Everton manager Roberto Martinez has rejected accusations stubbornness prevents him from adapting his tactical approach . The Spaniard has come in for criticism for persisting with trying to get his side to play out from the back despite results suffering recently . There were even suggestions the players had gone to him asking to play a more direct style but Martinez has always stuck rigidly to his principles , which was the case when he was at Wigan when they were in relegation battles every season . Everton manager Roberto Martinez has rejected claims that he is stubborn in his tactical approach . Toffees defender Phil Jagielka celebrates scoring his side 's winning goal against Southampton . Everton striker Arouna Kone ( right ) is tackled by Southampton defender Jose Fonte ( left ) at Goodison Park . Everton left-back Leighton Baines comes in with a strong challenge on Southampton forward Shane Long . But while he may persist in wanting to play the same way he said that does not mean his tactics are rigid . 'The people who say that I am tactically not flexible are people who do not follow my work , ' Martinez told the Liverpool Echo . ' I have been innovative at every football club I have been at with my tactics , my shape and my approach . ' I am not someone who needs to defend myself but if you follow my work then I am probably one of the most flexible managers tactically that you could work with . ' Martinez tinkered with the shape of his side in Saturday 's victory over Southampton , their third successive league win , as he switched to a 4-1-4-1 formation with Gareth Barry the solitary holding midfielder with his regular central partner James McCarthy pushed further forward . He explained he made the change to compensate for the absence of leading scorer Romelu Lukaku , who is still recovering from a hamstring injury . 'It was because we did n't have Romelu , ' he added . 'In certain games we played with two strikers . On Saturday we had Aaron Lennon really high up the pitch and James McCarthy had freedom . 'Every game is different . Southampton have a very strong back six that needs to be broken in different ways . 'We do n't play the same way twice , but it is not for me to go openly and publicly and tell everyone what we have done . ' Martinez insists that his tactics are 'innovative ' and points to his changes made against Southampton . Having started the season poorly , Everton are now up to 11th in the Premier League table with 37 points .
MartinezRoberto Martinez has hit out at suggestions that he is tactically stubborn . The Spaniard has been criticised for persisting with the same style of play , moving the ball on the ground out from defence . Roberto Martinez insists that he is 'innovative ' in his tactics and points to the tinkering he employed during Everton 's win over Southampton on Saturday .