MARTINEZ BOLD CHANGE It is the morning after the opening day of the Premier League season and a national sports radio station in England is taking calls from football fans on the changes they witnessed and didnt like on day one of the season. Some replies are funny, such as a fan of lower league team, Hartlepool, who said he was disgusted at his sides decision to not score goals this season, while others, like the Arsenal fan complaining at the price of wine going up inside their stadium, failed to get much sympathy. At least something went up in value at The Emirates during the summer, I thought. In the end the overriding message was football fans had to embrace change because there is an awful lot of it taking place.Irish playwright George Bernard Shaw once said progress is impossible without change, and those who cannot change their minds cannot change anything. Luis Suarez would argue his constant mind changing has changed very little this summer but if Shaw was alive today he most certainly would have written an equally clever phrase about the Uruguayans current plight. He would also have relished Saturdays action as the Barclays Premier League turned the page on a new chapter, with an unprecedented four new managers taking charge of the best six clubs from last season. David Moyes at Manchester United, Manuel Pellegrini at Manchester City and Jose Mourinho at Chelsea will certainly receive their fair share of ink this season but at Everton, new boss Roberto Martinez shouldnt go unnoticed as he goes about molding a team into his way of thinking.During their 2-2 draw at Norwich City on Saturday, seen live on TSN, Martinez wasted no time in making a significant adjustment to his side immediately. On paper it looked like a team that could have been drawn up by Moyes last season. They featured a back-four including attacking wingbacks Seamus Coleman and Leighton Baines, a midfield three of Leon Osman, youngster Ross Barkley and Marouane Fellaini, with Steven Pienaar on the left wing, Kevin Mirallas on the right, flanking Nikica Jelavic up front. Under Moyes, Belgian Fellaini would have played as the attacking member of the midfield three, a position he excelled in last season when he went on to lead the club in goals(11) and shots(90). One of his best performances, in fact, came in week one, at home to Manchester United, when he scored the games only goal and was a menace all night to the opposition. (Click for larger image) The towering 25-year-old went on to score five headed goals in the 2012/13 campaign, just one behind Swanseas Michu for the league lead, in a season so successful many expected him to be at a different club by now. At Norwich on Saturday, still dressed in the blue of Everton, Fellaini started a Premier League match for the first time not under the guidance of Moyes. Martinez responded by immediately placing him alongside Osman in a much deeper role, a position he has adopted for Belgium internationally and periodically for his club in his early days under Moyes. On the surface it appeared the decision may have come from a lack of depth at that position as Darron Gibson was injured, but Fellainis performance in the role, along with his wishes and the managers plans for the team going forward, could mean the Belgians time as a number ten, off the striker, has come to an end. In May, when discussing his future, Fellaini showed his cards on what he really feels about being versatile: "Sometimes I look at myself and ask, What is my best position? But I think its a defensive midfielder, thats the best one. The manager might like it sometimes when I play up front because I can cause trouble for the defenders, but for me my best position is defensive midfield, stopping the opposition and then looking to impose myself on a game," he said. A year on from his commanding showing against Manchester United, on day one of this season, the stats were very different from the ones that night at Goodison, with many aerial duels won much deeper in his own half. (Click for larger image) Everton are a side whose full backs play very high up the pitch, so it is no surprise that many of Fellainis winning headers are done so deep as on several occasions, particularly against long balls or fast pace counter attacks, he is one of the four deepest Everton players, alongside Osman and the two centre-backs. However, this does not mean he cannot make a statement as an attacking threat from that position, quite the opposite in fact. Fellainis deeper position allows him to read the game better, and in a team that treasures the ball well (a trait that will likely improve more under Martinez), he can make penetrating runs from deep without worrying about being caught out in a transition. Against Norwich not only did he lead the game in passes attempted (88) and passes completed (77), more importantly he led the game with 26 successful passes in the attacking third, with many accurately finding Evertons wide players whose overlaps cause opponents constant problems. (Click for larger image) Fellainis placement as a defensive midfielder did not come without problems and when he was guilty of allowing Steven Whittaker to easily go by him on his way to scoring Norwichs opening goal of the game, it was clear he was a man who was still unsure when to be overly physical and take a sensible yellow card. His reservations are not surprising considering he has spent the best part of the last three seasons defending his own poor disciplinary record. That is an area he will need to improve on but there seems to be a common ground between club and player that this position change could work out for both parties. It is no secret that Fellaini wants to play Champions League football for a bigger club and playing in the second band of a four band system, rather than in a 3 of a 4231, showcases his talents to technical teams unlikely to ever adopt such a direct style where a big man is needed further forward. Everton, meanwhile, may grow into a side that will soon deploy the 3-4-3 style Martinez used at Wigan, a system where a forward is required to come deeper with his back to goal into the space a further advanced Fellaini would occupy. If Martinez gets his wish and Fellaini stays for another season, his box-to-box style will be essential in the centre of a midfield 4. Either way, change is certainly taking shape already at Everton, yet the only one that will get the fans to call into radio shows will be if he is sold. More commanding performances in a deeper role will ensure it will be a matter of when, not if. For the good of the club, it appears that is a gamble Martinez is willing to take. George Bernard Shaw would have been proud. Bill Bridges Jersey . Szabados joined the Southern Professional Hockey League team last week. The 27-year-old goaltender from Edmonton backstopped the Canadian womens hockey team to Olympic gold Feb. Richie Guerin Jersey . Tortorella told The Vancouver Province hell be cheering for Team Sweden to win gold when they take on the defending Olympic champions on Sunday morning. "I hope Sweden wins, cause I dont think Hammer (Dan Hamhuis) is going to play, judging by whats happened. https://www.cheaphawks.com/1754r-deandre-hunter-jersey-hawks.html . Duhamel, from Lively, Ont., and Radford, from Balmertown, Ont., were second with 77.01 points, just behind Olympic bronze medallists Aliona Savchenko and Robin Szolkowy of Germany. The four-time world champs lead at 79. Frank Selvy Jersey . Spains victory rendered Frances 3-0 win against Finland meaningless as Spain needed just one point to secure passage to Brazil. Franck Ribery and Karim Benzema scored either side of Joona Toivios own-goal as France advanced to the playoff among the eight best second-place finishers. Dikembe Mutombo Jersey . Rooneys latest piece of football genius lost in the furore which now stalks David Moyes, and the man who gave the Manchester United striker his start as a 16-year old at Goodison Park back in 2002. SEATTLE -- On a night when starter Jered Weaver struggled at times, the Los Angeles Angels were more concerned about a reliever who only faced one batter. Weaver gave up three runs over six innings to lead the Los Angeles Angels to a 6-4 victory over the Seattle Mariners on Tuesday night. It was Weavers fifth win in six starts, although the first time in eight outings he allowed more than two runs. The bigger moment of concern came when Weaver left the game. Reliever Sean Burnett, who had come off the disabled list on Friday after recovering from elbow surgery last August, left the game after getting Michael Saunders to pop out leading off the seventh inning. "He just felt something in his elbow," Angels manager Mike Scioscia said. "We dont know exactly what, hell be going back down to Southern California (Wednesday) to be evaluated. It looks like disabled list, but well see whats going on." This was Burnetts third appearance since returning, all of them lasting just one batter. Friday marked the first time he had pitched in the major leagues since May 26, 2013. After the game Burnett managed to answer just one question before breaking down and saying he couldnt continue. "Its just a lot of frustration right now. Im trying to stay positive and well see what the doctors say tomorrow," he said. Burnetts injury marred Los Angeles second win in seven tries against the Mariners this season. C.J. Cron led the Angels with a solo home run and run-scoring double, one of four doubles Los Angeles hit in the second inning to take a 3-0 lead. Cron led off the seventh inning with his third homer since making his major league debut on May 3. Weaver (6-3) said he felt the day would be a struggle from the time he started warming up before the game and didnt have the command hes been used to in recent starts. "I felt all right for the most part, but I didnt feel as crisp as I had the previous starts," he said. "Its one of those games where you had to battle, and these guys put up three early runs and helped me out a little bit early, and we were able to tack on some late." After the offence gave Weaver thee three-run lead in the top of the second, Seattle answered in the bottom of the inning when Dustin Ackley doubled and scored on Nick Franklins single.ddddddddddddHowever, even as Weaver struggled, the Mariners were unable to really take advantage. "This guy is a proven winner. He knows what hes doing out there and is pretty crafty," Seattle manager Lloyd McClendon said. "We battled all night with him." The Angels loaded the bases with no outs in the fourth but only managed one run with Grant Green scoring as Howie Kendrick grounded into a double play. The Mariners also loaded the bases for a run in the bottom of the fourth. Justin Smoak led off the inning with his seventh home run before the Mariners loaded the bases with two outs. Weavers first pitch to James Jones sailed over the head of catcher Chris Iannetta and Ackley scored from third on the wild pitch to cut Los Angeles lead to 4-3. The Angels added another run in the seventh on Mike Trouts sacrifice fly. Roenis Elias (3-4) allowed five runs and eight hits in 6 1-3 innings. The five earned runs were the most the Mariners rookie has allowed in his 11 career starts. "I just went out and did everything I normally do and it didnt work out today," Elias said through a translator. Ernesto Frieri pitched the ninth for his seventh save, but the Mariners made it interesting. Robinson Cano hit a two-out run scoring single, and Smoak walked before Kyle Seager ended the game with a deep fly to left-centre field. NOTES: Before the game Scioscia said LHP Wade LeBlanc would start Thursdays series finale, but after the game Scioscia said Burnetts injury may change those plans. "Well evaluate some things tonight and see which way it will go," he said. ... Cano was the DH Tuesday after getting spiked on a play Monday. ... Seattle LHP James Paxton, on the DL since April 9, had an MRI on Tuesday that revealed inflammation in his left shoulder. Paxton had a rehab start with Triple-A Tacoma on Saturday but will be shut down until the inflammation subsides, which the club estimated would be five to seven days. ' ' '