Fan patience wearing thin for Martinez as Everton throw it away
As Dimitri Payet completed a West Ham turnaround at Goodison Park on Saturday it might have felt like a sense of déjà vu for Everton fans.
The Hammers’ come-from-behind 3-2 victory was the third time this season that the Toffees have failed to win a Premier League game having been two goals to the good.
It also signalled their fifth defeat in their last seven home games in the top-flight, leaving the Merseyside club floundering in 12th place and 8/13 (from 2/9 a month ago) to make the top-half by the end of the season.
Failure to do so would be the first time in nearly 15 years that the club have failed to command a position of 10th or higher in consecutive seasons.
And it now appears that manager Roberto Martinez’s backing from the fans is beginning to wane.
Last term it was thought that an extended run in the Europa League was to blame for their indifferent Premier League form, but with no European adventures this time round, excuses are beginning to run out for the Spaniard.
Wonder why Martinez doesn’t bang on about how lucky we were after each win, as it is only down to bad luck when we lose? #efc #martinezout
— Dan (@BlueDanEFC) March 7, 2016
I hope the first thing Farhad Moshiri does in the summer is sack Martinez. He’s holding us back. 3 seasons of bizarre management. #EFC
— Everton Supporters (@EFCsupporters) March 5, 2016
@Everton Visited the website again this morning. Still no announcement about sacking Martinez. Is it blindness or stupidity? #EFC #NSNO
— ClockedToffee (@ClockedToffee) March 7, 2016
Imagine still believing Martinez was still the man for this job. #EFC
— Rob Astell (@RobAstell) March 6, 2016
The decision to substitute Aaron Lennon (one of their most effective players on Saturday) in favour of new striker Oumar Niasse also met with condemnation.
The fact that their club were defending a two-goal lead at the time led many of the social masses to believe that a bit of midfield grit and stability was needed to protect the Toffees’ back four.
But in opting for Senegalese striker, with little Premier League experience instead of tough-tackling veteran of 590 top-flight games Gareth Barry, Martinez made a rod for his own back.
And with talks of a takeover nearing completion, it appears that the majority of fans want a new man in charge when Farhad Moshiri’s buy-out is complete.
A poll run on fan site Grand Old Team puts the ‘Martinez Out’ brigade in a rather strong majority, currently holding 64 per cent of the vote on whether the time is come for a change in the dugout.
An FA quarter-final against Chelsea is by no means a must-win – and at odds of 19/10 the bookies think they won’t – but it does look like patience is beginning to wear thing in the Gwladys Street Stand.
All odds and markets correct as of the date of publishing.