2025/26 Charly Alcaraz

[Toffeepot]

Said this after I'd first watched him...

2024/25 Post in thread 'Charly Alcaraz'

February 9, 2025

Highlights I've seen of Alcaraz on YouTube gave me the impression he's a little bit more one footed than you'd ideally want and that he seems to run out of ideas at times when he gets to the edge of the box.

That said, good little cameo yesterday. I liked what I saw and none of the perceived weaknesses I saw in his highlights were evident either.

• toffeeblue9

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I've not really changed my mind. He carries the ball well, but that's about it for me.

I'm not really having him as a player, but I will accept (having changed my mind) that if we are insisting on playing a 4231 then he's really the only viable number 10 we have. KDH and Rohl are both number 8s and we should 100% be changing the shape we play to reflect that.

We d9nt really know what role is best for Rohl yet... he seems very versatile. It would be nice if he got played more though

 

[SuperKev91]

We need to be in that position less. I also just don’t subscribe to the idea that Alcaraz is problematic in those periods, at least not as a central player.

Football games aren’t a million miles an hour all game mate, watch Leeds under Bielsa and where they came undone.

Every team almost inevitably will have to have spells where they retain their shape, stay compact and focused and ride out some pressure. We aren’t anywhere near good enough to be beyond that.

 

[TheBigIguana]

Football games aren’t a million miles an hour all game mate, watch Leeds under Bielsa and where they came undone.

Every team almost inevitably will have to have spells where they retain their shape, stay compact and focused and ride out some pressure. We aren’t anywhere near good enough to be beyond that.

I understand this, we’re in a low or mid block more than is healthy.

Beyond that this is still a massive coaching issue. The best attackers at attacking need to be the ones playing, even moreso if the shape you’re taking out of possession is essentially a 4-4-2. One of that 2 can’t be complete trash in the final third because he’s good out of possession. It’s on the manager to be able to coach the team enough to get whoever is good up there to do what he needs for the position or be adaptable enough to figure out how to construct something that the player can handle. Simply playing a deficient player because he “holds shape better” to the clear detriment of everything else you’re trying to do is garbage and Moyes needs to go if that’s truly what’s going on right now.

 

[SuperKev91]

I understand this, we’re in a low or mid block more than is healthy.

Beyond that this is still a massive coaching issue. The best attackers at attacking need to be the ones playing, even moreso if the shape you’re taking out of possession is essentially a 4-4-2. One of that 2 can’t be complete trash in the final third because he’s good out of possession. It’s on the manager to be able to coach the team enough to get whoever is good up there to do what he needs for the position or be adaptable enough to figure out how to construct something that the player can handle. Simply playing a deficient player because he “holds shape better” to the clear detriment of everything else you’re trying to do is garbage and Moyes needs to go if that’s truly what’s going on right now.

It’s not as simple as just that one player though. It’s what’s around/behind them as well.

Gana/Garner aren’t particularly great in recovery, we’ve got two slow centre halves and that’s before we get onto our fullback ‘options’. We can’t be too expansive or press like manic as we just don’t have the legs.

We have to get into our shape and be hard to play when the time comes, we usually press when they get as far as halfway if we’ve dropped off initially. I don’t think Alcaraz (or Tim) are the type to keep their focus and shape in these moments. That’s something that we are going to need in some games/periods.

I do think Alcaraz should be playing Saturday 100%.

 

[TheBigIguana]

It’s not as simple as just that one player though. It’s what’s around/behind them as well.

Gana/Garner aren’t particularly great in recovery, we’ve got two slow centre halves and that’s before we get onto our fullback ‘options’. We can’t be too expansive or press like manic as we just don’t have the legs.

We have to get into our shape and be hard to play when the time comes, we usually press when they get as far as halfway if we’ve dropped off initially. I don’t think Alcaraz (or Tim) are the type to keep their focus and shape in these moments. That’s something that we are going to need in some games/periods.

I do think Alcaraz should be playing Saturday 100%.

This is where you have to coach the team. We can’t sacrifice actual ability for standing in the right spot. If the manager can’t figure out how to make it work with gifted players we will simply need to find someone who can.

 

[SuperKev91]

This is where you have to coach the team. We can’t sacrifice actual ability for standing in the right spot. If the manager can’t figure out how to make it work with gifted players we will simply need to find someone who can.

It’s a very simplistic view of footy that mate. If you’ve played at any level you know that a teams structure and shape is absolute basics.

Be great if we could have a keeper and 10 mavericks.

Realistically we can’t afford to carry anyone off the ball in a lot of games and we haven’t got the physical qualities to press that aggressively as we STILL have zero recovery pace (this was an issue under Lampard even). We simply have to be rigid at times with a lot of our personnel.

A Rohl/Iroegbunam duo might give us the legs in there to press more aggressively but it’s what we might lose in other areas.

Not easy being a manager .

 

[TheBigIguana]

It’s a very simplistic view of footy that mate. If you’ve played at any level you know that a teams structure and shape is absolute basics.

Be great if we could have a keeper and 10 mavericks.

Realistically we can’t afford to carry anyone off the ball in a lot of games and we haven’t got the physical qualities to press that aggressively as we STILL have zero recovery pace (this was an issue under Lampard even). We simply have to be rigid at times with a lot of our personnel.

A Rohl/Iroegbunam duo might give us the legs in there to press more aggressively but it’s what we might lose in other areas.

Not easy being a manager .

Exactly it’s the absolute basics so if the manager can’t accomplish that with any set of players at this level it is time to move on. Glasner is not playing water carriers in attacking positions to keep his shape together. Eze is one of the biggest mavericks in football and he made it work in a team that sits in a bunch because he’s actually good at coaching the team. Alcaraz can fit into a PL side if the manager is willing to do his job.

 

[BigDuncTributeBand]

I understand this, we’re in a low or mid block more than is healthy.

Beyond that this is still a massive coaching issue. The best attackers at attacking need to be the ones playing, even moreso if the shape you’re taking out of possession is essentially a 4-4-2. One of that 2 can’t be complete trash in the final third because he’s good out of possession. It’s on the manager to be able to coach the team enough to get whoever is good up there to do what he needs for the position or be adaptable enough to figure out how to construct something that the player can handle. Simply playing a deficient player because he “holds shape better” to the clear detriment of everything else you’re trying to do is garbage and Moyes needs to go if that’s truly what’s going on right now.

If you watched Everton in Moyes first incarnation none of this should be a surprise. It’s why I didn’t particularly want him back.

It’s not just at number 10. Look at the fullbacks, it’s why we’ve got a 6ft 5” centre back playing right back and an extremely limited attacking player playing at left back. He wants the team to be solid in shape out of possession.

In his most successful Everton team he had Tim Cahill who was limited technically but worked so hard out of possession and made a 3 man midfield, he did however have a happy knack of scoring goals, a bit like Doucoure.

He’s ultimately very cautious and has never really been able to shake that instinct. I tend to find when he does get the attack working in his teams he tends to stumble upon it when forced by circumstance.

Is what it is while he’s here.

 

[TheBigIguana]

If you watched Everton in Moyes first incarnation none of this should be a surprise. It’s why I didn’t particularly want him back.

It’s not just at number 10. Look at the fullbacks, it’s why we’ve got a 6ft 5” centre back playing right back and an extremely limited attacking player playing at left back. He wants the team to be solid in shape out of possession.

In his most successful Everton team he had Tim Cahill who was limited technically but worked so hard out of possession and made a 3 man midfield, he did however have a happy knack of scoring goals, a bit like Doucoure.

He’s ultimately very cautious and has never really been able to shake that instinct. I tend to find when he does get the attack working in his teams he tends to stumble upon it when forced by circumstance.

Is what it is while he’s here.

We need to start readying for when he’s not here. Sadly he’s burning up younger, talented players, Alcaraz among them in the meantime. It’s funny because Alcaraz was a bit Cahill-ish in the games he did start last season.

 

[stopstandthere]

The players look to me like they are wilting under the pressure of goal s o rung mate, everyone bar Illy, looks terrified in front of goal.

I honestly don’t know where the goals are going to come from at the moment.

Perhaps need a long term consistent striker. Any target?

 

[Blue Neon]

Remember "Golden Balls" Beckham? Best looking player and womens Adonis at Utd. Fell out with Sir Alex over this. Charly Alcaraz ????

 

[Jacko93]

If you watched Everton in Moyes first incarnation none of this should be a surprise. It’s why I didn’t particularly want him back.

It’s not just at number 10. Look at the fullbacks, it’s why we’ve got a 6ft 5” centre back playing right back and an extremely limited attacking player playing at left back. He wants the team to be solid in shape out of possession.

In his most successful Everton team he had Tim Cahill who was limited technically but worked so hard out of possession and made a 3 man midfield, he did however have a happy knack of scoring goals, a bit like Doucoure.

He’s ultimately very cautious and has never really been able to shake that instinct. I tend to find when he does get the attack working in his teams he tends to stumble upon it when forced by circumstance.

Is what it is while he’s here.

I mean, we had Baines and Pienaar, who must have performed more overlaps than any other pairing in the league. Coleman wasnt to shabby at getting up and down either. Neither of these were "stumbled upon" but were rather players that were sighed for the express reason as to play the football Moyes wanted us to play.

He brought in lunatics like Drenthe and Van De Meyde with the sole reason to add flair and guile. Those transfers can never be uttered in the same breath as cautiousness.

Maybe the limitations of our attacking prowess from full back is driven by the limitations of the players we have for those positions.

 

[Lanolin]

I mean, we had Baines and Pienaar, who must have performed more overlaps than any other pairing in the league. Coleman wasnt to shabby at getting up and down either. Neither of these were "stumbled upon" but were rather players that were sighed for the express reason as to play the football Moyes wanted us to play.

He brought in lunatics like Drenthe and Van De Meyde with the sole reason to add flair and guile. Those transfers can never be uttered in the same breath as cautiousness.

Maybe the limitations of our attacking prowess from full back is driven by the limitations of the players we have for those positions.

I’ve said a few times over the years, I know somebody who played under moyes and he has always said that the one thing he demands of you is that you follow instructions. He’s not bothered about your talent level or your reputation, what he wants is to know that you will go out onto the pitch and do what he has asked you to do. If you do then he’ll stand by you, if you don’t he’s not interested. I don’t think it’s a massive leap to think that Alcaraz doesn’t do what he’s being asked to do and so isn’t seen as a viable starter.

 

[kev]

I don’t think it’s a massive leap to think that Alcaraz doesn’t do what he’s being asked to do and so isn’t seen as a viable starter

Not sure that this is even related to the above TBH, but . . .
Does anybody have an update on how this lads grasp of English is progressing? I know when he first came he was struggling with the language and he was heavily reliant on Jack Harrison and other Spanish speakers.

 

[kenada_blue]

Its not too difficult IMO.

KDH and Alcaraz are fighting for one spot.

KDH has been poor. Alcaraz steps in.

Simple.