Current best formation?

[Pazu]

When all fit I think we should play all of Richarlison, Gordon, Dcl and Gray in most games. Most teams in the Premier league play a midfield two and don't all get overrun every week, a good quality DM would help as we need more depth but Allan and Doucoure tend to cope when they play together.

 

[Billy Dean]

I would say its difficult. But assuming everyone is fit I think we need to get Richarlison in the box with DCL. and try to get Gray and Townsend in the team and not get over run in the middle of the park (as most teams play a central 3) Also I dont think we can play a high line because Mina and Keane are not fast.

If we go with 2 up front, to get Richarlison and DCL upfront then we need to have 3 in the middle of the park, we could play 532 with either Gray or Townsend behind the 2 strikers.

Or we could play 4-3-1-2 so we have a standard back 4, (Mykolenko, Keane, Mina, Coleman) then 3 central midfielders (Alan, Doucoure, Gomes) Play an AMC, who can drift wide, like Townsend or Gray and then Richarlison and DCL as the 2 up top. This could be interchanged to a 433 or 451 if we need to change things in game with Richarlison moving out wide and the AMC player moving to the other wing.

I think this is probably our strongest option, it probably means that one of our strongest 4 attacking players wouldn't start, but I think given our issues in defence and midfield we have to play 3 in the middle of the park.

I'd probably go with a 4312

 

[Mark Bisson]

Right now, with everyone fit:

Pickford

Patterson - Keane - Mina - Mykolenko

Doucoure - Allan - Gomes

Richarlison - DCL - Gray​

We need to be starting games with this set up and looking to get on the front foot. Surely the next manager must see this??

^^ This with Townsend and Gordon off the bench

 

[Voodoo Billy]

Formation is irrelevant if Keane and Coleman are playing. They can’t use a football or follow basic tactical instructions. 3 at the back, 4 at the back, the pair are walking catastrophes.

I agree mate. The second Norwich goal where Coleman and Gordon are running back from midfield with the Norwich player at only 20 minutes into the game is proof his legs have gone, it's like he's running through quicksand.

 

[Thomasc]

4-3-3

GK: Pickford
RB: Patterson
LB: Mykolenko
CB: Godfrey
CB: Branthwaite
DM: Allan
CM: Doucoure
CM: Gomes / New Signing
RW: Gray
LW: Richarlison
ST: Calvert-Lewin

Play the above eleven as much as we possibly can.

No more Kenny, Keane, Holgate, Iwobi, Delph, Gbamin, Tosun, Rondon.

Backup for the first team or coming on when legs are tired:
Coleman, Mina, Davies, Gordon, Townsend, El Ghazi, Dobbin, Simms.

It’s this really, though I’d be tempted to ask Townsend to do a job in the 3 instead of Gomes.
Oh and Mina for Branthwaite, until Mina breaks again which he inevitably will.

 

[Blue Roo]

Regardless of who comes in as manager (please not Martinez), we currrently have a squad hobbled together under multiple different managerial regimes who all had different play styles.

We were crying out for a midfield 3 under Benitez, which would allow Allan to sit deep, limit the deficiencies of Gomes' mobility and allow Doucoure to make his late runs into the box.

Yet, at the same time, Richarlison (arguably our best player) has proven time and again he doesn't fit well to a standard winger role. What kind of formation would allow for our in-form players (Gray and Gordon), as well as Richarlison whilst also having a strong midfield?

So my question is, which formation would fit best with the players at our disposal?

Nothing has been proven with Richarlison on the wing - when you had the like of Gomes, Sig and Davies at left mid.
This was always the problem. How many times did you see Richarlison end up defending in the LCM position when he should have been covering the wing or making himself free for the counter.
'Arguably our best attacker' had a lot more to do than just attacking.
Its why he's actually good on the left wing - because he can defend. Unlike Iwobi, Bernard, Walcott etc.
(can Gordon or El Ghazi defend the line?)

Given the current squad, the best balanced set up is Richarlison on the left and Townsend on the right.
The problem is where that leaves Gray. If we had different mix of midfielders that could be solved but at the moment playing Gray at 10 (and interplaying with Richarlison) leaves Gray exposed. Doucs becomes the problem then. Something like Holberg and Alan (with a young back up to them both) would allow for a 4231/4411, which normally I'd be against, but with a front 4 of DCL, Rich, Adros, Gray and two proper CMs...well they be on to something.
You can't play a 4231 with two wingers who can't defend, won't put in the tackles, get brushed off too easily, won't do the hard yards.

The fact is the squad balance is a shambles...yet not that far off being good.

 

[Blue Roo]

It’s this really, though I’d be tempted to ask Townsend to do a job in the 3 instead of Gomes.
Oh and Mina for Branthwaite, until Mina breaks again which he inevitably will.

Not a bad call with Townsend in a three
Richarlison-DCL-Gray
Doucs-Alan-Townsend

Doucs and Townsend as the boxers and Alan holding

 

[Blue Roo]

Another option would be to start with Godfrey, Mina, Braithwaite
and get in Lucien Favre whose preferred formation (according to transfermarket) is a 3421

 

[wainy]

Pickford

Mykolenko
Mina
Godfrey
Keane
Holgate
Branthwaite
Patterson

Doucoure

Richarlison
Calvert-Lewin

 

[Tennessee Blue Mike]

Boot it and kick and run. Never pass backwards and keep nine back and rotate our forwards due to excess sprints. Might be able to draw the rest of the games to safety. The old park the bus mentality that Mourhino would even be proud of.

 

[Toffeelover]

All these ideas on team selection, all of a sudden we have umpteen managers !!!!

 

[Tony101]

Right now, with everyone fit:

Pickford

Patterson - Keane - Mina - Mykolenko

Doucoure - Allan - Gomes

Richarlison - DCL - Gray​

We need to be starting games with this set up and looking to get on the front foot. Surely the next manager must see this??

This would be my team with out Keane. Rather he never played for Everton again.

 

[BainesontoastNEW]

Another option would be to start with Godfrey, Mina, Braithwaite
and get in Lucien Favre whose preferred formation (according to transfermarket) is a 3421

This.

____________Pickford______________
___Godfrey___Mina___Branthwaite
Patterson__Allan___Douc___Mykolenko
_____Richarlison_____Gray________
_______________DCL______________

Would work under Favre or Kovac. I can see Nkounkou challenging Mykolenko when he returns from his loan spell.

 

[Dougie]

As some have said think we need to get Richie in the box with DCL. So I would like to have Richie just behind dcl, and have gray on the left who can run at defenders and draw space. Then have Townsend on the right who can deliver a good cross. With Richie and dcl in the box we should get joy from that. Richie can then also drop into the middle when we don’t have have the ball to make a 3, which should help us not get overrun as we have been.

 

[Blue Roo]

This.

____________Pickford______________
___Godfrey___Mina___Branthwaite
Patterson__Allan___Douc___Mykolenko
_____Richarlison_____Gray________
_______________DCL______________

Would work under Favre or Kovac. I can see Nkounkou challenging Mykolenko when he returns from his loan spell.

For that gets down to whether patterson and mylo can put the ball on Doms golden nugget