Moving Target – Roberto Martinez

The Premier League managerial merry-go-round continued earlier this week after Everton confirmed the appointment of Roberto Martinez on a four-year contract. The Spaniard fills the vacancy created by David Moyes’ move to Man United and his arrival on Merseyside means that four of last season’s top six will have a new man in charge by the time the 2013/14 campaign gets underway:

Reported to have been part of a three-man shortlist along with Porto’s Vitor Pereira and ex-Schalke coach Ralf Rangnick, Martinez takes the reins after a somewhat bittersweet ending to his spell at Wigan, having steered the Latics to FA Cup glory just days before relegation to the Championship. Toffees chairman Bill Kenwright was unsparing in his praise of Martinez after introducing the Spaniard to the media on Wednesday afternoon:

“Four weeks ago, David Moyes told me he wanted to become the next manager of Manchester United. That time has been spent exhaustively searching for the right man to succeed him. I met some of the finest individuals in football. The finest is sitting alongside me here today. I said the fans would play an important part and I have listened to them. They have largely said that I got it right last time. My message to Evertonians is that if you were in the meetings I had with Roberto, you too would be thrilled, excited, buoyed and in awe of him.”

The History

Martinez first picked up the managerial reins at former club Swansea back in February 2007. Narrowly missing out on a place in the League One play-offs after an impressive first few months in charge, he steered the Welsh outfit to the title in his first full season in charge and subsequently picked up the League One Manager of the Year Award.

His slick possession-based approach established the Swans as a force to be reckoned with in the Championship and, after another year at the Liberty, he soon caught the eye of suitors including Glasgow Celtic and Wigan. Having previously played at the DW, Martinez opted for the Latics in June 2009 – over the space of four years, his aesthetically pleasing style of play and move to a three-man backline earned plenty plaudits but his side faced an annual battle to beat the drop, with a raft of injuries to key defenders ultimately proving their undoing last term.

The Previous Regime

In terms of character, Martinez and Moyes seem polar opposites. While the new man in charge is charm personified, Moyes’ more gruff approach and occasional cold-eyed disdain for the media were the mark of a man not to be messed with.

The Scot spent four years as manager of Preston North End before making his way to Goodison Park in March 2002 and, despite working on a relatively low budget, has turned the Merseyside outfit into one of the most resilient sides in the top-flight today. A sixth place spot in 2012/13 continued a superb run of consistency which has seen the Toffees finish inside the top eight in each of the last seven campaigns and set the bar high for Martinez. At home, in particular, Moyes’ side were exceptional last time – beaten just once at Goodison all season, they defeated the likes of United, City and Tottenham and ended the campaign with six straight home wins.

Although they started the previous season impressively, Everton’s customary strong finish was in evidence once again. The Toffees mustered a mere two clean sheets in the first 21 Gameweeks of 2012/13 but subsequently kept out their opponents in seven of their last 10 fixtures, as Moyes’ preferred 4-4-1-1 formation, with Marouane Fellaini supporting a lone striker, proved a winning formula in his final campaign on Merseyside.

The Season Ahead

Questions over Everton’s team shape and personnel afford Fantasy managers plenty to consider right now. If, as expected, Martinez moves to his preferred 3-4-3 formation, the Toffees would hand us a number of potential out of position targets for the season ahead. Leighton Baines delivered 177 points in the Fantasy Premier League (FPL) game as a left-back in 2012/13 but his appeal would be boosted further by a move to the left of the midfield four, while on the opposite flank, Seamus Coleman looks tailor-made for Martinez’s system. The latter was classified as a midfielder in the FPL game last time round but is likely to be listed as a defender next term – with Baines expected to be priced at a premium right across the Fantasy games, Coleman could well find himself on Fantasy radars as a result of the Spaniard’s installation.

Further up the pitch, both Steven Pienaar and Kevin Mirallas look the obvious options on the left and right of the forward three respectively. Mirallas was listed as a forward last time but was mainly fielded as a right winger by Moyes and should be reclassified as a midfielder – his extra attacking potential would likely see many opt for the Belgian over Pienaar as an out of position prospect. While these four, in particular, look the likeliest to benefit, Fellaini’s potential could diminish in such a system – the big Belgian thrived in “the hole” last time but would be utilised in a more withdrawn role under Martinez.
According to Kenwright, Fellaini seems the one player most likely to leave Merseyside over the summer, given that he has a well-publicised £24m release clause in his contract – Chelsea have long been linked with a move for the player, though Moyes’ switch to Old Trafford could bring him onto United’s radar. With plenty of transfer speculation surrounding the club, the Toffees chairman went on to dampen talk of further exits:

“I’ve said to David [Moyes]: ‘We all know the situation at Everton. We all know there’s a player who’s got an escape clause, but the others are not for sale.’..Not one person has even half-indicated to me that the change will mean a change for them. Exactly the opposite – they all seem totally committed to it. So, yeah, I’m confident that squad, plus some Roberto signings, will form this football club’s squad for next season.”

In terms of transfers in, Martinez has already been linked with a couple of former Wigan forward options. Arouna Kone has a £6.5m release clause in his contract and would certainly add to the options for the lone frontman role, though Nikica Jelavic will be hoping the new manager can reignite his career after a dire second season on Merseyside. Former Toffee Callum McManaman is also said to be on the radar but with Mirallas favourite for the role on the right, the youngster may find it hard to find a place in the starting XI.

After his installation to the hotseat, Martinez was keen to stress that while he’s looking to bring attacking football to Goodison, he’s more than aware of the solid foundation already put in place by the previous incumbent:

“I will start working to make sure we play football that we are extremely proud of. Over the next few months we need to get together to make sure that we are a winning side and a very strong side so that we can carry on to achieve more…We will work on many aspects but it is very important that we don’t lose the good things that this team showed last season…When you have got a real competitive edge, like what this group of players has, you know how to always stay in games. They always know how to compete against any sort of opposition. That’s something that we can’t lose. We will try and bring in some new signings, but they will be players who will add that competition for places and give us different options.”

Ultimately, though, the change to a more expansive style of play will need time – under Martinez, Wigan had the joint-worst defensive record in the Premier League last term, conceding 73 goals along with Reading. While it’s fair to say there’s more quality in the Everton squad, adjusting to a new manager and formation won’t happen overnight. Initial displays may be a little tentative but, similar to Moyes, Martinez’s sides have a habit of finishing the season strongly. While many feel this is just the chance Martinez needs to take his career to the next level, the Spaniard’s arrival at Goodison seems good news for Fantasy managers, too, with a few extra mid-price options looking viable contenders for our 15 man squads over the season ahead.