Fan Comment

Pre–Season... So what have we learned?

It has been a little difficult to be enthused by our pre-season matches. Firstly let's remember there are no points gained for a friendly win. It appears to me that some players have enjoyed their holidays to much.

It is hard for us to judge exactly what Roberto wanted from the friendly games although it's safe to assume the results were not a high priority. Only in the second half did against Celta Vigo did we start to look sharper and the Paderborn game and a further closed door match should help towards fitness for the Leicester fixture.

It is also safe to assume he wanted to have a good look at our youth players, as they have figured largely in those matches, to ascertain who could safely be additions to the first team squad from the Under-21s.

What have we seen from those young players?

I would guess Garbutt, Browning and Duffy would figure in his plans with Garbutt a certainty and the steady improvement of Browning and Duffy doing themselves no harm a little more game time by the latter two in the last of the friendlies may well see them have call ups for early cup rounds.

The other youngsters may well be sent on both short and long term loans for further assessment by the very capable Joe Royal in his new roll, I would not discount the possibility of Galloway, Byrne and Ledson joining the squad along with Atsu and Hennen if they eventually sign of course.

Two or more loan signings may well be added prior to the “window” closing in the next few weeks, certainly the addition of a couple of extra bodies would be welcome.

What about the established players?

I am sorry to say that I can see no place for Tony Hibbert while Osman did not seem “at it” in the games I have seen, and fewer opportunities may be available for him.

Aiden McGeady's role may switch more inside he looked far more effective in the second half against Celta than on the wing, hence Roberto's continuing search for another winger.

All players in returning from any World Cup have worried me. It always seems longer for those players to come back and readjust, while Mirallas and Lukaku have only just returned, from those endeavours, but in general they are just too good for the hangover too last to long.

The big positive and it is a very big one is the signing of Besic, Kenwright must have worn a Zorro mask when he stole him for only £4 million. In my mind he his the best signing of the season and will take the Premier League by storm.

Who will be where in our squad?

Goalkeepers:- Howard, Robles, Stanek:-

Howard – Had a good World Cup and still looks a pretty sound keeper for a few more years at least at the top level.

Robles – Not rated by many; however, at only 23, he could develop into anything. He did play well in Wigan's cup side, and could become a capable understudy?

Stanek - May well take over when Howard retires.

Defenders:- Coleman, Hibbert, Baines, Jagielka, Oviedo, Distin, Stones, Browning, Garbutt, Alcaraz, Duffy, Galloway.

A combination from Coleman, Baines, Jagielka, Distin, Stones & Oviedo, look to be the first choices for a back four, with Browning, Garbutt, Alcaraz, Duffy & Galloway as backup. Hibbert should also be included but I cannot see him being a first-choice replacement.

Midfield:- McCarthy, Barry, Besic, Barkley, Gibson, McGeady, Osman, Oviedo, Pienaar.

The midfield stand-outs are Barry, McCarthy, Barkley and Besic who will figure prominently. It will depend on the system set-up who will make the remaining places; if of course we play a 3-5-1-1, then Coleman, Baines or Oviedo could occupy the wide positions.

Forwards:- Lukaku, Kone, Mirallas, Atsu, Naismith, McAleny, Hope, Long.

Lukaku is obvious first choice; however, like the midfielders, we can expect everyone to be used in some role in the team, during the season. Naismith was a revelation last season and I expect him to be an impact substitute.

How will we play?

I think there is enormous room for us to vary the way we will play, and the set-up will all depend on the opposition we will face. Last season, Roberto put a lot of faith in his players to try new ways of playing – favouring players that seem adaptable and flexible in the way they can play, against just being a one-position, one-dimensional player.

Bearing in mind the adaptability of players we have, I can see us playing any one of seven permutations, with the players to fill those combinations. We could have 4-2-3-1, which we favoured last season, or 4-4-2, 4-3-3. However, Roberto has a preference for three at the back and I have a feeling this is the way he wants to play in the long term.

I think he has the players to play three at the back with a pick from 3-5-2, 3-2-3-1-1, 3-4-3 or my preference for a 3-5-1-1, I would see Jagielka, Stones & Distin as the back-three, Coleman, Barry, Besic, McCarthy & Baines in the midfield, Barclay in a free role and Lukaku up front.

I know you will say, "Well, you have picked all he systems there are," but that is a strength of the players we have – flexibility by almost everyone to take on two or three different rolls. Should you look at the squad in depth and the rolls they have played, both last season and in the friendlies, a flexible playing capability has been tried by numerous players.

If we have a good season, we could easily play 50 games – that's 4,500 minutes of football. It is important to remember Roberto sets great store by the number of minutes players actually play, so it's safe to say that there will be a lot of players used, just to keep our players healthy.

I may be mistaken in this but I think I detected personal monitors on the players backs, very much similar to the ones that have used in Rugby League and Union for a few years now.

There is one aspect of play that worries me that is when we play a high-pressing team, as Celta Vigo did last week, we seem to be vulnerable at the back. I am sure other manages will have spotted this as I am sure it will not have gone unnoticed by Roberto, who will put plans in place to counter this style of play, employing more of a 4-4-2 or even a 4-3-3 using a pacey fast-breaking system, to catch out a high-playing team.

This season will be a tough one: Chelsea and both Manchester clubs again are looking strong, I am not particularly worried about Liverpool – they have bought too many new players for me – Spurs did the same last year. Champions League games will also add to their problems... and, if you think about it, any of the top 5 with Suarez in their team should have won the league.

Expectations are high for Evertonians I have certainly not felt as optimistic since the 1980s and 1990s but we are on a plan to go forward with young players, some of these are on the brink of being very, very good. A future spine of Howard, Stones, Barkley and Lukaku can be built on for us to become a real powerhouse in football again.

The School of Science is indeed open again.

Reader Comments (33)

Note: the following content is not moderated or vetted by the site owners at the time of submission. Comments are the responsibility of the poster. Disclaimer

About these ads

---

---