Use your head and sign up now for the Everton FC newsletter Sign up now Thank you for subscribing We have more newsletters Show me See our privacy notice Invalid Email

Roberto Martinez was the right man for the job

David Moyes was a tough act to follow - but Roberto Martinez’s debut campaign with the Blues exceeded expectations.

The Catalan is his own man, different in many respects to Moyes. He has won over Blues fans with stylish, attacking football, a willingness to put his faith in young talent and a friendly, approachable demeanor, something which also endears him to his players.

It also earned him the respect of Liverpool supporters when he spoke to movingly and eloquently at this year’s Hillsborough Memorial Service.

On the pitch, the Martinez era got off to a slow start. The Blues were unbeaten but unimpressive in their first three Premier League games, drawing with Norwich City, West Brom and Cardiff City.

Everything changed in the frantic final hours and minutes of the transfer window, when Martinez chairman Bill Kenwright did brilliant business. The Blues bagged £27.5m from the sale of Marouane Fellaini to Moyes’ Manchester United and also pocketed £5m from West Brom for Victor Anichebe. Their loss was offset with the signing of James McCarthy from Wigan in a deal rising to £14m, and the loan captures of Gareth Barry and Romelu Lukaku.

It proved to be a masterstroke. Barry and McCarthy made their debuts in the 1-0 win over Chelsea. Blues fans had to wait an extra week to see Lukaku, who came off the bench to head a thrilling late debut winner at West Ham.

Everton would go on to amass a club record Premier League points haul, surpassing their previous best of 65 (set in 2008) by mid-April, as they chased a top-four finish.

The Moyes-Martinez transition could have been a difficult one.

It has turned out to be anything but for Everton. For Moyes at Old Trafford, it was a different story altogether.

School of Science is back

“Roberto had a dream, to build our football team,” is the first line of a new chant aired by Blues fans this season. We all know how it ends - by concluding that the School of Science philosophy, separated from Everton for so long, is back.

As the banners and the songs confirm, Martinez has been responsible for the return of some traditional Everton values this season. “Trying to keep the ball in a more technical manner,” is how the boss describes it and the stats tell their own story.

Under Moyes last season, the Blues averaged 416 accurate passes per game. At times in 2013-14, the figure has hit the 580 mark.

The football produced under Martinez has been stylish, incisive, inventive and, more often than not, attacking.

Systems have changed from week to week, with full-backs pushed on, forwards exchanging positions, strikers playing on the wing and false nines deployed through the middle. Forwards have been rotated to keep them fresh, often switching positions during a game. Rival managers have been kept guessing as much as the fans and media.

It has not always worked out - Martinez was unable to find the winning formula for crucial contests against Crystal Palace and Southampton - but has also seen the Blues claim some big scalps, from Manchester United (twice) to Chelsea and Arsenal.

The School of Science term has been associated with the Blues since the 1920s, but really took hold in the 60s when the Holy Trinity of Kendall, Ball and Harvey were in their prime. It was lost for a while, returning during the glory years of the 1980s.

It is back again - and will surely stay for as long as Martinez reigns.

The future’s bright

Martinez has hailed the emergence of John Stones and Ross Barkley as Everton’s “success story” of the season - and the fans have enjoyed seeing the young pair get so much game-time in royal blue.

The Everton manager has not been afraid to put his trust in his squad’s younger players.

At the club’s recent general meeting, Martinez proudly pointed out how a total of 14,499 minutes had been amassed by players aged 24 and under during his tenure - a leap of more than 10,000 compared to the 2012-13 campaign.

"When you've got a strong way of playing you rely on your young player to give you something, and that's been very significant," Martinez told shareholders. "You can imagine - in terms of the bravery, the talent and the long-term vision that we have at the club - how important that is.”

Barkley, 20, played just 206 minutes in an Everton shirt under Moyes last season. This season he clocked up more than 2,300 minutes, scoring six goals in 25 Premier League starts - including phenomenal strikes against Newcastle and Manchester City. The flair and verve with which he plays fits the Martinez blueprint perfectly.

The same applies to Stones, a player signed by Moyes but blooded by Martinez. The defender nailed down a regular place in the side when Phil Jagielka was ruled out by injury and has displayed a maturity beyond his 19 years. Despite only recently making his 20th senior appearance for the club, calls for Stones to be included in England’s World Cup squad were growing louder as the end of the season approached.

Barkley and Stones were not the only young guns to impress this season. Loan stars Lukaku, 20, and Gerard Deulofeu, 20, have honed their skills at Goodison, while homegrown players like Luke Garbutt, Ryan Ledson and Tyias Browning have made the bench in recent weeks.

Those outside of the first-team picture - the likes of Matthew Pennington, John Lundstram and Matthew Kennedy - were loaned out to gain experience in the rough-and-tumble world of the Football League.

This summer is crucial - Martinez’s biggest test yet

Having enjoyed such a positive debut season, securing European football for the first time since 2009-10, the challenge now for Martinez is to build on his achievements.

The summer will be pivotal as the Blues boss must assemble a squad capable of being competitive on both the domestic and European fronts. Some moves will need to be made before the World Cup, others will likely be triggered by the emergence of players in Brazil.

“It’s not about improving the squad, it’s about increasing it,” said Martinez. "When you are playing in Europe you need six or seven new players. That’s the reality and we will do that. I get excited about bringing new players in. You need fresh blood.”

Backing from the board will be required, as will Martinez’s ability to make the most of his resources. He snapped up three players on season-long loans last summer and, between them, they made more than 80 Premier League appearances and contributed 20 goals. Barry, Lukaku and Deulofeu must be retained, replaced or signed on a permanent basis.

Everton’s squad will need to expand to handle the demands of Europa League football - the relentless group games, long-distance Thursday away trips - and Martinez’s biggest task will be to ensure there is no negative impact on Premier League form.

As he has proved this season, the Blues are in safe hands.

More Everton FC news

Baines: We've set the benchmark now.

Read Greg O'Keeffe's verdict on Everton's win at Hull.

Quiz: 20 questions on Everton's season.