Martinez laments loss to Arsenal: “Haven’t seen us play that badly this season”

Roberto Martinez laid into his team after a bad night at the office.

Everton fell 2-0 to Arsenal on Saturday at Goodison Park, giving the home crowd a performance worth forgetting.

[ MATCH RECAP: Everton 0-2 Arsenal ]

Unfortunately, it’s just one more example of an absolutely maddening season for Martinez’s Toffees, whose 38 points are well off the pace and a long shot to finish anything higher than ninth.

Throw in the fact that Arsenal played Barcelona midweek, and the loss is extra confounding for the boss.

“We looked like the team who had an extra game [in midweek]. Arsenal started with intensity and we didn’t really turn up in terms of that intensity. I haven’t seen us play that badly this season.”

Defender Leighton Baines isn’t faulting the effort, but knows it was a dreadful game.

“We showed plenty of huff and puff but we just didn’t have the quality in the final third. We fully accept the responsibility of the disappointment of the crowd. We are generally not winning enough games.”

Well that’s putting it mildly, Leighton. Fortunately, the Toffees can still find their way back to Europe through the FA Cup, where they’ll need to take down the winner of West Ham/Man Utd in the semifinal round for a trip to Wembley and the victor of Watford-Palace.

Follow @NicholasMendola