A Question of Strategy

Our strategy should be to find a disciplined manager who commands respect from the players and plays them to their strengths. Only then can we dream of being the best of the rest.

However, we have fallen back to where we were a couple of seasons ago, altering formations for the sake of it, trying to insert players into unfamiliar positions, persevering with players who arenÂ’t 100% fit or are out of form or as some allege playing his favourites. There has been little seen of many of the younger players even though none of them chosen did anything wrong when they have briefly taken to the field.

The problem from a supporters point of view is that we canÂ’t honestly know which players will remain at Goodison for the start of next season and no matter what assurances the manager makes in the media, we really donÂ’t know how many if any are unhappy with his managerial ability. We also donÂ’t know whether the players that he will bring to the club will be a vast improvement on what we already have, although transfers are always a gamble, regardless of who the manager is and how much the club pays out in transfer fees.

I just hope by the start of next season, the players are all onside, fully match fit and ready to do battle on behalf of the supporters and a good start is imperative for the club and of course for the manager.

It has been a pleasure to see a few agriculturals launched these last few games, sorted out (bar Seamus) the individual mistakes which has seen us keep more clean sheets.

I think Lennon has balanced the team, very much like Duelofeu last season. I think two pacy wingers are a must as IÂ’m not convinced by McGeady, Pienaar is getting on and I think Mirallas can do one.

I think weÂ’ll have to invest in those players as bringing through an attacking talent from the academy is the holy grail and we have that with Ross Barkley.

Keeping McCarthy, Coleman would be high on my list of priorities this summer.

Roberto said he aimed to produce a system whereby at least two academy players progressed to the first team every year. Next season seeÂ’s the start of that plan.

Michael, what are the two academy players he has brought through this season and please bear in mind Garbutt is out of contract shortly and we are not making any effort to keep him so he will more than likely be off.

Ross was already in the first team squad when RM got here and I would argue he has ruined Barkley not developed him.

Apparently, he gave evidence that most goals were not scored after 26 consecutive passes, but within 3 to 4 passes of a move. It does sound compelling, but back then, I too wondered if that is too one dimensional as well.

It seemed to work for Liverpool for awhile (they had their treble of cups), but mainly relying on Michael OwenÂ’s scorching pace to get them those goals. When you look back at those highlights, you noticed the very "raw" and "rudimentary" ways of Liverpool scoring. Fast break, Owen outrunning someone else, and then "bam!" goal.

Look at what happened to Owen after a few years. And inevitably, Liverpool got found out, because not every team will take the game to them. You can do a counter-attacking game well if teams take the game to you. If not, and they "park the bus", which teams are doing when we play at them Goodison, then the counter-attacking breaks down.

Ultimately, you need more than one approach/game plan, amidst your main gameplan eg, pressing, go direct, counter attack, soak and strike, retaining the ball etc. I just donÂ’t think that having the soak and strike/ counter-attacking approach as the main strategy is going to work.

One thing for sure – we don’t press enough/ harry the opponents off the ball sufficiently to disrupt their rhythm. That is needed. Ultimately, you need a good deal of guile to break teams down/ split defences. To me, that is best done through retaining more possession, so that you can control the when and where and the how of execution.

Tika-Taka of Barcelona was fundamentally accompanied by the harrying of/closing down of players when the Barca players lost the ball. That is as critical as the slick retention that we seem to pay more attention to. The Â’Dogs of WarÂ’ during RoyleÂ’s time and the Reid/Bracewell (hunting in packs) during the 80s demonstrated that you need that fundamentally.

I definitely think he took on board the massive amount of criticism that rightly came his way: this should be evident next season providing he makes the right signings. That’s the crucial part; signing Lennon was inspired – a few more in the same mould should seeing us having a good season. Expectations can’t be any higher than that under the present owner, I’m afraid.

Counter attack will work for us on occasion, and we are probably better equipped squad wise to play this way, given the pace of Lennon, Barkley, Mirallas and Lukaku. That said, this strategy requires people to take risks, to run at players and take them on. It also requires a killer pass here and there. Both have these have been missing for most of the season.

I also agree with Terrence that our pressing is non existent which is ridiculous for a Â’possessionÂ’ team. If we lose possession we should be pressing and harrying to get the ball back immediately. Defend from the front.

When Martinez first arrived, he said he wanted to see progression from the academy to the first team squad. He said it would take two years to get to that position, weÂ’re coming to the end of those first two years so I expect this summer to see the start of this conveyor belt.

As for him ruining Barkley, I disagree. There is enormous pressure on Barkley this season, his performances have hardly stood out as weÂ’ve struggled. The experience of playing games will help Barkley in his progression, it might take him a few seasons to develop his consistency but once he gets to that level then weÂ’ll have a problem keeping him.

Flexibility is what every top team needs. Flexibility to change the way you set up before the game starts and more important as the game goes on. Unfortunately, you can have the best players in the world but – unless you are Barcelona of a couple of seasons ago – you have to adapt as the game goes on.

This season, if we have learned only one thing, is that Martinez will not adapt. The reason we have altered our style the last couple of months is down to the fans showing their displeasure and the players to a certain extent forcing the issue.

To hell with the usual cries of ’Be careful what you wish for’ – We have been bloody well careful for decades and the trophies we won in that time are testament to it. At the same time, I believe we have a side built around Stones, Coleman, Garbutt, Lukaku, McCarthy, Barkley and Besic with a few additions can only get better... but under a different manager.

As for organisation and strategy, I donÂ’t see one. I canÂ’t see what RM is implementing long term. He's 2 years into his tenure and he still doesnÂ’t know his best team.

Strategy for the club involves plans for sustainable financing, range of activities, extent of investment in an academy system etc. As remarked above, IÂ’m sure that the club expected Martinez to be a long-term appointment and develop a conveyor belt of young talent that would save then bring money in.

The problem is that RMÂ’s on-field problems with gameplan means that his medium-term position is in doubt. What he changed by the way was tactics. His challenge over the summer (because he ainÂ’t getting sacked until at least Xmas) will be to buy the kind of players that can enhance his (hopefully modified) game plan or system. Given his at best mixed record in the transfer market so far, IÂ’m not wildly optimistic.

Leaving Martinez aside, I donÂ’t see us any more likely challenging for 5th than other teams. Not leaving Martinez aside, I donÂ’t see us any better off next season.

If you look down the table, there are more teams than not in the bottom 14 who will be more excited at the thought of next season than we are.

The long-term interests of the club are things like having the best ground we can to increase revenue, increasing the number of fans, making the best of the youth facilities, getting as high a position as possible etc.

Those sort of long term aims then are turned into actions identified to achieve them and that leads to the organisation of the clubÂ’s resources including its employees. The manager is then employed to achieve his limited bit of the bigger picture.

We will fail and fall further behind because the board don't grasp this. ArsenalÂ’s board grasped it, LiverpoolÂ’s board grasped it. Our lot could not find a strategy if you tattooed it onto them.

Illogical?

Certainly, but once you start applying reality, youÂ’d probably never go again.

Reality – "Why would I pay for a season-ticket, to see a team compete in a league it has absolutely no chance of winning?"

The OP states – "Barring a miracle, that top-4 is currently unbreakable."

This is reality.

Tika-taka, counter-attack, long ball aren’t the key – money is.

Money may not be a cast-iron guarantee of success, but the amounts spent by top four sides tell us that our chances are extremely limited to say the least.

Teams with loads of money donÂ’t spend it to finish nowhere - they are the teams who usually win trophies and finish top four.

The success-for-pounds-spent figures donÂ’t lie - Link

ItÂ’s right that we donÂ’t throw the towel in and keep our dreams alive etc, but in (that word again) reality, seventh/eighth/ninth is, from a financial perspective, where we should probably be.

Last year, pound-for-pound we overachieved, this year, though weÂ’ve been frustrating and incredibly disappointing, we could still finish 8th/9th.

Not an exact science I admit but... you get the idea.

Pos Club (cost)m
1 Man Utd ١.31
2 Man City ١.20
3 QPR ٠.88
4 Chelsea ٠.54
5 Liverpool ٠.53
6 Arsenal ٠.52
7 Sunderland ٠.34
8 Aston Villa ٠.16
9 Tottenham ٟ.84
10 West Brom ٟ.83
11 Newcastle ٟ.71
12 Everton ٟ.68
13 West Ham ٟ.49
14 Hull ٟ.39
15 Swansea ٟ.34
16 Stoke ٟ.33
17 Southampton ٟ.12
18 Leicester ٟ.07
19 Crystal Palace ٞ.90
20 Burnley ٞ.62

Like you say, it isnÂ’t an exact science but it does seem you get what you pay for.

Joe doesnÂ’t believe that Everton FC require a new ground and believes that Walton Hall Park is probably as ill-advised as Kirkby was. My concern is that Liverpool Council, Everton in the Community and Liverpool Homes are not the ideal partners financially. Joe also states that EvertonÂ’s revenue growth outside of media earnings is a paltry 0.5% per year for the last decade.

Strategy what Strategy?

TV Money and income

The logic Fran suggests for the future, starting with building the team around Lukaku and Barkley, maybe a failure from the start. Lukaku is likely to take heed of his agent's advice and leave sooner than later.

That leaves Barkley. Ross has had every chance to show his promise is translating into ability but he has failed. Being played out of position has not helped, but I have as much faith in Barkley as I have in this failed manager.

I also respectfully disagree with a couple of posterÂ’s that say Martinez has changed his style. I feel the players have changed the style to a random style on any given match day. This team will continue to play like a rabble until there is a change of manager.

Well if youÂ’re BK the plan is simply to stay in the premiership and try and finish as high as possible. That is it.

This season was where we reverted to form after an incredible last season which was an unsustainable one. We may have a better one next year but as we improve over summer then so will the others as they did last summer as we fucked about. Are Palace as good a team as us? I know your answers but does the table lie? How about Stoke? WeÂ’re financial pygmies now and they are our peers or can anybody see another way that we can gain an advantage over them when they get the same income as us. League position is determined by wages so to increase our position we need to make Everton attractive to come to. How do we do this?

The kid has risen from playing for the local pub team to the EPL. IÂ’d rather have a kid with heart then an overpaid player wasting his superior talent by dogging it.