James McCarthy returns without displacing Mo Besic... three defensive midfielders start!
Everton: Robles; Oviedo [Y:60'], Jagielka, Stones, Coleman; Besic [Y:78'] (85' Alcaraz), Barry; McCarthy [Y:37'], Mirallas (59' Lennon), Naismith [Y:78'] (85' Barkley); Lukaku.
Subs not Used: Griffiths,Browning, Gibson, Kone.
Liverpool: Mignolet; Can, Skrtel, Sakho, Lucas (16' Allen); Henderson [Y:78'], Gerrard; Moreno, Ibe, Coutinho (57' Sturridge); Sterling (82' Lambert).
Subs not Used: Ward, Johnson, Lovren, Markovic.
No Baines. McCarthy, Besic and Barry all start.
So where are Besic, Barry and McCarthy going to play? Three shielding the back four?
Surely one of them has to have a more forward role? I hope itÂ’s Besic...
Unbalanced and not sure we have enough threat going forward.
These are seventh, Roberto, we should be getting after them.
Set up not to lose rather than going for win? Guess weÂ’ll find out...
Besic is capable of getting forward and joining in further forward. I like the look of this team... lots of energy and fighting spirit in that midfield trio.
No Garbutt, I would see him as stand in for Baines (unless he is injured) also I would have played Mirallas on one wing, Lennon on the other with a centre midfield of McCarthy, Barry and Besic with Lukaku up front. Come on blues make us proud!
No LB in the subs also! Wonder what happened to Baines... Also agree with Rob Â– Probably some kinda midfield diamond...
We are not threatening the right side of LiverpoolÂ’s defence. We only have Mirallas as a potential wide player. I suppose Mirallas will be able to take any penalty without any moaning!
Our bench is really weak with Alcaraz and Browning just filling in. Why is Garbutt not on the bench? He is a far better option than Browning or Alcaraz. I give up and just hope for the best.
I know he he does not deserve it "on current form" but, Barkley, as born and bred blue, I hope he gets on and here is the time to hopefully rediscover form.
Naismith stuck out on the wing where he is utterly useless then. So disappointing. It reminds me of Ossie being played out there for 5 years to no avail.
You could say they are playing 3 defensive MF players in Gerard,Lucas and Henderson.
I see it as a battle for domination in MF and we have the better players.
Get Barkley on for Naismith.

Pretty good first half from the blues. It fells like we perform better when playing against "Prima Donnas".
This is all set up for someone to be a hero! Come on somebody seize the chance!!
Time to come out from behind the sofa! At least theyÂ’re not having it theyÂ’re own way.
Besic is having a good game and so far hasnÂ’t been booked! We could have this, oh and please work on RomeluÂ’s first touch, Duncan!
If Martinez leaves Naismith on he needs his dead checked, because Naismith seems to have a partial concussion.
Be a bit happier if they tested LiverpoolÂ’s goalkeeper but there is gradual improvements overall in EvertonÂ’s play from previous months so letÂ’s hope they continue to improve with a 1-0 scoreline the second half.
I would like to see Lennon and Barkley on for Naismith and Barry. Liverpool seem apprehensive, and that would be quite a pacy front 4!
ps: Terry... please stay behind the sofa..... itÂ’s working so far!
I hope Barkley is on for Naismith in the second half as his touch and skill is no comparison. I donÂ’t understand why Garbutt is not in the squad, especially with Baines out. If heÂ’s not injured, Bob and him musnÂ’t see eye to eye, but I hope itÂ’s not the case.
Think IÂ’ll go back behind the sofa! Did we forget how to pass at half time FFS!
Sorry, no more defending Martinez any more his tactics and late substitutions for a home team were baffling to say the least. Just happy we got a point out of it.
28 million pieces of Andrex. Hope we paid that, and not real money!
Cannot believe Martinez. If I win the Euro jackpot, I will give BK the pay off dosh.
Yes. This year we beat the shite on away goals.
ItÂ’s unforgivable that Martinez waited 85 mins to bring Barkley on. the guy doesnÂ’t have a clue.
In those 5 mins he created our best chance in the whole match.
Absolute garbage.  Liverpool were there for the taking.
Thank God the rugby was on this weekend. At least you can see endeavour and committment. One player who outshines the rest is Besic.
Mourinho and Chelsea execs should be jailed for robbery IÂ’m afraid, 28 million pound? canÂ’t head, 1st touch awful, constantly offside, and please donÂ’t give me the Â’heÂ’s not getting the service crapÂ’ heÂ’s not good enough and never will be.
A Goodison Derby and he sets out to draw.
Skin of our teeth - no balls!
I obviously would have loved a victory but I am pleased with the improved effort, desire, toughness and defensive organisation! 3 clean sheets in a row! A base to build on surely! Once Lennon finds his feet and Ross plays in his best position we should be fine!
Feeling a lot happier!
Pathetic attacking display really. Very much like the first game but seeing as we were at home that isnÂ’t acceptable. At least we didnÂ’t lose and thatÂ’s the last time weÂ’ll see creasehead at Goodison so there are some positives to take from what was a mundane performance. Did we manage a shot on target?
 Lukaku utterly terrible. Thank God they were as shite as us. God weÂ’re dull to watch.
People will say this was a solid point and a platform for the future. No it wasnÂ’t, it was chronically dull and we were primarily concerned, on our own patch, to stifle the opposition. Not the Everton I want to see.
Agree with the sentiment another wasted opportunity. Some players to praise others not so much yet those in the not so much still always start. Thankfully Besic enjoyed the boos IÂ’m sure.
We defended really well and just about earned the point, but there was only one side who ever looked like scoring apart from the Coleman effort, that was not us. I suppose a point against the best form team in the division means we can keep our heads up.
We definitely gave Liverpool too much respect though and I was surprised to see Alcaraz coming on for Besic. It seemed we were happy with a share of the points. It would have been better to bring on Kone for Lukaku IMO unless Roberto was frightened of Besic being sent off.
Anyway we kept a clean sheet so it is another point towards the 40 points aim. Are we really back to that?

 If I was Barkley IÂ’d be seething right now... And then to top it off, he takes our best player on the park, Besic, off who looked well pissed off btw. (Did he run down the tunnel after screaming at Martinez or did I imagine that?) and leaves Barry on again who looked a complete liability.
IÂ’m quickly loosing patience with this man.
A fair result; neither team did enough to deserve a victory. We certainly didnÂ’t create enough up front, itÂ’s a great concern how we struggle to create in the final third. Lennon looked useful when he came on. Great ball from Ross right at the end, if only Seamus couldÂ’ve hit the back of the net!
Not a bad result considering we practically played the whole 90 mins with 10 men as Barry was useless yet again.
If Martinez doesnÂ’t realise now that Besic and McCarthy are our future he is insane.
Lukaku continues to frustrate, such a whimp for his size.
CouldnÂ’t fault the defence, McCarthy and Besic were excellent, Naismith gave 100% as usual and Lennon showed the pace we are lacking when he came on.
Coleman showed much more going forward once Lennon came on and I can see them developing a good partnership. Barkley too did well when he came on but still needs to be managed properly by RM until his confidence is fully restored.
Mirallas didnÂ’t offer much.
Pretty forgettable match not helped by the totally Bias Shy Sports commentary, summed up by the comment from the studio at the start of the second half, "well at least Everton havenÂ’t conceded yet."
The team was set out to get a point against what our coach believed was a superior side. I thought it was a negative sorry show from a coach who really is not fit to manage our club. A bitterly disappointing performance.
Is Kone still not actually fit? HeÂ’s shown in his odd cameos that he can hold up play, cause a little panic in the opposition and surprisingly is quite good. Thought a swap for Rom on 65mins would have shaken things up. After that, IÂ’d rather see Kone start and Rom come on in the second half.
We didnÂ’t lose is about the best thing I can say.
Besic, Stones and McCarthy all looked good which is promising but this team/system is obviously along way from itÂ’s best still and why he keeps his faith in barry who seems to regularly lose posession/give away cheap free kicks/ offer little going forward bar the odd long ball iÂ’m not sure.
IÂ’ve said this before but WE NEED A PLAYMAKER! For all his effort Naismith lost the ball so many time on the edge of their box and does not have that accuracy and precision of passing in him. Sadly iÂ’m not sure that Barkley does either. Perhaps he will discover it but until then we badly need someone who can link midfield and attack especially with 2 or 3 DCMs on the pitch.
We wonÂ’t get relegated but weÂ’ll be lucky to make top 10 this season.
To be fair to Martinez, Barkley has been shot of confidence and for a young lad getting it in the neck off 40 thousand in the Derby would do nothing for him. He just needs a bit of time to find his feet again.
Mo was stand out! Joel should keep his place, and Lennon looked good. Jimmy Mac as per usual, and defence adequate.
But Nessie should have made way for Ross at halftime, and sulky super Kev should have stayed on to link with Lennon.
 Perhaps Kone should be given a good run.
But, hey, what do I know? We do have a really phenomenal manager!
The most negative performance from an Everton team I have ever ever ever see.  It was like watching an away game in Europe. Offside Lukaku, how many times, 1 shot on goal, that took 86 minutes, poor very poor.
Nothing much new here apart from a minor re-birth for Coleman who looked to have partly recovered his mogo and good to have McCarthy back who may form a more than useful double act with Besic. On the other hand, Oviedo was exposed at left back. I donÂ’t think Garbutt was even on the bench so he looks to be out the door, which seems a shame.
Otherwise, same old, same old. Naismith is no more than a worthy plodder, which was all the more apparent when Barkley came on, even for only 5 minutes. Lukaku, goalscoring aside, is an utterly dreadful player. Barry has always been slow of feet but is increasingly slow of thought and becoming a liability. IÂ’ve no idea why he plays every minute. Is it in his contract? Does he have incriminating photos of Martinez?

They are crap and were there for the taking but we fuking bottle it AGAIN and make those twats look good !!!!!!!!!!!!!

I think IÂ’ve been far too soft on them really... On reflection, I totally agree with those having a go.
Martinez is supposed to be known as an attacking manager, yet our forward play is really absolutely abysmal on so many different levels, it is just criminal given who we have in the team. Coleman playing far too many reverse, Mirallas selfish and ineffective; Naismith... being... Naismith. And Lukaku. Utterly hopeless again. Oviedo needs more game time. Besic showing great spirit but giving the ball away. Barry, fouling and giving the ball away.
Ultimately, a maddening and frustrating performance... to go with far too many that have preceded it this season. Sorry but I feel seriously jaded by that Â’displayÂ’.
Okay time for a reality check on a few of our players.
Lukaku, absolutely no way in any shape or form a 㿈 million footballer, positively average.

Besic, love his passion but shows nothing in the way of forward threat, chance creating, goal threat or general menace in thd opponents penalty area.
McCarthy, perhaps the most over rated ToffeeWeb favourite of tthe lot.
Never shoots on goal, never creates a chance, never drives on into the box and threatens the opponents back four.

I donÂ’t get it? We criticize when he just sets out to attack and then we do the same when he plays with caution.
Yes, I agree it wasnÂ’t a great performance, but our defense was outstanding and getting a result is a step in the right direction in my opinion..
Best change of tactics in the match for Everton was when Lambert came on, he pretty much ended Liverpool's attacking threat.
For all those who are saying Barkley should have played the full match or come on earlier, have you not seen this lad play this season?
I am no fan of Martinez but for me he got this one right. Although Barkley played a great ball for the Coleman chance, he also left another pass roll under his leg and Liverpool nearly punished us from that break.
As I said in earlier post, Barkley needs careful managing at this time.
For me the change that should have been made was Kone on for Lukaku early in the second half.
 For some one who is a student of the game the amount of times he gets caught the offside is unbelievable.
Brian H, 54...well as a season ticket holder who bought this under the impression that we would be entertained, I feel robbed. If your happy with that game, well you are easily pleased, now RB has had a few bad ones but Lukaku has been worse on the season despite goals, the best game I have seen this season was a loss, Chelsea. If RM sticks to this negative path, you watch the gates tumble, if it does I wont be resuming my seat. I can go to Vegas for a fortnight for the same price. Sick of RM rhetoric, we had no, no intention of winning that game so long as we were keeping a clean sheat.
The real frustration is that the shite were there to be taken. 
Robles I thought looked solid (even that apparent wobble in coming out to Stirling actually ended up being well judged) and our central defenders looked solid against not very much; McCarthy finished the game uninjured. End of plus points.
The thing that always strikes me is how dreadful we are at retaining the ball as soon as we look to go forward. 
Let's not be happy with a craven point against a bad RS side.
There's no pleasing some.... just got back in from the game.
We've stopped the rot, haven't conceded in a couple of games, picked up 4 points out of 6 that some thought a few weeks ago we wouldn't. Yes, there was some woeful passing and Can looked to have Lukaku in his back pocket, but he came close to fashioning out a goal for himself and didn't stop chasing, though his getting caught offside all the time was infuriating. Coleman seemed energised though sometimes Besic needs to learn when to just clear the ball. If it was Osman who got caught in possession as Besic did then he would be slaughtered.
I think we have altered our style out of necessity to prevent getting caught up in the bottom end of the table - what would people here want, flamboyant attacking football leaving us exposed at the back or an adjustment to cement our place in the league? It's what we did against Palace the previous week, but without the goal.
Not sure what to take out of that game. Not being a Martinez fan blaming him would be easy but it seemed like a typical modern day derby. All I know is things feel stale,boring and a bit predictable. I just want more but feel its not going to happen. Mid table obscurity and another glass of glenfidich it is then.
I thought we played OK. Outside of the shot that hit the post Robles didn't have to make a save. Our real problem is up front. Besic was our best player and McCarthy played well. Unfortunately we have no firepower at all. Lukaku was awful.
If we want to get anything out of Lukaku we have to sign a playmaker or two in the summer. Right now Lukaku doesn't look like he could score even if his life depended on it.
Sometimes I wonder if he thinks that after signing for Chelsea he was destined for bigger things. Maybe he thought if he did well at West Brom and Everton Mourinho would make him Chelsea's main striker. That wasn't to be. Because it hasn't worked out that way and he's now at Everton he's lost all that drive that brought him so many goals in the last two seasons. If this is the case he needs to get over it and accept he's now an Everton player and he won't be in the CL anytime soon unless he starts scoring goals.
A dull game no doubt and perhaps an anti-climax for the biased media, but I will take a point and move on. Defensively I am still not convinced we are organised well enough and the attacking play is suffering as we are using numbers behind the ball.
I hope Barks rediscovers his spark and can gel with Lennon. If so Mirallas can be benched as other than the WHU game he has looked below par for a while.
Good to see McCarthy back, with Stones and Besic we have a good core in the defensive third.
What has happened to Gareth Barry and why do I keep seeing him in a Blue shirt each week?
When he came to Everton he was calm, collected, always available for a pass and always retained possession. He has had a miserable seaon and today he was a laughing stock. He has completely lost it.  For a man who values possession over all else, how can Martinez justify Barry's inclusion?! Absolutely baffling.
I don't know what the hell is going on with Kone either. We were crying out for something different up front but Martinez just won't bring him on.
And can I just reiterate how bad Gareth Barry was today. Really, really bad.
Jags and Stones were outstanding today, Besic too. Yes, we were defensive, but at least we did it well. I thought that 2 points from this and the next game would be very welcome. It could get better Â– we nearly nicked this one.
Getting a result in the right direction?  Starting the game with three out and out defensive midfielders for a so called attacking manager is just bollocks..
Pretty standard TW. After a couple of months of legitimate calls for increased pragmatism from Martinez, lots of criticism for increased pragmatism from Martinez.
A tight derby, no real chances for the shite, one real chance for us, much tighter defensive performance, like last week, usual struggles going forward.
I agree with your comments about Kone and Barry. Finally fit after being injured for so long and he can't get a game. Maybe RM thinks Lukaku's confidence is so fragile that if he subbed him he'd go to pieces entirely.
As for Barry. He's just too old. Time to retire.
Ant, I agree with you totally. Just how far has this inept coach obliterated our aspirations when some Evertonians find this piss poor home showing anything other than shameful?
 You have to look at the bigger picture, which is that losing is a habit just like winning is.
He's trying to make us more solid and it appears to be working. You can't turn a side that's leaking goals and losing every week into a winning one overnight.
He has to make us hard to beat, and we are that now. Good on him I say.
We stifled a team that could easily have stiffed us, and we now never have to see Stevie Me line up against us and have the privilege of gracing Gods Acre ever again.
Well done Martinez for doing things differently. I thought the team was outstanding tonight. Working their arses off the lot of them.
I honestly believe at this point we would've been better off keeping Anichebe and using the Lukaku money more wisely. Does anyone really think that we'd get 㿈 million for him now?  I doubt we'd get 㾶M.
And FFS Martinez, play Besic and McCarthy from now on; Barry on the bench in case of injuries.
Anthony Hughes, I'm with you. EFC in front of the world tonight, prime time, a derby game, and we throw 9 behind the ball...... but after tonight whats happening next at Chelsea?  
Could have been worse - Slippy G could have put that bicycle kick into the net. We would have never heard the end of that!!
Another clean sheet but admittedly lost in attack.

Make no mistake we are shite so I don't know whether I'm half pleased that such a terrible Everton team has avoided defeat in both derbies, or am I totally pissed off and bored shitless watching this God-awful brand of football that Martinez has indicted upon us.
Liverpool were the better team without really having to do that much to actually be the better team.
The biggest regret is that we just did not test their defence at all, there was no up and at em approach and frankly despite us having gone away to Qatar and played just one game in two weeks, the Shite looked fresher and sharper.
Fitness for me is a major issue under Martinez, nowhere near what it was under Moyes.

I can't fathom why Lukaku is being written off. The lad is not at his peak but still producing a decent goal return and is developing. Strikers hit their peak at 25-26 when they perfect the art of movement and finishing. With good coaching, the boy will be a top player.
I see parallels with Mo Fro whom we bought for 㾻M 6 years ago and we all thought it was bad business. He matured into a very good player and club made a handsome profit.
James, we managed ONE shot on goal in the game and that wasn't till the 86th minute, we were the home side playing against a team that had played 4 times in the last 2 weeks including an extra time, us once. He waited till the 85th minute to bring on 'the greatest player that's ever going to wear an England shirt' (his words, btw). If you think that's acceptable, I respectfully disagree mate.
James, he turned a top five side into relegation possibles in no time so please don't insult us all by saying we we're outstanding tonight. That was shithouse football and, like someone said earlier, they were there for the taking.
Yes we've called for a more pragmatic approach from Relegation Roberto and we certainly got it today. I used to think Moyes was the champion of pragmatism, well Martinez has just gone to a whole new level.
The most defensive display I can ever remember at home.
This is what this disasterous managerial appointment has come to, 9 behind the ball and long hoofs up field, this redefines 'football philosophy' into a whole new meaning.
Just go Roberto, please, just go.
I guess you're not a fan of RM then Ant/Anthony? I am not his biggest but again would you rather put on a show for the world to see and get beat with all the "Slippy G" adulation that would follow?
I agree with JM. They were disciplined and with a touch more fortune the fine margins that dictate this league would have gone in our favour.
Sounds like a lot of people have bought into "Let's forget about about this season" Â– at the start of February? Well, a point a game will see us safe, good luck to the marketing department trying sell season tickets next season.
If we continue in this vein, I certainly won't be doing mine; I've had enough of RM.
This wasn't a pragmatic performance, it was exactly the opposite; we failed to see that we had nothing to fear from the RS and stayed in our shell throughout. What's admirable about that?
Furthermore, Martinez's substitution policy is entirely baffling Â– why wait till the end to change an attacking formation which is plainly ineffective?
Some may be happy with mediocrity and fear from a side which had top 4 ambitions at the start of the season but I am not.
With respect Amit, we can't be waiting at another 4 to 5 years for Lukaku to hit his peak. 
Why, oh why Besic?
Barry should have been removed as Mo was the only creative player we had on the pitch.
Excellent defensive display against a team on fire. You wanted the defence tightened up? Well now you’ve got it. Next step? Combine solid defence with attacking flair. It will come. It will come.
ps: anyone against a similar performance on Wednesday?
With respect, Tony H 'pragmatic' doesn't equate to 'admirable'.
The point I am making is this was off the scale pragmatism i.e. let's forget about trying to win and just try not to lose.
I think some of you may be embarrassed by your posts tomorrow morning. While we will never be happy with a draw at home in the derby, some of you are going way over the top. We have kept 3 clean sheets on the spin. We are looking more organised.
Admittedly, we are not quite there going forward, but for God's sake, we drew the game. We did not get battered 5-0. A bit of perspective is required...
Lukaku Â– 㿈 milllion... ball endlessly bounces of him.
Bony Â– 㿈 million... barrel chested tree trunk and holds the ball up plus gets more goals.
Admittedly not Lukaku's fault that Martinez got totally fleeced by Chelsea but as a supporter you feel like crying when you see this is what you got for 㿈 million; for a club that doesn't spend big money, it's deflating to watch.
I know we couldn't have afforded Bony's wages... fair enough, but we could have got in the last year before Man City when we had top 4 aspirations, we could have tried convincing him to come.
Sadly despite paying 㿈 million on a striker, our attack is ridiculously bad...
Work that one out?? .... In fact, just try working Roberto out full stop.
Interesting to note that RM only trusted Barkley to be on the pitch when he put on a 3rd centre back. Obviously put there to cover any Barkley mistakes. We saw the best and worst of him in 5 mins so I can see why he did that.
It's a difficult one. If Barkley was on longer he could have just as easily lost us the game as won it. Just for once I'm not going to lay into RM for that decision. I wish we had sacked him weeks ago, but we didn't and we won't. Not this season anyhow.
So it's time to try and look at any positives. Even if the performance wasn't good enough it was far more solid than it has been for a while. People have been crying out for clean sheets and RM has been given dogs abuse for saying that clean sheets do not matter. Now he's got 3 in a row and the defence looks far more solid and the defenders more confident. It's a platform and one that we've been crying out for. RM should get credit for that.
JM: "Well done, Martinez" Â– are you more drunk than me? That was not a pat-on-the-back moment. It was boring. We showed nothing. Just not being beaten does not deserve that kind of accolade.
Barry must have a clause in his contract that states he must play if fit. Why on earth he was kept on ahead of Besic, God only knows!
I think Bobby's tactics were sound for the most part -containing the RS above all else and then have a go as the game went on. I think my only grumble was that he left it a bit too long before he tried to get a bit more adventurous with the introduction of Lennon (who looks like he'll offer something) and Barkley who should have been on from the hour mark.
We only began to look like we might get something once Ross was on the field. We certainly need a creative midfielder in the summer to compete with Ross, and while I like Naismith, he doesn't offer anything when the players behind him are so samey.
Considering the players we have, we should be doing a lot better. The manager is all over the place and really isn't good enough. He needs to play his strongest team week-in & week-out and hope we amass enough points to stay in this league and then introduce one or two youngsters to give them a bit of experience till the end of the season.
Hopefully Martinez will see sense, if he wants to play Naismith (or for that matter Barkley) then he can only play central behind Lukaku, play Barry only when Besic or McCarthy are banned or injured and if Lukaku is playing badly don't automatically play him in the next match. Simples.
Great post, Gavin. Ross did make a difference but he should’ve gone on at HT.
Ant @56 - I think you are picking me up wrong. I never said in any of my two posts that I was happy with the overall performance and I did say it was a pretty forgetable match.
If I had paid to watch that match I would probably be as annoyed as you.
The point I was making is that I don't think playing Barkley from the start or bringing him on earlier was the answer and if you read my posts you will see I am fully in agreement that Lukaku should have made way for Kone.
Shocking display, totally inept tactics. I agree with the not conceeding bit but there needs to be a balance. We are shocking going forward.
Naismith as a striker... Lukaku a winger... come on!!! Naismith stayed on the pitch 60 minutes too long for me, it was crying out for Ross. Sorry but Nessie is no better than SPL standard.
 Don't start me on the subs and the 6 minutes game time given to Barkley? It's a disgrace. Barry should've put a Red shirt on and Coleman seems to have lost his natural game running at defenders in the box?
I now don't like Martinez any more, he is so annoying. Roberto is an energy vampire sucking the life out of the players and then the fans. I think our supporters were right up for it today but, as the tedious football took hold, all they could do was sigh not sing. I hate watching us go sideways and backwards Â– it hurts as much as hoofball used to do.
We appear to be playing ourselves to death at the back and not caring about scoring or winning. WBA, Palace and Liverpool games all clean sheets but very few chances created at all. Where has last seasons mentality gone? I ask you...
With respect back, Anthony, why not? Rom follows a long line of players whom we have bought and developed. What's more, he looks as if he will get us 15 goals a season whilst he matures. How many strikers can you name who are the finished product at 21?
FFS!  If it hasn't escaped anyone's attention, we've been shite over the festive period and leaking goals for fun all season. At least we've got back to basics and stopped all this tippy tappy nonsense at the back and in the last 2 games we actually look like an organised unit again.
What were you all expecting? For us to go out there and wipe the floor with a fast improving Redshite team?
The most frustrating thing to watch today was limited attributes of Naismith and Lukaku Â– both completely lack any culture with the ball at their feet. One works very hard for the side but does very little else; the other is lazy, has a shocking first touch and in short, is a wimp trapped in a big brute's body. Present Lukaku with chances and he'll score a bucket load but that's about the limit of what he brings to the table, sadly.
 He's 21 and yes in my opinion twice the player of that sulking shithead Anichebe.
Get off his back and Barkley's as well. Two young lads who will come good for this great club of ours. We've had some dire players in recent years and they aren't two of them.
I would have taken a point before kick off, but after watching BobÂ’s Â’tactical battleÂ’, totally deflated.
His substitutions were SHOCKING. The Redshite defence was there for the taking. Barkley and Lennon should have been on earlier and Kone should have come on also but Barry, Lukaku and Naismith should have been brought ashore are they untouchable.
How anyone could be remotely happy with that load of rubbish, is beyond me.
One shot on goal. Many players who were unable to pass to their own teammate. So many individual mistakes...
Barkley as our saviour? He does not lack confidence, he lacks ability. It is a very sad thing to say. I would love to be proved wrong, but it is what I see. But he was far, far from being the major culprit.
As others on this site have said, we have players here who should, and could, be a lot better than they are. The manager ultimately carries the responsibility for the fact that they are not.
THREE defensive Midfielders at Home... 9-10 men behind the ball for most of the game... 86 minutes before we had a shot on target... gutless gutless tactics.
The RS will be pissing themselves all weekend. Still, a point is a point, eh?
Think that has been a huge bonus of late, Mark.
If it's a toss up between Barry and Barkley for that 3rd place in midfield, I'll take Barry every time. Barkley could be a world beater - but then so could the fella with the world record for keep ups, who was paraded at half time years ago. Despite all that skill, he wasn't a professional footballer, because skill alone is not enough.
Barkley has 10 times more skill than Barry. But Barry has 10 times more nouse than Barkley. If nothing else, he holds the midfield together and keeps the team shape. If Barkley had started today, we'd have lost.
Barkley's role today was exactly what he has become. An option off the bench.
There are not many teams who will stop Liverpool scoring this year. While I would have liked a bit more creation from Mirallas, Naismith and Lukaku, fingers should not be pointed at the central 3, who did very well.
I decided to take a deep breath before posting my comments.
Every blue watching that game knew that Barkley should have come on for Naismith long long long before he did.
Many blues watching that game will be furious we went out to nullify an ordinary team because they play in red just across the park.
Many blues watching that game will wonder how bad Kone must be if he didn't get on for Lukaku.
Finally, some (many?) blues will want RM out as soon as possible before he ruins this great club. Put me at the very top of that list!
That, Mr Martinez, was GARBAGE and EFC don't do fear in face of ordinary opposition at GP.
Yet another weekend ruined.
Good hard-earned point; we still lack real creativity but at least we now have more pace down the right side, providing Lennon is given a run in the team.
Regarding the manager, credit him with changing tack; it’s not pretty but effective at the moment. His admission that we were in a relegation fight was a turning point, I thought, and we can judge him now on how the team performs for the rest of the season, safe in knowledge of our Premier League survival, which now looks assured.
Let's just get this season over now and have a massive assessment of what needs changing, and let's be honest, lots will need changing if we are to avoid another relegation battle next season.
We really need to look at where we are heading under Martinez, the team has regressed badly this season, the plans, the entire team set-up, the woeful fitness programme... Why do our players do so little pressing and running? And why do we always look shattered? And have done since August?
Too many questions that have been left unanswered since August.
I'll take a point. A poor game between 2 poor teams. For all their possession they didn't really create much.
This was a real Moyes performance. 9 men behind the ball and hopefully nick it.
We really miss the guile of Pienaar and Osman.
Barry was dire. Lukaku not much better.
We need a playmaker in the Hagi mould. Someone with vision. Or we need to get back to 2 wing-backs bombing down the touchline.
Can't really see where the chances are gonna come from otherwise.
GARBAGE ! Liverpool are not on fire. Did you see them against Bolton? They are rubbish. That bad they could not beat us. We will get slaughtered on Wednesday, against Chelsea, if we play like that.
Mark (#95) not moaning, just sad to see an Everton side so limp against our equally mediocre main rivals.
If I could see a glimmer of conviction or style or attacking threat then I might buy the case for patience but I see none of that and haven't throughout this season. Is this the future? Perhaps it is.
James (#69), Totally agree, mate.
OMG... if Lukaku happened to cost 㾶 mill, I'd still be disappointed. He's awful, brings nothing to the table, can't control nothing, always offside, can't win a header... then, when Naismith does, he's 25 yards away!
I've also had it with Martinez and his complete trash-talking: "every game is a cup final from here on in," he said, One shot on target at home against our arch rivals?!?! Ridiculous.
Our best players, Besic and Mirallas, off.  Go now Â– this is not a 'good point', you clown Â– it was yet another chance gone begging against a poor Liverpool side on the day that we yet again failed to win against them!!
It's funny reading some of these posts...Naismith, best first touch of anyone on the pitch, free wasn't he? Barry, did well from where I was sitting... nominal fee. Stones, superb... ٟ.5M? Besic, very good... ٢M. Lennon... on loan.
I could go on, but can't be arsed. We have two players who cost over 㾶m I think, Lukaku and McCarthy? That's not making any excuses for a cheap Everton side, built by Martinez and Moyes, but what do you expect when you come up against a team who has just spent a fortune? A team who nearly won the League last season.
We weren't good today, neither were they. I don't think we were awful either. The shite are a decent side who are pushing for top 4. I didn't see a huge gulf in class today, or a manger who was out-thought.
I know people believe this second season excuse but that's all it is Â– an excuse. A good manager is a good manager, full stop. We need to just get safe and then get rid of Martinez.
Seriously, Amit, we pay 㿈 million for a striker and may have to wait 5 years Â– yes, 5 years!! Â– to see the best of him??? A club in our financial state can't afford to indulge a player like that.
Jim @108 - We don't need to wait till the end of the season to know what needs to be changed.
Start by getting rid of RM and get him to take Barry with him.
Get a manager who will drop Lukaku when he doesn't give 100% and give the wimp extra training to try improve his touch, oh and maybe send him along the yellow brick road in search of some courage as well.
Agree with Colin (#83); I said a couple of weeks ago that I'd be happy with 0-0 & 1-0 till the end of the season, so I'm not complaining.
If we hadn't signed Lukaku, every Evertonian wouldn't been screaming lack of ambition-BTW 10 goals isn't a bad return given that he's been struggling for form and so has the team.
There comes a time in every player's career where Father Time calls time, and Barry has reached that point. His head's still quick but the rest of him ain't; hence the mistimed tackles, misplaced passes, and in general the game passing him by. He's beginning to look like our Phil's final season with us.
No wonder Lennon looked so miserable!
Think a lot of 'posters' on here need to wake up and smell the coffee.
Did anyone really expect our team to go all out attack with free flowing football from the the 1st minute, because I tell you what, we would have been 3-0 down at half-time and 5-0 down at full time. They simply would have picked us off.
What we saw from Everton today was a strong team display with great performances all over the pitch, particularly in defence.
Has everyone forgotten, we played a team who spent 𧴺m in the summer, let me repeat that 𧴺m....against our paltry 㿊m on a couple of players.
OK Lukaku frustrates, but god forbid, he was virtually operating on his own up front, yet people expect a Shearer and Messi type performance from him rolled into one.
We played a team bang in the middle of a great run and made them look very ordinary.
We are slowly getting back to where we ought be, it simply ain't going to happen overnight.
Anthony. We paid 㾻M for an unknown defensive mid in 2008 (what's that in today's inflated market?) and developed him into a very good player whom we sold for a profit.
This club has done it through the years with varying degrees of success. Rom is part of this tradition and when 㿞M transfer fees become the norm, I expect he will be sold on, having averaged 13-15 goals a season and maturing his all-round game.
"A poor game between 2 poor teams." Sums it up, Denver.
Good performance from our defense today. I liked the midfield three, thought McCarthy was immense first half, how we've missed him.
On a poor stream I'd say the front three didn't pose much threat, I agree with the posters wanting Barkley on earlier in the second half but I think Martinez didn't want to lose. It was more of a Moyes performance but I don't mind, another clean sheet and more confidence for the players.
Another clean sheet against Chelsea would be nice.
Robles just gets better and betterer doesn’t he? Another one who was pulled to pieces by many.
Some blues need perspective. Rom and Barkley are two young lads and we need to support them 100%. Let's get behind the lads.  The bright side is the last two games reads two clean sheets, one win, one draw. I didn't think we'd get a point out of Palace.
I'm still not happy with Martinez. Yes, we kept a clean sheet... but, other than the Coleman chance, we never looked like scoring.
Our fans were excellent, I stood in the Street End alongside many other blues who realised that we needed to bring Barkley and Kone on. Naismith was completely useless, and should've been taken off on the 65th minute mark.
Lukaku, when given the ball facing goal, is excellent; despite this, rather than playing to his strengths, we continually play it to him with his back to goal.
Our fans were excellent the atmosphere was absolutely amazing in the Lower Gwladys; it's a shame that we are led by a man who has no passion.
We will hit 43 points imo, looking at the fixtures, maybe 12-13th.. Who would have thought that last July? Any chance RM gets a knee injury?
Yes, Colin, a player we saw very little of and when we did played poorly. He now gets a run in the team and looks decent. What is you point exactly?
ThereÂ’s some real predictable doctrinaire stuff on here from people who if we had won 10-0 would have moaned that it should have been 11-0.
Am I dancing with delight after that game and performance? No! Am I thinking that all is hunky dory in the Everton world? Absolutely not!
But, Jaysus, people on here for months have been calling for plan-B and this and that and Martinez started with a different idea today and like it or hate it it stifled their recently electric midfield today Â– erm did Henderson or Born Slippy get a mention today?
Let me count: Plan-A, Plan-B, and Plan-C. ThatÂ’s 3!
ItÂ’s hippy happy hilarious reading stuff on here about bah humbug too defensive when people have been screaming to get tight at the back. There are some linguistic/conceptual gymnastics on here to make sure that Martinez looks in as bad a light as possible.
But realistically, pragmatically, there was actual evidence of critical rethinking out there today. WasnÂ’t pretty in the end, wasnÂ’t school of science, but thinking there was, and the majority WOULD have taken a draw today, call that defeatist or gun/knife or what you will, but itÂ’s true, and we are now undefeated in 4 Â– 3 clean sheets Â– and our mate Bob HeywardÂ’s cast-iron guarantee prediction that we will have 28 points from 28 games is looking shaky.
Steve - correct. We desperately needed to tighten our defence, that comes at a cost. Three clean sheets and the wolves are howling we have lost our attacking intent?
Start out with a solid defence and build from there, that's a point we ALL made in past few weeks. The attack will come good, once the confidence starts to return. It won't happen overnight.
A transition is taking place at the club, the old guard are on their way out, we need to see what comes out of the other side. Early days, let's not rush to condemn, or change manager just yet. That's not say we should have blind faith, just show a little patience.
Danny #85 Â– we didn't get beat 5-nil and looked organised !!!
Well, aren't we fuckin' lucky to get a nil-nil against a bad RS team? 
"Robles just gets better and better doesn't he?"
Agree Colin, apart from that one moment where he comes out, reminiscent of the Europa League game.
I'm pretty sure Besic and Naismith were pulled because of the card happy ref rather than fitness/performance concerns. In between Gerrard's constant whispering in the ref's ear and some theatrics from Liverpool's forwards, it wasn't hard to imagine us finishing with ten or even nine men. Besic was immense, but we need him available for Chelsea.
Colin Glassar, with respect, if you build a permanent wall in front of him your work becomes limited, you may have missed his walkabout today. He did the same a couple of months ago, Euro game, he was punished, again today he got his angles wrong, Sterling just off target. Don't be fooled by 0-0 and the keeper having a solid game.
I think that result has to be seen in the context of our position going into the game. We've had a terrible run, with the last few games showing signs of steadying the ship, defensive robustness, and mixing up the tactics. We wanted 3 points against CP, at least one against rs, and hoping for one against Chelsea.
While not totally solid at the back (both left backs the weakest links in the game), solid performances again from Stones and Jags. Roberto has been slated (rightly) for an all-out attacking mentality, and now we have another clean sheet, another point.
Negatives in another post!
Kevin Tully... Patience you say, you're teaching EFC supporters something that is their DNA, 20 YEARS.
All in all, the Merseyside derbies which the rare odd exception are pretty boring bland affairs when you compare it to the North London derby.
Spurs v Arsenal is far more appealing to the neutral because you always have two teams that always go out to win the match and the games are played at a swashbuckling intensity.
With the exception of last season's Goodison derby and maybe the first half of the 2-2 draw in Moyes last season, the majority are crack with either a boring 0-0 or 1-1 draw when Liverpool don't get a routine win.
Today was no different. Sadly Everton just don't really play derbies like they used to with intensity and high energy pressing, and very rarely do we go out to actually WIN.
Mirallas didn't play well?? I can't agree with that as he was one of the better players today. Mirallas, Besic and Coleman were all central to the moves made. Lukaku didn't get involved and I don't understand any of the substitutions with the exception of Barkley coming on.
Mirallas and Coleman were the early creative forces with Barkley providing the spark in the second half.
Amit, seriously, 㿞 million for Lukaku? Have you been on the ale mate? Everton paid TWENTY EIGHT MILLION POUND for him!

I'm sorry but I expect a hell of a lot more considering the money spent. Give him five years? are you serious?
Some minor good points. Besic's first half was his best performance for us and confirmed two things. 1-He's got the ability to be something special. 2-That he doesn't need to play safe and go backwards with the ball every time - he's got plenty of ability. He's played well within himself this season. Second half he looked knackered... is there a problem with his stamina? Maybe Roberto isn't mad?
Coleman approaching his usual self - especially once we put a winger in front of him. Funny that eh?
Struggling to see the clean sheet as a bonus as it came at the expense of playing any football.
Just can't understand this team. Jags and Stones take an age to play pointless passes that they couldn't possibly misplace and don't move the opposition - yet when we eventually fluke the ball forward we rush everything when a bit of composure is needed.
We seem like a team of extremes. All out defence or all out attack. Slow and careful or fast and careless. Wholesale changes or totally sitting on hands. Just can't figure out Roberto at all.
The saddest thing is that a young lad who needs a spell out due to being persisted with through a shocking run of form is going to be depended on. We have no choice. When he came on he created a couple of chances... the only one likely. He also completely screwed up a simple touch in midfield that could have really cost us. I guess we have to accept that because the alternative is to have the rest - the ones that you couldn't really remember being in the game.
I agree we should not have blind faith in a manager who relegated his last team but patience is not a luxury afforded to managers any more.
Despite the nagging doubts that have grown increasingly deafening and threatened to deck my belief like a drunken burly bastard sporting knuckle dusters and a maniacal cartoonish stare of the sort not seen since Mum-Ra from Thundercats caught sight of Cheetara's badly coiffured minge, I've tried to keep faith in Roberto whilst others have been calling for his head.
I've tried to paint their observations as premature point-scoring when there's still been plenty of the season still to play.
I've mocked their heightened hysteria at every Manuel'esque misplaced word to slip forth from our Spanish manager's mouth.
I've sought to see his ever-present positivity as a calculated tool aimed to propel players to hitherto unattainable heights.
I've tried to force myself to believe, and buy into the fact, that this is a manager with an end goal in mind that finds Everton firmly back amongst the big boys where they belong.

However, I'm rapidly reaching the end of my patience. I can not rouse myself to attempt to defend a home derby display that saw a solitary effort on target and the manager sat by motionless like a mannequin in the Littlewoods menswear department whilst a load of scrotes took selfies of themselves manhandling him in search of a hole they could blow their meff muck into.
That was a derby display more spineless and safety-first than any served up at Goodison during the Moyes years.
We may have tightened things up at the back momentarily, but we've been turgid going forward since well before Xmas and don't look like getting any better.
 Yet all are almost guaranteed starters game after game.
Lukaku looked to have reacted to a bit of a kick up the arse when replaced by Kone for a few games, yet it seems that was a false dawn and Roberto seems reluctant to replicate such shock tactics on a widespread scale.
I was gutted to see Barkley stood on the sideline like a lemon when it had briefly looked like he was about to come on in place of Naismith. That was a change the game was screaming out for if the manager had any intention of going for a win.
. "..minor re-birth for Coleman"
Sorry, I can't agree with that at all. He's under performed all season in my book, going from one of our most potent attacking forces to a guy who looks totally unsure what to do when faced with his backtracking opposite number. The amount of time Seamus dallies on the ball, then shimmies like he's trying to dislodge his shorts from his arse crack, only to eventually cut inside and curl a Phil Neville style floater beyond everyone in the box, when the chance for a first time cross was screaming 'I'M ON', is beginning to get right on my tits.
I don't know whether it's because he's totally bereft of confidence at the moment, or he's simply missing a regular wing man to steam past on the overlap, but we all know he's much better than what he's been serving up this season.
Following the positives in my last post, now for my negatives!
The RS played wide, with effectively 5 across the park, 2 stuck on the touchline, while we had a back 4 that stayed tight as a unit, leaving their wide men acres of space. Yet Roberto didn't react to that (unless you count the late use of Alcaraz in a back 3 with 2 wide; and when he did bring him on and Besic off, we also had Barks on with a massive gap between defence and Barks / Rom - they should have slaughtered us for that).
Lukaku! Being played out wide is no excuse for not winning as many headers as Nais, for woeful ball control, for getting muscled off the ball (much of which happened not wide but in the centre). Turn him to face goal and run at a defence and that's his strength. But my biggest beef (even bigger than previous games) is his unwillingness to get back on side when we are about to regain possession. It immediately takes one man out of our attack. Unforgivable.
All repeat after me: GET ON SIDE! GET ON SIDE! GET ON SIDE! (Sorry Ed). I'm spitting chips at this! I know well his goal-scoring record for us Â– I would expect no less, and more, from a 㿈M player.

Barry has pulled off Barkley's supposedly patented move of 'giving the ball away' in perilous positions far more than anyone else this season. He did it at least three times that I can remember in today's game but was pulled out of the fire by other players.
True, the defensive trio were dogged in their duties today, but there was no need whatsoever to start with all three in tandem. If it was Wednesday night, away, against Chelsea then I could perhaps understand it. Against an average RS at home, when a win could reignite your season? 
"What we saw from Everton today was a strong team display with great performances all over the pitch"
Great performances? C'mon. You're clutching at straws now. A draw against Liverpool at home, where our sole ambition was to defend and nullify their threat, and in which we failed to create anything more than one half chance, counts as a competent job done at best.
Lukaku needs to get a nasty streak and Naismith is one of the worst players I've ever seen. He plods around but has no quality whatsoever and is barely a Championship player.
We need a change so that we can try and move those two on, but they'll be hard to get rid of. Big rethink and rebuild needed once we're safe.
RM first season took the best of Moyes and added pace in attack.
This year the team looked unfit, played like they did not know each other and overall looked out of there depth, which must come back to the manager.
In the last few games RM has altered so they are defending much better (be it lucky at times) but the attack is powder puff with Lukaku doing a good impression of a brick wall, balls bounce of him and is static being offside so often.
Saying that, it is now set that RM is here for the season at least, hoping he can do what many good managers do: that is, get the defence right first then make the attack much better. This season should be make or break for him; if he cannot get the team playing as a team with joined-up play, then Â– sad as it will be Â– I feel he must move on in the summer.
If anyone thinks the way we played today will stop Chelsea then they are probably the most positive people on the planet.
They could have played their Under-12s and still got a draw against us!! Utter fraud, Martinez.
Reminded me of any other Merseyside derby we played under Moyes's tenure. Approached the game thinking we couldn't win, devoid of ideas and a lack of subs when we really need them.
I'll be giving up my season ticket... on the day I die!
If I want to be entertained, I go to a show or concert of some kind.
Naismith would give his blood for the club and that's how he's won the fans over Â– it's not through an over-abundance of skill Â– he's a grafter.
Great to see McCarthy back. Lennon looked sharp and up for it. Stones was solid as was our captain. Rom's an old-fashioned centre forward and should use that body and strength as a bludgeon Â– but he seems to think he's a fast impact striker like Beckford aspired to be. I don't think he is; he needs better service (and yes, he does need to be aware of offside).
I'm glad Robles has stepped up; I was seriously worried when it became clear that Howard would be out for a while. Seamus doesn't have the best first touch in the world but he still lights things up, especially if he's got someone to pass to. Ross is a work in progress, but he needs to sharpen up his thinking and go with his instincts.
I came away from the match pleased that we didn't lose, as I was expecting them to sneak a lucky late goal.
I've been to worse matches against them (4-0 at Anfield this time last year was a particularly disappointing experience) but I still keep coming back with a belief that we can do better.
Good luck in Vegas, Ant. But I hope you never end up sitting anywhere near me next time you decide you want want a season ticket's worth of entertainment.  Our travelling fans are probably our most passionate and they know it's about much more than entertainment. I expect you to really get behind us at the match as well.
Mike #156 Naismith has been one of our best players this season and scored / assisted many of our key goals (cross last week v Palace?). Frankly you are talking out your arse....
James, 69, totally agree with that assessment. There are lots of positives in that performance, both short and longer term. Think of the ages of Lukaku, Stones, Besic, Barkley, McCarthy, Robles, even Oviedo. None of the players deserves stick tonight. Nor does the manager.
No need to be sorry Phil. We were mostly garbage. We've tightened up at the back but going forward was as boring and as bad as usual.  To be caught offside as much as he did is just fuckin lazy.
For a manager who loves to get his teams passing, how bad are we at passing? Another clueless performance from a load of clueless players.
One shot on target in 93 minutes at home in a derby is nowhere near good enough.
The result wasn't to surprising. Both teams having poor seasons but the Blues even more so after the bright spots of last season.
The Blues played as I expected today with the emphasis on keep the midfield tight and hoping for a breakthrough from limited forays.
Defensively they are playing better and as long as that continues then hopefully soon the offense will click especially now that Lennon will adds some zip.
Naturally we are all disappointed in another home game without a win and that is a real concern for the fans and I suppose RM but somehow I still feel he is not quite up to the task to get this team to the level we want.
There's a lot of good teams left in the Europa League and I think it will be tough getting to the final, even if they beat the Swiss team. But in a cup completion, anything can happen, and it may well be that RM may get redemption there as there is no hope in the Premier League now of reaching Euro places.
It seems like Lukaku's turn as come round again as the whipping boy with Osman and McGeady out of the side. I think some folk on here need to be a bit more realistic.
To be honest I thought we were gonna get a right seeing to tonight and so I was pleasantly surprised that we didn't. In fact I almost feel positive about getting a draw against the RS!!
But as many have said on this thread, it shows how far expectations have fallen that a boring nil-nil with one shot on goal and very little else to get excited about, elicits that reaction.
Dunno whether I'll bother with a season ticket next season if this carries on, I haven't enjoyed one match at Goodison this season, and even when we nearly got relegated a couple of times I didn't have that attitude.
I'm going to say it. I think Martinez bottled it. If he would have had a bit more courage, we would have won that. They were there for the taking today. Their team other than Sterling, Coutinho, Sturridge and Gerrard is quite average. We clearly came into a derby match setting up not to lose.
Fine, we kept a clean sheet but if we don't score, which other than Coleman's effort we didn't look like doing, what's the point?
Look at Spurs today. Swarming around Arsenal in attack, at least 3 or 4 in the box when they were attacking. We had Lukaku up there isolated, and no-one in that box to help him.
And as for the Alcaraz sub. 0-0 in a derby, we were getting a few opportunities then at the time. Why not Kone? If we'd have lost today after he brought Alcaraz on imagine the reaction?
One shot on target in a derby at home is really not good enough. I'm quite disappointed with the result because that Liverpool team was beatable. Unfortunately, our own manager didn't think so.
I'm realistic. With 2 minutes to go in a 0-0 home Derby, Alcaraz was looking at Rom who was stood in an offside position. Alcaraz waited. So did Rom. We went wide. Rom was still ambling around on the other flank.
I don't care how good he can be or thinks he can be. That's inexcusable. His 'Fellaini vs Wigan' moment. It's not unrealistic to expect him to put in a bit of effort. It's his job after all.
Personally thought Rom did OK under the circs. He needs service. He's an excellent player.
Besic was again our MotM Â– excellent player, excellent attitude. Make him captain now. I rate him above McCarthy even.
Lennon was OK Â– compared to McGeady, he could have been Man of the Match. McGeady is not a winger or even a football player really. He's shocking.
Ian (#104)... spot on with your comments!! Great post!
Whilst it wasn't a swashbuckling performance, we played well against a Liverpool team that have been flying of late. We neutered Sterling, Coutinho and Sturridge and the Sky superstar Stevie G.
Negatives were few shots on goal (at either end), Barry giving the ball away (again) and Lukaku getting caught offside so many times he must think you get points for it.
That aside, it was an organised well-drilled performance and there hasn't been many of these this season. There were some good performances today Â– McCarthy, Besic and Jags to name a few. And we could have won it with Coleman's strike that was well saved.
It is not the champagne football of last season but there needs to be a realisation that we are on a lemonade budget compared to many and are in transition. I am not convinced by Martinez but Moyes also used to frustrate the bejesus out of me. The team was applauded off tonight and so they should have been.
Do me a favor, RM. I've just watched MotD... please show the video of Spurs v Arse to our 㿈M man and tell him to watch Harry Kane - 2 goals, wins headers, runs, closes people down, looks interested, shoots on goal, holds the ball up, controls the ball, etc...
Oh yea and he's only 21!!!
㿈 Million? My arse!
Some on here are questioning Martinez's decision to leave Barkley on the bench. One reason maybe down to the abuse he receives if he loses the ball. He was like a frightened rabbit against West Brom due to the abuse aimed at him. If Liverpool had scored due to a Barkely mistake, he may never get over it.
Now Barry, there's an accident waiting to happen.
And before someone mentions Liverpool's 'good run' in the league recently, they were against Burnley, Swansea, Sunderland, Leicester, Aston Villa and West Ham.
Four relegation battlers and two mid-table sides.
Roberto has lost it. Horribly negative performance against a very overrated Liverpool team. We just gave them far too much respect.
Why take Mirallas off? Why not bring Barkley on sooner? He really is infuriating, he's messed with Barkley's head again today. Naismith should have been subbed just before half time but no, he keeps him on even when it was obvious his lack of class was evident.

PD, are you being serious, slagging off McGeady who wasn't even on the bench? WTF?
Not to worry, lads... RM will be off to manage Barca soon....
I tell you something, if we do the same against Chelsea, we won't be as lucky. As for the attacking approach used this season. Where? About 85 passes sideways before losing it, or backwards to repeat the process.
In most of our games this season, we have simply not looked like scoring at all.
Anyone who thinks the weaknesses in Lukaku's game are down to his age (lack of effort, poor first touch, poor in the air, a soft touch despite his size, constantly getting caught offside), might do well to watch Harry Kane...
He was 21 years old too, last time I looked.
Boring, boring, boring. What's our tactics to score? Wide to the wings and cross quickly? Or tiki take short passing? Or long and direct? Or score by taking long shots? What is it??
What was Martinez's plan to WIN the game?
We want to win the Derby, we want to play good football. We want to be exciting to watch.
But we're just drab.
Gavin (#168): "It seems like Lukaku's turn as come round again as the whipping boy with Osman and McGeady out of the side. I think some folk on here need to be a bit more realistic."
Realism is acknowledging that he rarely wins a header, rarely traps a ball cleanly, doesn't often muscle a man off the ball, and is always friggin' offside! How real do we need to get?
And don't say it's because he's being played out wide Â– those failings are not caused by being played out wide. On the contrary, being out wide he can see across the line to avoid being offside. The offside issue is utterly disgraceful and I can't see why Roberto has not solved that...
The answer quite simply, Brian, is service. Lukaku doesn't get any, Kane gets service from Lamela, Eriksen, Chadli. They have 3 or 4 in the box with every attack, we don't.
Ross - look at the weaknesses that Brian highlighted and tell us which one is caused through a lack of service. Which one?
Correct, Naismith has 2 league goals since August and no assists all season. When was the last time he had a shot on target? Can't remember one since September.
At least we have Atsu coming back soon to sit on the bench.
That's the main reason he's struggling for goals Brent. Lack of or poor service.
I have to hold my head sometimes in disbelief. We lost four games over Xmas and people (me included) called for his head. We are now unbeaten in 6 games in 90 mins. With 3 clean sheets and people are still crying.
So what if we were the home side Â– we could not loose that game and Wednesday we cant loose either. Bloody good draw compared to the shite we have been watching this season.
Brenda Rodgers v Neanderthal man ? Discuss........
I think we are much improved from earlier in the season when a string of bad luck eroded all confidence it seemed. This though was a typical scrappy derby. It is something to build on for the rest of the season.
I do think Barry is looking a yard slower than last season but he had begun to show that at the end of last year. I hate to say it but I think he's toast. We need Osman or a player like him desperately he has been much missed.
I thought Rom won a lot of ball today, shielded well and kept possession, especially in the first half. He's always a threat even when playing indifferently, and the opposition always knows that.
On the obverse side, he was caught offside too often. I don't think Nace played well (first 15-20 mins excepted perhaps) and didn't help his winger (Rom).
Soon, we'll be playing with two lines of 4 at the back... Still, as long as we keep clean sheets, I'm not complaining.
Clive Â– WTF! No assists? Cross for Rom's goal vs Palace????
I would say that it's due to his failings that we don't provide good service. To be honest, I could probably play in the Premier League if I insisted on nothing but one-on-ones.
The truth is somewhere in the middle. We have good attacking full backs that will never suit Rom's game because they need someone ahead of them to flourish. We do also have wingers but the service they can provide differs from what Lukaku wants. I even think McGeady's been made to look worse than he is. If he had a centre forward in the box, he'd look like a different player. Never a great but he could do a job. What do we actually expect of our wingers?
So basically, abandon the rest of the team or abandon Lukaku. Or it doesn't work. Unless Martinez can prove us wrong.
In terms of poor goals return and lack of attacking threat, Ross Edwards is correct: Rom is getting poor service. Scant.
We seem to attack very slowly and with few players running forward.
Could have been a lot worse had Stevie G's scissor kick gone in.
Be thankful for small mercies of an otherwise awful derby.
Brent, I made that post because people expect Lukaku to play well week-in & week-out when the whole of the team has been shit for the most part of the season. I feel sorry for the lad, he's not been getting the service this season with the tika taka passing in our own half.
So people want a scapegoat and he's an easy target because of his fee. He's not going to make goals from nothing. I'll agree, he's not the best at heading or has the best first touch. If he was as good at these areas of his game, as at the qualities he excels at, he wouldn't be playing for us! He'd be playing for Real Madrid or Barca. So that's why I think some people need some realism.
More 'same old, same old' from Roberto...
I thought the defence was solid throughout. Barry is clearly rubbish & should be changed. We have the most offsides in the Prem, which is concerning, and is symtamatic of Rom's poor positioning sense and the paucity of awareness from those around him, to see the forward pass (Besic).
I'm concerned by the lack of efforts on goal and tbh we never looked like scoring. Someone mentioned a total of 4 points from CP, them lot and the chavs. Well, if we draw on Wednesday, we will better that. Small steps, lads.
New Balance v No Balance!
Barry probably put Liverpool on the attack more than any other player today and yet he stayed on the pitch.
Liverpool were there to be got at, but our manager picked a team not to lose. Sounds mad but a victory today would have felt hollow. The match was more like a European fixture, and not a Merseyside derby.
We could have had Mirallas and Lennon out wide, Besic and McCarthy, in midfield and Barkley pushing in behind Lukaku. A team with goals in it, rather than a team who's real goal was to make sure they got a point.
Maybe I'm wrong and this result will help confidence, but by not really having a go at home against a team that are seventh? I'm just not convinced by that at all.
The goalie fumbled it out to Lukaku. Most stat sites have not given it an assist (apart from TW). Anyway, apart from that he has 3 assists in 3 seasons for us.
I will take a 0-0, defending much better. When we did attack we looked dangerous but didn't deserve more than a point. Remember that team over there are in form at present. The team was set up not to lose.
Seven points from bottom three, sleep a little easier tonight!
All kidding aside, can anyone recall Barry starting a game on the bench or being subbed this season!?
I cannot recall him missing a single minute other than through suspension or injury.
There must be something in his contract as I cannot fathom how any manager could objectively consider Barry a better option over Besic at the moment. I suppose today could be an exception as BBS had no intention of trying to win the match.
Clive, you must really hate Naismith, as you notice it when anyone has anything nice to say about him. Also when you quote your stats, why do you have to say "since August", just because the lad started off so well?
He ain't the best, mate, but he tries harder than anyone.
Steve (#164), if you think scurrying around the pitch and complaining a lot is great, then good for you. I see a player out of his league, with no pace, poor technical ability and no threat.
It's not his fault he's so limited, but it is management's fault for giving a very poor squad player a ridiculous 3-year extension.
Well, this is second season syndrome, 3rd season being of course relegation. The biggest disappointment was that of expectation. These coaches and managers took Wigan down; realistically, what does everyone expect!
The only thing is how well we did last season; but, then again, Wigan won the cup. Every dog has its day. Weakness through the manager's mentality and approach is cascading down to the players. This dog has had its day; the future is inevitable.
Classic case of twist or stick. If we had gone out all guns blazing tonight, it could have gone either way; and if it had gone against Everton with a Liverpool win, Martinez would have been under increasing pressure.
Three clean sheets with 5 points isn't exactly the form of Champions League contenders but it is a platform from which to build and I believe that Martinez has resorted to a safety-first approach.
So does anyone agree that Oviedo was no Baines at LB? And let's face it, at last that Ossie should have been our № 10 for the last 6/7 years and would, if fit, have been much much better than Barkley or Naismith today. And Pienaar, if truely fit, would have been smarter than Mirallas in his link-up play. Please stop denigrating these feckers and be careful what you wish for.
As for Lukaku, he may as well have roller skates on. I admired his muscling today, but control in the air and at his feet, and his vision and awareness, were dire.
What was with all the wayward crosses too? Wide players Â– please hit them hard and low across the box.
IMHO I was pleased with today's performance against the PL form team. I saw blocks, effort, tackles and endurance from the players! I agree the attack was not great but for the last 5/6 weeks the majority of posters on here have been slating our defensive weakness and its likeness to Wigan!!! So that must be viewed as a positive!
RM is going nowhere so I think it's best if we all get behind him and the team for the forseable.
I'll take 10th and the Europa League final... you never know!!
I watched the highlights on MotD after enduring the game live earlier. Barry was very poor. He was good last season but he really should never feature in a side that has aspirations other than Premier League survival. Err, suppose he'll do for us then.
I really cannot see how any Evertonian can see that performance as anything other than utter shite. Can anyone believe that this is acceptable? Is there not another coach who could achieve more with this squad?
Happy with the draw, but still no movement and failing to keep possession with pass after pass given away to the opposition.
into the top four, were just as negative as us.
Hard-earned point as Roberto scratches his way to the safety of a twelthish finish.
Only 13 points from 14 games required and we could even manage to score in a couple of those if The Lumux learns to trap or head the ball.
Very much back to Walter days, I fear.
Naismith is another who's gone from hero to zero. He was being lauded by many on TW earlier in the season... and now he's just shite!
Naismith isn't your man for silky touches. People are expecting him to be a archetype № 10 when that isn't his game. Yes, he busts a gut but it's a disservice to say this is the only thing he is good at. Some of his positional awareness and link-up play as been great at times.
I said earlier in the thread the lack of creativity lies with being set up with two defensive midfielders sitting behind him every single game.
Great Champions League performance from Mirallas. Sure Barca, Bayern and Real are queuing up to buy him in the summer. Just what we need Â– a bidding war.
Roberto's managing for his future career. 40 points gives him another season. 40 points keeps us safe. So HIS personal and OUR Club hopes align. Worry about him and the next best step in the Summer. Sad it's been reduced to this with so many games to go. But, we're on 27 points. We go over 31 points after the next three games, we're good for this season and... we'll see what happens.
1. I like Naismith. He's the friend you're happy is next to you when a fight breaks out. But, if you tell me there's one position open at EFC and it's between him and the Stracq? The Stracq every time.
2. Kone. Enough already. His knee is gone. We'll see him for a cameo now and again until his contract runs out. Or do we want him brought on for more minutes standing still in one spot waiting for a ball? Not his fault. The legs go as they go. His are gone. And, hey, didn't occur to me until I typed the above about Naismith, but Kone or the Stracq? Same as above.
3. Barry. Somewhere in Barry's negotiations with the Club, Roberto was told a deal could be finalized within EFC's wage structure... if EFC would add a third year. It's not Roberto's money, but I have to think he was asked about the third year and he said Yes. Maybe Barry gets sat next season, but not in the first year of a three-year contract our manager was asked about. No way. So, it's Barry all the time until the end of the season. We can like it or lump it, but it's the way it is.
4. Barkley. He fucks up or he doesn't. He gets booed or not. The Kid plays.
Positives: 1 point closer to safety. Clean sheet. Stones, Jags, Robles and Besic.
Negatives: The overall performance. Lukaku, Barry and RM. How they allowed Naismith to continue playing is unbelievable. The way he fell on his head was bad and he obviously had a concussion. At one point in the first half, with Barkley ready to come on, RM asked Naismith if he was Okay! You're the manager... protect your players and take a decision! Naismith probably didn't know where he was!
The sooner we get to 40 points, the better. I saw a stat over the weekend that RM's winning % with Wigan was 25%. So at least we know he's consistent. We are on course for 9-10 wins. Worst case we get 3 more wins which means we need 3 wins and 4 draws to get to safety. So, Roberto, you're allowed to lose 7 games the rest of the way with your phenomenal tactics and managing.
Some people are talking about giving Mr 25% another season. We can't afford to give him another pre-season!!! We had one of the highest fitness levels in the league and now we have players who look exhausted after 30 mins. One shot on goal in your home derby is bad enough but the embarrassing thing was that was our only clear chance.
Maybe Martinez should watch video of the Madrid derby yesterday. That was a game of football where the home team had a manager who knows how to rally his team in one of their most important games of the season.
After reading all the posts as always, nothing anyone writes makes the slightest bit of differences to how the manager sets up his team to play. Or does it?
After all, if I had a dollar for every time I read "FFS, Bobby, get the defense sorted, get back to basics," etc... So he has and some still complain. Most of you where expecting a spanking, me included. A hard fought point and a clean sheet is not what I expected.
"Drop Baines and give Bryan a chance" I heard someone scream... well, he did and that was pretty ineffective. The debate about our 㿈 milion man goes on, as does that of wonder boy.
The live game on TV was all about Liverpool from both commentators talking about legends in red, while the camera is focused on ex-Redshite players, to the deliberate positioning and audio levels of RS fans out singing the Goodison roar.
Stevie GÂ’s overhead kick was covered by the in-form keeper even though Naismith didnÂ’t take any chances.
At the final whistle, the camera zooms into a laughing Bill Kenwright who was obviously happy with the end result... Now that is a worry!
Am I the only one who wants to see the Beskley axis? Besic was our most influential player and, when Barkley finally came on, we had some impetus. Both of them on together is a scary prospect.
Stones and Jags have finally learnt how to defend so what's the point of keeping Barry and McCarthy on at the same time? Let's go back to the 4-4-1-1 with some actual wingers and maybe we can start to become the attacking force we know we can be.
Set up to get a point and that's what we got. Not good enough, let's be honest. Two defensive midfielders is adequate Â– no creativity or goals in that midfield three. The game was crying out for Lennon and Barkley in place of Naismith and Barry.
Kone for Lukaku in the later stages. Naismith works hard and is good in the air but hasn't got the craft for a through ball and isn't pacy enough out wide. I understand Roberto's thinking to nullify Liverpool but that was as dull as dishwater!
The attendance of 39,621 for the derby game is the detail that screams out right at the start of this report... When will the club wake up and move on?
Matthew, I don't think there's enough industry in a midfield two of Barkley and Besic. Maybe Besic and McCarthy with Barkley ahead of them linking with Lukaku.
We were average, the Redshite not much better.
I can't believe the officials are not being mentioned here, they must have been hand picked by Sky to guarantee a Stevie G Laa victory swansong. 
 I never shout abuse at officials but the tossers got plenty from me yesterday. Shameful, biased, bent officials.
As for Henderson, well a knob of the highest order who uses the safety net of the pitch/refs and TV cameras to pick on smaller blokes and knows he won't have to back it up. It's called being a coward, you tosser, and in my day you would have been bust in two for it. Despicable turd.
I was as frustrated by Martinez's substitutions for the game as anyone else Â– I thought Barkley was brought on 10 minutes too late and I would have got Kone on for Lukaku around the 60 minutes mark as it was clear that Rom could have played another 90 minutes and not had a shot on goal.
But after reading Roberto's comments post-game, it makes sense. He essentially said that McCarthy was coming back after a long injury hiatus, Oviedo was playing 90 minutes after a long time, Besic was carrying a niggle, Naismith also had an injury in the 1st half. So, he couldn't make any extravagant substitutions which could have backfired if any of those mentioned above could not last 90 minutes.
He gave Barkley 5 minutes and it almost came off, and Alcaraz ensured that we got the point in the end. We missed Baines badly and we still haven't found the right replacements for Osman and Pienaar, so I can understand Martinez's caution and am pleased we got a point.
Having said that, against Chelsea, I would like Kone to start ahead of Lukaku and give Lukaku 30 minutes at the end. I think he has still not matured as a footballer, and he was most effective for West Brom as a substitute a couple of seasons back.
I would also start McGeady & Lennon on the wings in place of Barry and Mirallas. McCarthy and Besic provide enough bite and snarl in the midfield and Naismith is the closest we have to old Timmy Cahill Â– running tirelessly, snapping at the heels, making a nuisance of himself, winning headers at both ends (it was his deliberate flicked header above the crossbar yesterday that denied Gerrard his swan song derby) Â– and scoring sometimes.
Subs: Howard (!), Garbutt, Alcaraz, Barry, Mirallas, Lukaku, Barkley.
I have a good feel about this game Â– we will win this 2-1. COYB!
I had no problem with Naismith for the first 6 weeks of the season, he was playing well and scoring the odd goal. Since then he has been awful week after week, 2 goals and no assists in 5 months.
So we should all be grateful to our genius manager for 'sorting out the defence'. I even heard he'd started practising delivery and defence of corners!
We are indeed blessed by his presence. After all, this is the manager who, with Mad Mick McCarthy, holds the Prem record (with his previous club) for chalking up his first hundred games with less than 100 goals scored and 100 points won. He's done better with Everton Â– we must be grateful.
If anyone is still reading this thread, I'll add that I actually enjoyed the match yesterday, and felt for the first time in a long time that the team were solid, if unspectacular. After how bad it's been, that was a welcome relief and not something I thought Bobby was capable of anymore!
Is it where we could be? No, we could be doing better, but it's a small step back in the right direction.
The atmosphere yesterday was awesome and it was a shame we couldn't get the victory.
To have one shot on goal is unacceptable and the second half was a non-event, it was abysmal. RM's substitutions were baffling.
Naismith should have been taken off so much earlier Â– his passing in the final third is awful, he was completely ineffective yesterday and was just running around doing nothing, like a few players though, but they shouldn't be that lost, it comes down to management.
Alcaraz for Besic was the final straw for me. At which point I decided to leave. RM has lost the plot, the players and is even beginning to alienate fans as we ain't sure what to make of him.
Well actually he has been worked out by some of the fans already and by me!!
I can't see this getting better anytime soon.
James 69 Â– yea, that's the game I saw as well.
Good all-round grafting performance Â– don't lose attitude.
Good result for me Â– every game is different and this was no exception.
At the moment it doesn’t look like the performance level is going to improve much beyond what we are currently seeing. Although we are still recovering from our season bottoming out.
League-wise this has turned into a damage limitation campaign & Martinez seems happy to sacrifice fluency & threat for much needed clean sheets. It certainly couldn’t have carried on as it was or we would have gone down.
However, there are certain issues.
Regarding Barkley, Martinez clearly didn’t want to sacrifice Naismith for his defensive work. 
Think how Mourinho drilled the flaky Joe Cole into the best football of his career before his knee injury, and again with how Hazard plays for the team on & off the ball and in terms of his ethic and responsibility.
Off the ball & in terms of responsibility to the team, Ross has big strides to make. The schoolboy loss of possession needs to stop as well. He also has to get to grips with being able to play in or all across mid as frankly only top quality international players like Zidane, Zola or Berkamp are exclusively 10’s.
He HAS to develop the above aspects his game and get to grips with being able to play all across mid, working as effectively on and off the ball for the team. If he doesn’t he will be a Championship Zola & Premier League nothing like QPR’s Taarabt.
Finally, the service to him is abysmal. It is. But that was still a very, very poor centre forward display by Lukaku yesterday.  Sometimes I wonder if Martinez is the right person, man managing, to get the best from him.
Lukaku’s public utterances mean he clearly rates himself. He needs keeping on a short leash & challenging, or, if you prefer, the odd bollocking.
We need to sort options in the summer so dropping him is a genuine option, as he should be after that yesterday. Chelsea’s Cahill hasn’t played since they got dumped out of the cup.
Martinez needs to stop the matey "I wouldn’t swap him for anyone/id pay 100 mil for him" and set some high standards, starting with giving his team mates the respect of working hard for the team and putting a shift in.
Although looking at him when he first joined and now, I don’t know if he’s fit enough to put a shift in. He looked leggy & off it.
Yesterday was quite frankly taking the piss and he needs to be told that when your one of the most expensive strikers in Britain and your here, you need to do better than that. People, well, the majority I hope, aren’t daft, they know what a proper center forward looks like and that isn’t it.

Clive (#237); I think that Naismith is capable of a lot more than we are seeing. The boss seems to want him to charge around the midfield closing down all and sundry He gets tired and his passing goes to pot, and there is no understanding with Big Rom.
For me the problem is Lukaku. He is only good when he gets the ball put ahead of him, and he doesn't play little one-twos on the edge of the box.
In the past, I have seen Naismith link up well with the likes of Osman and Pienaar in triangles on the edge of the box. There is none of this at present, perhaps Kone would be a better link man. We certainly need to try some different options in this area as goals seem to have dried up.
Yes Naismith has played well in patches but we shouldn't forget he is a striker who is not a prolific goal scorer and when in midfield just doesn't provide assists. The lack of goals is a worry that must be addressed in summer or we will be in trouble. McCarthy, Barry, Besic and Barkley have one goal between them. Mirallas is on his way. Lennon has none this season and at his best was 1 in 10 games. Baines's goals have dried up and Oviedo is not a goalscorer.
This is why I am so critical of Naismith's form. That position is vital or everything falls on Lukaku's shoulders. A good signing is vital in the summer. If it is Cleverley, he is not prolific either. The policy of SAF was to pack the team with scorers. Goals win games and good players score goals. We are packing the team with players who don't score goals. A recipe for disaster IMO.
Let's not get too down on the performance.
A draw is much better to stomach than a defeat especially against a billionaire team full of very expensive players who also couldn't score and yet they rave about one shot from youngster from Wycombe who I assume Rodgers brought in as a secret weapon to catch the Blues off guard which didn't work.
They also have another player in the same mould 'Oyo' who is on loan at Wigan much in the same line as Sterling and Ibe. However, speed alone only really works on the break and Everton defended well as they have done the last few games.
I agree Nessie is limited and maybe it's time to give him a rest.
Kone may be worth starting again along with Barkley and Lennon. The team needs to be changed up so that there is more flair and that will bring goals.
Hi Mark@ 230.
Like the rest of us, BK saw a very average game between two average teams, one costing more than 𧵎 million and ours costing less than 㿞 million. That's why he's smiling.....
Clive, I just had a look at Naismith's career stats, and guess what? For Kilmarnock he played 102 and scored 29; for Rangers he played 98 and scored 28; for Scotland he has played 34 games and scored only 4. For EFC he has played 82 scoring only 14.
So for Killie and Rangers he was averaging around one goal every three games, but for us it is about one goal every six games, and even less for Scotland (one in 8).
Makes me wonder if he lost too much pace after cruciate surgery in 2008, and nearly a year out.
Clive Rogers (#246), fair point. There is a huge lack of goals/assists in that team at the moment.
Of the starters last night, only two players (the Belgians) would you expect to score or create a goal once every three games. That is not enough.
If we play three central defensive midfielders, then you certainly need either one of them to be genuinely creative or have three out-and-out attackers, all capable of damaging the opposition. Sadly Naismith is a defensive selection put in for his workrate and offering little in the way of goal threat or creativity.
Maybe such a defensive policy could be justified midweek at Chelsea... but not at home.
We are horribly short of players able to turn our possession into chances Â– and will be even shorter when Mirallas leaves.
RobbieÂ’s possession monopoly is changing due to player power, I believe. The thing is... itÂ’s not just a matter of getting the ball forward (quicker) because the best teams are highly skilled against that. It is going to take various different ways of playing individually and collectively to penetrate in attacking areas.
To do so is a real challenge as there are lots of qualities Â–technically and tactically Â– that are necessary to play this way: movement and positioning to open up the pitch and decision-making in possession of the ball. Lots of these skills are created within the final third of pitch... And, surprise, surprise... thatÂ’s our Achilles heel.
Again, this comes down to the training pitch! Over to you Martinez!
You are probably right Eddie, but also Scottish footy is a lower standard. Not all his 14 for us are PL goals.
Sam, my big worry is that we won't be able to put things right in the summer with money. I am hearing we have under budgeted for players wages, the real reason Eto'o had to go. Also the offer for the Norwegian goalie was no cash up front, paying over the next few summers. It was only ١.5M.
We will have to pay ٣M for Lukaku and ٥M for Lennon. The Mirallas money may cover Cleverley, but that may be it. Kone seems to have been written off and will be 32. If Lukaku gets an injury we're in deep dodo.
I think it's harsh to criticise Martinez for not wanting to lose yesterday. Another 0-0 against Chelsea would be most welcome.
At the stage of the season we are in with the results we have had, clean sheets must take precedence.
Naismith needs a break; Barry needs a longer one. We need a back four who can look after themselves and don't need McCarthy and Besic playing so deep. McCarthy in front of the back four (or even Besic) needs to be enough. 4-1-4-1 or 4-4-1-1 (or dare I say it 4-4-2) would work well if we want to play with wingers. But we need to stop checking our forward movement; it happened time and again yesterday. We are allowed to rick losing the ball in their half.
I'd like to see Ross and Kevin behind Rom, alternately. Basic is becoming one of the PL's best midfielders. He is our best player at the moment. Robles has improved (I'm surprised) and at least Lennon didn't give the ball away mindlessly like the appalling McGeady. I'd like to see Oviedo, Garbutt and Baines variously occupy the two left-sided positions.
We also look the most sluggish team, in the league (bar none). That reflects very badly on Roberto.
Clean sheets will set a solid foundation for this particular team more than 4-3 wins. I'm quite pleased really with the 0-0 yesterday (in context).
Bobby #242 Good post, I agree with all of that. Lukaku has looked heavy all season which is completely unacceptable.
The other annoying thing is the way he continuously has both hands outstretched, near his knees, pointing to where he wants, or wanted, the ball played. He does it all the time; just make your runs with your arms in a natural position and it may give you that split second more to actually control it or get a shot off.
We might have seen the last of Mirallas after he stormed off down the tunnel. There is obviously something between them. We might have seen the last of Garbutt also when he can't make the bench when Baines is out.
Clive, I heard at yesterday's match that Garbutt is playing hard ball about his contract. Baines is 30 and Oviedo may not be the player he was before his injury. I feel that we should be doing as much as possible to get Garbutt, who I rate, tied down now. A suitable, ready made replacement would not come cheap. He has youth on his side and when you think of how ridiculous it was to give Barry a three year deal on good money... doesn't make sense to me.
Couldn't agree more Ray. It would be a travesty if we were to lose young Luke. From the little we've seen of him he looks by far our best crosser of the ball and his corners actually look dangerous unlike Baines's which hardly ever beat the first man.
He looks good going forward and his defensive display in the Europa League was really solid. Man Utd paid a fortune for Luke Shaw and we potentially have a young LB just as good.
I agree about Garbutt. He needs to be given a contract ASAP. He could be a huge player for us. He looks very very good so far.
Yes, Mark, Shaw cost a fee that we can only dream about paying for a full back, yet we have one who MAY have the potential to equal that of Shaw, yet we are faffing about over his contract. How has this been allowed to happen? Who is responsible for sorting out these contracts?
If it is in any way down to Martinez "not fancying" him then Martinez should be regarded as, to paraphrase Robin Day, "a transient, here-today and, if I may say so, gone-tomorrow manager". If his vision is so impaired to overlook real, young talent, he should be shown the door...
Agree with Ray and Mark regarding Garbutt. Would be really bad management to let a player like that go. He won't be demanding anything like what we are paying the likes of Barry and Baines. Oviedo looked poor yesterday and really struggled with Ibe. Baines is approaching the twilight of his career. Surely it would make sense to move Oviedo on and retain Garbutt under Baines's mentorship.
RM can say whatever he wants but Besic looked mightily pissed off when he came off. I still firmly believe Martinez is not the right man for the job. Yesterday could quite easily have been Moyes at his most cowardly. Never did we look like we wanted to take the game to them. One shot on target says it all. Lukaku played on both wings as well which is just tactically wrong and unsurprisingly he carried no threat. He should be played centrally or not at all.
There are so many other examples of tactical blunders that happen every week, I have grown tired of highlighting them. Under Martinez I just feel we are sleepwalking into mediocrity or more likely worse.
I rate Garbutt and feel he could have been used far more often with Bainsy moved up field. RM seems to do that, try someone or something that seems to work, then just forget about it. Garbutt, Baines in MF, Kone starting against Newcastle. To me all these were a success but forgotten about. Then he sticks with Barry and Naismith who have not played well for weeks.
Oviedo did struggle with lbe and perhaps he should be pushed forward and have Garbutt in at LB. Baines has been in the comfort zone too long, has a nosebleed on halfway and has lost his mojo bigtime.
Like James, I am sick of repeating myself over players being used out of position, and baffling tactics and subs etc.
I was pleased to get a point yesterday, but I have seen crap teams give that back four big problems this season, and in Can at centreback Rom should have spit-roasted him.
Now all we can hope for is mid-table, but I want Martinez to leave in the summer- I have seen enough incompetence from him.
I thought he would unearth some Spanish treasure, but he only seems to unearth pyrite. Yes...Fool's Gold!
Finally a plan B from RM that looked suspiciously like something Moyes would have utilized (maybe though with playing players in the right places) to get a point vs a team in better form than Everton currently. I question his lack of early substitutions but cannot fault the desire to produce a point and maybe snatch 3 on a counter.
I must say I am amazed at the criticism of Oviedo who played rather well given he was exposed by Besic playing near and forward of him. Besic, farther forward plays to his supposed strengths and reduces his liability defensively but he really needs to learn disicipline and get a clue on game strategy. In the second half, Oviedo was marking his man and Besic freaking gets in his way! The announcers then credited Besic for saving a cross when his inability to understand first and second man defense caused it. The further up the field he moves the better.
If you doubt this, the people claiming Coleman is finding his form based on this game surely must realize that McCarthy is back and Coleman can then get forward with less worries about leaving Stones exposed.
I wouldn’t care if RM uses this 3 midfield rotation so long as Barkley is getting significant time as he is a truly disruptive runner. The formation neutralized Sterling except for two occasions set up by Robles’ inability to correctly decide when to come out and when to stay on his line. The tactics forced Liverpool to substitute Coutinho (a constant pain on the field) in order for Liverpool to change tactics a little. Might work against Chelsea too.
Good point banked and on to the next game.
For the squad we have, I think this is the worst season in EvertonÂ’s history.
We havenÂ’t played well for one single entire game for the whole season and I canÂ’t remember that even from some of the dross weÂ’ve had in the past and itÂ’s not on.