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Is Roberto Martinez ready to take Everton to the next level?

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MartinezCOVERThe prime worry among Evertonians when, in the summer of 2013, Roberto Martinez succeeded David Moyes at the Goodison Park helm, was that the savvy Spanish boss would turn the Toffees into a version of his Wigan Athletic teams.  A set of fans that had come to rely on their side’s defensive resilience and organisation, – traits that weren’t sacrificed even as Everton became more expansive in Moyes’ latter years in charge – harboured fears that they were about to embark on an era which would involve a string of thrilling defeats, with an occasional crackerjack victory thrown in to soothe the senses.

Martinez’s achievement in retaining Wigan’s Premier League status in three of his four years in charge at the Lancashire club cannot be underestimated.  Nevertheless, throughout that time, a suspicion dogged the Catalan that he didn’t possess the substance to match his undoubted style.  In his four years at the DW Stadium, Martinez’s Wigan conceded 79, 61, 62 and 73 Premier League goals.

The Latics, under their young manager, were perhaps best summed up during the week that they famously lifted the 2013 FA Cup.  Four days before their adventurous and tactically supreme slaying of Manchester City at Wembley, Wigan served up a woeful defensive display to lose 3-2 at home to Swansea City – a result that all but did for the Lancashire club’s top-flight life.

Martinez’s first term on Merseyside dispelled all the anxieties held by any sceptical Blues’ supporters – and more.  Only Chelsea and Manchester City, in 2013/2014, let in fewer goals than Everton’s 39.  Much more importantly, Martinez’s new charges adapted to his methods in lightning quick time, playing a brand of football that had Evertonians heralding a return to their cherished ‘School of Science’ days – all the while delighting in Moyes’ travails in Manchester.

Against that background, then, the porous manner in which the Toffees have begun this campaign has come as a bolt from the blue.  Conceding two at Leicester, the same number at home against Arsenal and a staggering six when Chelsea went to Goodison plainly didn’t augur well for what lay ahead.

Despite that sloppy start, the international break seemed to have come at just the right time for Martinez’s team, returning as they did with a comfortable 2-0 at West Brom and terrific 4-1 Europa League triumph over a strong Wolfsburg outfit.

If, after those two results, the first three games of the season were swiftly being discounted as an aberration, Sunday’s shock 3-2 loss against an energetic Crystal Palace has turned the narrative back on its head.

It is rapidly becoming apparent that John Stones’ long-term future, England appearances notwithstanding, is as a centre-half.  With Seamus Coleman missing at the weekend, Stones shifted across to right-back, a position in which the 20 year-old never cuts the calm, classy figure that he is when deployed in the middle of defence.

Stones can’t be criticised, however, for not filling the attacking boots of Coleman.  While Arsenal’s raiding full-backs are frequently exposed at the top-level, and Rojo and Rafael were similarly caught out for Manchester United at Leicester, Coleman and Leighton Baines have made an art form of surging forward from the wide defensive spots – often picking each other out with crosses at the very top end of the pitch.

Everton’s full-backs are given license to pour forward with impunity, due to the mastery and tirelessness of Gareth Barry and James McCarthy in the holding midfield berths.  That duo are repeatedly found plugging the gaps left by Baines and Coleman, but never at the expense of shielding their centre-backs and offering some enterprise higher up the field.

It makes for some spellbinding football, but when it misfires the results are spectacular – especially if the central defenders are not on song.  Sylvain Distin has endured an uncharacteristically poor opening to his campaign (the Frenchman actually sat out the West Brom and Wolfsburg matches) and, although he has shown more encouraging signs in the past fortnight, Phil Jagielka is patently encumbered by the mental fall-out from his rough World Cup experience with England.

Martinez was well-backed by his chairman Bill Kenwright in the summer market.  Romelu Lukaku’s permanent capture was secured for £28m, Barry’s loan move was made permanent and £4m was paid to prize the ball-playing Bosnian Muhamed Besic from Hungarian side Ferencvaros.  Moreover, a club recently renowned for selling its prized assets, Everton tied a number of their standout performers to long-term deals.

Kenwright has worked to give Martinez a very strong hand, with which to build on his outstanding first-year.  It will be fascinating to see how he plays it.

Paul McNamara has just published ‘The More We Win, The Better We Will Be‘, a behind-the-scenes glimpse of a non-league football club that offers the unusual opportunity of viewing an entire football season at one club from multiple viewpoints. To follow Paul on Twitter and grab a discount code, please follow this link.

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