Besic talks about ''difficult beginning''

Our No 6 wearing 17...

Our (False?) No 9 wearing 10...

Our No 10 wearing 20...

WTF?!?! My head hurts...

Can we please just go back to 1-11?

Our No 2 wearing 23;

Our No 4 wearing 18;

Our No 7 wearing 25;

Our reserve left back is No 8;

We don’t even have No 5 – Stones wears 26!

1-11 please!

Say IÂ’m not sure heÂ’s the type of player whoÂ’s going to change the dynamic of how we play, if anything, and I donÂ’t say this as a slur on Besic, but heÂ’s a symptom of everything thatÂ’s been MartinezÂ’s Everton this season.

Defence minded negativity, if it hasnÂ’t been Besic itÂ’s been Barry or (up until recently) McCarthy.

It takes time for some players to settle in a strange environment but the lad sounds like heÂ’s got his head screwed on properly.

Really it should be one of Besic, McCarthy or Gibson with Barkley. That would be balanced but instead itÂ’s Grandad Barry with one other and Barkley on the wing or in the centre-back's pocket.

Do we even trust him to get it right in the transfer market regardless of how much money he has or hasnÂ’t got?

Besic is being asked to play No 6 – wherever that is – so what numbers are Barry and Macca being asked to play and will the No 10 – who hasn't signed yet, but has been identified – actually wear the No 10.

And if it Besic thinks he was having a difficult time in the first part of his season, does he feel he is having an easier time now he isn't getting a look in?

RobbieÂ’s gobbledegook must be catching. Everyone at the club is now talking bollocks.

First we had Baines talked of as a defensive midfielder, then Barkley saying he was a striker and now Besic who wants to be Â’a No 6Â’!

When the hell is Howard going to Â’come out Â’ as a winger?

I think the above quote highlights just why we are so dull and insipid to watch and why Martinez is such an awful manager. Everything I read him say makes me hate him a little bit more; he genuinely is an absolute clown. How he has made a living from football IÂ’ll never know.

The thing with Besic though, heÂ’s learning the position and coming to terms with the pace and rigours of the league and in time will become a good player but if Martinez as prioritised bringing in a No.10, then where does all of Besic, McCarthy, Barkley, Barry and this new No.10 fit in?!

For me McCarthy is the first name on team sheet, then we desperately need a No.10 whoÂ’s creative, and then for me itÂ’s a choice of Barkley or Besic to partner McCarthy. Barry should be nowhere near the first team next season but Martinez will find spaces for him in squads/teams!

"Well, itÂ’s like this, folks, I know you have always thought of me as a keeper and you have seen me play many times for club and country, complete with gloves and everything but deep down for many years I was living a lie. I was always a winger, left or right it doesnÂ’t matter, and it wasnÂ’t until Roberto sat me down and spoke to me that the penny dropped I am a winger and have always been a winger."

Family group hug followed by mutterings from his parents: "I told you he wasn’t a keeper – he always liked to run up and down and was never happy trapped in the box, even as a three-year-old".

Other contributors welcome!

I see Miss Jones had his iPad out with the subs again on Saturday too! Whatever happened to PLAIN SPEAKING? No Goodison for me until these bunch of tossers are gone. IÂ’ve renamed all things Everton "The Twilight Zone" and closed the book. Pretentious No Marks who destroy decent honest lads.

Jim Hardin has now made matters worse, he has raised the issue of does he have a kit, however, Jim, have you considered whether he has a new squad number to reflect his new position and kit?

Ask Stevie G before he leaves how to overcome sticky grass.

Patrick, at least Robles will get a chance to prove if he is the real deal with Tim as a winger. Very funny thanks for the laugh.

I should imagine the left footed Barry was assigned the № 6 position but his priorities appear to lie in the middle of the pitch where he can protect and join up with the centre-backs.

While Barry continues to do this we need to set up 4-3-3 with McCarthy and Besic either side of him and dump the guy behind Lukaku. ItÂ’s the only way we can fill the hole in front of Baines, giving him proper protection and allowing him to get forward.

If we continue to use Barry to protect the centre-backs and keep the guy behind Lukaku, Baines will be finished in next to no time. The strain of being left exposed is already beginning to show.

The "modern" game is very much like the old one, it's simple. Positions can't be described in numbers, words are required. It has always been this way – ask Johnny Hurst and Colin Harvey.

That you both feel qualified to explain to us what a "Number 6" does, is made more amusing by the fact that you can't even agree with each other.

Martinez is once again confusing his players by talking bollocks. and in an league where players have all sorts of reasons for choosing which number to wear – sometimes even insisting upon it, the chances of his "No 6" actually wearing number six are not fantastic.

The game is only beautiful if it's kept simple. We have all suffered this season. The ugly football weÂ’ve had to endure is a direct consequence of this guy trying to overcomplicate it.

"I would not have had a problem playing Lampard and Gerrard in the same team. You would not need a Number 10. Gerrard and Lampard are both Number 8s. You would play with one Number 6 behind them."

Besic has played his whole career as a CB so why not have him there as cover as weÂ’re in need of 2 of them? Bring in one other and Besic as cover in both positions (CB & DCM) is the logical thing to me. Just because the lad had one good game in the World Cup in that position doesnÂ’t then mean thatÂ’s where he should play week-in & week-out.

Personally I feel that McCarthy, Barkley and a new playmaker (you see me not using "No 10" in that sentence) would be our best midfield for next season with Besic, Osman, Naismith, Gibson (when fit) and Barry (sparingly) used as cover.

IÂ’d like to see us bring in two wingers as the only decent option we have at the moment is Mirallas and he might leave anyway. Although Howard can fill in there aparently!

Peter Reid was always No 6, maybe Besic wants to be the new Peter Reid?

As for him doing the No 6 role, he loses possession far too often and would be a liability. At best, IÂ’d use him as an alternative to McCarthy only when he needs a rest or gets injured.

If Martinez stays, I hope we play with three centre backs next season – and their numbers are 4-5-6!

The other night Barcelona and Bayern gave a demonstration of how the game should be played. Both these clubs look to attack at pace with one-touch football and what a treat to watch. Yes, they had the best footballers in the world on show but it was still played very simply. You didn't see either side passing aimlessly around at the back; it was simple pass-and-move – the same format that was successful back in the 60s.

As Clough said, players and more now coaches make the game difficult.

I always thought a number 4 was a DM. Nowadays, a number is just a number.

As Darren states, the technical aspect of modern football requires a technical description (in words). As a result, the beautiful game can be overwrought with technicalities by master technicians, such as RM...

Can you all hear the wheels turning in my head...Got it!

If they arenÂ’t Fullbacks and they are not actual Forwards

* hard thinking going on here. Hang on while I get it clear in my head.

* some time passes.

That must make them Â’ Half BacksÂ’ and the one on the left can be called ...Â’ A Left Half Â’ and the one on the right... Â’ A Right Half Â’.

Cor Blimey, talk about Full Circle.

Do one you pretentious twats.

Brian ThereÂ’s nothing new under the sun as they say.

One touch C. 2015 = The old Give it and go of my youth = Arthur RoweÂ’s Push and Run of the 1949 Spurs.

And If Clough made that Â’ Simple Â’ statement, well I remember Joe Mercer saying it before Clough.

It is a Simple game and we forget it at our peril.

Frankly it does my head in, just get on the pitch, get 11 men psyched to fuck up, and go out there defense d like lions and attempt to score goals by getting men in the box when attacking and the ball into the box ripe and early.

IÂ’m sick of all these "possession is paramount " bollox..

Its just a crying Shane that itÂ’s made to look so hard sometimes by men who are paid a KingÂ’s randsom to get it right!.

Goal Keeper
Right Back - Left Back
Right Half - Centre Half - Left Half
Right Winger - Inside Right - Centre Forward - Inside Left - Left Winger

1
2 3
4 5 6
7 8 9 10 11

If you look up this on you tube Link
You will see some of the greatest players that ever graced the game in England. These were the numbers they wore and they were the positions they lined up in at the kick off.

However, in his commentary, Kenneth Wolstenholme made a remark along the following lines:-

"There is much talk these days (1968) about formations such as 4-4-2 and 4-3-3 but looking at Everton they look like they are playing 1-9-1"!!!

The pitch is still rectangular and divided into two halves, each of which has a penalty area and 6-yard box and two corners. The spaces to be covered and exploited remain unchanged. The best players, managers and teams know how to do that. They read the game as it changes and position themselves accordingly.

Tony Kay was a left half (6) I wish he was playing for us now. One thing Besic has in common with him is he doesnÂ’t take prisoners.

I actually believe that the upturn (?) in performances over recent weeks has been influenced by Barry’s improvement in form and would rather have him in the defensive midfield position than McCarthy – but then Bazza got taken off on Saturday, so what do I know.

Unfortunately we have no idea how good is/will be, as the fella in charge is not playing him for more than 15 minutes at a pop.

I hope he will be BarryÂ’s replacement, as he wanted to get forward at every opportunity when he first came but now that seems to have been coached out of him, as per the "As a central midfielder, when you think you are free to go out, this is a mistake" comment

Old farts, all of us. But lucky to have known the good days, don'tÂ’ya think?

How old am I?

Take the above, put it in a bag, shake it about, empty it out and it gives you the modern system. Simple.

The then Palace/Orient manager Dick Graham apparently hit on the wheeze of putting his outside left in the No 6 shirt, his centre-forward in the 11 etc etc, thus baffling the opposition who didnÂ’t know who to mark for the first 20 minutes. Genius.

We must have played at a similar moment in history, although I was a very young man then on a very good team (P9, L0, D0, W9) – well... with very good team mates actually!

No numbers on our backs but I was No 7 (R wing), and always loved that number since.

Phenomenal!

When I started watching Everton the entrance fee was 3/- into the Goodison Road terraces. Burnley were the Champions and they had a great side.

They were great days Phil - I would like to see our young fans see some great days. As you know the hope is still alive in me.

Kim @ 49 in answer to your question "how old am I"? - judging by your line up - about the same age as me.

Get a puka pie down ya lad and make sure you pick a booking up Saturday, let the hammers have the Europa spot.

Hungary also thrashed England in the 1950s because the English defenders (using the W-M formation) did not know who to mark. Such was the disdain for tactics that when England went to Hungary six months later England had made no adaptations... and got thrashed again.

Tactics do matter. Formations do matter. ThatÂ’s why we argue about them all the time and moan about the managerÂ’s use and/or missue of them.