Seasons » 2015-16 » Everton News
Martinez hints at January exits

But Mirallas still a big part of manager's plans

Martinez maintains that Kevin Mirallas can have a big role to play in the second half of the season
In addition to Steven Naismith, who won't be involved in the European Championships but has made no secret of his desire for regular football, Aiden McGeady, Darron Gibson and Kevin Mirallas are the three names that come to mind when discussing out-of-favour players at Everton.
The trio have just 15 appearances between them so far this season with Mirallas the only one to have started a game and Martinez stressed in his press conference this afternoon that he expects the Belgian to have a big role to play in the second half of the season.
Like Naismith, Mirallas has also publicly made noises of his need for first-team football and that he could look to move during the winter transfer window if he was not being selected on a regular basis. Speculation suggests that Monaco are seriously interested in bringing back to Ligue 1 during the current transfer window but Martinez insists the 28-year-old has been a victim of the form of other players and that he remains a big part of his plans.
"What we've seen with Kevin is that he signed a new contract in the summer. He had a really strong pre-season and, as you know, we allow football to make the decisions. We've got really good attacking options and he was unfortunate.
"He started the game against Watford and from there he had a little niggle and he got a three-game suspension. But the way he's been working in the last few weeks earned him a start against Newcastle and I thought he did really, really well and I expect him to have a major, major influence in the second half of the season.
"Taking into consideration that we have really good attacking play in our team and the options we have going forward are there for everyone to see so the opportunity is there for every player to use good moments of form to help the team and Kevin's a big part of that as he showed against Newcastle."
In reference to some of his other fringe players, the Catalan said that Steven Pienaar should be fit for the weekend game against Dagenham & Redbridge in the FA Cup but he acknowledged that a squad that was expanded to cope with last season's Europa League commitments is now too big to accommodate the needs of everyone.
"The squad is still really, really large," he explained, "because it was a squad built for European football so we've got two or three bodies that haven't able to get as much football as they needed or as they wanted.
"We've got the Euros around the corner so we've got a couple of decisions we need to make in order to benefit everyone but I wouldn't speak about any individual names. Whenever we feel there is a situation that would benefit a player or our squad in general we'll announce it.
Reader Comments (68)
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4 Posted 05/01/2016 at 16:20:38
Although we could do with more strength in depth, so if we get some quality players in who can put more pressure on the regulars then I'm in.
5 Posted 05/01/2016 at 16:20:45
Bringing new players in the January window will help fans forget the season that should have been, instead is turning out to be a big disappointment.
6 Posted 05/01/2016 at 16:22:36
I like Mirallas but if he's not going to play him there is no point in having him in the squad on high wages. Kone should be the first out the door! I'll drive anywhere free of charge.
7 Posted 05/01/2016 at 16:26:01
Why in the hell can we not start with Mirallas on the left and Deulofeu on the right? God forbid we have two wide players on the pitch at one time.
A really big squad, good God.
8 Posted 05/01/2016 at 16:26:11
An admission that we won't be in Europe next season by any route so we can divest now? Or maybe unloading a few for 6 months at least saves on the wage bill, and then re-invest once we know we're in Europe again?
That's not too negative, Gary, is it?!
9 Posted 05/01/2016 at 16:31:32
Osman
Gibson
McGeady
Naismith
Hibbert
So, even if Mirallas stays, the squad is not overly large; perhaps it'll look like the midfield is still a little bloated, but bear in mind, Barry can perhaps go on for another season and a half after this.
So, if we release Gibson and Osman, then we only really have Barry, McCarthy, Besic and Cleverley in midfield.
Kone will be a squad player, which means that we are light in attack. I would have liked to see Naismith given a crack of the whip for the next half a season there, instead of Kone. Or in this case, even Mirallas himself, as he has played up front before.
10 Posted 05/01/2016 at 16:47:09
He didn't say we wouldn't qualify for Europe. He said that the squad is very big as we had assembled a squad for last year's European adventure.
I'd say he's happy for everyone to stay for next year's Europa League but with the Euros coming up, it's unlikely that players will want to stay.
11 Posted 05/01/2016 at 16:56:21
12 Posted 05/01/2016 at 16:56:32
I am expecting the worst before a ball as been played I have never been like this, but that's what he as done to me and many others.
13 Posted 05/01/2016 at 16:57:34
15 Posted 05/01/2016 at 17:10:54
We also need a few quality players this month.
16 Posted 05/01/2016 at 17:23:31
17 Posted 05/01/2016 at 17:24:55
19 Posted 05/01/2016 at 17:33:58
Have we heard any other club say their squad is too big.
Suggests to me that he has been told from upstairs that the promise to get us CL or even Europe is unlikely to happen so start unloading now.
20 Posted 05/01/2016 at 17:37:24
I suppose Gibson, McGeady and Mirallas... Lennon?
So, Naismith, Gibson and McGeady then?
21 Posted 05/01/2016 at 17:52:21
I would suggest we got rid of Howard, Hibbert, Pienaar, Gibson, McGeady and Naismith and sign 3/4 top players in their place. My choices would be a new GK, a CB, a LW and a back up striker.
Easier said than done I realise but we surely have plenty of cash left from last summer (that we didn't spend) and plenty more to come so why not aim high? It's the only way to push this club forward.
Ideal players would be Marshall or Karius in goal, Williams for CB, Bolasie or Yarmolenko for LW and Austin or Dembele as back up forward.
22 Posted 05/01/2016 at 17:59:39
The squad may be large on paper, but in terms of fit and able staff, it is a little short.
Hibbo, Ossie, Pienaar are near the end.
Oviedo, Gibson. often injured.
McGeady, not even considered.
Then we have Barry, Kone, Jagielka, all over 30.
Browning, McCarthy, injured.
Others out on loan.
It doesn't leave an awful lot!
23 Posted 05/01/2016 at 18:10:42
24 Posted 05/01/2016 at 18:16:31
25 Posted 05/01/2016 at 18:22:56
Say weekly earnings-wise (just a guess): Osman £40k, Oviedo £30k, Gibson £30k, Pienaar £50k, Miallas £50k, Naismith £40k, Hibbert £25k.
That leaves £265k/week freed up on the wage bill. With the TV deal next season will leave us plenty of room to manoeuvre in the summer should the squad require an overhaul.
26 Posted 05/01/2016 at 18:23:38
27 Posted 05/01/2016 at 18:25:26
I struggle to understand some posters who seem to believe that his injuries have been long term and frequent. The niggles he has suffered since his broken leg are fairly normal in the healing process. He was a wonderful talent before his injury, so just give the man a chance.
29 Posted 05/01/2016 at 18:40:13
30 Posted 05/01/2016 at 18:48:06
Cheer up mate if this is the first time you feel like this before a ball is kicked you are really lucky or very young. I've supported the blues since 1960 so unfortunately I've had the dreaded feeling before a ball is kicked soooooooooo many times before.
But I'm still a blue and unlike one of our former players I'll always be a blue whatever happens but please God let us get to the final somehow.
31 Posted 05/01/2016 at 18:50:12
So who are these squad players that need to move to enable them to get more game time to be able to feature for their respective countries in the Euro's? McGeady or Gibson possibly but neither are a shoe in for RofI. Certainly not Mirallas as he barely gets much game time for Belgium anyway even when he's played most games in previous seasons.
Roberto stop talking shite and concentrate on getting the balance right with the team selections and winning some games!
32 Posted 05/01/2016 at 18:52:55
I would also love to see Gibson contribute more, does anyone remember those trademark thunderbolts from around 25 yards, that he scored for United?
33 Posted 05/01/2016 at 18:54:58
34 Posted 05/01/2016 at 18:56:17
35 Posted 05/01/2016 at 19:03:18
I doubt we see a lot spent for players coming in this month.
Does anyone know the last time EFC spent big during the January transfer window?
37 Posted 05/01/2016 at 19:19:13
It's not as though we are blessed with boundless bags of cash, is it??
38 Posted 05/01/2016 at 19:31:27
Strange how no one thinks him worth anything though.
39 Posted 05/01/2016 at 19:32:58
40 Posted 05/01/2016 at 19:34:05
Can't knock him for that.
41 Posted 05/01/2016 at 19:34:48
I hope this does happen. He would be a great acquisition, and who knows, maybe a future Everton manager, who would actually care about the club.
But Kone, Gibson, McGeady and Pienaar should perhaps be offered elsewhere.
As for the big squad, what happens to our goals if Rom is injured. I dread to think unless of course we are rich in strikers that no one knows about.
And now for a bit of positivity to close. Could Martinez include himself in any clear out?
42 Posted 05/01/2016 at 19:47:55
I am sure that an injury free Gibson, with a proper run in the side, would benefit us greatly, but is it ever going to happen?
43 Posted 05/01/2016 at 20:07:10
Yet we are an injury to Lukaku away from crisis.
4 Right wingers
0 left wingers
'A very very unbalanced squad' - I think rings truer.
44 Posted 05/01/2016 at 20:10:35
Out of that 32, you have players like Holgate, Stanek, Browning, Pennington, McAleny, Garbutt, RodriÂguez and potentially Galloway (now Baines is back) who as young players may make the bench on rare occasions or go out on loan, but are more or less not classed part of the first team.
Then you have the crocks; Hibbert, Pienaar, Mattino and which also includes Gibson and Oviedo. Lastly a player like Osman who as much as he is part of the squad, his age limits his effectiveness. So on paper it may look like a large squad, but in reality it isn't. Especially when you add the 2-3 injured players we have as well.
Even with the so called large squad, we have areas which we are really weak. We really don't have a backup for Coleman. We actually do not have a left winger/attacker. Mirallas, Kone and Pienaar all have played there, but are not a left footed player.
Lastly and probably most importantly is a backup striker for Lukaku. Kone and Naismith would be the two that would probably play in that role, but they aren't up for the job if we want to make a decent run of things. So for his statement on being a large squad, its just more mindless babbling from a delusional clueless man.
46 Posted 05/01/2016 at 20:30:14
47 Posted 05/01/2016 at 20:38:39
£57 million maybe!
49 Posted 05/01/2016 at 20:40:53
51 Posted 05/01/2016 at 20:47:15
Everton have a quality set of players more than capable of getting into the top 4, the sad thing is Martinez does not know how to use these quality players. He hasn't got the know how of who can play with who I believe that he just favours players for his liking. Let's face it, why put Kone playing out wide on the left like a winger when he is a striker when he has a quality winger such as Mirallas sitting fit on the bench? Amazes me that does.
I believe in putting your best and fittest attacking team you got out on the pitch from the start and going for the kill straight away attacking at all times and attacking the ball straight away when the other team is coming at you closing them down and out immediately. Whatever the situation is on the field attack it immediately don't give them no room to do fuck all, no excuses.
Martinez is full of excuses I'm afraid. I'd hate to see Naismith go and as for Mirallas I think he will go in January. Martinez keeps saying that Mirallas is in his long term plans so why isn't he playing him ?
52 Posted 05/01/2016 at 20:49:47
54 Posted 05/01/2016 at 21:07:03
55 Posted 05/01/2016 at 21:16:08
In midfield we have Lennon, Deulofeu, McGeady, Osman, Gibson, Pienaar, Oviedo, Cleverley, Barry, Besic, McCarthy, Mirallas, Barkley, Ledson & McAleny. That's 15 players competing for maybe 5 places, which is crazily top heavy.
If you look at the difference in Martinez's first successful season and the very frustrating last 18 months, what stands out is that Pienaar and Osman have hardly played since that first season.
It's players like that with quick feet and who keep the ball and draw fouls that we need.
56 Posted 05/01/2016 at 22:16:35
Our manager is a spin doctor of the first order, a Peter Mandelson of football. Our squad is paper-thin in places!
I just watched Stoke's awful display against the RS, who, by the end, had lost 3 players to hammy problems! The Evertonian from Wallasey had a great chance at the death to equalise, and he flippin' missed!
I was almost as gutted as watching us screw-up the big games, as I could stomach Stoke beating us at Wembley,
but not that shower of shite!
57 Posted 05/01/2016 at 23:08:01
We need a keeper, a #10, a left wing and a backup striker( if Rom goes down, we're screwed). The right players in could make a difference.
59 Posted 06/01/2016 at 00:33:00
That is stoopid.
60 Posted 06/01/2016 at 00:48:05
It's really not large by the standards of teams regularly looking to get into a top four place. It's simply that yes we can let some actually not bad players leave but not without replacing them in a way that improves our ability to cope with injuries and suspensions and loss of form. I'd accept a degree of gamble on younger, even lower league players who are still surprisingly pricey. But if anyone thinks that letting Naismith leave, even for £8m, without replacing him makes sense...well I'm at a loss to understand the thinking. If Rom is unavailable for any length of time we are royally screwed. Kone as our only recognized forward ??? Gerri can in part be covered by Mirallas but the latter should be wide left in the same 11, not bench warming because Marrinez is so blinkered about Kone. Gibson is a prat who at some clubs would have been sacked by now but I honestly think that he has quality tho I guess we do have four decent players when fit for the two defensive midfielder roles the manager insists on playing every game.
I can see that there is cover at left back, less sure about the right tho and as we have seen we are short an experienced Centre Back to help these younger less experienced players stop shipping goals at a rate of knots. And don't get me started again on the bloody goal keeper position !!
So basically it's top four or bust says the mgr if we are to keep at least two of those four superstars. He almost seems to be preparing the ground doesn't he.....we resisted last window....blah blah phenomenal.....but get ready for some serious selling if we don't make top four. He may well be right about this in terms of how those players might respond but given he's responsible for us not competing for top four at present its hard to hear him utter such crap.
In the short term I really think we can overcome City and if we get a couple of key players back like Jags we can reduce the goals conceded and pray for Rom's good health. So maybe Bobby can make fools of some like me and suddenly put together a top four challenge ? I'd be delighted to look very stupid if that happens. But if Martinez really thinks we don't need a couple of additions right now he cannot be remotely serious.
61 Posted 06/01/2016 at 02:07:34
The perverse thing about RM's comments is that if football decided the team selection then the only players who should have played consistently this season are Lukaku, Delboy and... *gulp* Barry.
The other twisted part is Kone is probably getting the nod over Kev due to his willingness to get back and defend (he's better at defending than he is at attacking, anyway) but it is our defense that is the most rubbish.
64 Posted 06/01/2016 at 09:02:44
We as supporters have identified the positions we want to see filled, GK CH and CF and a mature Number 10 playmaker; if he wasn't playing for the shite I would have Moutino and I also like Shelvey...
Shame we didn't spent the cash on Scott Dann although Funes Mori is improving each game we still lack a bit of height at the back. Is their another Davy Weir out there or can we bring him in to sort our defence?
65 Posted 06/01/2016 at 09:41:35
While there is some deadwood, I'd have hoped Roberto would be looking to sign a couple. Possibly a goalie, left back and a young Pienaar-type.
66 Posted 06/01/2016 at 11:05:43
67 Posted 06/01/2016 at 12:16:33
68 Posted 06/01/2016 at 12:58:24
There is simply no point having McGeady, Gibson, Ossie or Hibbert in the squad if he does not plan to play them. For Oviedo and Pienaar, I think he wants to give them games but knows he has to manage them very carefully.
69 Posted 06/01/2016 at 14:26:38
The more nonsense this man spouts, the more it makes my blood boil.
70 Posted 06/01/2016 at 14:52:35
Mirallas of course is a case in point, he can turn a potential lost cause into a game winner with his eye for an opening, Naismith with his strength enthusiasm and work rate can cause chaos in opposing defences, Why Martinez refuses to employ two of the most talented wing players at the same time in Miralles Lennon and Delboy to provide Lukaku with the crosses he can feed on is a complete mystery,I wouldn't dismiss Kone completely as he does have his moments and it's all been said about Howard.
71 Posted 06/01/2016 at 15:07:09
72 Posted 06/01/2016 at 15:15:08
73 Posted 06/01/2016 at 15:43:17
74 Posted 06/01/2016 at 15:46:49
So much so that I dropped him afterwards and brought back the hapless Kone!
75 Posted 06/01/2016 at 15:47:45
Moyes was good at this and, to be fair, RM has been too to an extent.
Felliani - McCarthy
Anichebe/Jelavic - Lukaku
Distin - Mori
If Naismith does leave we need to replace him with a better quality player.
There are players who can be shipped out without needing to be replaced: McGeady, Osman and Gibson.
Then for the team's evolution we need to replace the following with 'next-level' players: Howard, Kone and Jags. I think you replace these three players with higher quality players and we could be aiming very high....
76 Posted 06/01/2016 at 18:28:54
77 Posted 06/01/2016 at 18:36:32
78 Posted 07/01/2016 at 11:29:09
79 Posted 07/01/2016 at 23:24:05
So I am not such who you think expanded the squad so much. All you have done over the course of 3 seasons in buy in players who you have either loaned back out, our bought players you have had in loan, Barry, Lukaku etc.
Like everyone else, I am a bit tired of the spin put on everything. The government should getting Bobby as spokesperson for the floods. Sure he would put a great positive spin on it. "It has provided a wonderful chance for the community to work together, which we would have had if we hadn't seen the floods."
80 Posted 08/01/2016 at 13:40:53
81 Posted 08/01/2016 at 13:44:31
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3 Posted 05/01/2016 at 16:19:54