Seasons » 2015-16 » Everton News
Martinez reiterates support for Mirallas
44 Comments Evertonian eyebrows were raised when both the Belgian and Aaron Lennon were left out of the matchday squad altogether for Monday's home against Stoke City, but the manager claims both were rested after their appearances at Newcastle two days earlier.
Martinez rationalised the decision in terms of avoiding injury to a player who had claims was blighted by niggling complaints at the start of the season but says the 28-year-old was in good form in the 1-0 win over the Magpies on Boxing Day.
As a sprinter, the manager says he left Lennon out for the same reason even though neither player played the full 90 minutes but Mirallas's omission in particular prompted concern that the mercurial forward could leave Everton in January in search of regular football.
"I wouldn't say it's a pivotal month for [Kevin]," Martinez countered. "What's been important is for Kevin to keep himself fit and working hard.
"The little niggles he had at the start of the season stopped him from being at his very best but against Newcastle he was sharp. Playing two games in three days was something we had to be very aware about.
"But Aaron Lennon and Kevin being two sprinters meant we had to protect them. They both bring something very different. Clearly we have real strength and numbers.
"They will play an important role in January but it's important for us all as a team."
Reader Comments (44)
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2 Posted 30/12/2015 at 17:30:26
3 Posted 30/12/2015 at 17:34:24
4 Posted 30/12/2015 at 17:40:26
5 Posted 30/12/2015 at 17:45:51
6 Posted 30/12/2015 at 18:00:49
Oh for a proper journalist to take him to task on his contradictions...
7 Posted 30/12/2015 at 18:31:26
Will someone please tell Mr Martinez to learn when to open his mouth and when to keep it shut. Some of his tactics are questionable, a lot of his soundbites are downright ridiculous.
8 Posted 30/12/2015 at 19:12:56
9 Posted 30/12/2015 at 19:18:47
Good Friday : Newcastle 0 Everton 2
Easter Saturday: Everton 2 Derby 0
Easter Monday: Man Utd 1 Everton 2
the same team played and won 3 games in 4 days, and if my memory serves me right, Big Bob Latch scored 5 of the 6 goals.
That's what you call "phenomenal"
10 Posted 30/12/2015 at 20:07:19
If that is the case I think he should of used him more as he's our second most attacking threat and could of got us a lot more points and also taken some pressure of the team and manager.
I've always wanted to see Mirallas and Deulofeu on either wing as the starting eleven and stick with it.
11 Posted 30/12/2015 at 20:28:24
If you don't then sell him and get a replacement.
But don't keep him and sideline him.
You idiot.
12 Posted 30/12/2015 at 20:35:13
13 Posted 30/12/2015 at 20:39:43
15 Posted 30/12/2015 at 21:04:53
May God help us all.
16 Posted 30/12/2015 at 21:13:11
He could sell snow in Alaska!
17 Posted 30/12/2015 at 21:51:38
18 Posted 30/12/2015 at 21:58:25
19 Posted 30/12/2015 at 21:58:59
20 Posted 30/12/2015 at 22:02:43
21 Posted 30/12/2015 at 22:05:30
But if he'd played him and he'd got injured people would be on here claiming it was obvious not to play him twice considering his recent injury issues.
Manager makes the big decisions and I'll judge him on performances and results. The results are shit.
22 Posted 30/12/2015 at 22:06:03
He may have a mental condition that simply has not been diagnosed yet...nurse..
23 Posted 30/12/2015 at 23:09:38
Mirallas when he got his chance on Boxing Day never set the world alight. On current form Mirallas is not going to get in the side in front of Deulofeu, but should be at least getting the nod ahead of Kone.
I would have more respect for Martinez if just told the feckin truth and stop treating the fans like we are idiots.
25 Posted 30/12/2015 at 23:56:00
Why Mirallas isn't part of a front three in place of Kone I'll never know. Same goes for Robles in for Howard. If either of those two play on Sunday my head will explode!
29 Posted 31/12/2015 at 04:15:34
Still, for discussion sake, the explanations are not incredulous or inexplicable as some say.
e.g. when you have match fitness, you are fitter than someone who has only fitness. For someone who hasn't played a lot of games, to suddenly, play games in quick succession can be a lot to ask, especially when their main weapon is explosive pace.
So, I can accept (to some extent) that Deulofeu and Barry would be able to play successive games better than Mirallas and Lennon. As for McCarthy, I would agree that it was too soon to bring him in (I was surprised to see him start), as I thought that Cleverley would have earned his spot, and they might have started Besic and rested Barry.
As 'luck' would have it, Cleverley came on for McCarthy and then got himself injured.
And Barry continues to be fit and available for duty... after clocking in tremendous mileage.
I would have hoped that Cleverley would have been able to keep his place in the team, so that there is continuity when Barry gets his rest, with Gibson and Besic coming in.
Now, it looks like Barry will have to carry on, as it's unlikely that Gibson (with his injury record) and Besic will be able to play successive games.
Here's hoping that we can give these guys a run, and they can build momentum (time to really use that squad).
30 Posted 31/12/2015 at 05:46:55
31 Posted 31/12/2015 at 06:17:39
Lennon, off the bench, would have helped prevent the last two goals.
34 Posted 31/12/2015 at 11:12:53
35 Posted 31/12/2015 at 13:45:46
In case you haven't watched Everton lately, Kone and Lukaku play better together than Mirallas and Lukaku... it's not rocket science?!?
37 Posted 31/12/2015 at 14:01:22
Like Tony (#14) said... God help us all.
39 Posted 31/12/2015 at 14:12:21
41 Posted 31/12/2015 at 14:31:05
Haha... unbelievable.
Mirallas should start on one wing, Deulofeu on the other... Kone would make a good bucket man.
43 Posted 31/12/2015 at 14:49:32
Agree that, even with Macca (apparently) fit for the Stoke game, Cleverly should have kept his place and moved over to the left offering a more energetic 'up and down' option than Kone. But hey what do I know.
For Spurs. I'd bring Gibson in alongside Barry cos I think Besic might just be one young/inexperienced player too many. Also Baines, Robles and Mirallas (for Kone). Get Barkley to sit a bit deeper and and I'd also like to see more switching positions up front ... especially like to see Geri in the number 10 position occasionally rather than hugging the right wing where the oppo are getting wise to him.
44 Posted 01/01/2016 at 11:15:27
Mirallas is (and always will be) a far better option on the left than Kone, IMO he's also a viable alternative upfront for Rom too as he proved vs Man Utd or the Shite (I forget) a season or two back...
45 Posted 01/01/2016 at 11:35:01
Keep them coming.
46 Posted 01/01/2016 at 11:59:23
Mirallas is a class player with agression and pace in him – he should be one of the first names on the teamsheet out wide where he has proved over the years with us he can do it. If I was him, I would be off in January after the manager treating him as he has this season.
47 Posted 01/01/2016 at 22:12:43
48 Posted 01/01/2016 at 23:06:27
BUT one has to say, with the current form of Kone, letting KM go would be criminal folly. Therefore he must be going!!
49 Posted 01/01/2016 at 23:16:56
There's a passage there which reads about the training. Tim says there is quite a difference training in ideal conditions near the Sydney beaches to the freezing wind blowing and rain-soaked atmosphere with the Blues. He would go on to say we would work on defending corners and set-pieces, and Moyes would not let them finish until they had perfected such tasks. And they all knew what each individual had to do to a man, and they did it...
He also says there were players in the side who would kick your arse if you didn't perform. I can see the gulf of difference between our set-up now and then...
50 Posted 02/01/2016 at 02:07:04
All four, every game, for me. Sod whether he/they 'defend' or not.
We don't leave out defenders because they don't attack, so where's all this 'fashionable' nowadays nonsense about not playing attackers who don't defend come from?
Give me the likes of Kevin Mirallas every day of the week, as opposed to square peg utilities like Kone and Naismith.
We are Everton are we not?
Play like it then!
51 Posted 02/01/2016 at 12:10:15
RM is spot-on here. Those who slag off whatever he says demonstrate lack of football knowledge, especially recovery time for recently injured players.
Mirallas has had injuries and niggles and needs to be carefully managed – less than 48 hours is too short for him right now. Same as Lennon who has been out with muscle injuries that would need time to really heal.
It was obvious Gerri was benched with Stoke in mind and Barks taken off early as well. It isn't rocket science, guys...
52 Posted 02/01/2016 at 12:38:50
Moyes even questioned whether he was doing enough to adapt to the physical demands of the Premier League and was signalling to come off in many games. He stopped short of saying that it was all in his head.
I just wonder whether it's reached a point where Martinez has come to a conclusion that he cannot rely on him longer term.
53 Posted 02/01/2016 at 13:23:06
Kone does waste a lot of goal scoring opportunities and the amount of time the people around me in the Gwladys that are shouting 'Have a dig' three or four times in a match have got it spot on. He will never be a goal machine. However, the reality is that he does set up Lukaku who is a goal machine.
The problem is the goalkeeper and the defense. That is the issue our Spanish Messiah must address. However, history – and I will always suggest history will give you an indication of the future – suggests that RM has an appalling record in the defensive department at every team he has been at. He never learns and his kamikaze attitude continues to astound me. He once lost the last home game for Swansea 3-6 to Blackpool and hence they missed out on the playoffs? Regardless of losing, it must have been a phenomenal game...
When he played he was a defensive midfielder. Maybe he wanted to be a striker but never got a chance? Hence that may shape his outlook, but I have long tried to work out this man.
Again, if Howard is picked against Spurs (and I don't wish to use him as a scapegoat as the defense have been poor), the manager picks the team, then I honestly think Martinez is sticking up two fingers at all of us OR is just plain incompetent.
Listening to TalkSport earlier, Micky Quinn suggests that there may be goals in this one (EFC v Spurs) and there will not be a clean sheet. There is a surprise. I know he follows the shite but when he interviewed RM and asked the obvious questions about EFC's poor defensive record, RM totally evaded the issues....
RM may not be much of a football manager but he is one hell of a politician (ie, spoofer).
54 Posted 02/01/2016 at 17:23:49
55 Posted 03/01/2016 at 21:46:26
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1 Posted 30/12/2015 at 17:26:52