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Ten-man Blues hold out for a point at Palace

Crystal Palace 0 - 0 Everton

Arouna Kone made a rare appearance on the team sheet as Roberto Martinez searches for answers to his team's recent struggles
James McCarthy was sent off for two bookable offences but Everton held on to claim a point from an at-times entertaining but goalless draw.
The Irish international picked up a yellow card for a late tackle on Yohan Cabaye in the first half and was given his marching orders by referee Mike Jones early in the second period for a block on Yannick Bolasie.
Despite late pressure from the home side, however, the Blues coped fairly well despite playing the last 40 minutes a man down and claimed a draw that lifts them into 12th in the Premier League table on the much-vaunted 40-point threshold.
Nominally, at least, Martinez's team contained two strikers as Arouna Kone replaced Gerard Deulofeu while, as expected, Ramiro Funes Mori came in for the injured Phil Jagielka. Deulofeu was named on the bench alongside Kevin Mirallas and Steven Pienaar was included among the substitutes as well after recovering from his latest knock.
Looking to build on their first win of 2016, Palace started on the front foot, testing the Everton defence with direct balls.
Joel Robles had to come out of his box to head clear and then save one-handed from Yannick Bolasie in the first instance while Stones's tackle was enoiugh to put Gayle off and the forward's first-time shot went wide.
Apart from an early opening when Ross Barkley collected Romelu Lukaku's pass into the box but he was closed down and his delayed shot was eventually blocked, Everton struggled to get going until Baines crossed first time to the back post and Coleman's side-foot volley was turned behind by Wayne Hennessey.
As the game opened up, the Blues began to assert themselves more and Kone latched onto a loose pass by Barkley and drove a shot just over the bar. Barkley then slipped Lukaku in with a nice pass but Hennessey quickly closed the angle and foiled the Belgian with a blocking save before Seamus Coleman's deflected effort was eventually gathered by the 'keeper.
At the other end, Palace came very close to opening the scoring when Gayle's overhead kick from Joel Ward's looping header flew inches past the post. And Funes Mori almost diverted the ball into his own net as Zaha terrorised the visiting defence and crossed low towards the six-yard box but the ball flew over the bar for a corner.
Everton were unchanged after the break while Palace withdrew Gayle in favour of Conor Wickham but it was Everton who had the better of the opening few minutes of the second half.
A double penalty claim was waved away as Coleman stumbled but didn't stay down under a challenge and his cross appeared to strike a defender's hand. And from the same attack, Barkley slammed a terrific shot off the crossbar.
That early impetus was potentially disrupted, however, when McCarthy blocked off Bolasie as he threatened to burst down Palace's left and collected a second yellow card. Martinez withdrew Kone immediately and threw on Muhamed Besic to shore up midfield.
Everton responded to the setback by upping their possession game and putting more pressure on Palace's back line but they almost succumbed at the other end when Mile Jedinak put Jason Puncheon in but Robles came off his line quickly to save well. And the Spaniard had to make another stop down low to deny Zaha when the ball came back in.
John Stones, meanwhile, had a decent chance with a header off a corner but put it straight at Hennessey and Robles had to make another fairly comfortable save as Cabaye tried to curl a shot past him mid-way through the second period. A minute later, great skill by Puncheon ended with him testing Robles with a bending effort but the 'keeper pushed his shot away one-handed.
Lennon was then taken off with Bryan Oviedo coming on to provide further defensive reinforcements but Palace had the momentum by this stage and another substitute Adebayor headed wide from Puncheon's cross when he might have done better.
Everton's chief threat was increasingly on the break and a three-man assault led by Barkley unfortunately ended with Oviedo's cross being blocked behind with Lukaku lurking in the centre.
Palace kept coming forward going into the last 10 minutes, though, and Wickham missed two good chances to break the deadlock but mis-kicked the first effort and then headed high and wide from a cross.
Funes Mori's burst out of defence with seven minutes left almost caught Hennessey out when his speculative drive took a heavy deflection but the 'keeper batted the ball out of the air and claimed the loose ball.
Full coverage: ToffeeWeb match page
Reader Comments (104)
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2 Posted 13/04/2016 at 19:07:08
3 Posted 13/04/2016 at 19:08:28
4 Posted 13/04/2016 at 19:10:02
5 Posted 13/04/2016 at 19:11:57
Robles;
Coleman, Stones, Funes Mori, Baines;
Deulofeu, McCarthy, Barry, Mirallas;
Lukaku/Kone, Niasse.
Barkley and Lukaku have been very poor in the last few and Deulofeu and Mirallas haven't been given a single run of games to prove themselves!
Ffs
6 Posted 13/04/2016 at 19:17:04
7 Posted 13/04/2016 at 19:17:37
8 Posted 13/04/2016 at 19:20:20
Otherwise there is no excuse whatsoever for leaving Mirallas out at Kone's expense.
9 Posted 13/04/2016 at 19:27:12
10 Posted 13/04/2016 at 19:36:01
11 Posted 13/04/2016 at 19:41:16
Please, Martinez, just fuck off.
12 Posted 13/04/2016 at 19:43:28
And Deulofeu, Mirallas and Niasse all on the bench: has our manager got a death wish?
13 Posted 13/04/2016 at 19:46:17
14 Posted 13/04/2016 at 19:54:56
I think Kone helped a lot earlier on in the season for Lukaku to score goals.
16 Posted 13/04/2016 at 19:58:03
Two plus two will most certainly equal four in such an equation.
This stubborn, out-of-his-depth, tactical turncoat, morale-destroying (on and off the field), blind-to-the-obvious, dickhead of a manager will get us relegated if we allow him a fourth attempt at doing his job again next season.
17 Posted 13/04/2016 at 19:58:14
18 Posted 13/04/2016 at 20:27:13
Everyone seems to be walking. It looks like they are pretending to put a show on but at a slow pace. Its almost like taking a bung to drop the game and the bung is Martinez losing his job.
19 Posted 13/04/2016 at 20:33:09
20 Posted 13/04/2016 at 20:41:30
21 Posted 13/04/2016 at 20:44:07
22 Posted 13/04/2016 at 21:02:21
So we have United to look forward to in the Semi.
As the minutes go by, I get more and more bewildered at what's going on with my beloved club. I hope this second half is better.
23 Posted 13/04/2016 at 21:08:52
24 Posted 13/04/2016 at 21:09:10
25 Posted 13/04/2016 at 21:16:31
26 Posted 13/04/2016 at 21:34:48
27 Posted 13/04/2016 at 21:53:40
Second-half spirit slightly better but dire stuff.
28 Posted 13/04/2016 at 21:56:43
Please God let me wake up from this nightmare. This is like getting your teeth extracted one by one without any pain relief!
30 Posted 13/04/2016 at 21:59:45
31 Posted 13/04/2016 at 21:59:49
Thought the ref had an all round shocker too. In the way of the play, bottled decisions, missed things.
32 Posted 13/04/2016 at 22:00:10
If this ends up as the Cup Final, I don't think I'll even try to get a ticket.
33 Posted 13/04/2016 at 22:01:56
34 Posted 13/04/2016 at 22:02:47
This game was not on Canadian TV.
35 Posted 13/04/2016 at 22:03:04
37 Posted 13/04/2016 at 22:07:07
This manager is totally incompetent and needs to go. Unfortunately it won't be before the FA Cup semi-final now.
38 Posted 13/04/2016 at 22:08:35
39 Posted 13/04/2016 at 22:11:02
Lukaku trialing for a job with Barcelona police on point duty, only reason I can see why he keeps waving his arms, plus is so generous he likes to give the ball to the opposition as much as he can.
Martinez's new master plan, as we played so well with ten men. He will take this further and send out nine for the next match based on the phenomenal way we play better with less on the field.
Barkley to go to Spec Savers so he can see where his own team are when he wants to pass, next Lennon who did so well on the right wing now. Switched to the left? So next game he will be centre back as he can head as well as most in our team.
You heard his plans here first... 'phenomenal'!
40 Posted 13/04/2016 at 22:11:57
41 Posted 13/04/2016 at 22:12:27
10 men on the pitch and he walks everywhere! I mean, for fuck sakes! Get behind the ball and then sprint up field when we get it back, absolutely shocking attitude, not to mention his terrible first touches and shotgun accuracy passes.
I was hoping Niasse would come on for him, sounds like he's willing to play for the team.
42 Posted 13/04/2016 at 22:12:41
Having said that, the lads did do a good job keeping Palace out, in order to keep Martinez from getting more egg on his face!
43 Posted 13/04/2016 at 22:13:47
In fact, I'd stare not out, but at the window pane before watching Everton again this season. I'm not angry, I'm just sooo tired...
44 Posted 13/04/2016 at 22:13:57
I'm getting really bored of watching the same players perform at a consistently poor level, week-in & week-out. FFS Martinez, shake it up a bit will you, change things around a bit, give Niasse a run out, put Lennon back where he's was so effective a couple of weeks ago, start Besic, Mirallas, even Pienaar. DO SOMETHING DIFFFERENT!
45 Posted 13/04/2016 at 22:14:01
Comedy gold!
46 Posted 13/04/2016 at 22:15:07
Get away to fuck you bullshitter.
I will always be thankful that Martinez seen an end to the Moyes era... but this guy is a fucking tube.
47 Posted 13/04/2016 at 22:15:17
I would have preferred Mirallas or Deulofeu to start ahead of Kone who gets the nod ahead of 㾹.5M Niasse go figure that? Wont get any better sitting on the bench?
I thought Robles kept us in the game, but we still give too many free headers in the box. Lukaku never gets on the end of any crosses I don't think he won one header all night.
I've never seen Martinez so animated shouting and screaming instructions. Has he ever given any consideration to the fact we have no on-field leadership? Overall, it was a much improved performance in the second half but hardly anything to write home.
48 Posted 13/04/2016 at 22:17:29
49 Posted 13/04/2016 at 22:19:52
Getting confidence for the semi was the only positive from the game. We kept a clean sheet with 10 men and Joel played a blinder. Apart from that, Rom looked isolated for much of the match and normal service resumed.
50 Posted 13/04/2016 at 22:20:05
51 Posted 13/04/2016 at 22:20:55
"Kone to get a brace, I can feel it"
Not a chance in hell, his teeth are perfectly straight and besides he's no dentist would fit one at his age!
52 Posted 13/04/2016 at 22:22:05
53 Posted 13/04/2016 at 22:23:41
54 Posted 13/04/2016 at 22:24:41
How McCarthy got 2 yellows and Cabaye didn't even get one is beyond me as was the lack of a penalty for a clear trip on Seamus.
Weird substitutions though and if Lennon wasn't injured a disgraceful decision to take him off.
I thought Robles looked a bit shaky but brought off some brilliant saves.
55 Posted 13/04/2016 at 22:25:41
Clutching at straws however. Team selection questionable. Performance pathetic in the first half against a poor team and no signs of anything different or any improvement. Ultimately we were lucky to get a point.
Banners please in all parts of Goodison on Saturday: "Martinez out now".
Put Unsworth in charge until season end. A true battling blue who knows how to defend.
56 Posted 13/04/2016 at 22:26:17
57 Posted 13/04/2016 at 22:28:22
58 Posted 13/04/2016 at 22:29:25
59 Posted 13/04/2016 at 22:36:06
Take your pick who that comment refers to.
60 Posted 13/04/2016 at 22:37:18
Taking until mid April to get to 40 points is totally unacceptable. So disappointed with the last 2 seasons and becoming immune to results and performances.
No joy whatsoever watching us play this boring unattractive style. The sending off will give Martinez yet another excuse which is a great pity.
61 Posted 13/04/2016 at 22:37:54
62 Posted 13/04/2016 at 22:39:18
63 Posted 13/04/2016 at 22:44:54
2 holding midfielders is our major problem in terms of a speedy transition up the pitch.
Always was from day one of the Spaniard's reign 3 years ago...sigh.
64 Posted 13/04/2016 at 22:47:39
65 Posted 13/04/2016 at 22:50:36
I would give the job to a British manager. The Burnley or Birmingham manager would do for me. Can't be any worse than this!!
66 Posted 13/04/2016 at 22:51:15
Man Utd in the semi-final too, love to beat them and then lift the cup (just dreaming really).
67 Posted 13/04/2016 at 22:52:19
68 Posted 13/04/2016 at 23:01:19
I hope Besic can step up but this is the key area of the team to sign a good player.
69 Posted 13/04/2016 at 23:05:33
I am afraid Lukaku has an over-inflated opinion of himself and his ability.
70 Posted 13/04/2016 at 23:06:36
Good shifts put in by Coleman and Lennon.
Twat of a ref.
One more thing..
Nick Entwistle (43) - 'I was watching At. Madrid v Barcelona online. We also had the West Ham v Utd game on TV. I'd even take the Bayern game before considering Everton tonight. In fact, I'd stare not out, but at the window pane before watching Everton again this season. I'm not angry, I'm just sooo tired.'
I find that odd - you can't be arsed watching Everton (preferring to watch two Spanish sides) and that you won't be watching again for the rest of the season because you're 'sooo tired', yet you're not too tired to post on TW every 10 fucking mins giving us your alehouse blowhard nonsense.
Maybe Barcaweb would be more you thing?
71 Posted 13/04/2016 at 23:15:26
We need a spiteful bastard in midfield. An absolute dog who can drag 100% out of his team mates. A bonus is that he can play to a good standard.
An old saying: "If you have a good team spirit, it doesn't guarantee you will win trophies. If you don't have a good team spirit, it guarantees that you won't win trophies."
72 Posted 13/04/2016 at 23:16:18
73 Posted 13/04/2016 at 23:18:17
Yet again, we are so one paced, no movement from our so-called 'diamond' that for me has become a market stall piece of junk jewelry.
There is one person and his coaching staff to blame for all this crap we have had to watch for the last two seasons.
How much longer do we have to put up with this totally unacceptable dearth of football that belittles Our Great Club???
74 Posted 13/04/2016 at 23:18:44
75 Posted 13/04/2016 at 23:23:28
76 Posted 13/04/2016 at 23:34:22
77 Posted 13/04/2016 at 23:35:20
78 Posted 13/04/2016 at 23:42:24
79 Posted 13/04/2016 at 23:47:56
Kenny Bania lives! (that's gold Don, gold!)
80 Posted 13/04/2016 at 23:57:54
Everyone I was watching the game with in my local in DC immediately said we have to sub McCarthy straight away as a second yellow was inevitable. Not hindsight, just an obvious end result. Some players can manage a booking through to the end but I think any Evertonian would not put McCarthy, nor Barry for that matter, in that bracket.
He should have brought on Besic straight away. Oh and Mirallas on for the last 5 minutes or so! He didn't know whether to score a goal or boil an egg.
Piss-poor game management from Martinez, once again.
I despair!
81 Posted 13/04/2016 at 00:02:37
83 Posted 14/04/2016 at 00:28:48
84 Posted 14/04/2016 at 00:38:03
Normally (in seasons gone by) a point away at Palace under their lights, with 10 men for 40 minutes would not be a bad point, all things considered. However, in a season when all hope is lost, our football has become dull and stale and, to be honest, I don't really care anymore (which for me, is my major problem with Martinez, he has actually made me not really care); it's just another hopeful nail in this frauds coffin!
He can bang on all he wants about in-game management, passion and control, when ultimately I genuinely think he as lost sight of his own footballing philosophy. Does he honestly believe we are still an attractive footballing team?
Possession does not define attractiveness! Its what you do with the ball. Leicester are the second worst team in the league for ball retention (I know who I'd rather watch at the moment) but they know how to use the ball when they have it and defend, pressure and manage a game. We don't play as a team, to me we come across as 11 players on a pitch each with their 'role' hoping that its enough to make it work!
Let's face it, he is a small club minded manager, I think he is struggling to deal with the expectations and demands of a bigger club, 40 points/13th place in the league, with a couple of decent cup runs is success for 'smaller' clubs. And whilst I appreciate winning silverware is what we crave most, it doesn't mean the man who delivers it is 'the one' (Di Matteo, Chelsea, Champions League.)
Hopefully we will go on to lift the FA Cup, however this is over 8 games (excluding replays) not all against equal opposition, the Premier League however is 38 games and is where any manager should be judged and for me this one has failed majorly. And for that reason alone, after 3 years his time is up.
Backwards, dull football, Backwards progression! Time to go and get our club moving in the right direction again before it's too late!
85 Posted 14/04/2016 at 00:43:51
Barcaweb is full of people arguing in 3's and diving. There's one guy who can dribble past anyone and another who cheats a lot and bites people.
It's an unpredictable place.
Not as bad as Redshite.web.
86 Posted 14/04/2016 at 00:47:07
Martinez needs to swallow and walk. If Moshiri with a majority shareholding can be trumped on not getting rid of Martinez by Kenwright, then we are in it balls deep and can wave goodbye to a promising team and any thought of moving to the next level.
We were nearly there!! Oviedo is a nice lad (still has the winner from Man Utd in our heads) but was that a good sub? Have any subs or starters been the right decision of late?
You can neglect the Mrs and watch banks of TVs with footy footage all you like, Roberto, but you're getting nowt out of it.
87 Posted 14/04/2016 at 01:32:59
https://youtu.be/VQH8LcAsEvA.
(Just cut to 3 mins 40 secs for the sound that sums us our anguish up.)
88 Posted 14/04/2016 at 07:40:54
89 Posted 14/04/2016 at 08:57:06
Whenever there's a home match these days I think 'Oh no, match on Saturday.' and I plod along and watch the same old crap. I used to enjoy going to the match, I don't now, that saddens me.
Martinez Out.
90 Posted 14/04/2016 at 09:03:13
Lukaku may not be as bad as Benteke yet, but boy he is close. Never liked him, never will. Bugger the goals he scores, it is the opportunities he DOESN'T take that drive me mad.
91 Posted 14/04/2016 at 09:33:49
Any 'Evertonian' stating 'I'm not watching Everton coz we're shit' is imo promoting something more along the lines 'For richer..er..that's it.'
92 Posted 14/04/2016 at 09:42:21
The back 5 played well, Joel in particular looked really comfortable and made some very good saves. John Stones played better than he has for a while and looked really "up for it" for once. as a whole the team showed more fight than they had a for a while.
I can't for the life of me understand why Mirallas isn't playing more now that Romelu has given up the ghost he's the next best goalscorer in our side.
As for McCarthy he has been poor this season and wasn't great last year either but was excellent in his first season. Gareth Barry was awful last season and I wanted shot of him but he's been one of our best performers this season so I'm willing to give McCarthy one more year to show his best form, maybe if he wasn't automatically first choice and spent some time on the bench it might motivate him to improve. Either way, give him the first half of next season and, if he's cack again, get shot of him in January.
93 Posted 14/04/2016 at 10:17:10
I used to get irritated by Ronnie Goodlass's comments as I thought he was being hypercritical. Not now though. It seems to me that Leighton was being diplomatic when he said there was no chemistry.
The lad got it absolutely right but I think what he left unsaid is the truth of it. The team look lacklustre, dispirited and needing a leader at the very least. A bit like the Aston Villa players, in fact.
We're the ones who are lifelong Blues, or who have chosen Everton and many of the stories of how they come to be an Evertonian, are brilliant. Some want Martinez out right now, some say let him carry on until the end of the season, as things might get even worse if he's sacked. Perhaps many more, I don't know, might want him to stay and see what he can do with Mr Moshiri's millions.
Whatever view about Martinez that any Blue has, the players of Everton Football Club are in the middle of it all and trying (I hope!) to do their best to win, if not for the Club and its supporters, then for themselves, the FA Cup!
Personally, I think that Roberto has lost it now; and my hope is that Joe Royle, with perhaps Peter Reid or someone equally capable of firing up our team, would take over until the end of the season. But that might unsettle the players even more than they appear to be now.
I've read of lads saying they're not going again while Martinez is here, or encouraging banners to be taken to the match saying "Martinez Out" or similar.
We have a Chairman who's allegedly a lifelong Blue as well and he is the one (with Mr Moshiri's say so, I would think) who could do something about the situation. He might see things that we don't, or he might disagree that the team is in such a state as many of us believe.
I think that the only thing we can do, is to encourage the team as much as we can during the matches and save the frustration till the end of the game and direct it at whoever they believe is responsible for the mess we are in.
My own view is that Kenwright is responsible and only he can make a change, so on Saturday after the game, I'll be suggesting, in the politest manner possible, that Kenwright gets his arse into gear and either issues a statement of support for Martinez, or takes action to alter the malaise and stands him down.
94 Posted 14/04/2016 at 10:18:45
Well done to Robles and the rest (bar one) who bothered to stay on the pitch.
Lukaku actually had a go at the fans to gee the team up more! Unbelievable. Lazy shite Lukaku did sweet fuck all. He already thinks he's off and therefore owes us nothing. 㿭 million?! Yes please.
95 Posted 14/04/2016 at 10:19:44
96 Posted 14/04/2016 at 10:29:13
97 Posted 14/04/2016 at 10:38:54
Ended up watching First Dates with the missus, turns out some of the people on there had a better odds at scoring than our lot!!
99 Posted 14/04/2016 at 10:51:33
Still no love for the game at the moment and seemingly with more good reason, given our performances.
0-0 is a positive in Martinez's mental mind, which really is indicative of my own personal response to not wanting to watch us play at the moment.
Fucking Martinez.
100 Posted 14/04/2016 at 11:06:14
With regard to Lukaku, if you take away his goals, what exactly does he contribute? I accept he is on his own up front much of the time, but surely he can be coached in the art of holding the ball up?
Given, that I thought we would lose, I suppose a draw isn't to bad. However, the fact we didn't concede a goal in the second half, seemed to me to be down to good fortune than solid defending.
Hopefully, now that we are safe (I think) and we haven't lost, will enable the team to settle down and perhaps hit a bit of form for the big challenges ahead. I mean, a couple of months ago we were playing entertaining football but conceding stupid last minute goals due to bad game management and plain bad luck... perhaps this poor season could still have a silver lining.... or perhaps I'm sounding to much like our brown shoed leader? (Nothing wrong with brown shoes, by the way!)
101 Posted 14/04/2016 at 11:06:56
102 Posted 14/04/2016 at 11:34:54
It seems a chore now, that's why I'm not renewing.
103 Posted 14/04/2016 at 12:15:33
Last night reminded me of that game. Bloody awful.
What the hell are we doing down here luckily drawing with the likes of Palace?
I will be flabbergasted if Martinez is in charge at the end of the season but, knowing our Chairman, he will be. If only we had someone who knew what they were doing running our club.
104 Posted 14/04/2016 at 13:16:42
Lukaku was a disgrace. Never saw him jump to head a ball. If a defender is near him, he refuses to get off his feet. He is lazy and not a team player. Would not be bothered if we sold him.
The ref was rubbish fooled by that cheat Cabaye.
I think the team & club are in a very bad state and that is the legacy Martinez will leave us together with 30-odd thousand Everton supporters who feel like they have been hung, drawn and quartered.
105 Posted 14/04/2016 at 14:34:58
Lennon is a similar type of player, who basically saved our season last year and has gone some way to doing the same this year. Even Kone has some of these attributes, even though I'm yet to be convinced. We should never have let Naismith go, for the same reasons.
106 Posted 14/04/2016 at 15:43:19
Mmm... lets see, Martinez, couldn't keep Wigan in the Premier League, got them relegated, clueless, tactically inept... well, at least with your choice of managers you are consistent.
Once bitten, twice shy you don't agree with then?
107 Posted 14/04/2016 at 15:51:39
108 Posted 14/04/2016 at 19:44:34
My expectations are realistic in whom our next manager will be. Martinez relegated a club that were not even good enough for the Championship. Moyes was a championship manager with no premiership experience. Average squad and no funds year after year with top ten places, top six and top four place. Not bad for a Championship manager.
Who do you think our next manager will be? Let's face it, Martinez is not going. Why? He has not relegated us! Job done! We are not a big club anymore and the past 20 years prove it. So let's be realistic on the next manager coming to Everton.
109 Posted 15/04/2016 at 01:23:42
Oh I see, Burnley's plan, 'as you see it' is to spend lots of money to get where? the Premier league!! then not spend, thus getting relegated to?? the championship!!!
As far as you saying we are not a big club, didn't Benitez say that once,I hope you were not agreeing with him then?
Diego Simeone Athletic Madrid manager for me, hard as nails, excellent defensive coach, everyone works for him, we have the cash so let's not get another yard dog likes of Sean' spend when we go down' Dykes.
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1 Posted 13/04/2016 at 19:06:29