The Mail Bag

Formation and tactics

Comments (20)

With a fully fit squad in mind I don't see why Moyes cannot be more adventurous with his formation and tactics next season. However reasonably good using 4-5-1 has being to us regarding results, it's far to cautious and like the FA Cup Final showed, 4-5-1, when deployed against better opposition who are up for it... well it's a formation thats just turns us into cannon fodder. So I've come to the conclusion that a (diamond) 4-4-2 formation with the following players would yield better enjoyable football for the following Evertonian supporter.

1). Howard
2). Neville (DR)
3). Baines (DL) can go forward supporting and doubling up with Pienaar.
4). Lescott (DC) obvious goal threat 5). Jagielka/Yobo (DC)
6). Arteta as (DMC / MC / AMC) his creativity and passing makes him the box to box central midfielder most keep saying we still need.
7). Pienaar (ML)
8). Osman (MR) weakest link but all heart.
9) Cahil (AMC)
10). Jo/Saha (FC)
11). The Yak (FC)

I do honestly feel we have quaility to bury all teams that finished below us in the preimership last season with the exception of City and Spurs using the above. What would you use if you were Moyes?
Anthony Doran, Wexford, Ireland     Posted 16/07/2009 at 13:17:32

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Dan McKie
1   Posted 17/07/2009 at 14:43:09

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Arteta was brilliant in a deeper role last season, but for me, only with someone like Neville being there with him to mop up and do the dirty work. I wouldn't trust him to protect the back 4 much on his own if we were under the cosh. Also, he aint a box-to-box player, he is best when he can slow the game down, have space and dictate the tempo. You hardly ever see him bombing forward with the ball at his feet.
Anthony Doran
2   Posted 17/07/2009 at 14:48:39

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Our defence is strong, Dan, strong enough that Arteta would be the driving force going forward with his passing and skill and the ability spot players making runs etc. He would not really cover the back four with tackling but his overall skill would take us from being under the cosh. I don't see the absoulete need for another Mad Dog who will get sent off after five minutes!!
Joeynkoo Ludden
3   Posted 17/07/2009 at 15:06:49

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£15M is a lot for someone to not even get a game...
Anthony Doran
4   Posted 17/07/2009 at 15:09:05

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£15 million was way to much to spend just cos it was deadline day and we hadn't signed anyone!! Oh and he isn't worth half that amount... at least not yet. I can see him being used as rotation alongside Neville, Saha, Jo and so on.
Stephen Kenny
5   Posted 17/07/2009 at 15:05:20

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Anthony, Who has ever suggested signing a mad dog who gets sent off after 5 mins?

I feel that a 3-5-2 with Baines and Neville as forward thinking wing-backs. One of four quality centre-backs, possibly Rodwell as a sweeper? And Pienaar, Arteta and Big Mo/Cahill in the centre with the Yak and whoever else is fit up front.

I think Jo’s movement would open up a lot of space for the Yak if they were to play together. All said I’m quite happy with whatever Moyes chooses, to be honest, as I think it’s the mentality rather than the formation which dictates how you play the game.
Anthony Doran
6   Posted 17/07/2009 at 15:19:09

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Stephen, most of the talk on this site since the departure of Carsley and even further back to Gravesen was and still is who are we gonna sign to replace them as a DMC! Carsley was good at breaking up play... that's all, Gravesen had slightly more to his game than Carsley, and there is still plenty of talk about signing some mad tackler who will protect the back 4.

Someone like this will accumulate many a ref's card over the season, I think we need a more passive DMC, one who can tackle but focuses more on the ball instead of the oppositions shinguards!! This game is getting less and less physical and we need to sign players who are creative. I'm not a big fan of Fellaini and see him as money wasted.

Using 3-5-2 would take away from our defence and leave us way to open to teams with pace in the side. We simply need gifted players like...... well, the obvious example would be Manuel Fernandes, £15 million on him last season may have won us the FA Cup!!

Chris Lawlor
7   Posted 17/07/2009 at 15:54:24

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My choice of formation would be the conventional 4-4-2 with both wide players pushed up a little and both LB and RB acting as cover.

I can see us not having goalscoring problems this season as long as the delivery to the Yak / Saha /Jo or Vaughan is of a high quality. We saw from the Confederations cup that Pienaar is very capable of getting to the byline or even moving inside and creating. Our problem as we all know is the rightside and Osman/Gosling or anyone else for that matter is cutting the mustard. This is where Moyes should focus some of our meagre wealth and create a proper balance in the side.

Our team spirit is second to none, we are the best of the sides outside the top four and have become a blueprint to those other teams when it comes to achieving through adversity.

I am confident that if we fill the problem on the rightside then we have a damn good chance of moving on next season regardless of City’s insane shopping spree. They may have all the money but lets see how long it takes them to settle. Remember when Real Madrid attempted their 1st Galactico project? They won fuck all.

Our team spirit and I genuinely believe our playing side is the best and most skillful we have had in my 32 years as an Evertonian. Let's look forward to another European campaign and the return of the Yak, Mikel and hopefully that rightsided wunderkid!

Dan McKie
8   Posted 17/07/2009 at 15:50:23

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I think you seriously undervalue Fellaini’s contribution last season, Anthony. Yes, he got booked more than anyone would hope, but he stuck 9 goals away which secured us some vital results, including the equaliser against Man U, which a lot of our fans point to as the turning point to our season (and Neville’s tackle)!

I honestly dont think Fernandes would have made anywhere near the impact, as he didnt have the stomach for it! The likes of Fella, Cahill and Neville dragged us through last season!

Stewart Littler
9   Posted 17/07/2009 at 15:49:34

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I don’t know if there is a case these days for a best 11, cos due to how many games there are, injuries, suspensions, etc., you hardly ever get to see it.

So rather, I like to look at if we have cover in every area. So my 22 (with first choice despite my prior comment in capitals) is:
HOWARD, Nash, NAUGHTON, Hibbert, BAINES, Coleman, JAGIELKA, Yobo, LESCOTT, Mustafi, ANICHEBE, Gosling, NEVILLE, Rodwell, ARTETA, Osman, PIENAAR, Orenuga, CAHILL, Fellaini, YAKUBU, Jo. Which still leaves Duffy, Garbutt, Wallace, Peterlin, Baxter, Saha, Vaughan and Agard.

I know Naughton hasn’t signed yet, but I’m convinced he will. And I wouldn’t mind additions at LB, RM and CM too!
Stephen Kenny
10   Posted 17/07/2009 at 15:50:27

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Anthony, I think we watch a different game mate. I dont see how the game is becoming less physical with the likes of Stoke, Bolton and the majority of the teams below us and at times even Chelsea all relying on height and strength to overpower teams.

I think with any team you play to your strengths and to me one of ours is physicality and aerial threat, something Fellaini has got in spades. I also happen to think he is a very good footballer who will develop over time and with good coaching. I honestly believe he will go on to be a better player than Cahill if we continue with the 4-5-1 over the coming years.

I agree that we need more creative outlets but to me this should be in the form of a wide man with pace which I think is one of the few things we lack at the minute. However, if we stay with the players we have, I stand by my earlier opinion on formations etc.
Simon Kirwan
11   Posted 17/07/2009 at 16:17:36

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Definitaly your Fifa team! Nah, I think it's good. The reason Arteta is so effective in his deep role is because he links defence to midfield by showing for the ball, something nobody else does. I'm not convinced by Jo, Yak and Saha up top...
Anthony Doran
12   Posted 17/07/2009 at 16:31:02

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Dan, Fellaini is ’the headless chicken in a man's body’, if we were to do a cartoon version of him, it would be Fog Horn, leg Horn, tall, clumsy, awkward and seems (to me at least) gets very frustrated and annoyed when a team mate strays a pass. His contribution overall last season did help us result-wise but I don't see the £15 million value at all at all! I would have taken Fernandes over him any day, if nothing else for the unpredictable talent that he is! Fellaini still has a lot to do to justify his £15 mil price tag.

Stephen, when I say 'physical', you can see how Fellaini's use of it was not acceptable to numerous refs. Managers and coaches have to drum it into the more physical players in the team regarding what will be acceptable on the pitch and what isn't; Fellani still looks more clumsy than physical.

Your 3-5-2 approach has one major flaw and that's breaking up the back 4, which has served us well, and Neville as a wing back would provide the speed pace needed, but we’d be even more knackered on the right side using 3-5-2 with the current team.

Dan McKie
13   Posted 17/07/2009 at 16:57:13

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Anthony, what exactly did Fernandes do for us of any note during his 2 loan spells? I can remember 1 decent performance v Arsenal which everyone goes on about how he left Fabregas on his arse, and a wonder goal in a game against Man U (which we lost)! We didn't pay £15 million for Fellaini, it was a deal worth up to €15 million (£12.9 mil at the time)! It was his first season in English football, couldn't speak the language, and played out of position!
Anthony Doran
14   Posted 17/07/2009 at 17:02:46

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Dan, Fernandes didn't feature much (I think he played about 15-20 games) in his 2 brief loan spells for us but his potential was there plain and obivious for all to see and he could have being the biggest bargin this club achieved in the TM since Arteta, had we the sense to snap him right up. I except this was Fellaini first season and all that goes with fitting in but for £15 mil (or whatever the price is), we ain't City so we have got to have more sense!!

So far he hasn't proved to be a good return on the money, but I'm being way too harsh here — I really do hope he fits in but I did hope at the time Fernandes would sign. I think it's a signing that would have said more about the club whereas Fellaini was and is still seen by many as a panic buy.

Joeynkoo Ludden
15   Posted 17/07/2009 at 18:54:00

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"£15 million was way to much to spend just cos it was deadline day and we hadn’t signed anyone!! Oh and he isn’t worth half that amount... at least not yet."

You value Fellaini higher than Osman though (whom you quote as "weakest link but all heart") surely? Any ’best’ line up that doesn’t include our club record signing is simply not correct.

Just out of interest, who do you think we are guna sign this summer and who in your line-up is being replaced? A complete new right side would be my vote.
Dan McKie
16   Posted 17/07/2009 at 19:31:13

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I'm not sure we are ever going to agree on this subject, Anthony. I think Fellaini’s 1st season with us was very succesful with his goals and willingness to play where he was told. Add to that the fact he had no pre-season with us.

In my opinion, 15-20 games for Fernandes was enough to show more than just potential, he went missing in most games or looked like he didn't have the engine to last the 90 minutes! Also, his transfer was complicated due to 3rd party ownership. By the time he went to Valencia (where he still isn't a regular) he was still half-owned by that 3rd party, the deal was sorted later for Valencia to purchase the other half, something which Everton were not allowed to do!

I'm not sure what ’return’ you were looking for from Fellaini? To me, 9 goals was a good one, and I think he will be a better all round player in the coming season.

Matthew Lovekin
17   Posted 17/07/2009 at 21:16:48

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Anthony, I think your team looks very good on paper, but won’t be as good on grass!

Of course it’s all hypothetical, due to injuries, form, suspensions, etc. However some players are very effective on the pitch but don’t get the credit they deserve. For example, I have never been a fan of Phil Neville in midfield ... until this season. Especially in the second half of the season, I thought Neville was excellent and pushed himself in contention for player of the season. Unfortunately Neville is not a big name player and didn’t get the credit he deserved last season.

Arteta is more of a playmaker and not as defensive minded as Neville, but will take the ball off the defenders and play out of defence. Therefore, I think you need Neville and Arteta in the middle of the pitch. This means Hibbert will have to play at right-back until we can get someone better and Osman at right-midfield for ditto reasons. Cahill has to be included which makes it a five-man midfield with the Yak shading it over Jo upfront.

Chad Schofield
18   Posted 18/07/2009 at 08:27:05

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Rather than going into too much detail on the 4-1-3-1-1, 3-5-2 or 3-3-3-1, I think that Jo (as Anichebe did before injury) could work down the RM. Albeit he will cut inside, as both Big Vic and Ossie do, so long as there is cover behind that should be OK. I also think Stewart Littler makes a very valid point about it not being just an 11 — though yours does have four untried kids, including the "will he/won’t he?" Naughton.

If we can get another DM, then Neville has to be first choice RB. Hopefully Naughton in as RB/LB bench cover. Much depends on what happens to Lescott and who we get in should he leave of course... but personally I don’t see us operating a conventional 4-4-2.
Peter Griffin
19   Posted 18/07/2009 at 10:13:43

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I think we should judge Fellaini on this season as opposed to the last one. He will have had time to settle, a full pre-season, learned the lingo and how DM wants him to play in the side. He’s only young, so give him a chance. The price was expensive, but that’s not his fault.

Chad- Jo RM? It would never work.

DM will probably stick with his 4-5-1. I’d like to think, at home at least, against the likes of Burnley, Wolves, Hull etc he will go 4-4-2 and get at them from the off. We’ll see.

It would be nice to have somebody with bags of pace, who could be used as an "out-ball" when we’re under the cosh. Somebody who can carry the ball from one end to the other, keeping possession and relieving pressure. Pienaar does a good job, but I still think we need more pace in the side.
Mike Dillon
20   Posted 18/07/2009 at 13:36:57

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Personally, I reckon Moyes should stick to whichever tactics he feels like using; considering he’s brought us back-to-back 5th places and consistent European qualification, I don’t think any of us could argue..

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