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Roberto Martinez has dismissed Roy Keane’s criticism of his Everton team saying he did not give the former Manchester United captain’s comments ‘any credit’.
Keane made his criticism while covering Everton’s 4-1 FA Cup quarter-final defeat to Arsenal on Saturday for ITV. Reflecting on Everton’s recent defeats to Liverpool, Tottenham and Chelsea, and the loss at the Emirates, Keane said they were ‘too open’.
“If you keep a team like Spurs to one shot on target for 65 minutes, I don’t think that’s being open at all,” said Martinez. “If you concede one goal against one of the best attacking teams at Stamford Bridge – from a dead ball situation in the 92nd minute – I don’t think that gives that comment any credit. Arsenal was different as we went 2-1 down and you really are open, of course. Because you are in the FA Cup and working for a scoreline. Spaces are going to develop and you’re going to take risks to try to that it in your advantage. So I don’t think it’s the right comment.”
Martinez also said he felt Everton could compete with the clubs above them despite the latter’s superior financial resources. “Of course we can. You need to find a way. You need to be creative. The team spirit and the unit you have in the dressing room is vital. We have some incredible senior professionals in that dressing room that you can build a team around.
Everton: The latest match picturesShow all 70 1 /70Everton: The latest match pictures Everton: The latest match pictures Hull 0 Everton 2 Romelu Lukaku, on what could be his last game for the club before rejoining Chelsea, celebrates with the away fans after the Toffees' victory
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Everton: The latest match pictures Hull 0 Everton 2 Aidan McGeadygets a shot off despite pressure from Maynor Figueroa
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Everton: The latest match pictures Hull 0 Everton 2 Romelu Lukaku celebrates after scoring the Toffees' second
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Everton: The latest match pictures Hull 0 Everton 2 Seamus Coleman tracks down Maynor Figueroa
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Everton: The latest match pictures Hull 0 Everton 2 Lacina Traore is tackled by Alex Bruce
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Everton: The latest match pictures Everton 1 Manchester City 1 Sergio Aguero fires home City's equaliser
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Everton: The latest match pictures Everton 1 Manchester City 1 Sergio Aguero dribbles past John Stones
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Everton: The latest match pictures Everton 1 Manchester City 1 Ross Barkley celebrates after opening the scoring with a superb strike
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Everton: The latest match pictures Southampton 2 Everton 0 Tim Howard looks on as the second own goal of the day goes past him
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Everton: The latest match pictures Southampton 2 Everton 0 Tim Howard can only look on as Seamus Coleman scores Everton's second own goal of the day
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Everton: The latest match pictures Southampton 2 Everton 0 The Saint's forward Sam Gallagher wheels away after Antolín Alcaraz's own goal
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Everton: The latest match pictures Southampton 2 Everton 0 Antolin Alcarez heads in an own goal to give Southampton the lead
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Everton: The latest match pictures Everton 2 Manchester United 0 Leighton Baines strikes the opening goal from the spot in Everton's win over Manchester United
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Everton: The latest match pictures Everton 2 Manchester United 0 Manchester United manager David Moyes looks on during his side's defeat to Everton
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Everton: The latest match pictures Everton 2 Manchester United 0 Kevin Mirallas celebrates after scoring for Everton against Manchester United
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Everton: The latest match pictures Everton 2 Crystal Palace 3 Cameron Jerome celebrates Palace's third - which proved to be the winner
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Everton: The latest match pictures Everton 2 Crystal Palace 3 Kevin Mirallas scores Everton's second but it wasn't enough to claw back Palace
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Everton: The latest match pictures Everton 2 Crystal Palace 3 Jason Puncheon scores Palace's opener
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Everton: The latest match pictures Sunderland 0 Everton 1 Seamus Coleman, Gerard Deulofeu and Steven Naismith of Everton celebrate after Wes Brown of Sunderland scores an own goal
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Everton: The latest match pictures Everton 3 Arsenal 0 Kevin Mirallas celebrates Everton's third
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Everton: The latest match pictures Everton 3 Arsenal 0 Kevin Mirallas has an effort on goal but the ball comes off Mikel Arteta for an own goal
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Everton: The latest match pictures Everton 3 Arsenal 0 Ross Barkley has an effort on goal
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Everton: The latest match pictures Everton 3 Arsenal 0 Romelu Lukaku celebrates his goal with manager Roberto Martinez
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Everton: The latest match pictures Everton 3 Arsenal 0 Romelu Lukaku goes on a driving run and cuts inside to smash home Everton's second
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Everton: The latest match pictures Everton 3 Arsenal 0 Steven Naismith celebrates his goal
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Everton: The latest match pictures Everton 3 Arsenal 0 Steven Naismith slots home Everton's opening goal with a cool finish
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Everton: The latest match pictures Everton 3 Arsenal 0 Bacary Sagna goes in for a tackle on Leighton Baines
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Everton: The latest match pictures Everton 3 Arsenal 0 Leon Osman receives treatment and has to go off after a clash with Bacary Sagna
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Everton: The latest match pictures Fulham 1 Everton 3 Steven Naismith (left) scores Everton's third against Fulham
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Everton: The latest match pictures Fulham 1 Everton 3 Kevin Mirallas (right) celebrates Everton's second goal
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Everton: The latest match pictures Fulham 1 Everton 3 Fulham goalkeeper David Stockdale fails to stop a shot by Steven Naismith (not pictured) of Everton for the opening goal
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Everton: The latest match pictures Newcastle 0 Everton 3 Ross Barkley silenced the Newcastle home fans after 22 minutes
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Everton: The latest match pictures Newcastle 0 Everton 3 Tim Krul vents his anger at his Newcastle teammates after conceding the first goal
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Everton: The latest match pictures Newcastle 0 Everton 3 Romelu Lukaku scores Everton's second goal
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Everton: The latest match pictures Everton 3 Swansea 2 Ashley Williams scores in the last minute for Swansea
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Everton: The latest match pictures Everton 3 Swansea 2 Romelu Lukaku restores Everton's lead
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Everton: The latest match pictures Everton 3 Swansea 2 Leighton Baines opens the scoring from the penalty spot
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Everton: The latest match pictures Everton 2 Cardiff 1 Seamus Coleman celebrates his late winner
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Everton: The latest match pictures Everton 2 Cardiff 1 Seamus Coleman scores the winner late on for Everton
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Everton: The latest match pictures Everton 2 Cardiff 1 Wilfried Zaha shots under pressure from John Stones
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Everton: The latest match pictures Everton 2 Cardiff 1 Juan Cala equalises for Cardiff
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Everton: The latest match pictures Everton 2 Cardiff 1 Gerard Deulofeu scores Everton's opening goal
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Everton: The latest match pictures Arsenal 4 Everton 1 Olivier Giroud and Mesut Ozil celebrate Arsenal's fourth goal and victory
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Everton: The latest match pictures Arsenal 4 Everton 1 Olivier Giroud scores his second and Arsenal's fourth against Everton to go through to the FA Cup semi finals
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Everton: The latest match pictures Arsenal 4 Everton 1 Mikel Arteta scores a penalty against his former club to put Arsenal 2-1 up
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Everton: The latest match pictures Arsenal 4 Everton 1 In a sun bathed Emirates Stadium, fellow England youngsters Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain and Ross Barkley go in for a challenge
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Everton: The latest match pictures Arsenal 4 Everton 1 Romelu Lukaku celebrates after his goal makes it one all
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Everton: The latest match pictures Arsenal 4 Everton 1 Romelu Lukaku taps in to draw Everton level
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Everton: The latest match pictures Arsenal 4 Everton 1 Leighton Baines and Mesut Ozil contest a header during the FA Cup quarter final tie
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Everton: The latest match pictures Arsenal 4 Everton 1 Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain congratulates Mesut Ozil after the German's opening goal
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Everton: The latest match pictures Arsenal 4 Everton 1 Mesut Ozil rejoins Arsenal's starting line up and puts the Gunners ahead
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Everton: The latest match pictures Everton 1 West Ham 0 Romelu Lukaku scores a late winner for Everton
Everton: The latest match pictures Chelsea 1 Everton 0 Chelsea celebrate late winner against Everton
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Everton: The latest match pictures Chelsea 1 Everton 0 John Terry and Frank Lampard celebrate after Chelsea go 1-0 up in the last minute
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Everton: The latest match pictures Chelsea 1 Everton 0 Chelsea take the lead against Everton in the last minute
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Everton: The latest match pictures Chelsea 1 Everton 0 Andre Schurrle and James McCarthy battle for the ball
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Everton: The latest match pictures Chelsea 1 Everton 0 Tim Howard stops a shot from Branislav Ivanovic
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Everton: The latest match pictures Chelsea 0 Everton 0 Frank Lampard and Leighton Baines don't hold back in a 50/50 tackle
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Everton: The latest match pictures Chelsea 0 Everton 0 Leon Osmon controls the ball despite pressure from three Chelsea players
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Everton: The latest match pictures Chelsea 0 Everton 0 Tim Howard punches clear despite pressure from John Terry
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Everton: The latest match pictures Everton 3 Swansea 1 Lacina Traore celebrates opening the scoring for Everton in this FA Cup match
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Everton: The latest match pictures Tottenham 1 Everton 0 Emmanuel Adebayor celebrates scoring the only goal of the game against Everton
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Everton: The latest match pictures Everton 2 Aston Villa 1 Leandro Bacuna gives Villa the lead
Everton: The latest match pictures Everton 2 Aston Villa 1 Bacuna celebrates his goal
Everton: The latest match pictures Everton 2 Aston Villa 1 Kevin Mirallas has a shot at goal
Everton: The latest match pictures Everton 2 Aston Villa 1 Distin and Benteke battle for the ball
Everton: The latest match pictures Everton 2 Aston Villa 1 Steven Naismith equalises for Everton
Everton: The latest match pictures Everton 2 Aston Villa 1 Kevin Mirallas gives Everton the lead with a free kick
Everton: The latest match pictures Everton 2 Aston Villa 1 Everton celebrate their winning goal
Everton: The latest match pictures Liverpool 4 Everton 0 Daniel Sturridge celebrates his second goal against Everton
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“We have some players there who are developing and growing and that unknown quality you get from the young players is going to be essential for the future. What we are working on is not going to happen overnight. But we can challenge against teams like Arsenal in their own backyard and make sure we can get positive results. That’s where the work is.
“At the beginning of the season you get those teams who are expected to win titles because of the financial approach. We are in a position where, because of our football club and the history we have, we should be expecting to win titles. We showed we are not far away from being able to come to Arsenal and being able to get through to an FA Cup semi-final. The difference between us getting through and not was minimal and that allows you to work on making sure we can progress and grow.”
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