Everton boss Roberto Martinez says Arsenal have been the ‘outstanding’ team of the season so far and that his side’s 1-1 draw at the Emirates was their best performance of the season eclipsing even Wednesday night’s victory over Manchester United.
Reflecting on a barnstorming clash at the Emirates the Spaniard spoke with pride at the manner in which his squad handled themselves.
“You cannot underestimate the quality of this Arsenal side – they have been the outstanding team so far this season – but from our point of view today I couldn’t be more proud,” he told the Everton official website.
“I thought today was as good as we have been away from home. The first-half performance was exactly what we want to do.
“You always want to improve and the challenge is to reflect that superiority in the scoreline. But I’ve not seen a team come to the Emirates this season and do what we have done today.
“The way we kept the ball and took it away from Arsenal and imposed ourselves, that meant the game was there for us.”
It’s not for nothing that Everton have the fewest defeats in the league so far this season, the likeable Martinez has them playing football of real attacking guile and with the experienced heads of Howard, Jagielka and Distin at the back they’ve solid defensive foundations.
Critics might suggest seven draws from an opening 15 games is too many, but when you’re a new manager inheriting a team and trying to impose new ideas it’s really quite impressive. They’ve got a six point advantage of former manager Groundskeeper Willie to boot.
Good on them. Let’s hope they cause more rivals the same problems they caused us. And then roll over in the reverse fixture in April.
Looking ahead, if he keeps up his record at Everton, I’d love to see him take over when Arsene decides to call it a day.
He ticks all the boxes – experience managing premiership sides, a great record of nurturing young talent and gets his teams playing superb football.
His principles about attacking football are in the right place, but I’m still not convinced about his sides defensively. Wigan were a shambles last year, his Swansea side weren’t the tightest and at Everton it must be said he’s inherited a well-drilled and experienced back 4. It’ll be interesting to see Everton in a couple of seasons, once he’s had to construct a defence himself.
So he’s just like Arsene? 😀
Despite Everton playing well only an Inspired performance from Howard stopped us from grabbing all three points.
Its either him, Klopp, Rudi Garcia or Murat Yakin. I would love to see one of them inherit the Holy Puffer Jacket from Le Prof someday.
Holy puffer jacket lol that’s brilliant.
Rudi Garcia loves Gervinho, so that counts him out for me
Super lad. If the time comes, or should I say when the time comes, he might be the right guy for us.
He’s a top class pundit as well!
It was a great match yesterday. Everton is a club I have no ill will towards really, I always cheer them on (not support) when they play the Mugsmashers. Sucks to drop 2 points but rather take 1 instead of none. Also, to all “Gooners” that are complaining that the Pole between the poles should have stop that shot from that super talented lad, Piss Off!! I would like to see anyone of ya even stop a fizzing low ball. That was a superb strike from a young man who will probably go on to do great things in his… Read more »
He seems like a decent chap, Martinez. He’s one of the most positive thinkers out there in terms of managers. Doesn’t really complain, just gets on with it. Everton are playing some really nice football. I just hope we can absolutely spank them when we visit Goodison. Might need one of them to get sent off though, which was what I was hoping for yesterday, because they’re so solid defensively. I think we needed Theo on earlier in the game. He gives us that other attacking option that no one else does. He allows us to play more expansively, let… Read more »
If/when Wenger goes, he has to be in the running to replace him. He’s the only manager who could deliver that “everyone thinks they have the most attractive wife at home” quote with the requisite style and impishness. As you can tell my criteria for assessing our next manager solely consists of “ability to wind up managers of major opposing teams”.
Roberto Martinez is a brilliant manager. Not many teams come to the Emirates and give us a game like Everton did last night. Best team we’ve played this season hands down. Hope they pick off points against our rivals too.
They beat Chelsea and Manchester United and drew with Spurs and Liverpool.
The only game they lost this season was away to City.
So they already have don us that justice.
I think most people thought Moyes was genuinely doing a good job at Everton i.e. for what they were and the kind of resources they had, they did about as well as can be expected.
Well, Martinez has put the lie to that. He’s obviously made some astute signings in the summer but that’s part of being a manager as well. They play good football and also get results. I agree, when that day comes, in the distant future, he would seem to fit well at the Emirates.
Plus, he seems a really decent bloke.
Good team, great game, intriguing manager.
My respect to them, very likeable how they handle themselves. I’m sure Wenger has plenty to analyse though and shall figure out how to unlock them when we next meet.
Klopp or martinez?Klopp-thumb up, Martinez-thumb down.
Sir Aubergine Face won the title aged 71. Arsene Wenger is only 63 and looks fitter than most of us fans.
Let’s hope this season is the beginning of a proper Arsenal ‘dynasty’ under Wenger which lasts to the year 2020 and beyond.
Laudrup!
did you drop something?
Wow tied at 68 votes each!
Love Roberto and all, classy and all the rest, but lets not get ahead of ourselves. He isn’t Arsenal quality…just yet. In time? Maybe, but hasn’t priced to me he could manage a club of our stature. Wenger til he dies!
Not sure if Martinez is a great fit either but keep in mind that before he arrived none would count Wenger as fitting to “a club of our stature”
He’s a good Spain man but do you think if it come down to it he wouldn’t eat a biscuit? He would eat a biscuit. You know he would eat a biscuit.
I have many biscuit but he may not partake of them for they are mine.
Your comment is a little hard to digest, I’ve read it several times now and I still don’t understand it !
I think you just won the most brilliant comment award.. Here, have a biscuit.
I really miss Rambling Pete.
If pundits were to be believed we should have been about 9th by this time in the season. just a shame manu beat us to it……Meh i guess we’ll have to settle for being top.
He is a classy manager. the league could do with a few more of them. Pardew, I am looking at you.
If I was Martinez, I would be totally pissed off with MotD for completely editing out his teams first half domination and only showuing the Arsenal chances.
If I hadn’t seen the match myself, I wouldn’t be able to comprehend just how well Everton played right from the very first minute.
They did play well in the first half but didn’t really create any chances. Not sure how you would edit that into a highlight reel.
I like Martinez and I thought Everton played very well but the mutual love fest is starting to grate a bit. We should have won it.
I see your point and considered that myself. but when you look aqt how much other crap the show was filled with, there could have been a little more context included. For example include the kick-off and run the first minute or so as if it was live and use cut-away edits when the phase of play cames to nought. Several other attacks, despite no real end product could have been used. It’s not like MotD make any real effort to keep the chronolgy of games, half the time. I am sure the editors are more than capable of reflecting… Read more »
When Wenger came to Arsenal no one really knew he would be total class – Martinez would be a good shout for when Wenger hangs up his puffer jacket lol he got a lot from his players when at Wigan don’t forget
I already admired Martinez for his dignity, honesty and football philosophy – now I can officially like him. Unlike the unctuous, self-obsessed hypocrite at Stamford Bridge.
Martinez has done a better job in 6 months than Moe Syzlack done in 11 years at Everton, they used to be a negative boring team to watch. No surprise to see them doing well and ManUre making an arse of it. My mate is a Utd fan and reckons Moyes is the right man for the job, funny that coz i do too. He’s doing a great job hahaha. As for Martinez or Klopp, i’d take Klopp
I remember they looked certain for the drop when Moyes took over and now they’re comfortably a top-half of the table team which was down to him, I know how hilarious it is that he’s unable to get the performances out of a mediocre side that the previous manager could but we shouldn’t rewrite history on the basis of a good 3 months for Everton.
There are survivors and there are winners in Football.
Pulis (Dennis forgive me) is a good manager if you want to avoid relegation. But he isn’t a winner. Never.
I think the same of Moyes. Boring, boring consistency.
I am glad he is there too. While he is they aren’t a threat.
Moyes at ManU for life!!!
best manager for manure as far as i am concerned
remember the guy was appointed for consistently keeping everton at mid premier league table over the years and now……..he’s keeping ManU there too!…….so what’s the fuss?
he should keep up the good work……hahahahahahhaha
Southampton played as good and kept ball better and even had more shots
Hey there like Moyes better. I hope y’all slow down on the martinez praises and Moyes bashing. We need Moyes to stay a long time in manure utd.
I can’t stop laughing at you all i don’t care really if martinez is doing well or not or if he should take it from Mr Wenger for all i can say is Wenger remains the man for us and none of the mentioned above can fit into his shoe but when wenger finally step down we can get someone unique watch out for how wenger will break them at their ground men shout out to my Team Arsenal I love you guys andd keep the winning spirit alive am always rooting for you guys cheers!
Gareth Barry & Ross Barkley worthy of the World cup squad anyone reckon? They’ve been really outstanding this season so far.
“Gareth Barry … been really outstanding this season …”, said no one in their right mind, ever.
Barkeley, without a doubt should go and Barry just needs to be better than Gerrard at DM to get to Brazil so probably both.
Wenger will be around for the foreseeable near future so I don’t give a rats ass about who might succeed him. Everton might have deserved a point but I really wish we could have held on for those 8 minutes. The same way the pundits don’t give us any respect albeit our position and points haul, is the same way Everton is not getting credit for how good a team they are. For the December games, I was more worried about Everton than Man $hitty and I hope their play at the Emirates doesn’t spur them on to the point… Read more »
Can we agree that the word is Everton played at the top of their game and we were a little off ours? Unless you want to say that Everton forced us to be off and that was the only reason we were off, which I don’t agree with, then I think we have a lot to be encouraged with. I am certainly biased because I love Arsenal but there is no doubt we are a better team than we showed yesterday and the fact they had to rally on that late goal (which was nobodys fault) it was just a… Read more »
By the way. Since I am watching the games from here in America I am Not sure this situation is the same in the UK but is it my imagination or do the announcers never want to give credit to Arsenal. I get very frustrated listening to them seem to make excuses for why we are winning and waiting for them to say that it’s going to catch up to us.
it’s because Stewart Robson does the commentary & he axe an axe to grind with Wenger so therefore always belittles his team/tactics yet is soo quick to praise the opponents.
I bet he came in his pants when RVP scored against us.
Everton and Maritinez are doing well and I wish him all the best, he is a likeable fellow with a good philosophy to the game. but let’s not get to ‘flavour of the month”. remember, Laudrup did very well some seasons past with Swans and Pardew with Newcastle. Ponchenttinno more recently with Southampton. Martinez let’s not forget was struggling with Wigan not too long back for a long while. I’m not sure how revolutionary he is. rather he has bought and borrowed well this summer and has also inherited a solid squad built by (let’ not forget either) Moyes (who… Read more »
Piecrust71 likes Martinez.
He’s a good bloke. That’d be enough for me!
Hughes? Pubis? Aubergine face (very well put!)? Mourinho?… Cock spanners.
Given a choice it’d definitely be someone like Martinez.
Everton played a very good game. but I thought it was a bit churlish to suggest that they were the better side in the first half even. They had a lot of possession but we were he more creative going forward with the better chances. Thought Giroud’s shot was superb and very unfortunate not to go in and win us all 3 points. It would certainly have been a contender for goal of the month. Felt more like we ‘dropped’ the points because : 1) There was a golden opportunity to go 7 clear with Chelsea and City slipping up.… Read more »
Edu and Tsardom, the commentating issue with Arsenal is out of hand right now. We get Stewart Robson commentating in our part of the world as well. He made calls that replays showed to be incorrect, accused the ref of being influenced by the home support, and his smug, uncritical, and anti-analytical ‘commentary’ taught us nothing about the game taking place but regularly and monotonously revealed his small mind and Bizarro bias against the Arsenal. Robson must go, the damned fool. There’s some fine commentators doing Serie A and the Bundesliga and they always remind me how much knowledgeable, unbiased,… Read more »
I want Wenger to stay until he want to retire himself when he is 70 years old or above
Re: wank commentary.
I suppose it could be a bit of ying and yang.
There’s so much light shining from our bottoms the world probably needs the hoard of nut monkeys to restore a bit of balance!
Fuck ’em… we’re great, it’s fantastic.
Come on the Arsenal.