quick route into Europe next season…and tied up before Easter!

A lot of teams do not take the League Cup seriously as they would rather concentrate on the league and the other competitions, which gives the smaller teams a bigger chance to do well (Bradford famously reaching the final in 2013, losing to our conquerors last night) but this is also a competition that Everton should take seriously with Everton’s trophy cabinet looking very bare since Joe Royle’s ‘Dogs of War’ won the FA Cup 19 years ago.

One thing I noticed last night walking out of the ground was a few people questioning Martinez for the first time in his tenure. Don't get me wrong, I'm not going to defend his team selection last night; I understand squad rotation, particularly when competing on three fronts in the space of a week, but Everton got played around the park by Swansea. The big thing that was also obvious was that Everton did not play as a team in big chunks of the game, whereas Swansea’s sense of squad cohesion was apparent and it cost the Blues.

Positivity is the key for Everton, and, at this moment in time the worst thing we as fans could do is to start criticising the team and manager. After a poor performance last night and last Sunday every fan has paid their money and is entitled to their opinion, but any one that believes the team that was put out on Sunday was the best team Martinez could pick is wrong as Osman, Atsu and Eto’o are, fundamentally, impact squad players at best. Admittedly, it is hard to keep positive when the deference showed its frailties again, but with Luke Garbutt and Tony Hibbert getting first team action this was a measure to test out the depth of the squad and to give returning players game time including the long awaited return of Bryan Oviedo. Sadly, it didn’t work, although hopefully a refreshed defence will return and keep a clean sheet against ‘our neighbours’ on Saturday.

This poor run of form that the blues are encountering at this moment in time shouldn't come as a surprise as under former boss David Moyes Everton would often start their season slowly and then around Christmas time start moving up the table, the problem Martinez has is one of his own making: after such a fantastic season last year, the expectation levels of the fans increase. Letting head rule heart for a second, for a team who so consistently punch above their weight, any minor ‘blip’ in form all of a sudden brings old worries to the fore.

Is Roberto Martinez the right man to take us out of this dip? The answer for this Blue is a resounding ‘yes’. One need only look at the style of football last season and the fact that anyone who had taken over at a club like Everton would have faced the same pressure in rejuvenating a side forged in the David Moyes mould. However, Martinez needs to make best use of his squad, and, undeniably, sort out the defence. Martinez’s attacking style naturally leaves them vulnerable at the back, although with Barry and McCarthy, there should be enough cover there, which would suggest our brown-brogued leader should perhaps return to the tactical drawing board.

With the likes of Barkley and Coleman injured, it gives Martinez a bit of a headache going into a ‘must win’ Merseyside derby (are they ever anything else?). Unfortunately it is at Anfield were Everton always seem to crumble; with last season’s ‘horror show’ still fresh in the minds of Evertonians, can Martinez get the team ‘fired up’ for Saturday lunchtime? And can the defence hold firm? This Blue will be firmly crossing his fingers…

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